Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - V. Tolstoi’s Table Talk
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has been proofread at least once.
(diff)
(history)
Denna sida har korrekturlästs minst en gång.
(skillnad)
(historik)
Christian relations between the nations, i.e., that they are
awakening to the fact that we are all brothers, and cutting themselves
loose from the pagan official tradition, inculcated and supported
by the established churches, that we are enemies.
Speaking of the religious question, he referred to the fact that
Protestant churches have been and often are quite as intolerant
as the Roman and Greek churches, and that Nonconformist
denominations have the same tendency. He showed thorough
acquaintance with the Nonconformist and Pietistic movement
in Western countries. In his view, this movement in its first
beginnings fulfilled an important mission in rousing the people
from their spiritual stupor, and breaking the fetters of
ecclesiastical tyranny and formalism. But already it has largely
lost its power for good by failing to follow the teaching and
example of Christ; it has followed the example of the State
churches in allowing organisation and money to play a more
prominent part than practical Christianity.
It is this stepping aside from Christ’s Christianity which has
at all times led to the decline of religious denominations.
Modern ecclesiastical and denominational Christianity, with its
politics, its religious business-system, its dogmas, its
formalism, its intolerance, is altogether artificial and opposed to the
true interests of man. Christ’s Christianity, on the other
hand, satisfies his deepest needs, both in his private and social
relations.
Tolstoi bad received books and papers descriptive of
themselves, both from the Salvation Army and the Mormons. Of
the latter he said : “I have read their books with much
interest. It is remarkable what a prominent part invention plays
in the different religious systems. It differs largely, however,
in degree. With Joseph Smith we might say that it
constitutes 90 per cent., whereas with Moses it amounts to 10
per cent.”
Concerning the modern Christian sects in general, he said:
“Above all things Christians ought to put themselves into a
natural relation to one another and the world at large, i.e., to
follow Christ and realise His teaching in daily life, instead
of wasting their time and energy in organising sects,
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
