quote · Legacy record

Secularists, who dismiss religion as simply false, and fundamentalists, who insist on literal truth, both miss the point. A revolt should be so unthinkable, as an organized insurrection of sheep against the practice of eating mutton. Democracy is the even distribution of ultimate political power among all adults except lunatics, criminals and peers. When people think about democracy, they generally couple with it a considerable measure of liberty for individuals and groups. Unemployment, illness, and old age do not deserve punishment. No nation has ever shown more heroism than was shown by the Japanese, but they were defeated by American industrial productivity. The hope that human race will allow itself to survive, is therefore somewhat slender. Men will have to submit to the law, even when they think that the law is unjust and iniquitous. They were historical believes which, after being generally accepted for a long time, have in the end been admitted to be mistaken. All fanatical creeds do harm, they promote hatred and strife. Some people who say to love your neighbor, in fact think is right to hate people who do not do that. The attitude that believing or accepting a belief unquestionably on a basis of authority is contrary to the scientific spirit.

Secularists, who dismiss religion as simply false, and fundamentalists, who insist on literal truth, both miss the point. A revolt should be so unthinkable, as an organized insurrection of sheep against the practice of eating mutton. Democracy is the even distribution of ultimate political power among all adults except lunatics, criminals and peers. When people think about democracy, they generally couple with it a considerable measure of liberty for individuals and groups. Unemployment, illness, and old age do not deserve punishment. No nation has ever shown more heroism than was shown by the Japanese, but they were defeated by American industrial productivity. The hope that human race will allow itself to survive, is therefore somewhat slender. Men will have to submit to the law, even when they think that the law is unjust and iniquitous. They were historical believes which, after being generally accepted for a long time, have in the end been admitted to be mistaken. All fanatical creeds do harm, they promote hatred and strife. Some people who say to love your neighbor, in fact think is right to hate people who do not do that. The attitude that believing or accepting a belief unquestionably on a basis of authority is contrary to the scientific spirit.

Approximate author period: c. 1921 AD · modern