Newsletter No. 451

451 • 19.1.2015 3 一封家書 Letters to a Young Executive primogenitors of the human race, are both created at the will of God as it is recorded in the Bible, and this view exists within the paradigm of religion, which requires the belief of those who embrace Christianity. On the other hand, scientific theories such as evolutionism and Big Bang belong to the realm of science, where proof reigns supreme. While the Church acknowledges that belief is derived from inspiration and revelation, and therefore does not need to be supported by scientific evidence and rational proof, she holds the view that faith and reason can work together, and must work together. The Pontifical Academy of Sciences referred to above, which could trace its origin to the early 17th century, would be a good example of the Church’s efforts in this direction. Father Ha then continues to expatiate on the interpretation of the Bible, the sacred scriptures of Christianity. One has to understand that the narration of happenings and events in the Bible does not begin at the time when such matters actually began, but dates only from the time that such narration commenced. It thus follows that biblical records often have to be studied in the appropriate temporal, spatial, historical and social contexts for a more comprehensive understanding of the Divine Will. Furthermore, the books of the Bible had existed in oral traditions only for a very long time, which thus necessitates due consideration of the background and other intervening factors involved in the transition from an oral heritage to the written text. There were significant breakthroughs in biblical scholarship and archaeology in the last two centuries, which have also helped to facilitate a better understanding of the book among scholars. Thus, in matters concerning biblical exegesis, the Catholic Church does not insist on following the texts literally alone, as there are often so many other factors that can throw light on their meaning. On the subject of how the world and the living creatures that inhabit it came into being, Father Ha explains that there are many theories which attempt to provide an answer: some hold that the world was created by a godhead, while some believe in the existence of a demiurge , or a fashioner of the world but who is not the creator of the matters and lives that make up the world. There are yet others who hold that things came into being through an intelligent design. Father Ha observes that the issues involved in the creation are too complicated and that man still has not been able to obtain a fully satisfactory explanation in science—evolution may explain a lot, but there is still the question of the origin of the matters from which evolution proceeds, if creation is not to be believed. Father Ha then moves on to discuss Christian ethics in the context of the modern world. The Church emphasizes the importance of life above all else, and that everything concerning human life is therefore of inviolable significance and value. This is why the Church takes a stance against the death penalty and abortion, and views processes such as contraception and in vitro fertilization as unreasonable and unnatural interventions. The Church also regards procreation as a key factor in marriage and, in that light, cannot categorically accept same-sex unions, which are now being granted legal status in a number of countries. While these teachings would appear to go against the grain of modern society, the Church regards such precepts as of essential importance and therefore not amenable to concessions, because they have all stemmed from a respect for the value of human life. Father Ha concludes his most enlightening session with us by looking forward into the pontificate of Pope Francis. He recognizes the newly elected pontiff as a man of progress and change who takes a practical approach to things. While he is burdened with traditions and institutions built up over the centuries, and a curia that, despite the reforming efforts of the last few popes, still functions with the vestiges of a medieval court, he is anticipated to do all he can, and where he can, as servus servorum Dei , to meet the needs of the modern Church, in both the spiritual and the material contexts. The origin of the universe as we know it today, and the ancestry of the human race, have been fascinating subjects for philosophers and the man in the street alike since the beginning of civilization. From the days of Gilgamesh and Timaeus , the human mind has never been known to have professed a homogeneous view on these two subjects. While these questions will continue to work the human mind, Father Ha has given us a context in which they can be contemplated. Letter 6: Ghost Writing Dear K., I must say that never before had I discerned such urgency and desperation in your letters. You literally begged for answers to questions I was least qualified to give, even though in my long service in a university office I had been tasked with drafting a few speeches for my supervisor. It is understandable, for drafting a speech is a daunting enough undertaking, let alone drafting it as a ghost. Have you checked out the Oxford Dictionary of Quotations, Speeches That Changed The World , etc.? Free tutorial on any conceivable subject can be found on the Youtube these days. Have you done your casual browse and/ or advanced search there yet? In your panicky quaver of tone you asked if you should begin with a joke. Think twice. The lightest touch usually takes the most effort, and leads to riskiest result. The following saying by David McKie can usually bring down the floor: Surnames are a sexually transmitted condition . But sometimes it is as important, if not more, not to raise the eye-brows of a few members of your audience. So let's keep things simple and stick to the mantra: Say what you’re going to say; say it; and recap what you have said. A quote or two would lend economy and respectability to your script. But please observe three rules. First, acknowledge the source, a breach of which would be tantamount to plagiarism. You don't want to consign your boss to the ignominy of intellectual sharp practice. Not only should you quote the source but you should also append a short description if he/she is not John F. Kennedy or Martin Luther King, Jr. Some examples: Marshal McLuhan, Canadian media scholar, once remarked that, ‘Money is the poor man’s credit card.’ Nancy Gibb, Chief Editor of Time , says, ‘But no war gets fought in white gloves.’ According to the physicist and contributor to the New York Review of Books , Freeman Dyson, ‘Science is a creative interaction of observation with imagination.’ You’d note that, in an oral presentation, a long train of words should not be allowed to run between the two stations ‘Quote’ and ‘Unquote’. Second, acknowledge the source correctly. The embarrassment would be unredeemable and the stigma permanent if you attribute wrongly. This is often attributed to Voltaire but in fact was first written by Evelyn Beatrice Hall: I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it. Lastly, do not just pull your quotes out of a hat. Make your audience see why you quote and where you're coming from. Do not treat quotes as fillers or buffers, otherwise the effect would be like asking a famous actor to come up to the stage to say your lines while you take a swig of the water on the podium. With more experience (did I hear a moan of protest?), you’d come to realize that a majority of quotable quotes come from the Bible, Shakespeare and Mark Twain. A speech-writer can be rather single-minded in his/her pursuit, that is, to give something memorable the audience can take home—the soundbite . Who but the famous pianist and composer Leopold Godowsky, who started composing at the age of five, can leave us with this memorable saying: When a child prodigy grows up, the prodigy vanishes and the child remains. Speech writing is best left to practice than theory. So stop worrying and turn on your word processor. If you think it makes you more comfortable, we can discuss how to address the apparition again next time. Yours sincerely, H.