RATIONALISM—WHAT IS IT?

Waikato Times, Volume 107, Issue 17983, 31 March 1930, Page 9

RATIONALISM—WHAT IS IT?

(To the Editor.) Sir, —Recent issues of the Times have contained in the correspondence columns .some interesting contributions following upon, and of course inolud.i; ing, those above the signatures “Rationalist” and “Rational.” The latter ■ especially would appear to have incurred the displeasure of some of’the r: good old-fashioned folk, one in parr' tic-ular who reveals his association with ” a potential section of organised Chris ti- ~ anity was particularly hard, and (par's don me) unnecessarily harsh in his criticism. . Inter alia, “Rational” made no profession of belonging in any -way to any religious association and may . be excused for any absence of courteous treatment of his opponent; but “Alphonsus W. Sydney” should, and probably does, know- better. Therefore a little more sw-eet charitableness from him would have been more in . keeping with the spirit of the Great ,1 Truth he was out to champion. Still, i we are only human, and an eel may be mistaken for an adder w : hen the light . is not good. By the writer’s w-ay of analysis there Appears to be much that is commendable in such men and women as those ’ who, being unconvinced of certain " ‘ asseverations made and believed by many, prefer to approach the great .questions of existence as they arise and ' grapple with them in such light as they are possessed of. In this they are honest. Again, the writer has conversed with Rationalists on several occasions and has as often appreciated the intelligent way in which vital questions were dealt with. I am speaking of course of men who may be considered as the leaders of the movement p - and who realise that they—even they—are responsible beings. We have dis- ’ ' cussed Darwinism, Materialism, and practically every other “ism” that has r “ any bearing upon Rationalism. We have dissected Haekel to the minutest particle and compared notes of individual impressions on most matters of . moment to each and all. I may ,say I am not a Rationalist, but I can only , entertain respect for such investigators as referred to. During the investigating process it is understandable that not over-much deference is paid to the assertions of others and departures from orthodox lines of conduct and expression will be noticeable. But there need be no fear of an earnest Rationalist; he is first of all a man and a then an independent seeker for truth. ■*-- In his search he exercises his intellier gence and reasoning powers, and such exercise is undoubtedly'of benefit to these faculties and work towards their f-' development. Where, in the w-riter’s k opinion, they lose ground is at the very onset. By setting out to investii-' gate with their intelligence and reason k they overlook the fact that both these • qualities are not really their own. At r best they are only on loan from some source or power having possession of both qualities in overwhelming supply,o’? and it is sometimes difficult to convince bi; them of the deep significance of this. It must be stated, however, that Ra„r/ tionalism is. not in any sense absolutely t anti-God, the existence of a Supreme r. Controller is not generally questioned; / but it is the 'Christian conception of the meanings of things that are not too readily assimilable, and I’ve heard these conceptions being challenged right and left, and I've heard references made and pronouncements that would cause many a churchman to seriously think. But in this there is ' nothing to cause unrest; the great .-..cause w-illl not suffer, but will ultimately gain. The process of reasoning they adopt and their searching methods -reOf analysis must, and will, result in ■:-.:much clarified thought being liberated - throughout the social order. This inclination to assail the interpretations of life as advanced by Christianity is another point at w-hich Rationalism belies its name, and again loses its 'i<-- potency. Admitting that Christianity has not yet accomplished what it set "out to do, •that mankind does not in the aggregate feel any beneficial material effect from the maintenance of churches, ministers, processions, pageantry and , so on, and for the great multitude the "outlook seems hopelessly resolved into the never-ending struggle for exist- ..... ence, I say admitting that to the present this is so, Rationalism does not " sufficiently establish a sound working ...hypothesis by giving due consideration , ; to three vital questions before setting out—(1) The state of the world socially and morally immediately prior to .. the birth of the Founder of Christianity; V (2) the .state in which the world would ... now be had Christianity never entered it; (3) the state to which the world would attain assuming all its inhabitants were Christians. I leave matters here in the meantime, and may I be permitted to congratulate “Rational” upon the part he played in bringing a little thought to bear upon matters of general import.— * I am, etc., 1 ' EDNOS.