pagan and christian creeds-第42章
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form of sex； in order that it might thus the better learn its own true values and needs。 Sex had to be rejected； or defiled with the sense of guilt and self… seeking； in order that having cast out its defilement it might return one day； transformed in the embrace of love。 The whole process has had a deep and strange world… significance。 It has led to an immensely long period of suppressionsuppression of two great instinctsthe physical instinct of sex and the emotional instinct of love。 Two things which should naturally be conjoined have been separated； and both have suffered。 And we know from the Freudian teachings what suppressions in the root…instincts necessarily mean。 We know that they inevitably terminate in diseases and distortions of proper action； either in the body or in the mind； or in both； and that these evils can only be cured by the liberation of the said instincts again to their proper expression and harmonious functioning in the whole organism。 No wonder then that； with this agelong suppression （necessary in a sense though it may have been） which marks the Christian dispensation； there should have been associated endless Sickness and Crime and sordid Poverty； the Crucifixion of animals in the name of Science and of human workers in the name of Wealth； and wars and horrors innumerable！ Hercules writhing in the Nessus…shirt or Prometheus nailed to the rocks are only as figures of a toy miniature compared with this vision of the great and divine Spirit of Man caught in the clutches of those dread Diseases which through the centuries have been eating into his very heart and vitals。
It would not be fair to pile on the Christian Church the blame for all this。 It had； no doubt； its part to play in the whole great scheme； namely； to accentuate the self…motive； and it played the part very thoroughly and successfully。 For it must be remembered （what I have again and again insisted on） that in the pagan cults it was always the salvation of the CLAN； the TRIBE； the people that was the main consideration； the advantage of the individual took only a very secondary part。 But in Christendomafter the communal enthusiasms of apostolic days and of the medieval and monastic brotherhoods and sisterhoods had died downreligion occupied itself more and more with each man or woman's INDIVIDUAL salvation； regardless of what might happen to the community； till； with the rise of Protestantism and Puritanism； this tendency reached such an extreme that； as some one has said； each man was absorbed in polishing up his own little soul in a corner to himself； in entire disregard to the damnation which might come to his neighbor。 Religion； and Morality too； under the commercial regime became； as was natural； perfectly selfish。 It was always： 〃Am _I_ saved？ Am _I_ doing the right thing？ Am _I_ winning the favor of God and man？ Will my claims to salvation be allowed？ Did _I_ make a good bargain in allowing Jesus to be crucified for me？〃 The poison of a diseased self…consciousness entered into the whole human system。
As I say； one must not blame the Christians too much for all thispartly because； AFTER the communal periods which I have just mentioned； Christianity was evidently deeply influenced by the rise of COMMERCIALISM； to which during the last two centuries it has so carefully and piously adapted itself； and partly becauseif our view is anywhere near rightthis microbial injection of self…consciousness was just the necessary work which （in conjunction with commercialism） it HAD to perform。 But though one does not blame Christianity one cannot blind oneself to its defects the defects necessarily arising from the part it had to play。 When one compares a healthy Pagan ritualsay of Apollo or Dionysusincluding its rude and crude sacrifices if you like； but also including its whole…hearted spontaneity and dedication to the common life and welfarewith the morbid self…introspection of the Christian and the eternally recurring question 〃What shall I do to be saved？〃the comparison is not favorable to the latter。 There is （at any rate in modern days） a mawkish milk…and…wateriness about the Christian attitude； and also a painful self… consciousness； which is not pleasant； and though Nietzsche's blonde beast is a sufficiently disagreeable animal； one almost thinks that it were better to be THAT than to go about with one's head meekly hanging on one side； and talking always of altruism and self…sacrifice； while in reality one's heart was entirely occupied with the question of one's own salvation。 There is besides a lamentable want of grit and substance about the Christian doctrines and ceremonials。 Somehow under the sex…taboo they became spiritualized and etherealized out of all human use。 Study the initiation…rites of any savage tribewith their strict discipline of the young braves in fortitude； and the overcoming of pain and fear； with their very detailed lessons in the arts of war and life and the duties of the grown man to his tribe； and with their quite practical instruction in matters of Sex； and then read our little Baptismal and Confirmation services； which ought to correspond thereto。 How thin and attenuated and weak the latter appear！ Or compare the Holy Communion； as celebrated in the sentimental atmosphere of a Protestant Church； with an ancient Eucharistic feast of real jollity and community of life under the acknowledged presence of the god； or the Roman Catholic service of the Mass； including its genuflexions and mock oblations and droning ritual sing…song； with the actual sacrifice in early days of an animal…god…victim on a blazing altar； and I think my meaning will be clear。 We do not want； of course； to return to all the crudities and barbarities of the past； but also we do not want to become attenuated and spiritualized out of all mundane sense and recognition； and to live in an otherworld Paradise void of application to earthly affairs。
The sex…taboo in Christianity was apparently； as I have said； an effort of the human soul to wrest itself free from the entanglement of physical lustwhich lust； though normal and appropriate and in a way gracious among the animals； had through the domination of self…consciousness become diseased and morbid or monstrous in Man。 The work thus done has probably been of the greatest value to the human race； but； just as in other cases it has sometimes happened that the effort to do a certain work has resulted in the end in an unbalanced exaggeration so here。 We are beginning to see now the harmful side of the repression of sex； and are tentatively finding our way back again to a more pagan attitude。 And as this return…movement is taking place at a time when； from many obvious signs； the self…conscious； grasping； commercial conception of life is preparing to go on the wane； and the sense of solidarity to re…establish itself； there is really good hope that our return…journey may prove in some degree successful。
Man progresses generally； not both legs at once like a sparrow； but by putting one leg forward first； and then the other。 There was this advantage in the Christian taboo of sex that by discouraging the physical and sensual side of love it did for the time being allow the spiritual side to come forward。 But； as I have just now indicated； there is a limit to that process。 We cannot always keep one leg first in walking； and we do not want； in life； always to put the spiritual first； nor always the material and sensual。 The two sides in the long run have to keep pace with each other。
And it may be that a great number of the very curious and seemingly senseless taboos that we find among the primitive peoples can be partly explained in this way： that is； that by ruling out certain directions of activity they enabled people to concentrate more effectually； for the time being； on other directions。 To primitive folk the great world； whose ways are puzzling enough in all conscience to us； must have been simply bewildering in its dangers and complications。 It was an amazement of Fear and Ignorance。 Thunderbolts might come at any moment out of the blue sky； or a demon out of an old tree trunk； or a devastating plague out of a bad smellor apparently even out of nothing at all！ Under those circumstances it was
