pagan and christian creeds-第21章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ivilization' and to the temporary and fallacious domination of a leaden…eyed so…called 'Science。' According to this view the true evolution of Religion and Man's outlook on the world has proceeded not by the denial by man of his unity with the world； but by his seeing and understanding that unity more deeply。 And the more deeply he understands himself the more certainly he will recognize in the external world a Being or beings resembling himself。
W。 H。 Hudsonwhose mind is certainly not of a quality to be jeered atspeaks of Animism as 〃the projection of ourselves into nature： the sense and apprehension of an intelligence like our own； but more powerful； in all visible things〃； and continues； 〃old as I am this same primitive faculty which manifested itself in my early boyhood； still persists； and in those early years was so powerful that I am almost afraid to say how deeply I was moved by it。〃＇1＇ Nor will it be quite forgotten that Shelley once said：
The moveless pillar of a mountain's weight Is active living spirit。 Every grain Is sentient both in unity and part； And the minutest atom comprehends A world of loves and hatreds。
＇1＇ Far Away and Long Ago； ch。 xiii； p。 225。
The tendency to animism and later to anthropomorphism is I say inevitable； and perfectly logical。 But the great value of the work done by some of those investigators whom I have quoted has been to show that among quite primitive people （whose interior life and 'soul…sense' was only very feeble） their projections of intelligence into Nature were correspondingly feeble。 The reflections of themselves projected into the world beyond could not reach the stature of eternal 'gods；' but were rather of the quality of ephemeral phantoms and ghosts； and the ceremonials and creeds of that period are consequently more properly described as； Magic than as Religion。 There have indeed been great controversies as to whether there has or has not been； in the course of religious evolution； a PRE… animistic stage。 Probably of course human evolution in this matter must have been perfectly continuous from stages presenting the very feeblest or an absolutely deficient animistic sense to the very highest manifestations of anthropomorphism； but as there is a good deal of evidence to show that ANIMALS （notably dogs and horses） see ghosts； the inquiry ought certainly to be enlarged so far as to include the pre…human species。 Anyhow it must be remembered that the question is one of CONSCIOUSNESS that is； of how far and to what degree consciousness of self has been developed in the animal or the primitive man or the civilized man； and therefore how far and to what degree the animal or human creature has credited the outside world with a similar consciousness。 It is not a question of whether there IS an inner life and SUB…consciousness common to all these creatures of the earth and sky； because that； I take it； is a fact beyond question； they all emerge or have emerged from the same matrix； and are rooted in identity； but it is a question of how far they are AWARE of this； and how far by separation （which is the genius of evolution） each individual creature has become conscious of the interior nature both of itself and of the other creatures AND of the great whole which includes them all。
Finally； and to avoid misunderstanding； let me say that Anthropomorphism； in man's conception of the gods； is itself of course only a stage and destined to pass away。 In so far； that is； as the term indicates a belief in divine beings corresponding to our PRESENT conception of ourselves that is as separate personalities having each a separate and limited character and function； and animated by the separatist motives of ambition； possession； power； vainglory； superiority； patronage； self…greed； self…satisfaction； etc。in so far as anthropomorphism is the expression of that kind of belief it is of course destined； with the illusion from which it springs； to pass away。 When man arrives at the final consciousness in which the idea of such a self； superior or inferior or in any way antagonistic to others； ceases to operate； then he will return to his first and primal condition； and will cease to need ANY special religion or gods； knowing himself and all his fellows to be divine and the origin and perfect fruition of all。
VII。 RITES OF EXPIATION AND REDEMPTION
There is a passage in Richard Jefferies' imperishably beautiful book The Story of my Hearta passage well known to all lovers of that prose…poetin which he figures himself standing 〃in front of the Royal Exchange where the wide pavement reaches out like a promontory；〃 and pondering on the vast crowd and the mystery of life。 〃Is there any theory； philosophy； or creed；〃 he says； 〃is there any system of culture； any formulated method； able to meet and satisfy each separate item of this agitated pool of human life？ By which they may be guided； by which they may hope； by which look forward？ Not a mere illusion of the craving heartsomething real； as real as the solid walls of fact against which； like seaweed； they are dashed； something to give each separate personality sunshine and a flower in its own existence now； something to shape this million…handed labor to an end and outcome that will leave more sunshine and more flowers to those who must succeed？ Something real now； and not in the spirit…land； in this hour now； as I stand and the sun burns。 。 。 。 Full well aware that all has failed； yet； side by side with the sadness of that knowledge； there lives on in me an unquenchable belief； thought burning like the sun； that there is yet something to be found。。。。 It must be dragged forth by the might of thought from the immense forces of the universe。〃
In answer to this passage we may say 〃No；a thousand times No！ there is no theory； philosophy； creed； system or formulated method which will meet or ever satisfy the demand of each separate item of the human whirlpool。〃 And happy are we to know there is no such thing！ How terrible if one of these bloodless 'systems' which strew the history of religion and philosophy and the political and social paths of human endeavor HAD been found absolutely correct and universally applicableso that every human being would be compelled to pass through its machine…like maw； every personality to be crushed under its Juggernath wheels！ No； thank Heaven！ there is no theory or creed or system； and yet there is something as Jefferies prophetically felt and with a great longing desiredthat CAN satisfy； and that； the root of all religion； has been hinted at in the last chapter。 It is the CONSCIOUSNESS of the world…life burning； blazing； deep down within us： it is the Soul's intuition of its roots in Omnipresence and Eternity。
The gods and the creeds of the past； as shown in the last chapterwhatever they may have been； animistic or anthropomorphic or transcendental； whether grossly brutish or serenely ideal and abstractare essentially projections of the human mind； and no doubt those who are anxious to discredit the religious impulse generally will catch at this； saying 〃Yes； they are mere forms and phantoms of the mind； ephemeral dreams； projected on the background of Nature； and having no real substance or solid value。 The history of Religion （they will say） is a history of delusion and illusion； why waste time over it？ These divine grizzly Bears or Aesculapian Snakes； these cat…faced Pashts； this Isis； queen of heaven； and Astarte and Baal and Indra and Agni and Kali and Demeter and the Virgin Mary and Apollo and Jesus Christ and Satan and the Holy Ghost； are only shadows cast outwards onto a screen； the constitution of the human mind makes them all tend to be anthropomorphic； but that is all； they each and all inevitably pass away。 Why waste time over them？〃
And this is in a sense a perfectly fair way of looking at the matter。 These gods and creeds ARE only projections of the human mind。 But all the same it misses； does this view； the essential fact。 It misses the fact that there is no shadow without a fire； that the very existence of a shadow argues a light somewhere （though we may not directly see it） as well as the existence of a solid form which intercepts that light。 Deep； deep in the human mind there i
