 Bertrand Russell Quotes 366 |
'Alas,' Dr. Mal1ako replied, 'there is, I fear, much in our holy religion that you have failed adequately to understand. Have you reflected upon the parable of the ninety-nine just men who needed no repentance, and caused less joy in Heaven than the one sinner who returned to the fold?
Source: Bertrand Russell: Satan in the Suburbs, and Other Stories, 1953.
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* a brief comment (Translated with DeepL.com)
There are roughly three types of attitude towards religion. There are three types of people: those who firmly believe in a particular religion (Type A), those who believe loosely (Type B: those who think it is acceptable to believe in any religion as long as it is not fanaticism), and those who do not believe in any religion (Type C: so-called atheists). Besides these three philosophical types, there is also the agnostic position (Type D: the position that asserts that the existence of God can neither be logically proven (affirmed) nor denied). Russell says that philosophically he is an agnostic, but practically he is an atheist. The allegory Russell gave may not ring true for people in polytheistic countries, but people in monotheistic countries should be able to understand its meaning and nuances.