Democratic Sentinel, Volume 12, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 April 1888 — Agnosticism. [ARTICLE]

Agnosticism.

The doctrines of religion relate to problems which in their nature are too abstract and too difficult to be correctly understood by the generality of men. The purest inspirations of the great religious teachers are sure to be degraded and perverted by their followers. Compare, for instance, the Jesus of the Beatitudes with the Jesus of the Inquisition, the religion of the Spirit, as taught by the Hebrew prophets, with the religion of the pot and kettle of many of their uneducated followers. It is better, therefore, for us to confine ourselves to teaching simple morality to the people and to leave the metaphysical problems which are involved in all high religious thought to those who are capable of comprehending them. Whether this view be correct or not, is one thing; whether it implies an offensive assault upon religion I shall leave to the judgment of candid and unbiased minds.— Felix Adler.