RELIGION AND RADIO.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19918, 11 April 1928, Page 12

RELIGION AND RADIO.

Sir, —Mr. Norman Burton's statement that 90 per cent of the population are "adherents" of the Christian Churches is a garbled distortion of fact. Only a minority of our population are actually members of the Christian Churches, and a large proportion of the remainder, it is common knowledge, never attend any church. If Mr. Burton claims his 40 per cent, or so of census Anglicans, we shall be justified in claiming our 5 per cent, of census non-Christians —equivalent to two broadcasts per annum. Because the Rationalists are a minority body, Mr. Burton considers it "entirely right and reasonable" that their claim to equal treatment with the, churches in the matter of broadcasting should be flouted by the company. In other words, that minorities have no rights—doubtless a comforting reflection to a member of the numerically-strongest denomination. Our association only seeks fair play. If the churches desire the Sunday evening hour regularly they are welcome to it, provided we have an occasional period once or twice a year at some other time on Sunday, or upon a week-day. If Mr. Burton's views are representative of the Churches, then their sense of security must indeed be negligible if they would deny an opposing body such modest facilities. C. E. Major. President, Auckland Rationalist Association.