god the invisible king-第5部分

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　as　a　person　is　due　very　largely　to　the　enormous　　prejudice　against　divine　personality　created　by　the　absurdities　of　　the　Christian　teaching　and　the　habitual　monopoly　of　the　Christian　　idea。　　The　picture　of　Christ　as　the　Good　Shepherd　thrusts　itself　　before　minds　unaccustomed　to　the　idea　that　they　are　lambs。　　The　　cross　in　the　twilight　bars　the　way。　　It　is　a　novelty　and　an　enormous　　relief　to　such　people　to　realise　that　one　may　think　of　God　without　　being　committed　to　think　of　either　the　Father；　the　Son；　or　the　Holy　　Ghost；　or　of　all　of　them　at　once。　　That　freedom　had　not　seemed　　possible　to　them。　　They　had　been　hypnotised　and　obsessed　by　the　idea　　that　the　Christian　God　is　the　only　thinkable　God。　　They　had　heard　so　　much　about　that　God　and　so　little　of　any　other。　　With　that　release　　their　minds　become；　as　it　were；　nascent　and　ready　for　the　coming　of　　God。　Then　suddenly；　in　a　little　while；　in　his　own　time；　God　comes。　　This　　cardinal　experience　is　an　undoubting；　immediate　sense　of　God。　　It　is　　the　attainment　of　an　absolute　certainty　that　one　is　not　alone　in　　oneself。　　It　is　as　if　one　was　touched　at　every　point　by　a　being　akin　　to　oneself；　sympathetic；　beyond　measure　wiser；　steadfast　and　pure　in　　aim。　　It　is　completer　and　more　intimate；　but　it　is　like　standing　　side　by　side　with　and　touching　someone　that　we　love　very　dearly　and　　trust　completely。　　It　is　as　if　this　being　bridged　a　thousand　　misunderstandings　and　brought　us　into　fellowship　with　a　great　　multitude　of　other　people。　。　。　。　〃Closer　he　is　than　breathing；　and　nearer　than　hands　and　feet。〃　The　moment　may　come　while　we　are　alone　in　the　darkness；　under　the　　stars；　or　while　we　walk　by　ourselves　or　in　a　crowd；　or　while　we　sit　　and　muse。　　It　may　come　upon　the　sinking　ship　or　in　the　tumult　of　the　　battle。　　There　is　no　saying　when　it　may　not　come　to　us。　。　。　。　　But　　after　it　has　come　our　lives　are　changed；　God　is　with　us　and　there　is　　no　more　doubt　of　God。　　Thereafter　one　goes　about　the　world　like　one　　who　was　lonely　and　has　found　a　lover；　like　one　who　was　perplexed　and　　has　found　a　solution。　　One　is　assured　that　there　is　a　Power　that　　fights　with　us　against　the　confusion　and　evil　within　us　and　without。　　　There　comes　into　the　heart　an　essential　and　enduring　happiness　and　　courage。　There　is　but　one　God；　there　is　but　one　true　religious　experience；　　but　under　a　multitude　of　names；　under　veils　and　darknesses；　God　has　　in　this　manner　come　into　countless　lives。　　There　is　scarcely　a　　faith；　however　mean　and　preposterous；　that　has　not　been　a　way　to　　holiness。　　God　who　is　himself　finite；　who　himself　struggles　in　his　　great　effort　from　strength　to　strength；　has　no　spite　against　error。　　　Far　beyond　halfway　he　hastens　to　meet　the　purblind。　　But　God　is　　against　the　darkness　in　their　eyes。　　The　faith　which　is　returning　to　　men　girds　at　veils　and　shadows；　and　would　see　God　plainly。　　It　has　　little　respect　for　mysteries。　　It　rends　the　veil　of　the　temple　in　　rags　and　tatters。　　It　has　no　superstitious　fear　of　this　huge　　friendliness；　of　this　great　brother　and　leader　of　our　little　beings。　　　To　find　God　is　but　the　beginning　of　wisdom；　because　then　for　all　our　　days　we　have　to　learn　his　purpose　with　us　and　to　live　our　lives　with　　him。

