1962 G TO A CERTAIN RELIGION BECAU TO BELIEVE T! ET OR ACROSS ' f arsis is ■ er, Massachusetts in account of their -his tonsils would' is pastor had told in a' neighboring rm .of Saint Anne. school nurse that ' educated members miraculous cures o in order to hold the excuse with Ives its conscience lformed -“lor. their i a main; “good" in eat temptation for members by un- shown by the fact ilind acceptance of uth. The Christian, ot choose his sect; iation in: childhood n ranch.;.The great and women of. the fields and of the in confl|ct because to others evaluate and inexperienced i of. a different sect . Knowing this, the believe/ blindly that i superior) religion, then into an inclu rge, he individually :ive religion is free i. It is. free to omit usive religion is far im, or. other exclu :e of its; tradition— a such an inclusive arian evil. t the persistence of hood enables a sect ,icei far below any- Indoctrination drills e minds :of children es over. amine ahd evaluate ind sentiment stand jctance ti> hurt par ndly to their ( family or that ifellc w sec -9 discarding he old :r the Ignorance the asler to cling to the Dne. Most se itariani ivaluate relig on and better :*<9igkm,; i TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30. 1962 EIR RELIGION IS THE THE OCEAN. ; ' : f I ( ... V jS. "Conspiracy of silenea" in religion prevents a mu tual evaluation of beliefs and practices in a'frank ex- : change of ideas. We tend to look upon, each person’s re ligion as his private affair about which others must keep silent even when they think they see weeds in the . religious gar4en. It .tragic beyond measure to remain silent When, you see 'your- neighbor eating poisonous toad stools for mushrooms, as when j I watched my next-room teacher sinking steadily- toward death reading a ■ sec tarian manual rather thin call in competent medical aid. When she was in or near the coma before she died, the coreligionist with whom she had -lived said sweetly that she was getting along nicely. Sectarianism refused to ad ,mit that disease was real even as it took another victim. : . / : AH of us_ are victims of the conspiracy of silence (re ligious j toleration, so-called) because others may not help each of us detect and discard the evils of one’s own sect. The "conspiracy” seems as prevalent among educated peo ple (who should be'in a position to help separate the good from the bad) as among others. The President: of the West Liberty. Sjtate College of West Virginia writes that certain religioufi discussion groups “should never border in de nominational creeds -to the point of impliedj criticism or. questioning of beliefs.” Evaluation is taboo because sec-' tarianism does not wish to be subjected to It no. matter how kindly, wise, and pertinent the evaluation. - ' 4. Many lines of communication are dosed to those wljo would evaluate sectarianism. The usual Sunday morn ing broadcast did not come through on Easter.! The speaker had questioned the Resurrection of Jesus, so the station had cut him off the air. Another station indicates that only a person who qualifies as “a properly accredited spokes man foF a significant group” may broadcast on religious topics whether radio time is free, or paid for. ■ A newspaper refused to run the ad, "Which is Wiser? To remain divided into the ; hundreds of religious sects into which we : happened to .be born, or to unite in an inclusive Brotherhood to replace existing sects?” on the groundj that “Our publisher feels that the interests of the greatest number of our readers' are best served by avoid ing controversial subjects of a religious nature.”: When I .submitted an ad of my Toward World Brotherhood to World Report, my check was returned with the comment: “We do not think, however, that our columns can be'available for this'type of. advertising, I since we are quite sure it will Involve us in a controversy with other sects.. If you feel there is some’ other way of | writing your copy so that the controversial angle, will hot; appear, then we’d be perfectly happy-to run it.” Is there any field ex cept sectarianism -where a great national magazine feels it must! avoid a controversial issue? ( . - ! ; ' Calling itself "Holy,” a sect considers any “attack” on it too wicked to be, tolerated in the publicj press. Would any but a group unsure of itself deny its critics the op portunity. to sell their points of view in an j open market of ideas? Is (hat which must protect itself by such censor ship really worth protecting? 5. Faar silence* critics of sectarianism. The president of a college for women in Virginia wrote that she., had found Toward World Brotherhood extremely stimulating and helpful, and had quoted it T at several points in a series of lectures at a neighboring college, but she ; refused (at a later date) to be quoted. She' coupled the refusal with “my best for success in your undertaking." She indi cated frankly that she would like to give permission to be quoted! but did not dare. A tqaicher in a .'graduate seminary of the Methodist Church said Toward World- Brotherhood was full of sound wisdom, but sho refused to be quoted. People who are In a position to be.hurt|by sectarians hesitate to say a good wont for Brotherhood Religion I publicly lest they be punished. p RELIGI SE THEY HAPPENED TO BE BORN INTO ONE TRUE THE' DAILY COtIEGtAN. UNIVERSITY PARK. ELIGION OR SUPERIOR TO V'j Is ' ' I' 1 I'V \| Immature childhood. Impressionable childhood, reluc tance to examine and evaluate beliefs and practices, con spiracy of silence, restricted communication, and fear are reinforced by religious zeal, blind bigotry, isolation, tha good name of religion, and strong organization. Protected by these and other defenses, the sectarian evil persists. .... ! Brotherhood Religion Is Inclusive ■, - Religion j The Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood jof Man seem best suited for the giiiding principles bf Brotherhood Rejigion. The Fatherhood and Brotherhood bind all' man kind into one family—the family of God the - Father. Fatherhood and brotherhood