The Christian1 World of the 1st inst. has another note on the article on “Some Muslim Laws and Beliefs.” As Mr. Foote responded to the first note on behalf of the Secularist2, I, as the author of the obnoxious3 article, which was mainly mere4 compilation5 from the work of a Christian scholar and gentleman, may say a few words on my own behalf in reply to the second, which is as follows:—
“A correspondent writes:—In your ‘Notes by the Way’ last week there is a painful, though not unseasonable, quotation6 from a writer on ‘Muslim Laws and Beliefs.’ This, as coming from a Secularist, is deplorable enough. It is very much more so that the late Viscount Amberley, a son of a veteran statesman, should in his ‘Analysis of Religious Belief,’ which might indeed more justly be termed ‘A Panegyric7 of all Heathen Beliefs, and a Travesty8 of that of the Christian,’ have given a like description of the paradise of the Koran, and should have sneeringly9 told us that the Christian Scriptures10, in their pictures of the heavenly life, ‘strangely overlook this enjoyment’ of ‘ever virgins’ never growing old, who are to ‘supply the faithful with the pleasure of love’ (vide Vol. II., p. 200). This is but a specimen11 of the disdainful and derisive12 tone with which this writer, who at length leaves himself stranded13 in a region of the dreariest14 Atheism15, continually speaks of that Book which what he terms ‘the illusions of our younger days’ might have taught him o respect.”
I do not doubt that the quotation was painful to the Christian correspondent, since it is always painful to have our lifelong prejudices shocked by those who have never shared them, or who have attained16 freedom from their yoke17. One might give not a few quotations18 from any number of the Christian World which would be very painful to a pious19 Muslim. Nor do I doubt that the quotation was not unseasonable, for quotations from the Secularist must always be seasonable in an influential20 Christian periodical, when they tend to expand the Christian narrowness, and show that there is much to be said in favor of other beliefs. And I admit that, like many other things coming from a Secularist, it must have been deplorable enough to a Christian suckled on the Bible, and assured in his unreflecting ignorance that it is the one true word of the three-in-one true god. But the correspondent finds it very much more deplorable that a son of a veteran statesman should agree with the Secularist—as if the sons of veteran statesmen were naturally expected to be sunk deeper than other persons in the prevailing21 superstition22. The correspondent who, we may presume, has always been taught, and has never doubted, that all heathen beliefs are wholly devilish, and that the Christian belief is wholly divine, thinks that Viscount Amberley’s book is a panegyric of the former and a travesty of the latter. If the unfortunate correspondent had the courage and intelligence to enter upon a real analysis of religious belief, he would soon discover that he and his co-religionists have been all along travestying every form of what they call heathenism. With amusing simplicity23 he is astonished that Lord Amberley gives a like description of the paradise of the Kur-an to that which I gave in the Secularist, as if he could have been accurate in giving any other, when mine was drawn24 from one of the most careful and accurate of writers, the Oriental Englishman, unequalled in his knowledge of Arabic literature and life! Why, in the very week following the attack on the Secularist, the Christian World’s twin sister, the Literary World (perhaps incited25 thereto by its study of our vilified26 paper), showed that it had been reading or dipping into Lane, by an article on him under the queer title of “A Man of One Book,” he being distinguished27 for three—“The Manners and Customs of the Modem28 Egyptians,” the translation of the “Arabian Nights,” with its peerless notes, and the monumental “Arabic Lexicon”; and the said queerly-named article echoed the general praise of his thoroughness and accuracy, and repeated the statement of those who knew him, that he was a deeply pious man. I am not concerned with the defence of Lord Amberley, and shall therefore not follow further the correspondent’s remarks on his book, save to note that a man who says that any such writer “leaves himself stranded in a region of the dreariest Atheism,” proves himself by this one phrase utterly29 incompetent30 to study that word or understand its subject matter; and, as ignorant and incapable31, had better confine himself to the Sunday-school, the Young Men’s Christian Association, the religious tea-meeting, and street-corner raving32.