CHAPTER　THE　SECOND　HERESIES；　OR　THE　THINGS　THAT　GOD　IS　NOT

1。　HERESIES　ARE　MISCONCEPTIONS　OF　GOD

Religion　is　not　a　plant　that　has　grown　from　one　seed；　it　is　like　a　　lake　that　has　been　fed　by　countless　springs。　　It　is　a　great　pool　of　　living　water；　mingled　from　many　sources　and　tainted　with　much　　impurity。　　It　is　synthetic　in　its　nature；　it　becomes　simpler　from　　original　complexities；　the　sediment　subsides。　A　life　perfectly　adjusted　to　its　surroundings　is　a　life　without　　mentality；　no　judgment　is　called　for；　no　inhibition；　no　disturbance　　of　the　instinctive　flow　of　perfect　reactions。　　Such　a　life　is　bliss；　　or　nirvana。　　It　is　unconsciousness　below　dreaming。　　Consciousness　is　　discord　evoking　the　will　to　adjust；　it　is　inseparable　from　need。　　At　　every　need　consciousness　breaks　into　being。　　Imperfect　adjustments；　　needs；　are　the　rents　and　tatters　in　the　smooth　dark　veil　of　being　　through　which　the　light　of　consciousness　shinesthe　light　of　　consciousness　and　will　of　which　God　is　the　sun。　So　that　every　need　of　human　life；　every　disappointment　and　　dissatisfaction　and　call　for　help　and　effort；　is　a　means　whereby　men　　may　and　do　come　to　the　realisation　of　God。　There　is　no　cardinal　need；　there　is　no　sort　of　experience　in　human　　life　from　which　there　does　not　come　or　has　not　come　a　contribution　　to　men's　religious　ideas。　　At　every　challenge　men　have　to　put　forth　　effort；　feel　doubt　of　adequacy；　be　thwarted；　perceive　the　chill　　shadow　of　their　mortality。　　At　every　challenge　comes　the　possibility　　of　help　from　without；　the　idea　of　eluding　frustration；　the　　aspiration　towards　immortality。　　It　is　possible　to　classify　the　　appeals　men　make　for　God　under　the　headings　of　their　chief　system　of　　effort；　their　efforts　to　understand；　their　fear　and　their　struggles　　for　safety　and　happiness；　the　craving　of　their　restlessness　for　　peace；　their　angers　against　disorder　and　their　desire　for　the　　avenger；　their　sexual　passions　and　perplexities。　。　。　。　Each　of　these　great　systems　of　needs　and　efforts　brings　its　own　sort　　of　sediment　into　religion。　　Each；　that　is　to　say；　has　its　own　kind　　of　heresy；　its　distinctive　misapprehension　of　God。　　It　is　only　in　　the　synthesis　and　mutual　correction　of　many　divergent　ideas　that　the　　idea　of　God　grows　clear。　　The　effort　to　understand　completely；　for　　example；　leads　to　the　endless　Heresies　of　Theory。　　Men　trip　over　the　　inherent　infirmities　of　the　human　mind。　　But　in　these　days　one　does　　not　argue　greatly　about　dogma。　　Almost　every　conceivable　error　about　　unity；　about　personality；　about　time　and　quantity　and　genus　and　　species；　about　begetting　and　beginning　and　limitation　and　similarity　　and　every　kink　in　the　difficult　mind　of　man；　has　been　thrust　forward　　in　some　form　of　dogma。　　Beside　the　errors　of　thought　are　the　errors　　of　emotion。　　Fear　and　feebleness　go　straight　to　the　Heresies　that　　God　is　Magic　or　that　God　is　Providence；　restless　egotism　at　leisure　　and　unchallenged　by　urgent　elementary　realities　breeds　the　Heresies　　of　Mysticism；　anger　and　hate　call　for　God's　Judgments；　and　the　　stormy　emotions　of　sex　gave　mankind　the　Phallic　God。　　Those　who　find　　themselves　possessed　by　the　new　spirit　in　religion；　realise　very　　speedily　the　necessity　of　clearing　the　mind　of　all　these　　exaggerations；　transferences；　and　overflows　of　feeling。　　The　search　　for　divine　truth　is　like　gold　washing；　nothing　is　of　any　value　until　　most　has　been　swept　away。

