POLITICS & RELIGION

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume XXXI, Issue 8836, 23 October 1942, Page 2

POLITICS & RELIGION

(By E.L.8.G.) A few days ago a gentleman informed me that he disagreed with the article on “Capital and Labour.” Among other things said by him, here are two: “The Church should not enter the field of economics and political discussions.” Also, “That he would fight to the end for prohibition.”

The worst disease of modern , society is its dethronment of religion as the governing motive in society and the substitution therefore of politics, economics and scientific materialism.” This was part of the creed of the Marquess of Lothian, who died at his post as British Ambassador to the United States in December,* 1940. In his view, a balance between Church and State is essential to a healthy and progressive society. “The role of politics is to enact the laws'and enforce them, if need be by police violence, so as to create the conditions in which it is possible for the Christian to lead the Christian life and to apply its principles both as individual and as a citizen. . . The role of religion is to teach the individual that truth about God and man and the Christian way of life and to inspire and to encourage him to practise them.” He illustrated this theme by reference to prohibition: He was personally a “dry,” but regarded “attempts to make the State compel people to abandon drink as both bad politics and bad religion.” There are political steps which can be taken in this connection, but the building of “character which can resist temptation of its own accord is far more important than compulsory temperance.” Passing on to a wider view, he sees the function of religion in world affairs > as the changing of hearts of men “sufficiently to make possible the establishment of a political world order which by ordinary political means will end war."