Horus, or the Astrognostic Final Judgment

XVII

and know how to instill it in a wise manner. I, at least, feel far too weak to plead with great lords for new institutions in religious matters. Therefore, my book is not intended to give cause for such changes, even from afar, but rather simply to serve the best interests of the teachers, and through them the people or the whole community, if they set about the matter wisely.

As long as teachers still say: "Only our faith alone brings salvation!" then hatred and persecution between those who hold different religious opinions will certainly be powerfully nourished in the name of the Lord. Let this no longer be said! Rather, let it be shown how happy is the man who joyfully fulfills the duties that rational religion The "Religion of Reason" (Vernunftreligion) was a core Enlightenment concept, suggesting that true spiritual truths could be discovered through human reason rather than solely through divine revelation. commands us to fulfill. From every nation, whoever fears the Lord and acts uprightly is dear and pleasing to Him! The author is paraphrasing Acts 10:35: "But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him."

But if teachers seriously consider the Bible to be the Word of God, they must indeed present their religious opinions as the only faith that brings salvation; they must indeed spread hatred toward fellow men who hold other doctrines; they must certainly insist on courts of inquisition; they must necessarily condemn heretics. Those who do the opposite do so not because the Bible commands it, but because reason—because God—wills it: for the Bible contains far too many passages that promote anything but to-

lerance original: "leranz"