The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1921-04-23
RELIGION AND EUGENICs.

There is no fight between relig-
ion and eugenics, explains Rev.
W. R. Inge, D. D., in recent is
sue of the Eugenics Review. The
real fight, he maintains, is with
the anti-scientifc mind-presnm-
ably those who, though devoid Of
scientific knowledge, still cling to
the old moral ideas.
The Reverend Doctor tries to
show how nearly identical is the
Christian with the eqgenic ideal.
In this attempt scriptural texts
are invoked to do yeoman service
never intended by their Divine
Author. Thus, in referring to the
words about the good and the
evil trees, we are told that the
eugenist "does not believe that
there is any natural or supernat-
nral power which will intervene
to save from the consequences of
transgressing the laws of nature. !"
In this light how can eugenists un-
derstand the command to Gin
crease and multiply" given to
the human race? Doubtless, they
must qualify it by adding the fur
Their behest, to aim at exclusive
quality in the process of this null.
tiplication.
Now, eugenics, in plain words,
seeks to promote the quality Of
the stock they like that word
throughout the country. For
them, stock" applies equally to
man and beast: animals are priced
for their physical qualities; then
why not man also? Is he not the
highest form in the animal king
dom Yes and no. Taken with
out the rational part of his being,
an interesting discussion might be
inaugurated as to mans supreme
perfection even in the animal
realm.
There, however, is the rub: man
is not alone splendidly built ami
NAL, he is an image Of the divine
because instinct with an immortal
spirit. And it is just here that
eugenics Classics itself unmistak-
ably as a modern form of ancient
materialism. It eliminates entire
ly the idea of the intellectual soul,
OF soul that is independent in
it's nature and qualities from the
perfect FORM of the parents
bodies. For it is all rot to assert
that the best men and women
must necessarily be produced by
| progenitors whose physical per-
fections meet the required stand
ard tests Of eugenists. Savages
often present eminently superior
bodily projections, while their off
spring as a rule do not rate high
in the scale Of civilization. On the
other hand, mentality and moral
ity OF the highest order proceed
equally from those whom eugen-
les would never have permitted to
be born.
We are also told that when PEG
pie set their minds upon spiritual
and intellectual interests poverty
(which is considered one of the
chief causes Of small families
may be lightly borne. How large,
pray, are the families among the
intellectual" classes? Compare
the "west ends' and the least
ends Of any city in the world
and you will find that poverty has
its crowded hearths while the in.
tellectual" families usually are
forced to substitute dogs and par.
rots to assist in entertaining the
lone one or two children who
somehow or other managed to slip
into the world in intellectual
surroundings.
! Christianity teaches that human
4 souls are destined for heaven
| The more of these precious Jewels
| that are brought to life eternal
the brighter and more resplendent
| will heaven be. Eugenics would
place a limitation on this plan
and would embellish the settina
Of the celestial mansions with
choice jewels, just a few, YOU
know, but endowed with such per
fectly lovely and symmetrical
]. bodies; and Of course their souls
If they have any would be pro
DortiOnatelv hnantifnll