Friday, June 06, 2014

 

Intolerance and Fanaticism

Anatole France (1844-1924), The Garden of Epicurus, tr. Alfred Allinson (London: John Lane, 1920), p. 96:
Intolerance is of all periods. There is no Religion but has had its Fanatics. We are all prone to unreasoning admiration. Everything seems excellent to us in what we love, and it angers us when we are shown the clay feet of our idols. Men find it very hard to apply a little criticism to the sources of their beliefs and the origin of their faith. It is just as well; if we looked too close into first principles, we should never believe at all.
The French, from Le Jardin d'Épicure, 9th ed. (Paris: Calmann Lévy, 1895), pp. 111-112:
L'intolérance est de tous les temps. Il n'est point de religion qui n'ait eu ses fanatiques. Nous sommes tous enclins à l'adoration. Tout nous semble excellent dans ce que nous aimons, et cela nous fâche quand on nous montre le défaut de nos idoles. Les hommes ont grand' peine à mettre un peu de critique dans les sources de leurs croyances et dans l'origine de leur foi. Aussi bien, si l'on regardait trop aux principes, on ne croirait jamais.



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