Free thought; Modernism (Christian theology) -- Catholic Church; Religion and science; Teaching, Freedom of
Else how is it that the atheistic free science, considered in general,
arrives with infallible regularity at results that obviously tend to a
morally loose conduct of life? How is it, that it tries throughout to
shirk the acceptance of a personal God, and is at home only in open or
disguised atheism? that it so persistently avoids the acceptance of
anything supernatural? Why does it in its researches never arrive at
theism, which has as much foundation at least as pantheism and atheism?
Why does it, nearly without exception, deny or ignore the personal
immortality of the soul and a Beyond; why does it never reach the opposite
result which, in intrinsic evidence, ranks at least on a par with it? Why
is it not admitted, that the will is free and strictly responsible for its
acts, although this fact is borne out by the obvious experience and
testimony of mankind? Why does it so regularly arrive at the conclusion
that the Christian religion has become untenable, and needs development;
that its ethics, too, must be reformed, more especially in sexual matters?
Why does it not defend the duty to believe, but reject it persistently? A
striking fact! The matters in question here concern truths that impose
sacrifices upon man, whereas their opposites have connections of intimate
friendship with unpurged impulses. It may be noted also that this same
science, that announces to the world these results of research, meets with
the boisterous applause from the elements that belong to the morally
inferior part of mankind.
_St. Augustine_ prays: “Redeem me, O God, from the throng of
thoughts, which I feel so painfully within my soul, which feels
lowly in Thy presence, which is fleeing to Thy mercy. Grant me
that I may not give my assent to them; that I may disapprove of
them, even if they seek to delight me, and that I may not stay
with them in sleepiness. May they not have the power to insinuate
themselves into my works; may I be protected from them in my
resolution, may my conscience be protected by Thy keeping.” It is
the realization of the want of freedom of the human reason, the
only way to the liberation from the fetters of our own
imperfection. He, who has seriously begun to take up the struggle
with his inner disorders, will, by his own experience, pray as
_St. Augustine_ prayed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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