The Selected Works of Robert Owen Vol III by Gregory Claeys

Author:Gregory Claeys [Claeys, Gregory]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Communism; Post-Communism & Socialism, Political Science, Political Ideologies
ISBN: 9781000415742
Google: US0hEAAAQBAJ
Goodreads: 27289471
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 1993-09-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER VII

‘That man can never attain to a state of superior and permanent happiness, until he shall be surrounded by those external circumstances which will train him from birth to feel pure charity and sincere affection towards the whole of his species, – to speak the truth only on all occasions, – and to regard with a merciful and kind disposition all that have life.’

UNTIL man shall be placed under circumstances to have no motive to speak aught but the truth from his birth to his death, he cannot attain, or even know what happiness is. He will be incompetent to know himself or humanity – he will be unable to feel charity for the human race – to have sincere affection for his species, or to have the slightest pretension to a knowledge of TRUE RELIGION. But man will not be in a position to speak the truth, without motive to falsehood, while the system of falsehood governs the world, and it is filled by man with external circumstances in accordance with that system. While this universal system of error, falsehood, and fraud, pervades and penetrates into every part of society, it is vain and useless to attempt to introduce truth, charity, and affection into the practice of the human race, or to talk or preach about an unmeaning word called religion. This change can be effected only by an entire change in forming the character of man from his birth, and by the complete reconstruction of society based on those principles which are directly opposed to the wild and random notions on which the system of error and falsehood has been founded, and on which mysteries and superstition, called religion, have been engrafted, and thus destroyed the value of the human faculties. True religion will be known by its simple, plain, and straightforward language of truth, ‘without mystery, mixture of error, or fear of man;’ and by the undeviating feelings of charity which it will produce for all, and its consequent practice of kindness, not only to man, but to all that have life, so far as it is consistent with the safety and happiness of humanity.

True religion cannot exist without the universal language of truth, nor with the language of truth can vice, crime, or misery of any kind afflict the human race, except by the effects arising from the overwhelming war of the elements of nature, beyond the present control of man to regulate or prevent. The consequences that will necessarily follow from the universal adoption of the language of truth, no human mind has yet encompassed; the substantial permanent benefits that will arise, are far beyond all present estimate. To this part of our subject, and of its ever-lasting importance to the human race, the mind of man does not appear yet to have been opened, although, until its overwhelming influence in giving excellence and happiness to humanity shall be well understood, and measures shall be adopted to prepare the means to withdraw all motives

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