It may be as well to say something on my own account, in addition to the vigorous remarks of Mr. Foote, in reply to the first note of the Christian World, and vindication33 of the passage it impugned34. And first, as to the Book of Revelation, which claims to be prophetic, and stands in our Bible as the work of St. John the Divine. Luther, indeed, who was not afraid to pass an independent judgment35, said, “I look upon the revelation as neither apostolic nor prophetic;” but it is received as both by our English Protestants, and continually referred to by them as the record of a genuine and authentic36 vision. But I assert, without fear of contradiction, that if they had never known it, and some missionary37 brought home an account of its marvels38 as belonging to the faith of some Polynesian islanders, they would be filled with wonder and compassion39 at the monstrous40 superstitions41 of those poor heathen barbarians42. Yes, Exeter Hall and the readers and writers of the Christian World itself, would assuredly invoke43 help to enlighten the degraded idolaters who believed in a heaven whose God was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine44; in the midst of whose throne, and round about whose throne, were four beasts—a lion, a calf45, a man-faced monster, an eagle—each with six wings, and full of eyes before and behind and within; which beasts never rested day nor night from saying, “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty;” and which, moreover, worshipped a lamb with seven horns and seven eyes—a figment more extravagant46 than the many-headed and many-armed idols47 of India. And so with the other enormities of the Apocalypse. Our civilised gentlemen of the Christian World can only believe that they believe these things, because hallowed associations and unreflecting faith blind their judgment to the obvious absurdity48 of the imagery and the conspicuous49 non-fulfilment of the prophecy, which again and again claims to announce events then at hand, to come quickly.
In the next place I assert that the everlasting50 monotonous51 singing of the praises of the lamb, the interminable senseless routine, is not a whit52 more spiritual, while infinitely53 less alluring54, than the occupations of the Mohammedan Paradise. If it be answered that enlightened Christians55 have nobler ideas of heaven, I reply that such anticipations56 are not warranted by the New Testament57, and that magnanimous Muslims have also nobler anticipations of paradise, for which there is warrant in the Kur-an. And while on the subject of spirituality, I may remark that the pure monotheism of the Muslim and the Jew is immensely more spiritual, as well as more rational, than the monotritheism of the Christian, which not only deifies a man, but juggles58 with a so-called mystery that cannot be expressed in words without self-contradiction, cannot be conceived in thought, and, by the confession59 of its own apologists, defies reason.
As to the “hysterical60 buffoonery,” I have yet to learn that there is anything hysterical in a jolly burst of Rabelaisian laughter. And as to the “poor hollow mockery,” I can assure the writer in the Christian World that the mockery was quite rich, sound and genuine in relation to the Apocalypse of his idolised book and the popular Protestant Moody61 and Sankey heaven. (By the bye, can anyone inform us whether Mr. Sankey is really a Jew, and not a Christian Jew, as I have heard positively62 asserted on Hebrew authority?) As to the “blasphemous63 irreverence” and the “horrible and blasphemous invocation,” I deny the possibility of blasphemy65 where there is no belief. A man may blaspheme that which he accounts worthy66 of reverence64, because in speaking evil of it he violates his own convictions and holiest feelings. But if for me there is no God, how can I blaspheme him? Speaking contemptuously of him, I but contemn67 nothing. If the writer in the Christian World were accused of blasphemy for reviling68 Jupiter and Venus, Brahma and Vishnu, Baal and Moloch, the Goddess of Reason and Mumbo Jumbo, he would reply, I cannot blaspheme false gods, meaning simply gods in whom he has no faith. Just so,
I say that I cannot blaspheme the trinity-in-unity of the Christian, which to me is non-existent, absurd, impossible. It would be well for the writers and readers of the Christian World to ponder these things.
