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SMAD. An Organ of Student Opinion. 1936. Volume 7. Number 6.

Nutshell Knowledge — III.—Poverty

Nutshell Knowledge

III.—Poverty.

You mustn't bother to feel sympathetic just because a lot of people have less than a decent minimum of food, shelter and clothing, and, hence, of self-respect. Even though we have a productive system that is capable of producing plentyfor everybody we must remember the words of the Master: "The poor ye have always with you."

The greatest intellectual triumph of twentieth century civilisation has been the solving of the problem of poverty by Christian science. The application of scientific method to religion has produced the comforting philosophy that the world is merely subjectiveand exists only in so far as we think of it. Thus poverty exists only in the mind of man, and ceases to exist when one ceases to think of it. Bishop Berkeley thought of this philosophy centuries ago, but it was not till our own time that anybody really believed it. Lots of people now know that it's true, and they don't have to worry about widespread social distress. Haven't you noticed the crowds of cars outside the Christian Science churches on Sundays?

Although man's chief end is to glorify God, he should also glorify Gold. man finds his highest and his most fundamental function in achieving success. The poor show by their economic failure that they lack all the highest human qualities. They deserve to be poor. In case you think me hard-hearted I shall support my argument by a quotation from a statement issued two years ago by the Wellington Chamber of Commerce:

It (is) a matter for consideration whether the view should not be definitely placedbefore boys that the unskilled labourer (is) not entitled under natural law or under the principles of justice to the luxuries of life, but to little more than the barest necessities; that comfort, ease and luxury in life should be regarded as the reward of skill or special industry, not as a right." -SPECTATOR.