Latest / Logic Library / 10 - Characteristics of Secularism Part 2 - The Principles of Secularism - George J Holyoake

Transcript

10 - Characteristics of Secularism Part 2 - The Principles of Secularism - George J Holyoake · Logic Library

0:00
Eight. The essential rule upon which personal association can be permanent, or controversy
0:07
be maintained in the spirit in which truth can be evolved, is that of
0:12
never imputing evil motives, nor putting the worst construction on any act. Free
0:19
inquiry has no limits but truth. Free speech no limits but exactness. Policy
0:25
here the law of speech no limits but usefulness. Unfettered and uncompromising. Are
0:32
they who pursue free inquiry throughout measured and impassable. May those become who hold
0:38
to a generous veracity, far both from outrage or civility, Too proud to
0:44
court and too strong to hate? Are those who learn to discard all arts
0:49
but that of the austereos service of others, exacting no thanks and pausing it
0:54
no curse. Wise words of counsel to theological controversialists have been addressed in a
1:00
powerful quarter of public opinion. Religious controversy has already lost much of its bitterness.
1:07
Open abuse and exchange of foul names are exploded, and even the indirect
1:12
imputation of unworthy motives is falling into disuse. Another step will be made when
1:19
theologians have learned to extend their intellectual as well as their moral sympathies, to
1:25
feel that most truths are double edged, and not to wage an unnecessary war
1:30
against opinion, which, strange, incongruous, and unlovely as they may at
1:36
first appear, are built perhaps on as firm a foundation, and are held
1:41
with equal sincerity and good faith as their own. This is advice which both
1:47
sides should remember. Nine. No society can be in a healthy state in
1:56
which eccentricity is a matter of reproach. Conventionality is the tyranny of the average
2:01
man, and the despicable tyranny it is. The tyranny of genius is hard
2:07
to be borne. That of mediocrity is humiliating. That idea of freedom,
2:13
which consists in the absence of all government, is either mere lawlessness or refers
2:19
to the distant period when each man, having attained perfection, will be a
2:23
law unto himself. Just rule is indispensable rule, and none other. The
2:30
fewer laws consistent with the public preservation, the better there is, then,
2:35
as mister Mill has shown in his Liberty, the more room for that ever
2:39
recurring originality which keeps intellect alive in the world towards law kept within the limits
2:46
of reason. Obedience is the first of virtues, order and progress, says
2:53
Conte, which we should express thus, order without which progress is impossible,
2:59
progress without which order is tyranny. The world is clogged with men of dead
3:05
principles. Principles that cannot be acted upon are probably either obsolete or false.
3:10
One certain way to improvement is to exact consistency between profession and practice, and
3:16
the way to bring this about is to teach that the highest merit consists in
3:22
having earnest views and in endeavoring to realize them. And this, whether the
3:27
convictions be contained within or without accredited creeds, there will be no progress except
3:34
within the stereotyped limits of creeds unless means are found to justify independent convictions to
3:40
the conscience. To the philosopher, you have merely to show that a thing
3:46
is true, to the statesmen that it is useful, but to a Christian
3:50
that it is safe. The grace of service lies in its patients. To
3:54
promote the welfare of others, irrespective of their gratitude or clime. Aims is
4:00
to reach the nature of the gods. It is a higher sentiment than is
4:04
ascribed to the deity of the Bible. The abiding disposition to serve others is
4:10
the end of all philosophy. The vow of principle is always one of poverty
4:15
and obedience, and few are they who take it, and fewer who keep
4:20
it. If hate obscure for a period the path of duty, let us
4:26
remember nothing should shake our attachment to that supreme thought which at once stills human
4:31
anger and educates human endeavor. The perception that the sufferings and errors of mankind
4:39
arise out of want of knowledge rather than defect of goodness. Ten. A
4:47
leading object of secularism is the promotion of the material purity of the present life,
4:54
material purity which includes personal as well as external condition. Question of spiritualism
5:00
without employing it and without disparaging it, it regards as a distinct question,
5:06
and hence the methods by which secularists attempt improvement will be material as being the
5:14
most reliable. The tacit or expressed aim of all freethinking has ever been true
5:19
thinking and pure thinking. It has been a continued protest against the errors theology
5:26
has introduced and the vicious relations it has conserved and sanctified. It is necessary
5:32
to mark this, and it can be done by insisting and keeping distinctly evident
5:38
that the aim of secularism is the purity of material influences. This precludes the
5:44
possibility of secularism being charged either with conscious grossness or intentional sin. Secularism concerns
5:53
itself with the work of today. It is always yesterday or tomorrow, and
5:58
never today is fair description of life according to theologies. Secularism, on the
6:04
contrary, concerns itself with the things of today. The cardinal idea of the
6:11
popular theology is the necessity of revelation. It believes that the light of nature
6:16
is darkness, that reason affords no guidance, that the scriptures are the true
6:21
chart, the sole chart, and the sufficient chart of man. And it
6:27
regards all attempts to delineate a chart of nature as impious, as impracticable,
6:32
and as a covert attack upon the biblical chart in possession of the churches.