2。　HERESIES　OF　SPECULATION

One　sort　of　heresies　stands　apart　from　the　rest。　　It　is　infinitely　　the　most　various　sort。　　It　includes　all　those　heresies　which　result　　from　wrong…headed　mental　elaboration；　as　distinguished　from　those　　which　are　the　result　of　hasty　and　imperfect　apprehension；　the　　heresies　of　the　clever　rather　than　the　heresies　of　the　obtuse。　　The　　former　are　of　endless　variety　and　complexity；　the　latter　are　in　　comparison　natural；　simple　confusions。　　The　former　are　the　errors　of　　the　study；　the　latter　the　superstitions　that　spring　by　the　wayside；　　or　are　brought　down　to　us　in　our　social　structure　out　of　a　barbaric　　past。　To　the　heresies　of　thought　and　speculation　belong　the　elaborate　　doctrine　of　the　Trinity；　dogmas　about　God's　absolute　qualities；　such　　odd　deductions　as　the　accepted　Christian　teachings　about　the　　virginity　of　Mary　and　Joseph；　and　the　like。　　All　these　things　are　　parts　of　orthodox　Christianity。　　Yet　none　of　them　did　Christ；　even　　by　the　Christian　account；　expound　or　recommend。　　He　treated　them　as　　negligible。　　It　was　left　for　the　Alexandrians；　for　Alexander；　for　　little；　red…haired；　busy；　wire…pulling　Athanasius　to　find　out　　exactly　what　their　Master　was　driving　at；　three　centuries　after　　their　Master　was　dead。　。　。　。　Men　still　sit　at　little　desks　remote　from　God　or　life；　and　rack　　their　inadequate　brains　to　meet　fancied　difficulties　and　state　　unnecessary　perfections。　　They　seek　God　by　logic；　ignoring　the　　marginal　error　that　creeps　into　every　syllogism。　　Their　conceit　　blinds　them　to　the　limitations　upon　their　thinking。　　They　weave　　spider…like　webs　of　muddle　and　disputation　across　the　path　by　which　　men　come　to　God。　　It　would　not　matter　very　much　if　it　were　not　that　　simpler　souls　are　caught　in　these　webs。　　Every　great　religious　　system　in　the　world　is　choked　by　such　webs；　each　system　has　its　own。　　　Of　all　the　blood…stained　tangled　heresies　which　make　up　doctrinal　　Christianity　and　imprison　the　mind　of　the　western　world　to…day；　not　　one　seems　to　have　been　known　to　the　nominal　founder　of　Christianity。　　　Jesus　Christ　never　certainly　claimed　to　be　the　Messiah；　never　spoke　　clearly　of　the　Trinity；　was　vague　upon　the　scheme　of　salvation　and　　the　significance　of　his　martyrdom。　　We　are　asked　to　suppose　that　he　　left　his　apostles　without　instructions；　that　were　necessary　to　their　　eternal　happiness；　that　he　could　give　them　the　Lord's　Prayer　but　　leave　them　to　guess　at　the　all…important　Creed；*　and　that　the　Church　　staggered　along　blindly；　putting　its　foot　in　and　out　of　damnation；　　until　the　〃experts〃　of　Nicaea；　that　〃garland　of　priests；〃　marshalled　　by　Constantine's　officials；　came　to　its　rescue。　。　。　。　　From　the　　conversion　of　Paul　onward；　the　heresies　of　the　intellect　multiplied　　about　Christ's　memory　and　hid　him　from　the　sight　of　men。　　We　are　no　　longer　clear　about　the　doctrine　he　taught　nor　about　the　things　he　　said　and　did。　。　。　。　*　Even　the　〃Apostles'　Creed〃　is　not　traceable　earlier　than　the　　fourth　century。　　It　is　manifestly　an　old；　patched　formulary。　　　Rutinius　explains　that　it　was　not　written　down　for　a　long　time；　but　　transmitted　orally；　kept　secret；　and　used　as　a　sort　of　password　　among　the　elect。　We　are　all　so　weary　of　this　theology　of　the　Christians；　we　are　all　　at　heart　so　sceptical　about　their　Triune　God；　that　it　is　needless　　here　to　spend　any　time　or　space　upon　the　twenty　thousand　different　　formulae　in　which　the　orthodox　have　attempted　to　believe　in　　something　of　the　sort。　　There　are　several　useful　encyclopaedias　of　　sects　and　heresies；　compact；　but　still　bulky；　to　which　the　curious　　may　go。　　There　are　ten　thousand　different　expositions　of　orthodoxy。　　　No　one　who　really　seeks　God　thinks