12 - The Religious Urge ; Reverential Life by Paul Brunton

Author:Paul Brunton
Language: eng
Format: mobi, pdf
Published: 2010-10-03T19:25:34.697000+00:00

6.5 Intolerance Toward Philosophy

144

The sage of former centuries was prudent in the presence of established religious authority. He took care to avoid being persecuted for heresy, although he did not always succeed in protecting himself against its suspicions. Even on a lesser plane, a mystic like Miguel de Molinos could not be saved by the Pope, his friend, from the dungeons of the "Holy" Office, the Inquisition. Remember that the Jesuits were hostile to the work of Molinos and also Madame Guyon because of its success. They were also jealous of his intimacy with the Pope, who lodged him in the Vatican. Plots were laid, the Inquisition was brought into their opposition, he was denounced as a heretic and, further, falsely libelled. The Jesuits succeeded in winning the French king to their cause: he used all his influence with the Papacy to have Molinos arrested. The poor victim never regained his freedom but died in the dungeons of the Inquisition some twelve years later. His books were termed "dangerous" and destroyed.

145

The so-called normal condition of the human mentality is really an abnormal one. Sanity has not yet been stamped upon the human race. That is still a perfectionist ideal which is being approached slowly, haltingly, and with many side-wanderings. The narrow, unbalanced, and confused mentalities of most people naturally react indifferently, impatiently, or intolerantly to the broad straight truths of philosophy. Nothing can be done by anyone to assist them so long as they not only do not understand this teaching but do not even care to understand it. Only when they will have sufficiently awakened to regard it as being not too absurd or too idealistic to be considered will they have attained civilized maturity.

146

The narrow-minded and little-hearted among orthodox institutions will resent his independence and protest that to allow him freedom and equality is to allow anarchy and chaos to reign.

147

This word "religion" is very often and very glibly used. Yet the meaning given it by the seers is too frequently not the same meaning given it by the hearers. Consequently history has witnessed the curious spectacle of Spinoza, whose entire life was a contemplation of God and a practice of virtue, denounced as an atheist by the Jewish ecclesiasts, and as a scoundrel by the Christian ones, of his times.

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