Leo Tolstoy Quote
The doctrine of Christ, which teaches love, humility, and self-denial, had always attracted me. But Ifound a contrary law, both in the history of the past and in the present organization of our lives – a lawrepugnant to my heart, my conscience, and my reason, but one that flattered my animal instincts. I knewthat if I accepted the doctrine of Christ, I should be forsaken, miserable, persecuted, and sorrowing, asChrist tells us His followers will be. I knew that if I accepted that law of man, I should have theapprobation of my fellow-men; I should be at peace and in safety; all possible sophisms would be athand to quiet my conscience and I should ‘laugh and be merry,’ as Christ says. I felt this, and therefore Iavoided a closer examination of the law of Christ, and tried to comprehend it in a way that should notprevent my still leading my animal life. But, finding that impossible, I desisted from all attempts atcomprehension.
The doctrine of Christ, which teaches love, humility, and self-denial, had always attracted me. But Ifound a contrary law, both in the history of the past and in the present organization of our lives – a lawrepugnant to my heart, my conscience, and my reason, but one that flattered my animal instincts. I knewthat if I accepted the doctrine of Christ, I should be forsaken, miserable, persecuted, and sorrowing, asChrist tells us His followers will be. I knew that if I accepted that law of man, I should have theapprobation of my fellow-men; I should be at peace and in safety; all possible sophisms would be athand to quiet my conscience and I should ‘laugh and be merry,’ as Christ says. I felt this, and therefore Iavoided a closer examination of the law of Christ, and tried to comprehend it in a way that should notprevent my still leading my animal life. But, finding that impossible, I desisted from all attempts atcomprehension.