16 The Fundamentals. at the present day, and shows no sign of ever recovering a respectable status. DUALISM AND PANTHEISM. Confining our attention, therefore, to theistic philosophies, we find several classes of these, namely, “Dualistic” and “Pan theistic.” Dualism is the name which philosophers have been pleased to bestow upon those systems which maintain that God (or the “First Cause”) created the universe as an act of His will, and has an existence distinct and apart from it. These systems are called “dualistic” because they count God as one entity, and the universe or creation as another entity, thus mak ing two entities. The reader should understand clearly that when a learned professor of philosophy speaks of “dualism” he has Christianity in mind. MONISM AND PLURALISM. Pantheism, on the other hand, maintains that God and the universe are one being. There are several varieties of pan theism which have followers among living philosophers, e. g., monism and pluralism. Monism is that variety of pantheism which is most in favor at the present day. This system as sumes as the basis of reality an “absolute” or “all-knower”—a monstrosity which comprehends in its vast being all things and all their relations and activities. Monism, therefore, as serts that there is but one entity. God has no existence apart from the universe, and never had. The latter is, therefore, eternal, and there has been no creation. I t is a remarkable and highly significant fact that the basic principle of this ruling philosophy of our day is also the basic principle of the rapidly rising religio-economic system of so cialism. For socialism is grounded upon the proposition that man is organically and essentially one with God and with the universe. From this strange agreement—this strange meeting of extremes—far-reaching results may be expected.
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker