Superstition In All Ages (1732) | Page 7

to each other. But, in
order to judge of the reality of these relations, we must have some idea
of the Divine nature. But everybody tells us that the essence of God is
incomprehensible to man; at the same time they do not hesitate to
assign attributes to this incomprehensible God, and assure us that man
can not dispense with a knowledge of this God so impossible to
conceive of. The most important thing for men is that which is the most
impossible for them to comprehend. If God is incomprehensible to man,
it would seem rational never to think of Him at all; but religion
concludes that man is criminal if he ceases for a moment to revere Him.

VI.--RELIGION IS FOUNDED UPON CREDULITY.
We are told that Divine qualities are not of a nature to be grasped by
limited minds. The natural consequence of this principle ought to be
that the Divine qualities are not made to employ limited minds; but
religion assures us that limited minds should never lose sight of this
inconceivable being, whose qualities can not be grasped by them: from
which we see that religion is the art of occupying limited minds with
that which is impossible for them to comprehend.

VII.--EVERY RELIGION IS AN ABSURDITY.
Religion unites man with God or puts them in communication; but do
you say that God is infinite? If God is infinite, no finite being can have
communication or any relation with Him. Where there are no relations,
there can be no union, no correspondence, no duties. If there are no
duties between man and his God, there exists no religion for man. Thus
by saying that God is infinite, you annihilate, from that moment, all
religion for man, who is a finite being. The idea of infinity is for us in
idea without model, without prototype, without object.

VIII.--THE NOTION OF GOD IS IMPOSSIBLE.
If God is an infinite being, there can be neither in the actual world or in
another any proportion between man and his God; thus the idea of God
will never enter the human mind. In the supposition of a life where men
will be more enlightened than in this one, the infinity of God will
always place such a distance between his idea and the limited mind of
man, that he will not be able to conceive of God any more in a future
life than in the present. Hence, it evidently follows that the idea of God
will not be better suited to man in the other life than in the present. God
is not made for man; it follows also that intelligences superior to
man--such as angels, archangels, seraphims, and saints--can have no
more complete notions of God than has man, who does not understand

anything about Him here below.

IX.--ORIGIN OF SUPERSTITION.
How is it that we have succeeded in persuading reasonable beings that
the thing most impossible to understand was the most essential for
them. It is because they were greatly frightened; it is because when men
are kept in fear they cease to reason; it is because they have been
expressly enjoined to distrust their reason. When the brain is troubled,
we believe everything and examine nothing.

X.--ORIGIN OF ALL RELIGION.
Ignorance and fear are the two pivots of all religion. The uncertainty
attending man's relation to his God is precisely the motive which
attaches him to his religion. Man is afraid when in darkness--physical
or moral. His fear is habitual to him and becomes a necessity; he would
believe that he lacked something if he had nothing to fear.

XI.--IN THE NAME OF RELIGION CHARLATANS TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF THE WEAKNESS OF MEN.
He who from his childhood has had a habit of trembling every time he
heard certain words, needs these words, and needs to tremble. In this
way he is more disposed to listen to the one who encourages his fears
than to the one who would dispel his fears. The superstitious man
wants to be afraid; his imagination demands it. It seems that he fears
nothing more than having no object to fear. Men are imaginary patients,
whom interested charlatans take care to encourage in their weakness, in
order to have a market for their remedies. Physicians who order a great
number of remedies are more listened to than those who recommend a
good regimen, and who leave nature to act.

XII.--RELIGION ENTICES IGNORANCE BY THE AID OF THE
MARVELOUS.
If religion was clear, it would have fewer attractions for the ignorant.
They need obscurity, mysteries, fables, miracles, incredible things,
which keep their brains perpetually at work. Romances, idle stories,
tales of ghosts and witches, have more charms for the vulgar than true
narrations.

XIII.--CONTINUATION.
In the matter of religion, men