按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
withering flower…it languishes and dies。 We cannot imagine a
thing to live at all and yet be soulless except in sleep for a
short time； and even so not quite soulless。 The idea of a soul；
or of that unknown something for which the word 〃soul〃 is our
hieroglyphic； and the idea of living organism； unite so
spontaneously； and stick together so inseparably； that no matter
how often we sunder them they will elude our vigilance and come
together； like true lovers； in spite of us。 Let us not attempt to
divorce ideas that have so long been wedded together。
I submit； then； that Pantheism； even as explained by those who
had entered on the outskirts only of its great morass；
nevertheless holds out so little hope of leading to any
comfortable conclusion that it will be more reasonable to occupy
our minds with other matter than to follow Pantheism further。 The
Pantheists speak of a person without meaning a person； they speak
of a〃 him〃 and a 〃he〃 without having in their minds the idea of a
living person with all its inevitable limitations。 Pantheism is；
therefore； as is said by Mr。 Blunt in another article；
〃practically nothing else than Atheism； it has no belief in a
personal deity overruling the affairs of the world； as Divine
Providence； and is； therefore； Atheistic；〃 and again； 〃Theism
believes in a spirit superior to matter； and so does Pantheism；
but the spirit of Theism is self…conscious； and therefore
personal and of individual existence…a nature per se； and
upholding all things by an active control； while Pantheism
believes in spirit that is of a higher nature than brute matter；
but is a mere unconscious principle of life； impersonal；
irrational as the brute matter that it quickens。〃
If this verdict concerning Pantheism is true…and from all I can
gather it is as nearly true as anything can be said to be which
is predicated of an incoherent idea…the Pantheistic God is an
attempt to lay hold of a truth which has nevertheless eluded its
pursuers。
In my next chapter I will consider the commonly received；
orthodox conception of God； and compare it with the Pantheistic。
I will show that it； too； is Atheistic； inasmuch as； in spite of
its professing to give us a conception of God； it raises no ideas
in our minds of a person or Living Being…and a God who is not
this is non…existent。
CHAPTER V
ORTHODOX THEISM
We have seen that Pantheism fails to satisfy； inasmuch as it
requires us to mean something different by the word 〃God〃 from
what we have been in the habit of meaning。 I have already said…I
fear； too often…that no conception of God can have any value or
meaning for us which does not involve his existence as an
independent Living Person of ineffable wisdom and power；
vastness； and duration both in the past and for the future。 If
such a Being as this can be found existing and made evident；
directly or indirectly； to human senses； there is a God。 If
otherwise； there is no God； or none； at any rate； so far as we
can know； none with whom we need concern ourselves。 No conscious
personality； no God。 An impersonal God is as much a contradiction
in terms as an impersonal person。
Unfortunately； when we question orthodox theology closely； we
find that it supposes God to be a person who has no material body
such as could come within the range of any human sense； and make
an impression upon it。 He is supposed to be of a spiritual nature
only； except in so far as one part of his triune personality is；
according to the Athanasian Creed； 〃perfect man； of a reasonable
soul and human flesh subsisting。〃
Here； then； we find ourselves in a dilemma。 On the one hand； we
are involved in the same difficulty as in the case of Pantheism；
inasmuch as a person without flesh and blood； or something
analogous； is not a person； we are required； therefore； to
believe in a personal God； who has no true person； to believe；
that is to say； in an impersonal person。
This； as we have seen already； is Atheism under another name；
being； as it is； destructive of all idea of God whatever； for
these words do not convey an idea of something which human
intelligence can understand up to a certain point； and which it
can watch going out of sight into regions beyond our view； but in
the same direction…as we may infer other stars in space beyond
the farthest that we know of； they convey utterly self…
destructive ideas； which can have no real meaning； and can only
be thought to have a meaning by ignorant and uncultivated people。
Otherwise such foundation as human reason rests upon…that is to
say； the current opinion of those whom the world appraises as
reasonable and agreeable； or capable of being agreed with for any
time…is sapped； the whole thing tumbles down； and we may have
square circles and round triangles； which may be declared to be
no longer absurdities and contradictions in terms； but mysteries
that go beyond our reason； without being contrary to it。 Few will
maintain this； and those few may be neglected； an impersonal
person must therefore be admitted to be nonsense； and an
immaterial God to be Atheism in another shape。
On the other hand； if God is 〃of a reasonable soul and human
flesh subsisting；〃 and if he thus has the body without which he
is…as far as we are concerned…non…existent； this body must yet be
reasonably like other bodies； and must exist in some place and at
some time。 Furthermore； it must do sufficiently nearly what all
other 〃human flesh〃 belonging to 〃perfect man〃 must do； or cease
to be human flesh。 Our ideas are like our organisms； they have
some little elasticity and circumstance…suiting power； some
little margin on which； as I have elsewhere said； side…notes may
be written； and glosses on the original text； but this power is
very limited。 As offspring will only； as a general rule； vary
very little from its immediate parents； and as it will fail
either immediately or in the second generation if the parents
differ too widely from one another； so we cannot get our idea of…
we will say a horse…to conjure up to our minds the idea of any
animal more unlike a horse than a pony is； nor can we get a well…
defined idea of a combination between a horse and any animal more
remote from it than an ass； zebra； or giraffe。 We may； indeed；
make a statue of a flying horse； but the idea is one which cannot
be made plausible to any but ignorant people。 So 〃human flesh〃
may vary a little from 〃human flesh〃 without undue violence being
done to our reason and to the right use of language； but it
cannot differ from it so much as not to eat； drink； nor waste and
repair itself。 〃Human flesh；〃 which is without these necessary
adjuncts； is human flesh only to those who can believe in flying
horses with feathered wings and bills like birds…that is to say；
to vulgar and superstitious persons。
Lastly； not only must the 〃perfect man；〃 who is the second person
of the Godhead according to the orthodox faith； and who subsists
of 〃human flesh〃 as well as of a 〃reasonable soul；〃 not only must
this person exist； but he must exist in some place either on this
earth or outside it。 If he exists on earth； he must be in Europe；
Asia； Africa； America； or on some island； and if he were met with
he must be capable of being seen and handled in the same way as
all other things that can be called perfect man are seen；
otherwise he is a perfect man who is not only not a perfect man；
but who does not in any considerable degree resemble one。 It is
not； however； pretended by anyone that God； the 〃perfect man；〃 is
to be looked for in any place upon the surface of the globe。
If； on the other hand； the person of God exists in some sphere
outside the earth； his human flesh again proves to be of an
entirely different kind from all other human flesh； for we know
that such flesh cannot exist except on earth； if in space
unsupported； it must fall to the ground； or into some other
planet； or into a sun； or go on revolving round the earth or some
other heavenly body…or not be personal。 None of those
whose opinions will carry weight will assign a position either in
some country on this earth； or yet again in space； to Jesus
Christ； but this involves the rendering meaningless of all
expressions which involve his personality。
The Christian conception； therefore； of the Deity proves when
examined with any desire to understand our own meaning （and what
lawlessness so great as the attempt to impose words upon our
understandings which have no lawful settlement within them？） to
be no less a contradiction in terms than the Pantheistic
conception。 It is Atheistic； as offering us a God which is not a
God； inasmuch as we can conceive of no suc