Dear Barry,

Two things you said on page one of the June/July Review have been cooking in the back of my mind. The first is the title: "Our Mission Is to Reawaken the Genuine American Spirit." That has sort of been my mission ever since, when in 1944, I read The Boys of '76, by Charles Carleton Coffin, written in 1876.

The other thing you say on page one is: "Angus was moved to lead people to be good, and for him that meant to be honest." I had picked that up from reading his autobiography. I was very impressed, then, and again. Here was a man of the cloth who really seemed to understand what Christ was talking about.

Reinhold Niebuhr is my favorite 20th century theologian. Still, I do not remember his focusing so strongly on honesty. Angus really knew what he was talking about. Is it possible to deny the following? "If all people were honest, there would be no cheating, no crime, no war."

Another "self-evident truth" which validates Angus' position: "There is only one virtue: Honesty." Can anyone name a single virtue that is not honesty? Angus knew what religion is, and should be, all about: Honesty. Christ went to the heart of the matter: "The truth will make you free." Yes! From what?

From my training in undergraduate Religious Studies, and, taking many graduate courses without getting any graduate degrees, I have an opinion about that: "The truth will make you free" from ignorance, fear, pride, sin, and spiritual death. Those things add up. Christ really did speak "The Word of God."

Today religion seems to be failing worldwide. In fact, religion seems to be the problem. But, religion is supposed to be the solution. Not only should it be the solution, it can be. All religions are supposed to bring peace of mind, and consequently, peace for mankind. Religions need to be authentic: Honest.

The key to anybody's behavior is their own ultimate concern. How many people know what their ultimate concern actually is? This is the business of religion, and their business is not being done very well. I personally have lots of ideas about this problem, but they are far too radical for most people.

Do you know anybody who would be interested in my ideas who has the training to be able to refute my ideas? I say "refute" because refutation is what I am interested in. I wish to have my ideas refuted, if possible. Otherwise, I wish to have them used to defend the Spirit of '76: Natural Law, God's Will.

Many thanks for reading this.

-Piers Woodriff

Dear Piers,

Thank you for your letter. I don't often get such a thoughtful response, attempting to probe the nature of things, as you have done. Perhaps some among our readership would like to respond to you in turn.

I believe honesty is a first virtue without which other virtues are not possible. Could someone be more or less honest and remain largely selfish? Of course. I need to be motivated to grow out of selfishness so that a sense of justice (separate from self-interest), compassion, and equanimity can blossom. I want a head clear of resentment, envy, and unreasonable fear - this is hard to do, as these are compulsive emotional habits that reason alone cannot banish. We all need the support of a religious community I believe.

I think it was Emmet Fox who wrote that wisdom is the combining of knowledge with love - I believe that. Many virtues can be cultivated but none are possible without the honesty and courage to face the faulty way I sometimes see things. I don't think we disagree.

-Barry MacDonald