PHILOSOPHICAL GAS 25 PHILOSOPHICAL GAS Number 25 : Spring 1973 Philosophical Gas is published quarterly by she enclosed a circular from the Board of John Bangsund: Parergon Books Management of the College of the Bible of PO Box 357 Kingston ACT 2604 Australia Churches of Christ in Australia (of which primarily for the Fantasy Amateur Press her husband is a member), inviting friends Association, friends and correspondents. of the retiring Principal, Lyall Williams, to write a letter to him. The letters Letters and other written contributions are received will be bound into a volume and welcome, and (unless I advise you presented to Mr Williams at a public otherwise) so are other publications by way farewell meeting in November. I looked of exchange. No artwork is required for at this circular and wondered whether a the time being. (I seem to have about ten lapsed Christian might contribute to such years supply of Rotslers on hand, some of a presentation volume, and I decided I which - I’m sure Bill won't mind - I will should. Partly to fill in some gaps in my be pleased to pass on to Australian fanzine readers’ knowledge of my background, but publishers, provided they do the right mainly to see whether I have written too thing by putting Bill on their mailing lists.) much, I here pre-print the letter I wrote very late last night. Subscriptions: A$l. 50 per annum. Subscribers to 'Scythrop' - publication of Dear Mr Williams, which has now ceased - may choose either to receive Philosophical Gas or ask for a It is over fifteen years since I left the refund. Where it does not contravene College of the Bible, and almost as long local law, my bank prefers cheques to any since I ceased to regard myself as a other form of payment. Your bank will practising Christian. But what I am and tell you what A$1.50 is worth. hope to be, my sense of values, of what is good and right and worth striving for, and The main aim of Philosophical Gas is many other things, are still based very communication. If I think you are much on what 1 learnt in college. And I interested in what I have to say, I am learnt as much from your example as I interested just as much in what you have ever did from lectures and books. to say, whether in response to what I publish or otherwise. I have no ambition I was sad when my mother mentioned to me to make a fortune from my writing, nor that Mr Gale and Mr Pittman had died. I to accumulate trophies. But one way or valued them, and appreciate them more as another, I do want to hear from you. I grow in understanding. My sadness came That’s the name of the game. partly from never having told them this. ©mionoooDiiwoiioOTira Will Gale was preaching at Northcote when I decided to enter college. He was quite delighted at the idea of my following in his llth September: Yesterday I had a letter footsteps exactly half a century after him, from my sister, a rather and he used to tell me with nostalgic joy of mouth-watering letter in which she detailed college life as it was in 1907. I have the plans for her two-month jaunt through forgotten most of the stories (one I recall Europe starting in December, and with it concerned a motorcycle called Boanerges), 1 but no matter. In a book which he gave me teach me that, in all honesty; perhaps I was he wrote ’Have few books, and know them doing that long before I met you. But you well.' I have not taken his advice, but I reinforced it, certainly. Like many another think I might one day - and I shall start by you taught Campbell's three principles: 'In giving tooks away, inscribed with that good faith, unity; in doctrine, liberty; in all advice. things, charity' - but unlike others, you laid equal stress on all three. All agree that Randall Pittman was the dearest, most one should 'speak the truth in love’, but you kindly man I have met. In 1957, from the taught me that it must be my truth that I height of my eighteen years, I felt that he speak in love, not some other fellow’s. was still fighting theological battles which had been decided fifty years earlier and had 'Try all things. Hold fast to that which is little contemporary relevance. He was good.' That is what you taught me, and denouncing Wellhausen and the Documentary taught a generation of men. That this high Theory when I was reading Bultmann and endeavour has led some, like myself, away Gogarten on Demythologization. And I told from the Church reflects no discredit on you - him so. He didn't mind. He gave me good rather the opposite. I think it was an marks in examinations when I contradicted American poet, perhaps Robert Frost, who him, while gently reproving my scrappy said 'There is more love outside marriage scholarship. These days I read Aquinas and than in, and more religion outside church wonder whether those theological battles of than in.' For me, love and religion are one long ago really are irrelevant. and the same - and I think you might have taught me that, too. He encouraged me in ways I am only now beginning to appreciate: for example, he I wish you joy and the satisfaction that is showed me the value and sheer pleasure of your just reward in your retirement. etymology. A lover of words, he instilled that same love in me. My favourite memory of Mr Pittman concerns Producing fanzines hasn't been quite the a morning when, between lectures, our class same since Sally came into my life. In the had seized, bound and partly undressed Alan course of typing this page, for example, she Cant, who was then in third year and our has come into the room three times to senior. We waited until a few seconds before cuddle me and see what I have written. I Mr Pittman came into the room and then feel like the luckiest man alive - and that’s released Alan. Mr Pittman watched Alan a good feeling. She did most of the work collect his gear and limp from the room, in collating and stapling the las t few issues with a twinkle in his eye said 'Well, men of Scythrop and Philosophical Gas. I do not will be boysl' and commenced the lecture. believe in Heaven, and I do not believe that marriages are organized there, but Different as they were, there was a great when I think about Sally, which is pretty good humour about those two classmates of near constantly, and when I think about the 1907, and great humanity. These men are love we share, which is so real I dare not gone; I cannot thank them for what they think about it too much, I am almost meant and mean to me. You, sir, share inclined to believe in anything. My salute these qualities they had, and you I can thank. to her, in the quote possibly from Robert Frost above, will not have escaped the Once you were talking to us about St Anselm’s perceptive reader. Ontological Argument, and you dismissed it as a 'proof of the existence of God’. I argued Meantime, Bill Wright (amongst others) has with you then, in class, and I still think that written to me, and amongst other things, Anselm's Argument is a perfectly logical and has delighted me with the following short valid 'proof. It is also perfectly useless, but article, which I would like to share with you. that's another story. I mention this incident Sally, I might mention, is a member of die because it illustrates perhaps the most Australia Party, and doesn't entirely agree valuable thing you did for me: you taught with Bill's arguments. You can decide for me to think for myself. Perhaps you didn't yourself. 2 distract attention from what the government is actually doing. THE POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY Citizens who become aware avoid the OF BILL WRIGHT government. It is important to realize what I mean by 'aware*. It is not necessary for the citizen to realize what OOOafflCWiWf^ is going on: there is so much of it that he could never keep up with it all. No, all it needs is for the citizen to realize that You have only to look around you to see something is going on, and the process of that a lot of hard work is being done in the his political education begins. community. Therefore there is wealth there somewhere. Now let us look at some of the practical advantages which accrue to the lucky Those people who get to enjoy it are called citizen who successfully avoids the rich. Those who don't are called poor. government. Firstly, he can adopt any life style without upsetting government If the government is rich, that means that agencies which type-cast people for it gets to enjoy most of the wealth. A particular roles. Secondly - and let us corollary to that is that the people don't here be brutally frank - he doesn't get enjoy much of the wealth and are bashed up by the cops. consequently poor. Warning! A government which is Contrarywise, if the people are rich, the successfully avoided by too many of its government must be poor.