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Untitled Article
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Untitled Article
Be it so !—The state and every good man would wish such a reljgipn to triumph . Its influence is . the best remedy for the evils which disturb society . But the question then arises , What ; is the best means of attaining the end desired ? Is it best to declare this religion , the religion of the state ? Beware ,
says M , Vinet ; if you do , you wither it at the root . You may see its ranks swell in numbers , but what signify numbers ? A thousand hypocrites are not worth one honest believer . Power may propagate opinions , but propagate only to destroy- The conscience is not reached , the surface only is touched . This is not the conquest which is desired ; it is faith that is wanted , not conformity ; piety and sincerity , not the parade of ceremonials .
Pbwer too , however justly administered ,, has and makes itself opponents , and these opponents insensibly range themselves against the religion which power establishes . The friends of the state adopt its faith in sycophancy , its enemies reject it from a spirit of opposition . Even for those who resist prejudice of either sort , religion loses some of its charms when allied to power ; truth itself is suspected when imposed upon us authoritatively , and one almost feels a pleasure in resistance . —Woe to truth when it conies with such allies . When resistance becomes a point of honour , hesitation swells into
decision ; and incredulity is magnified into heroism . —The ministers , too , of . religion become puffed up with pride and the feeling of power . Little by little they forget their station ; they cease to care about convincing , and begin to persecute ; peace and charity are . far from their lips . —But this is not all ; the state ' s quarrel becomes theirs ; the state meddles with religion , and they in return meddle with the state ; it g £ ves them the support of soldiers , and they repay the obligation with sermons ; thus the pulpit becomes a political tribune , and where then is jeli gion ?
Thus , then , M . Vinet argues , the interest of religion and the interest of society ( which has need of religion ) concur in recommending that the state , as a state , should , have none . It would not be Atheistic on that account , as some pretend . Atheism implies certain opinions , and the state should have none- ; it neither denies nor maintains any thing . Confining itself to its legitimate province , it should regulate only , the purely civil transactions of the
community , granting to all its members equal rights whatever be their opinions ; and as to modes of worship , it should give free liberty to all , without salarying any , without favour , prerogative , or preeminence to any . By the force of emulation , and the free collision of opinion and reason , truth will ultimately prevail , and then , at least , its triumph will be pure , honourable , and useful , for it will be the triumph of truth , and of truth alone .
A dream it is , it will be said * of < iay $ to come : and so M . Vinet admits ; but , as he contends , no idle Utopia . There are still many countries where it nuight not be prudent thus to emancipate all religions , but it is not the less On that account the end towards which the honest and faithful believer , as well as the sound politician , should aim ; since it is the only sure road of keeping alive active and honest zeal in the cause of religion , at the same time that it preserves the peace and harmony of society .
Untitled Article
282 Review .- ~ Vmet < m Religious Liberty .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), April 2, 1827, page 282, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1795/page/50/
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