are as inclusive as humanity; all may Bhare freely and fully hi the religion based bn them. The fatherly attitude 4 of God toward all His chil dren calls for a brotherly attitude on the part of all His children toward one another as well as a reverently re sponsive ' attitude toward. God the Father. The loving ! t • 1 v* I ‘ - Father is devoted to His children so that .when you serve any person, you please and worship God. Brotherhood ; i • | 1 Religion, I doing what it can to serve everyone in com munity, nation and the world, is brotherly love in action. Brotherhood Religion aims to unite all persons of good will in an intelligent religious life. A .person of any religious background is welcome: The religious experiences of all are pooled in the enjoyment of- a common religious life and in the search for greater religious truth. Brother hood Religion is not bound, by an authoritative inerrant Scripture. Founder, or Church. It is a democracy where 'every member is encouraged to contribute his points of view freely. In this way it distills religious wisdom from every source as it promotes Brotherhood in as' many ways, as possible. Brothers believe that religion should and can be of uniformly high qualify. There is no place in Brother hood Religion for the brutal, the unethical, the untrue, or the exploitive. Brotherhood is 1 desired tha world around so that Brotherhood Religion naturally appeals to people of every community and nation. Methods of worship and work would differ from place, to place according to the culture of a people, but brotherliness would be the keynote every where. Brotherhood ’ Religion concentrates !yn brotherliness, so is far: better suited to achieve it than the sects which spend much time'and energy on-pet schemes of salvation and other nonbrotherly behavior. Brothers have the maximum of personal satisfaction through their religion. Their personal relationship to their Father and to one another is close, warm, and satisfying as they work together to serve one another,end those who have not yet become Brothers. Just Another Sect?! Ja Brotherhood Religion just another sect to divide religious people still further? There is a vast difference between a sect with its excluding, binding, authoritative tradition (built up over the centuries about a personal Savior or a chosen people) and an inclusive Brotherhood, pnfeern in outlook and knowledge, where varying points of view are adjusted-in the search for CTuller brother hood. Asect Is blindly propaganda Brotherhood Religion , truth-seeking. PENNSYLVANIA t i ' A sect Is a group of people with closed minds whe propagate what it already “knows” is the truth. As it. al ready has the truth,' there is no point in looking for It, A* each sect zealously practices and teaches its own tradition, sectarian: walls which divide the sects grow thicker and higher. Each- sect, huddled within its sectarian fortress, defends its "sacred truths” from “enemies” within and without It refuses to accept anything contrary .to its tra dition. Little, if any, advance is made by the sects toward one another or toward religious truth. Brotherhood Religion is a group of religious people with opep minds who try to find, accept, 1 and practice, religious truth from any source. Brothers, do not live in a closed- sectarian fortress where they must defend every thing—good and bad. .They compare points- of view.: A' Brother is ready to have his points of view challenged wants to learn as well as to teach. He believes that an earnest, intelligent search yields far more religious truth than the blind acceptance of the tradition of any sect. As each Brother, or group of Brothers searches for the truth and finds some, each draws closer to the truth, so cloiier to the others. -Brotherhood Religion dissolves barriers. It is'the na tural meeting place for all religious people,. It Is expected to absorb the membership of various sects as well as to draw in people not connected with any sect. Any person believes in Brotherhood" Religion (nay start a Brotherhood. The idea isjcohtagious. As friend* and acquaintances become interested, a small informal Brotherhood may be organized. A Brotherhood may be as small as two or threevpeopie who worship or work together. Once started, it grows ;ns more people learn of its purpose and activity. At fint, the Brotherhood might meet informally -in the home* of members. Friends might be invited to drop in. Notice* of the meetings might be inserted in local papers as news items or advertisements. Brotherhood. As-they free themselves .from the narrow sectarianism in which they were" indoctrinated in chijd hood, a Brotherhood offers an excellent opportunity foe a higher, fuller religious life. . Brotherhood Religion can use the brotherly achieve ment* of various sects. Literature, songs, ritual, methods, and other Items may be-used freely when they promote or can be revamped to promote brother lines*. In time, Brotherhood Religion will develop an extensive culture. . The individual Brother, the small informal Brother hood, or the large fully organized Brotherhood can spread the Brotherhood Religion idea. When sectarians learn that a uniformly wholesale religion!is available, many will prefer it. ! •Y The exchange of experience among Brothers and Brotherhoods brings helpful information and encourage ment Until such time as a center of information has been organized,, I shall be glad to get information from and to give information to Brothers and others who are inter ested in Brotherhood Religion, 1 Hj.- 1 1' 1 1 , •t- * - , •»,*:.*«. *r*fViV •', . • J-1 - ;, L- | ? * ! '• ' ; .fV i ' ( I It*.. •*l! ' MVi%'U#k4 , 1 '^; s ''r .•• jr'i: -.—:: |; M4b - * i I'A . . (Vr". t ! - -i. is; Starting A Brotherhood Student*, in a school or college ■ may organize • a it* : •• ; x ' •. ~\J- ! ti'4-'-s- •: •, ’ :r"-';V **\ ■*. ' -e 6 r ’ . "4 V * *-J 4 > v : r- • '• - -tT ttttt Utt£ - /f 1 -.I Joseph I. Arnold, 1737 Cambridge Street j Cambridge 38, Masaachiuett* t PAGI SEVEN
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers