On accepting the universe

Title

Creator

MacKinnon, John

Language

English

Source

Panorama Volume XX (No. 10) October 1968

Year

1968

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Fulltext

ON ACCEPTING THE UNIVERSE When human beings try to understand the nature of the universe, they stress those as pects of reality which most concern them. Thus all con ventional religious interpreta tions of the nature of things have declared that either in this world or another world to come, goodness and hu man value are primary and guaranteed. The scientific interpretation of reality finds otherwise; that the universe is indifferent, amoral, insen sitive and impersonal. In theory, the conventional religious view is one by means of which men can feel far more .comfortable. They are assured, if they believe it, that their concerns are taken care of, that their values will triumph ultimately, and that the disastrous things that happen to them are either unreal or unimportant. Un fortunately, few people can so ignore the data of life as to be able to accept such 4 view completely. To be forced by intellectual honesty to give up the conventional religious view and accept the scientific view is often a trau matic and devastating ex perience. How, then, can one accept the universe with gladness and joy? 1. For the sense of security promised by the man-center ed view, which is never quite real enough to be altogether firm, we must develop the capacity to meet and deal with insecurity. We must come to know that disaster is just what has happened but not the act of an angry God; then only the disaster must be dealt with, not the haunting fear that God has become an enemy. We must learn to respect ourselves and our capacity to deal with disaster as other men have. We must recognize that death will come to all of us, but until that time, if we have the courage to respond brave ly, no disaster need cause us ultimate despair. 2. Proper interpretation of the scientific view reveals that goodness and human va lue are as real as anything 26 Panorama else in the universe. Men are a real result of what is going on in the nature of things; hence whatever they do is equally real — good ness and value are among the things they do. Further more, whatever resources we find to enable us to increase the values and quality of life, have also happened and are real in the universe. They are ready at hand for us to use, and chief among them are other people whose po tential for achieving value is greater than that of anything else. — By Rev. John Mac Kinnon. REFORMS IN THE PHILIPPINES 1887 We believe then that it is time to give the Phil ippines representation in the Cortes and freedom of the press. With these two reforms carried out wise ly by a minister and a governor who do not allow themselves to be influenced by anybody, all other reforms that may later be presented will succeed; under their protection, they will prosper. Whereas now that the country has no voice in public opinion nor in the legislature, when a reform is ordered, it cannot be known here (Philippines) whether it is executed or not, if the governor general, in order to please Such and Such a One, suspends it, muti lates it or interprets it in his own way. A free press would watch over its implementation and the de puties could defend it in the Cortes. With these two reforms we believe firmly that the pessimists and the discontented will disappear from the moment they are furnished with a medium to inform them. It is already something to be able to complain when one feels outraged. — By Jose Rizal in “The Philip pines at the Spanish Congress”, La Solidaridad, 31 March 1890. October 1968 27

pages

26+

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