Jesus calls men to drink of a well of living water, which is free to
all. Men are parched with thirst, they have eaten of filth and drunk
blood, but they have been told that they will perish if they drink of
this water that is offered them by Jesus, and men believe in the
warnings of superstition. They die in torment, with the water that they
dare not touch within their reach. If they would only have faith in
Jesus' words, and go to this well of living water and quench their
thirst, they would realize how cunning has been the imposture practised
upon them by the Church, and how needlessly their sufferings have been
prolonged. If they would only accept the doctrine of Jesus, frankly and
simply, they would see at once the horrible error of which we are each
and all the victims.
One generation after another strives to find the security of its
existence in violence, and by violence to protect its privileges. We
believe that the happiness of our life is in power, and domination, and
abundance of worldly goods. We are so habituated to this idea that we
are alarmed at the sacrifices exacted by the doctrine of Jesus, which
teaches that man's happiness does not depend upon fortune and power, and
that the rich cannot enter into the kingdom of God. But this is a false
idea of the doctrine of Jesus, which teaches us, not to do what is the
worst, but to do what is the best for ourselves here in this present
life. Inspired by his love for men, Jesus taught them not to depend upon
security based upon violence, and not to seek after riches, just as we
teach the common people to abstain, for their own interest, from
quarrels and intemperance. He said that if men lived without defending
themselves against violence, and without possessing riches, they would
be more happy; and he confirms his words by the example of his life. He
said that a man who lives according to his doctrine must be ready at any
moment to endure violence from others, and, possibly, to die of hunger
and cold. But this warning, which seems to exact such great and
unbearable sacrifices, is simply a statement of the conditions under
which men always have existed, and always will continue to exist.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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