6:39
Knowing no other guidance than that of the Bible, and disbelieving the possibility of
6:43
any other. Theology denounces doubt, which inspires it with a sense of insecurity.
6:49
It fears inquiry, which may invalidate its trust, and deprecates criticism which
6:56
may expose it if deficient. Having nothing to get pin It is reluctant to
7:00
incur risk, having all to lose. It dreads to be disturbed, having
7:05
no strength. But in faith, it fears those who reason, and less
7:10
from ill will than from the tenderness of its position, it persecutes in self
7:15
defense. Such are the restrictions and the logic of theology eleven. On the
7:24
other hand, rationalism, which is the logic of nature, is an attitude
7:29
and spirit quite the reverse. It observes that numbers are unconvinced of the fact
7:34
of revelation and feel the insufficiency for their guidance of that offered to them.
7:42
To them, the pages of nature seem clearer than those of the apostles.
7:46
Reason, which existed before all religions and decides upon all else to false,
7:51
can never be distinguished from the true, seems self dependent and capable of furnishing
7:58
personal direction. Hence, rationalism, instructed by facts, winning secrets by experiments,
8:05
establishing principles by reflection, is assured of a morality founded upon the laws
8:11
of nature. Without the advantage of inductive science to assist discoveries or the printing
8:18
press to record corroborations of them, The pre Christian world created ethics, and
8:24
Socrates and Epictetus, and Zoroaster and Confucius delivered precepts to which this age accords
8:31
a high place. Modern rationalists therefore sought, with their new advantages, to
8:37
augment and systematize these conquests. They tested the claims of the Church by the
8:43
truths of nature. That free thought, which had won these truths, applied
8:48
them to creeds, and criticism became its weapon of propagandism. Its consciousness of
8:54
new truth stimulated its aggression on old era. The pretend of reason being denied
9:01
as false, and rationalists themselves persecuted as dangerous, they had no alternative but
9:07
to criticize in order to vindicate their own principles and weaken the credit and power
9:13
of their opponents. To attack the misleading dogmas of theology was to the early
9:20
freethinkers well understood self defense. In some hands, and under the provocations of
9:26
vindictive bigotry, this work, no doubt became wholly antagonistic, But the main
9:31
aspiration of the majority was the determination of teaching the people to be a law
9:37
unto themselves. They found prevailing a religion of unreasoning faith. They sought to
9:43
create a religion of intelligent conviction, whose uniformity consisted in sincerity. Its believers
9:50
did not all hold the same tenets, but they all sought the same truth
9:56
and pursued it with the same earnestness. It was this inspiration which sustained Vanini,
10:01
Hammond, Luz, ket Legate, and white men at the stake,
10:07
and which armed Cervitus to prefer the fires of Calvin to the creed of Calvin,
10:11
which supported Annie in the pillory, and Woolston and Carlyle in their imprisonments.
10:18
It was no capricious taste for negations which dictated these deliberate sacrifices, but
10:24
a sentiment purer than interest and stronger than self love. It was the generous
10:30
passion for unfriended truth. Twelve. The intellectual no less than the heroic characteristics
10:39
of freethought have presented features of obvious unity. Tyndall, Shaftesbury, Voltaire,
10:46
Pain and Bentam all vindicated principles of natural morality. Shelley struggled that the pure
10:54
and lofty ideal of life should prevail, and Byron had passionate words of reverence
11:00
for the human character of Christ. The distrust of prayer for temporal help was
11:05
accompanied by trust and science, and all saw in material effort and available deliverance
11:13
from countless ills which the Church can merely deplore. Those who held that a
11:18
future life was unproven taught that attention to this life was of primary importance,
11:24
at least highly serviceable to humanity. Even if a future sphere be certain.
11:31
All strove for free inquiry. Rationalism owed its existence to it. All required
11:37
free speech. Rationalism was diffused by it, all vindicated free criticism. Rationalism
11:43
established itself with it all demanded to act out their opinions. Rationalism was denuded
11:50
of conscience without this right. In all its mutations and aberrations and conquests,
11:58
free thought has uniformly sow the truth and shown the courage to trust the truth.
12:03
Freethought uses no persecution, for it fears no opposition, for opposition is
12:09
its opportunity. It is the cause of enterprise and progress, of reason and
12:15
duty. And now seeking the definite and the practical, it selects for its
12:20
guidance the principle that human affairs should be regulated by considerations purely human. These
12:28
the characteristics which the term secularism was designed to express, are therefore not inventions,
12:35
not assumptions. But the general agreements of the freethought party inherent, traditional
12:41
and historic. That which is new and of the nature of a development is
12:46
the perception that the positivism of freethought principles should be extended, should be clearly
12:52
distinguished and made the subject of energetic assertion, that the freethought party, which
12:58
has so loudly demanded toleration for itself, should be able to exercise it towards
13:03
all earnest thinkers, and especially towards all co workers. But those who have
13:09
protested against the isolation of human effort by sectarian exclusiveness should themselves set the example
13:16
of offering in good faith practical conditions of unity, not for the glory of
13:22
sects, or coteries or schools, but for the immediate service of humanity.
