Page:Lectures on the Philosophy of Religion volume 1.djvu/267

 The primary moral relation in the substantial world of reality is marriage. The love which God is, is in the sphere of reality, conjugal love. As the primary manifestation of the substantial will in the concretely existing world, this love has a natural side; but it is a moral duty as well. To this duty, renunciation—celibacy—is opposed as something holy.

Secondly, as a unit, man has to engage in a conflict with the necessity of nature; for him it is a moral law, that he should render himself independent by means of his activity and understanding, for in his natural aspect man is dependent on many sides. By his spiritual nature, by his sense of honesty, he is placed under the necessity of earning his livelihood, and thus setting himself free from that necessity of nature. This is man’s honesty or integrity. A religious duty which has been placed in opposition to this worldly one requires that man should not exercise activity in this fashion, and should not trouble himself with such cares as these. The entire sphere of action, of all that activity which connects itself with gain, with industries, and such like, is consequently abandoned. Man is not to take to do with such ends. Want, however, is more rational here than such religious views. On the one side the activity of man is represented here as something unholy; on the other, it is even demanded of him, if he have a possession, not only that he should not increase it by his activity, but that he should give it away to the poor, and especially to the Church—that is to say, to those who do nothing, do not work. Thus, what in life is highly esteemed as integrity is consequently repudiated as unholy.

Thirdly, the highest morality in the State is based upon the carrying into effect of the rational universal will; in the State the subject possesses his freedom, this being realised or actualised in the State. In opposition to this a religious duty is set up, in accordance with which man is not permitted to make freedom his object and end. On the contrary, he