The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1955-06-17
Just Among Ourselves
Passing Comment Considered or lneonsidsrsis

N.
so-called Christian world is rapidly dividing into
two main camps the Catholic and the pagan. That
is TO say people who lay any claim to the name of
Christian either actively adhering to the full
doctrine Of Christ in the Catholic Church. or they
gradually abandoning all basic Christian truths
without abandoning the claim to Christianity at
least in name
That GKC. spoke truly is pretty well evidenced
by the quartercentury that has passed since he
made the statement Sectarian people are generally
quite Indifferent if not actually unbelieving, on
such points of essential doctrine original sin,
the actual Godhead of Our Lord, the nature of the
Incarnation, the real character of the Atonement
and Redemption, the great truth of the Blessed
Trinity
Christian faith finds its immediate expression
in Christian morals. One find proof OF the decay
Of belief in the breakdown of Christian conduct,
in the severing of the code Of morals from religious
roots True, pagans bound by the moral
law which used to be called generally land still is
called by Catholics almost exclusively the natural
ldO For the natural law is the law of right reason,
written in hearts, conscience bearing wit
ness" by the God who gives us reason. The Ten
Commandments are revealed in Holy Scripture; yet
they are manifest also to sound human reason, and
thus they the expression OF the natural law as
we'll the supernatural law. They bind all men,
Christian and non-Christan, Greek and Roman,
For everyone who has right to call himself
Christian the Ten Commandments carry supernat-
ura force For nature is fallen and weaken
ed nature: the natural law has not in itself the en-
ergzng power To make 1t effective, or, at any rate,
to make it the dominant force IN the responsible
life of sinful man Ethics is largely sterile without
religion Lay morality is rootless; it rests on the
shifting sands of custom; it has only external sane
tons, like the rules of etiquette and politenesS.
= To illustrate the matter. A few days since pop
ular columnist whose cases presented in many
newspapers, advised young woman on conduct re-
Specting the illicit use of sex. There was no mention
of duty to God or elf. There reference
TO the serious sin involved, There was only con
sideraton OF convenience and Of what people might
think. In word, the whole discussion was pagan
plea for pagan decency, without shred of religion
or Christianity about it,
Consider further the great problem mentioned
frequently in the papers, and in the solemn non
of social studies, the problem of delin-
quency which Is general and not merely jul
vene. The mandate of the natural law which
qures respect for the property OF others gives place
to the law of greed and grab and even to the law
of sefexpresson in marring destroying what
belongs to other people. The Christian concept of
sim and serious sin in the wanton violation of
property rights is unknown among modern 3agans.
at as superstitous fogy and the scoffers have but
the yaguest notion of what he actually means by
calling anything SIN.
As others have pointed out, the name pagan
is hardly the right name to use of modern non
Christians who still cling to the name of Christian
The word hedthen might be better, For the ancient
pagan the word means pilldger) was only man
from the baek-woods ungloSsed with the class and
culture of the residents of big cities And usually
he was very religious person sincere in his belief
despite the fact that 1t was a false belief Our
modern pagans have no clear beliefs al all They are
all for action they go beters" without under
standing or justification for their acting and getting
To call them pdgdns is to confer undeserved com
pliment
Now without solidy religious morality. there
can be no hope at all for peace in the world
whether this be peace among nations or peace at
home among individual citizens II men regard the
divine mandates of Thou shalt not kill; thou shalt
not commit adultery; thou shalt not steal thou
shalt not bear false witness" so many nice
direcves out of Emily Post they can never build up
the edfice OF true social order and social harmony
For, in this circumstance, the essential and funda
mental virtue OF justice is debaSed to a mere police
order. And without Justice. accepted by the heart
and will as absolutely indispensable il is manifest
that there can be enduring peace
II is all very well for the lad wound up with
CUFF about social relations" to speak and write
about regard for fellowmen. II is all very we'll for
individuals and dedicated groups TO work for social
equality, inter.racial harmony brotherhood, the
spirit of The good neghhor But all this must come
to nothing without basic belief in God and in the
duty and responsibility of all men TO God and Gods
law.
The heather spirit of the age is all about MS,
and all must breathe ii. Even believing and practs.
ing Christians are sometimes visibly affected by
It Sometimes for instance the man who understands
the gravity of the law Thou shalt not kill" and
who readily admits the awful sin of killing will race
his car in traffic and will openly flir with sud.
den death to himself and for those who ride with
him and those who get in the way. Even some men
who profess and proclaim the law Thou shalt not
steal will sometimes let bills run on unconscon.
ably and will 20 breezily into debt for what they
know they cannot afford Some who are forever
preaching equality and brotherhood will work FOR
hgoted laws; will harm their human brothers land
notably the young by bad example by the further
ing of indecent reading or entertainment and by
word and work which plainly show that their prac.
tice is not in accord With their preaching.
All this is heathen il is n-chriStian; il is anti
II T.