the foundations of personality-第71章
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his human desires； wishes； partialities and attributes until for the majority of the cultivated he becomes Nature； which in the end is a collection of laws in which one HOPES there is a unifying purpose。 But the vast majority of the world； even in the so…called civilized countries； worship taboos； symbols； have a modified polytheistic belief or a personalized God； still attempt to persuade the Power in their own behalf； to act favorably to their own purposes and follow those who claim knowledge of the divine and inscrutable；the priest； minister； rabbi； the man of God； in a phrase。 A part of religious feeling arises in civilized man； at least； from the feeling of awe in the presence of the vast forces of nature。 Here science has contributed to religious feeling； for as one looks at the stars； his soul bows in worship mainly because the astronomer； the scientist； has told him that every twinkling point is a great sun surrounded by planets； and that the light from them must travel unimaginable millions of miles to reach him。 As the world forces become impersonal they become more majestic； and a deeper feeling is evoked in their presence。 Science aids true religion by increasing awe； by increasing knowledge。 A great factor in religion is the longing to compensate for death and suffering。 Religion represents a reaction against fear； horror and humiliation。 It is a cry of triumph in the face of what otherwise is disaster 〃I am not man； the worm； sick； old； doomed to die； I am the heir of the divine and will live forever； happy and blessed。〃 Whether religious teaching is true or not； its great value lies in the happiness and surety of those who believe。 In its very highest sense the religious life is an effort to identify oneself with the largest purpose in the world。 All cooperative purposes are thus religious； all competitive nonreligious。 The selfish is therefore opposed to the altruistic purpose； the narrow to the broad。 Good is the symbol for the purposes that seek the welfare of all： evil is the symbol of those who seek the welfare of a person or a group； regardless of the rest。 If this definition is correct； then every reformer is religious and every self…seeker； though he wear all the symbols of a religion and pray three times a day； is irreligious。 I admit no man or woman to the fellowship of the religious unless in his heart he seeks some purpose that will lift the world out of discord and into harmony。 The power of the human being to believe in the face of opposed fact； inconsistency and unfavorable result is nowhere so well exemplified as in religion。 I do not speak of the untold crimes and inhumanities done in the name of religion； of human sacrifice； persecution； religious war；these are parts of a chapter in human history outside of the province of this book and almost too horrible to be contemplated。 But men have believed （and do believe） that some among them knew what God wanted； that certain procedures； tricks and ceremonies conveyed sanctity and surety； that cosmic events like storms； droughts； eclipses and epidemics had personal human meanings； that Infinite Wisdom would be guided in action by the prayers of ignorance； self…seeking and hatred； etc。； etc。 The savage who believes that his medicine man's antics； paint and feathers will bring rain and fertile soil has his counterpart in the civilized man who believes that this or that ceremonial and professed belief insures salvation。 Faith is beautiful in the abstract； but in the concrete it is often the origin of superstition and amazing folly。＇1＇ However crudely intelligence and honest scientific effort may work； they soar in a heaven far above the abyss of credulity。 ＇1＇ It would be amusing were it not sad to see how remarkably well some philosophers use their intelligence and logic to prove the invalidity of intelligence and logic。 They praise emotion； instinct and 〃intuition〃 and such modes of knowing and acting； yet their works are closely argued； reasoned and appeal throughout to the intelligence of their readers for acceptance。
True religion in the sense I have used the word has faith in it； the faith that there is a purpose in the universe； though it seems impossible for us to discover it。 In the personal character it seeks to establish altruistic feeling and conduct； though it does not rule out as unworthy self…feeling or seeking。 It merely subordinates them。 It does not deny the validity of pleasure； of the sensuous pleasures； it does not set its face against drinking； eating； sexual love； play and entertainment； but it urges a valid purpose as necessary for happiness and morality。 It does not glorify faith as against reason； emotion as against intelligence； on the contrary； it holds that reason and intelligence are the governing factors in human life and only by use of them do we rise from the beast。 So the religious life of those we study will be of great importance to us。 In the majority of cases we shall find that social heredity； tradition and backing will play the dominant role； in that most； in name at least； live and die in the faith in which they were born。 We find those who identify form and ceremonial with religion （the majority）； others who identify it with ethics and morality； and who can conceive no righteousness out of it。 Then there is the strictly modern type of person to whom right conduct is held to have nothing to do with religious belief and who measures Christian； Jew； Mohammedan and agnostic by their acts and not at all by their dogma； and who thus relegates religion； in the ordinary use of the word； to a rather useless place in human life。 Orthodoxy； piety； tolerance and skepticism represent attitudes towards organized religion： altruism； sympathy； good will； and fellowship are the measurements of the unorganized religion whose mission it is to find the purpose of life。 We have spoken throughout of man as a mosaic of character； and we must modify this statement。 A mosaic is a static collection； whereas a man has character struggles； balance and overbalance。 Really to know a man is to get at the proportionate power of his various trends； to understand his harmonies and disharmonies。 Character development is the story of the unification of the traits or characters。 Disharmony； disproportion of traits and characters may be progressive and lead to disaster and mental disease； or a balance may be reached after a struggle and what we call reform takes place。 Though our social life tends to narrow and repress character； it also tends to harmonize it by the preventing of excess development of certain traits。 The social person is on the whole well balanced； though he may be mediocre。 On the other hand； the non…social person usually tends to unbalance in the sense that he becomes odd and eccentric。 What are the chief disharmonies？ I mean； of course； glaring disharmonies； for no one is of harmonious development； with intelligence； emotions； instincts； desires； purposes in cooperation with each other。 This I propose to consider in more detail in the next chapter； on some character types； but it will be of use to sketch the great disharmonies。 Character is dynamic； and a fundamental disharmony； even if not noticeable early in life； may progress to the point of disruption of the personality。 Thus an individual who is strongly egoistic in his purposes and aims may succeed if at the same time he is determined intelligent and shrewd。 But let us suppose he has a son who is as strongly egoistic； is as determined； but lacks intelligence and shrewdness。 Not becoming successful； this person ascribes his failure to others and develops ideas of persecution。 Again； a true poet is a person of keen sensibilities； but he must possess at the same time imaginative intelligence and the power of words。 Let these be joined in proper proportions； and his verse becomes ours and we hail him as a poet。 But let him lack the power of words； and though he sweat with a desire to write he is a failure or a hack poet； making up by industry what he lacks in beauty。 Suppose there is a man deeply passionate； thrilled by the beauty of women and desiring them with a fierce ardor； and yet he has strong inhibitions； great purposes which hold him steady。 Then throughout life he seems cal
