Show i Ethics and Religion A A RECENT issue of one of the Salt DL Lake daily papers contains an I editorial entitled Rewards and Punishments Punishments Punish Punish- r. r ments which endeavors to show that there is a conflict between reli religion gion and the doctrines taught by some II teachers of ethics of modern tendencies That ma mabe maybe may maybe be true true but it is equally true that bet between een ethics ethics and religion there can b r no no dis- dis agreement Wl Where ere conflict occurs it is because either the advocate of a religious religious ious faith or the teacher of a mora moral theory has made a mistake The editorial referred to begins its attack by stating that certain teachers assert that the child should be trained to love virtue for its own sake and shun vice for the same reason and that II appeals appeals' to consequences lowers lowers' his ideals These statements instead of f representing the teachings of ethics are directly opposed to them That is the secret of the whole controversy It would be almost as reasonable to attack mathematics by making the statement that certain mathematicians affirm that two times two are five and then proceed pro to prove that this statement is un un- true Religion and ethics agree that virtue is not an end in itself it is merely ii a a means of attaining the great e end d of existence the existence the eternal happiness of man man man- kind They also agree agre that vice is to be shunned because it will lead to misery and self Let us examine a few of the arguments arguments arguments ments used against what is presumed to tobe tobe tobe be the doctrine ot of teachers of ethics of modern tendencies The statement is made that Gods s rewards and punishments punishments punishments punish punish- ments are the natural consequences of mens men's acts This is a fundamental principle of ethics and is recognized as such by every student of that science The assertion is explained by t the e statement statement statement state state- ment that II in in some instances however and ultimate ulti ultimate the connection between the act m mate te result is less clear though not less cle clearly or emphatically stated Science in all of its departments adm admits ts that there are many things it cannot exp explain ain because of This Thi This imperfect knowledge i would be clearly a case of that kind Fu Further ther it is stat stated d that in or order e Jo to explain some occurrences occurrences the Sup o 1 I A ti there i is nil nil- l tion tion must be made hat a ing Intelligence e Ce who according g to His own w wisdom i dom an and pOW power r uses the tr tremendous tremendous tre tre- r physical forces of nature for forthe tIle the training g o of l f His chi children dr n such as s a af f h human man father in his l limited sphere Is ts this set forth as a fundamental principle with is isit of f Gods God's s dealings humanity or oris it only an expediency If the former how does it harmonize with the statement statement state state- ment ent that Gods rewards and punishments punish punish- ments are the natural consequences of mens men's acts From the standpoint of ethics it is but an expediency an artificial arti arti- restraint which it often becomes necessary to use for the protection of society The laws of Congress relating to to crime are artificial restraints Criminals Criminals Criminals Crim Crim- are punished by hy the law not because because because be be- cause that punishment will make good moral men of them especially in the case of the man that is hanged but because b it is necessary that the people be protected against them These criminal criminal criminal crim crim- inal laws have nothing to do with the acts of honorable citizens The knowledge knowledge knowl knowl- edge dge of the bad results of evil acts themselves is to them sufficient restraint This natural restraint the knowledge of the natural reward or punishment that results from an act is the only kind of restraint that is regarded as proper in a system of ideal ethics It is recognized recognized recognized however that we have not attained that ideal condition and that it is still necessary that criminal laws be enacted and enforced Teachers of religion and of ethics are alike looking forward to the time when evil will be overcome with good when through the development develop develop- ment of knowledge and universal sympathy sympathy sympathy sym sym- pathy among mankind criminal courts will be no more needed Hate and envy and all forms of crime will be buried in inthe inthe inthe the past and mankind will live lie in peace and harmony In the language of the theologian Satan will be bound and God will reign on earth Under these conditions will artificial r strail t be employed in government The answer is No it will be wholly sup superseded by love and knowledge Until that happy condition is attained i it it will in some cases be necessary to employ a system of artificial re rewards and punishments but the less this b becomes becomes be be- co comes es necessary the better for humanity Such a system does not bring about th that t desired morality unless it be said that the man who refrains from murder because because because be be- cause he fears that it might cost him his own life is a moral oral person In conclusion conclusion conclusion con con- we agree gree with our mistaken opponent of modern ethics in the fact that morality is is' is best attained through habitual attention to truth truth- that elevates the soul and brings it into a state of holiness |