CORRESPONDENCE

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 29 March 1935, Page 6

CORRESPONDENCE

DOUGLASISM AND CHRISTIANITY :(To the Editor). Sir, —May I add a note to the discussion on Christianity’s obligations towards tbe present economic situation ! First, as a convinced believer ,in God and His Son Jesus Christ, I welcome the efforts of Douglasites t° correct the difficulties of file world situation. I hold strongly the view that all Christian peoples should support any movement that seeks a better life for the people as a whole. As I understand it, sir, there are two

great factions in the peoples of the world and there are two great impulses. Before there arose the conception of a 'God of righteousness and of a Spirit world, powers of instinctive animal impulses held men in bondage. Then came the conception that, above animal strength and instincts there was a God who presided over, a spirit world greater than these and that created man owes allegiance to Him and His powers. These two opposing forces are continually at warfare, one with the other. Scripture says, and I believe it, that the spirit of the world is at enmity against God, impliedly against Christianity. We all know experimentally that we are ■swept away by desire to get wealth in ways that our consciences—the silent, voice of God—condemns. Moreover, we hate when we know that 3 by the command of God we ought not to do so. Here, therefore, are instances of the conflict which I mention. Warfare has been called the unleashing of the dogs of war. Put in another way, it is a time when animal instincts in a nation-wide front hold sway. In times of industrial strife much the same thing oceifrs. Undoubtedly, we are passing through this phase now and the question is “can Christianity do anything to ameliorate matters?” I mean “can it do anything to proclaim tlie omnipotence of God and the dependence of man upon Him ? Of course it can. That is its province. But revealed religion contains teaching. on the relationship between God and man; it is also a way of life between man and man. And if only the Sermon on the Mount be considered and adhered to the world will soon become the Kingdom of Christ. But, the powers of darkness (as the Bible puts it) having held sway and rampaged over the world in an unchecked career, all, sections of the community have been dragged down. Religious people have suffered equally with the irreligious. I was going t.o say “the good have suffered with the bad”—but I won’t. World movements take time to produce results hut the present! situation is a very precious one for all 1 believers that Christ’s philosophy is the best, quietly and unobtrusively to show in their daily walk and conversation that they are striving to practise the teachings of Jesus while ac- 1 eepting all the teachings abont Him from a theological point of view. If Diouglasism will help in the realising of this ideal then it ought to he tried and examined at least..—l am, etc., CHURCHGOER, NO. 2.