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1 Christian | |
adj.基督教徒的;n.基督教徒 | |
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2 secularist | |
n.现世主义者,世俗主义者;宗教与教育分离论者 | |
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3 obnoxious | |
adj.极恼人的,讨人厌的,可憎的 | |
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4 mere | |
adj.纯粹的;仅仅,只不过 | |
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5 compilation | |
n.编译,编辑 | |
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6 quotation | |
n.引文,引语,语录;报价,牌价,行情 | |
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7 panegyric | |
n.颂词,颂扬 | |
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8 travesty | |
n.歪曲,嘲弄,滑稽化 | |
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9 sneeringly | |
嘲笑地,轻蔑地 | |
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10 scriptures | |
经文,圣典( scripture的名词复数 ); 经典 | |
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11 specimen | |
n.样本,标本 | |
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12 derisive | |
adj.嘲弄的 | |
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13 stranded | |
a.搁浅的,进退两难的 | |
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14 dreariest | |
使人闷闷不乐或沮丧的( dreary的最高级 ); 阴沉的; 令人厌烦的; 单调的 | |
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15 atheism | |
n.无神论,不信神 | |
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16 attained | |
(通常经过努力)实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 ); 达到; 获得; 达到(某年龄、水平、状况) | |
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17 yoke | |
n.轭;支配;v.给...上轭,连接,使成配偶 | |
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18 quotations | |
n.引用( quotation的名词复数 );[商业]行情(报告);(货物或股票的)市价;时价 | |
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19 pious | |
adj.虔诚的;道貌岸然的 | |
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20 influential | |
adj.有影响的,有权势的 | |
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21 prevailing | |
adj.盛行的;占优势的;主要的 | |
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22 superstition | |
n.迷信,迷信行为 | |
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23 simplicity | |
n.简单,简易;朴素;直率,单纯 | |
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24 drawn | |
v.拖,拉,拔出;adj.憔悴的,紧张的 | |
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25 incited | |
刺激,激励,煽动( incite的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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26 vilified | |
v.中伤,诽谤( vilify的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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27 distinguished | |
adj.卓越的,杰出的,著名的 | |
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28 modem | |
n.调制解调器 | |
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29 utterly | |
adv.完全地,绝对地 | |
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30 incompetent | |
adj.无能力的,不能胜任的 | |
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31 incapable | |
adj.无能力的,不能做某事的 | |
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32 raving | |
adj.说胡话的;疯狂的,怒吼的;非常漂亮的;令人醉心[痴心]的v.胡言乱语(rave的现在分词)n.胡话;疯话adv.胡言乱语地;疯狂地 | |
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33 vindication | |
n.洗冤,证实 | |
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34 impugned | |
v.非难,指谪( impugn的过去式和过去分词 );对…有怀疑 | |
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35 judgment | |
n.审判;判断力,识别力,看法,意见 | |
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36 authentic | |
a.真的,真正的;可靠的,可信的,有根据的 | |
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37 missionary | |
adj.教会的,传教(士)的;n.传教士 | |
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38 marvels | |
n.奇迹( marvel的名词复数 );令人惊奇的事物(或事例);不平凡的成果;成就v.惊奇,对…感到惊奇( marvel的第三人称单数 ) | |
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39 compassion | |
n.同情,怜悯 | |
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40 monstrous | |
adj.巨大的;恐怖的;可耻的,丢脸的 | |
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41 superstitions | |
迷信,迷信行为( superstition的名词复数 ) | |
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42 barbarians | |
n.野蛮人( barbarian的名词复数 );外国人;粗野的人;无教养的人 | |
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43 invoke | |
v.求助于(神、法律);恳求,乞求 | |
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44 sardine | |
n.[C]沙丁鱼 | |
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45 calf | |
n.小牛,犊,幼仔,小牛皮 | |
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46 extravagant | |
adj.奢侈的;过分的;(言行等)放肆的 | |
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47 idols | |
偶像( idol的名词复数 ); 受崇拜的人或物; 受到热爱和崇拜的人或物; 神像 | |
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48 absurdity | |
n.荒谬,愚蠢;谬论 | |
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49 conspicuous | |
adj.明眼的,惹人注目的;炫耀的,摆阔气的 | |
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50 everlasting | |
adj.永恒的,持久的,无止境的 | |
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51 monotonous | |
adj.单调的,一成不变的,使人厌倦的 | |
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52 whit | |
n.一点,丝毫 | |
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53 infinitely | |
adv.无限地,无穷地 | |
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54 alluring | |
adj.吸引人的,迷人的 | |
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55 Christians | |
n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 ) | |
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56 anticipations | |
预期( anticipation的名词复数 ); 预测; (信托财产收益的)预支; 预期的事物 | |
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57 testament | |
n.遗嘱;证明 | |
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58 juggles | |
v.歪曲( juggle的第三人称单数 );耍弄;有效地组织;尽力同时应付(两个或两个以上的重要工作或活动) | |
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59 confession | |
n.自白,供认,承认 | |
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60 hysterical | |
adj.情绪异常激动的,歇斯底里般的 | |
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61 moody | |
adj.心情不稳的,易怒的,喜怒无常的 | |
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62 positively | |
adv.明确地,断然,坚决地;实在,确实 | |
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63 blasphemous | |
adj.亵渎神明的,不敬神的 | |
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64 reverence | |
n.敬畏,尊敬,尊严;Reverence:对某些基督教神职人员的尊称;v.尊敬,敬畏,崇敬 | |
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65 blasphemy | |
n.亵渎,渎神 | |
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66 worthy | |
adj.(of)值得的,配得上的;有价值的 | |
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67 contemn | |
v.蔑视 | |
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68 reviling | |
v.辱骂,痛斥( revile的现在分词 ) | |
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