In passing from the surface into the substance, it may be mentioned
incidentally that the codes of morality of the two are about on a level.
I say incidentally, for so far as its practice, certainly, is concerned,
it not its preaching, morality has no more intimate connection with
religion than it has with art or politics. If we doubt this, we have but
to examine the facts. Are the most religious peoples the most moral? It
needs no prolonged investigation to convince us that they are not. If
proof of the want of a bond were required, the matter of truth-telling
might be adduced in point. As this is a subject upon which a slight
misconception exists in the minds of some evangelically persuaded
persons, and because, what is more generally relevant, the presence of
this quality, honesty in word and deed, has more than almost any other
one characteristic helped to put us in the van of the world's advance
to-day, it may not unfittingly be cited here.
The argument in the case may be put thus. Have specially religious races
been proportionally truth-telling ones? If not, has there been any
other cause at work in the development of mankind tending to increase
veracity? The answer to the first question has all the simplicity of
a plain negative. No such pleasing concomitance of characteristics
is observable to-day, or has been presented in the past. Permitting,
however, the dead past to bury its shortcomings in oblivion, let us look
at the world as we find it. We observe, then, that the religious spirit
is quite as strong in Asia as it is in Europe; if anything, that at the
present time it is rather stronger. The average Brahman, Mahometan,
or Buddhist is quite as devout as the ordinary Roman Catholic or
Presbyterian. If he is somewhat less given to propagandism, he is not
a whit less regardful of his own salvation. Yet throughout the Orient
truth is a thing unknown, lies of courtesy being de rigueur and lies
of convenience de raison; while with us, fortunately, mendacity is
generally discredited. But we need not travel so far for proof. The same
is evident in less antipodal relations. Have the least religious nations
of Europe been any less truthful than the most bigoted? Was fanatic
Spain remarkable for veracity? Was Loyola a gentleman whose assertions
carried conviction other than to the stake? Were the eminently mundane
burghers whom he persecuted noted for a pious superiority to fact? Or,
to narrow the field still further, and scan the circle of one's own
acquaintance, are the most believing individuals among them worthy of
the most belief? Assuredly not.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account