itself a protest against all forms, a negation not only of Jewish
ceremonial, but of all exterior rites of worship. Therefore, the
arbitrary separation of the metaphysical and ethical aspects of
Christianity entirely disfigures the doctrine, and deprives it of every
sort of meaning. The separation began with the preaching of Paul, who
knew but imperfectly the ethical doctrine set forth in the Gospel of
Matthew, and who preached a metaphysico-cabalistic theory entirely
foreign to the doctrine of Jesus; and this theory was perfected under
Constantine, when the existing pagan social organization was proclaimed
Christian simply by covering it with the mantle of Christianity. After
Constantine, that arch-pagan, whom the Church in spite of all his crimes
and vices admits to the category of the saints, after Constantine began
the domination of the councils, and the centre of gravity of
Christianity was permanently displaced till only the metaphysical
portion was left in view. And this metaphysical theory with its
accompanying ceremonial deviated more and more from its true and
primitive meaning, until it has reached its present stage of
development, as a doctrine which explains the mysteries of a celestial
life beyond the comprehension of human reason, and, with all its
complicated formulas, gives no religious guidance whatever with regard
to the regulation of this earthly life.
All religions, with the exception of the religion of the Christian
Church, demand from their adherents aside from forms and ceremonies, the
practice of certain actions called good, and abstinence from certain
actions that are called bad. The Jewish religion prescribed
circumcision, the observance of the Sabbath, the giving of alms, the
feast of the Passover. Mohammedanism prescribes circumcision, prayer
five times a day, the giving of tithes to the poor, pilgrimage to the
tomb of the Prophet, and many other things. It is the same with all
other religions. Whether these prescriptions are good or bad, they are
prescriptions which exact the performance of certain actions.
Pseudo-Christianity alone prescribes nothing. There is nothing that a
Christian is obliged to observe except fasts and prayers, which the
Church itself does not recognize as obligatory. All that is necessary to
the pseudo-Christian is the sacrament. But the sacrament is not
fulfilled by the believer; it is administered to him by others. The
pseudo-Christian is obliged to do nothing or to abstain from nothing for
his own salvation, since the Church administers to him everything of
which he has need. The Church baptizes him, anoints him, gives him the
eucharist, confesses him, even after he has lost consciousness,
administers extreme unction to him, and prays for him,--and he is saved.
From the time of Constantine the Christian Church has prescribed no
religious duties to its adherents. It has never required that they
should abstain from anything. The Christian Church has recognized and
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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