13:31
Thirteen. The relation of secularism to the future demands a few words. To
13:37
seek after the purity and perfection of the present life. Neither disproves another life
13:43
beyond this, nor disqualifies man for it. Nor is secularism opposed to the
13:48
future, so far as that future belongs to the present world. To determine
13:54
which we have definite science susceptible of trial and verification, The conditions of a
14:00
future life being unknown, and there being no imaginable means of benefiting ourselves and
14:05
others in it, except by aiming after present goodness, we shall confessedly gain
14:11
less towards the happiness of a future life by speculation than by simply devoting ourselves
14:18
to the energetic improvements of this life. Men have a right to look beyond
14:22
this world, but not to overlook it. Men, if they can,
14:28
may connect themselves with eternity, but they cannot disconnect themselves from humanity without sacrificing
14:35
duty. Secular knowledge relates to this life. Religious knowledge to another life.
14:41
Secular instruction teaches the duties to man. Religious instruction the duties to God apart
14:48
from man. Religious knowledge relates to celestial creeds. Secular knowledge relates to human
14:56
duties to be performed. The religious teacher instructs us how to please God by
15:01
creeds, the secular teacher how to serve man by sympathy and science. Archbishop
15:09
Whatley tells the story of a lady at bath who, being afraid to cross
15:13
a tottering bridge lest they should give way under her. Fortunately, bethought herself
15:20
of the expedient of calling for a sedan chair, and was carried over in
15:24
that conveyance. Some of our critics think that we shall resemble this ingenious lady.
15:31
But those who fear to trust themselves to the ancient and tottering biblical bridge
15:35
will hardly get into the saddan chair of obsolete orthodoxy, and add the weight
15:41
of that to the danger. They prefer going round by the way of reason
15:46
and fearless private judgment. Fourteen. Secularism, we have said, concerns itself
15:56
with four rights. One the right to think for oneself, which most Christians
16:02
now admit, at least in theory. Two the right to differ, without
16:07
which the right to think is nothing worth. Three the right to assert difference
16:12
of opinion, without which the right to differ is of no practical use.
16:18
Four the right to debate all vital opinion, without which there is no intellectual
16:22
equality, no defense against the errors of the state or the pulpit. It
16:30
is of no use that the Protestant concedes the right to think unless he concedes
16:33
the right to differ. We may as well be Catholic unless we are free
16:38
to dissent. Rome will concede our right to think for ourselves, provided we
16:44
agree with the Church when we have done, and when Protestantism affects to award
16:48
us the right of private judgment and requires us to agree with the thirty nine
16:53
articles in the end, or when evangelical ministers tell us we are free to
16:57
think for ourselves, but must believe in the Bible. Nevertheless, both parties
17:03
reason on the papist principles, but mock us with a show of freedom and
17:08
impose the reality of mental slavery upon us. It is mere irony to say
17:14
search the scriptures, when the meaning is you must accept the scriptures, whether
17:18
they seem true or not. Of the temper in which theological opinions ought to
17:23
be formed, we have the instruction of one as eminent as he was capable.
17:30
Jefferson remarks, in considering this subject, divest yourself of all bias,
17:36
shake off all fears and servile prejudices under which weak minds crouch, Fix reason
17:41
in her seat. Firmly question with boldness even the existence of God, because
17:48
if there be one, he must approve the homage of reason more than that
17:52
of blindfolded fear. Read the Bible as you would Tacitus or Livy. Those
17:57
facts in the Bible which contradicts the laws of nature must be examined with care.
18:03
The New Testament is the history of a person called Jesus. Keeping your
18:08
eye what is related? They say he was begotten by God, but born
18:12
of a virgin. How reconcile this? That he was crucified to death and
18:18
buried, that he rose and descended bodily into heaven, thus reversing the laws
18:23
of nature. Do not be frightened from this inquiry by any fear. And
18:29
if it ends in a belief that the story is not true, or that
18:33
there is no God, you will find other incitements to virtue and goodness in
18:38
fine lay aside all prejudices on both sides. Neither believe nor reject anything because
18:45
others have rejected or disbelieved it. Your reason is the only oracle given you
18:51
by Heaven, and you are answerable not for the rightness, but for the
18:56
uprightness of your opinion. And never mind even jets or as pseudo evangelists who
19:02
pretend to inspiration. It is in vain the Christian quotes to Pauline injunction,
19:08
prove all things hold fast that which is good. If we are to hold
19:14
fast to His good, which may be evil to us. For a man
19:18
to prove all things needful and hold fast to that which he considers good is
19:23
the true maxim of freedom and progress. Secularism therefore proclaims and justifies the right
19:30
to differ and the right to assert conscientious difference on the platform through the press,
19:37
in civil institutions, in parliament, in courts of law, where it
19:41
demands that the affirmation of those who reject Christianity shall be as valid as the
19:48
oath of those who accept it. End of Chapter nine, Part two