Page:Tolstoy - Essays and Letters.djvu/145

 RELIGION AND MORALITY 129

Religion according to the first definition is a sure and certain truth, which it is desirable and even neces- sary for human welfare to promulgate by all possible means.

According to the second definition, religion is a collection of superstitions, from which it is desirable and even necessary for human welfare that man should be emancipated by all possible means.

According to the third definition, religion is a certain useful appliance, not necessary for men of high culture, but indispensable for the consolation and control of the common people, and which must therefore be maintained.

ITie first is like the definition a man might give of music, who said that music is a particular tune — the one he knows best and is fondest of ; and that it ought to be taught to as many people as possible.

llie second is like a definition given by a man who does not understand, and consequently dislikes, music, and who says that music is the production of sounds with one^s throat or mouth, or by applying one's hands to certain instruments ; and that it is a useless and even harmful occupation from which people ought to be weaned as quickly as possible.

ITie third is like the definition of music by a man who says it is a thing useful for the purpose of teaching dancing, and also for marching ; and that it should be maintained for those purposes.

The diversity and incompleteness of all these defini- tions arise from the fact that they fail to grasp the essential character of music, and only define some of its traits, from the definer's point of view. The same is true of the three definitions given of religion.

According to the first of them, religion is something in which the definer rightly believes.

According to the second, it is something in which, according to the definer's observation, other people mistakenly believe.

According to the third, it is something the definer thinks it useful to get other people to believe in.