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Pendle Hill Publications
The Examined Life
The Examined Life
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I frequently consult a friend, whom I call the Critic on the Hearth, for stimulation when I feel dull. He does not live far off: as near, perhaps, as my alter ego. Today I found him bursting with a new idea.
“I’m going to invent a religion without conscience,” he announced to me with enthusiasm.
“If you think that’s a new invention, you’re mistaken,” I told him, trying to provoke him to argument. “Your religion would be turning back the clock to a time before the Hebrews’ ethical monotheism.”
“Good,” he retorted. “I’m mad at the Hebrews, or rather, all moralists.”
“What brought this on?” I asked.
“Mingling with moralists, I think, and seeing what they have done to religion. I’m willing to agree with Christianity that love — the agape kind of love — is the supreme value. But corruption enters in as soon as we call it a ‘morality.’ We then feel we must love, so we disguise our lack of love, since we can’t manufacture the real thing at command.”
“I’m going to invent a religion without conscience,” he announced to me with enthusiasm.
“If you think that’s a new invention, you’re mistaken,” I told him, trying to provoke him to argument. “Your religion would be turning back the clock to a time before the Hebrews’ ethical monotheism.”
“Good,” he retorted. “I’m mad at the Hebrews, or rather, all moralists.”
“What brought this on?” I asked.
“Mingling with moralists, I think, and seeing what they have done to religion. I’m willing to agree with Christianity that love — the agape kind of love — is the supreme value. But corruption enters in as soon as we call it a ‘morality.’ We then feel we must love, so we disguise our lack of love, since we can’t manufacture the real thing at command.”
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