pagan and christian creeds-第58章
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d sections； and their consequent greeds and tyrannies over other classes and sections。 It is not found in the primitive human tribes and societies； and will not be found in the final forms of human association。 The liberated and emancipated Man passes unconstrained and unconstraining through all grades and planes of human fellowship； equal and undisturbed； and never leaving his true home and abiding place in the heart of all。 Equally necessarily with the rehabilitation of Society as an entirety will follow the rehabilitation of the entire physical body IN each member of Society。 We have spoken already of Nakedness： its meaning and likely extent of adoption （Ch。 XII）。 The idea that the head and the hands are the only seemly and presentable members of the organism； and that the other members are unworthy and indecent； is obviously as onesided and lopsided as that which honors certain classes in the commonwealth and despises others。 Why should the head brag of its ascendancy and domination； and the heart be smothered up and hidden？ It will only be a life far more in the open air than that which we lead at present； which will restore the balance and ultimately bring us back to sanity and health。
XVI。 THE EXODUS OF CHRISTIANITY
We have dealt with the Genesis of Christianity； we now come to the Exodus。 For that Christianity can CONTINUE to hold the field of Religion in the Western World is neither probable nor desirable。 It is true； as I have remarked already； that there is a certain trouble about defining what we mean by 〃Christianity〃 similar to that about the word 〃Civilization。〃 If we select out of the great mass of doctrines and rites favored by the various Christian Churches just those which commend themselves to the most modern and humane and rational human mind and choose to call that resulting （but rather small） body of belief and practice 'Christianity' we are； of course； entitled to do so； and to hope （as we do hope） that this residuum will survive and go forward into the future。 But this sort of proceeding is hardly fair and certainly not logical。 It enables Christianity to pose as an angel of light while at the same time keeping discreetly out of sight all its own abominations and deeds of darkness。
The Churchwhich began its career by destroying； distorting and denying the pagan sources from which it sprang； whose bishops and other ecclesiastics assassinated each other in their theological rancour 〃of wild beasts；〃 which encouraged the wicked folly of the Crusadesespecially the Children's Crusadesand the shameful murders of the Manicheans； the Albigenses； and the Huguenots； which burned at the stake thousands and thousands of poor 'witches' and 'heretics'； which has hardly ever spoken a generous word in favor or defence of the animals； which in modern times has supported vivisection as against the latter； Capitalism and Commercialism as against the poorer classes of mankind； and whose priests in the forms of its various sects； Greek or Catholic； Lutheran or Protestant； have in these last days rushed forth to urge the nations to slaughter each other with every diabolical device of Science； and to glorify the war…cry of Patriotism in defiance of the principle of universal Brotherhoodsuch a Church can hardly claim to have established the angelic character of its mission among mankind！ And if it be saidas it often IS SAID： 〃Oh！ but you must go back to the genuine article； and the Church's real origin and one foundation in the person and teaching of Jesus Christ；〃 then indeed you come back to the point which this book； as above； enforces： namely； that as to the person of Jesus； there is no CERTAINTY at all that he ever existed； and as to the teaching credited to him； it is certain that that comes down from a period long anterior to 'Christianity' and is part of what may justly be called a very ancient World…religion。 So； as in the case of 'Civilization；' we are compelled to see that it is useless to apply the word to some ideal state of affairs or doctrine （an ideal by no means the same in all people's minds； or in all localities and times）； but that the only reasonable thing to do is to apply it in each case to a HISTORICAL PERIOD。 In the case of Christianity the historical period has lasted nearly 2；000 years； and； as I say； we can hardly expect or wish that it should last much longer。
The very thorough and careful investigation of religious origins which has been made during late years by a great number of students and observers undoubtedly tends to show that there has been something like a great World…religion coming down the centuries from the remotest times and gradually expanding and branching as it has comethat is to say that the similarity （in ESSENCE though not always in external detail） between the creeds and rituals of widely sundered tribes and peoples is so great as to justify the view advanced in the present volumethat these creeds and rituals are the necessary outgrowths of human psychology； slowly evolving； and that consequently they have a common origin and in their various forms a common expression。 Of this great World…religion； so coming down； Christianity is undoubtedly a branch； and an important branch。 But there have been important branches before； and while it may be true that Christianity emphasizes some points which may have been overlooked or neglected in the Vedic teachings or in Buddhism； or in the Persian and Egyptian and Syrian cults； or in Mahommedanism； and so forth； it is also equally true that Christianity has itself overlooked or neglected valuable points in these religions。 It has； in fact； the defects of its qualities。 If the World…religion is like a great tree； one cannot expect or desire that all its branches should be directed towards the same point of the compass。
Reinach； whose studies of religious origins are always interesting and characterized by a certain Gallic grace and nettete； though with a somewhat Jewish non…perception of the mystic element in life； defines Religion as a combination of animism and scruples。 This is good in a way； because it gives the two aspects of the subject： the inner； animism； consisting of the sense of contact with more or less intelligent beings moving in Nature； and the outer； consisting in scruples or taboos。 The one aspect shows the feeling which INSPIRES religion； the other； the checks and limitations which DEFINE it and give birth to ritual。 But like most anthropologists he （Reinach） is a little TOO patronizing towards the 〃poor Indian with untutored mind。〃 He is sorry for people so foolish as to be animistic in their outlook； and he is always careful to point out that the scruples and taboos were quite senseless in their origin； though occasionally （by accident） they turned out useful。 Yetas I have said beforeAnimism is a perfectly sensible； logical and NECESSARY attitude of the human mind。 It is a necessary attribute of man's psychical nature； by which he projects into the great World around him the image of his own mind。 When that mind is in a very primitive； inchoate； and fragmentary condition； the images so projected are those of fragmentary intelligences （'spirits；' gnomes； etc。the age of magic）； when the mind rises to distinct consciousness of itself the reflections of it are anthropomorphic 'gods'； when finally it reaches the universal or cosmic state it perceives the presence of a universal Being behind all phenomenawhich Being is indeed itself〃Himself to Himself。〃 If you like you may call the whole process by the name of Animism。 It is perfectly sensible throughout。 The only proviso is that you should also be sensible； and distinguish the different stages in the process。
Jane Harrison makes considerable efforts to show that Religion is primarily a reflection of the SOCIAL Conscience （see Themis； pp。 482…92）that is； that the sense in Man of a 〃Power that makes for righteousness〃 outside （and also inside） him is derived from his feeling of continuity with the Tribe and his instinctive obedience to its behests； confirmed by ages of collective habit and experience。 He cannot in fact sever the navel…string which connects him with his tribal Mother； even though he desires to do so。 And no doubt this view of the origin of Religi
