Felix Adler Quotes
It was not, as I have said, that we attacked religious fundamentalists, but that they felt themselves obliged to attack us. For the attempt to lead the moral life, or even to try to lead a better moral life, without first accepting religious dogmas was to their way of thinking monstrous.
The Ethical Culture Society was founded as what many people call a secular religion. See {619942}.
Felix Adler, 1851-1933, Historian, Political Philosopher, and Social Reformer, Founder, The Ethical Culture Society and also The National Child Labor Committee, "Some Characteristics of the American Ethical Movement", Address, South Place Chapel, London, June 7,1925
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This quotation is sometimes used to show that Washington thought religion important. Most of the founding fathers thought religion both important and potentially dangerous. They had observed Europe tear itself apart over religious differences. Note that Washington uses the words “religious principles” as opposed to “religion” or “religious prescriptions” or “religious doctrine.” The founders were not hostile to the concept of religion—even Jefferson and Franklin saw potential values in religion and religious institutions. They were hostile, however, to letting any particular sect dominate the religious environment of the nation. Nor did they want any of the religions controlling or operating the civil government. See {625616}.
This quotation is one of the great religious ecumenical statements of history. Mani’s religion became extinct. Zoroaster was the prophet who founded the religion of Persia that preceded Islam and still has some followers. Like Judaism and Christianity, it is allowed under Islam as Mohammad had a large part of the Middle East who followed that religion.
Some other Republican governors thought that Fordice had misspoken and offered him a chance to correct or modify his statement. He declined.
Husayn Ali Nuri. This quotation illustrates one of the reasons that the Muslim Iranian fundamentalists are so fearful of Bahai, a reform offshoot of Islam. For the orthodox Muslim there must be no separation of church and state—they are one and the same. The Bahai minority of Iran have been hunted down and in many cases killed on the grounds that they were heretics and blasphemers.
At that time, and in much of the world today, religious preaching and those who do it are licensed by the state. Lucian’s response was one of the first statements that governments and temporal powers endorsement was not required, nor was any formal ordination or grant of authority from a formal church as existed among the pagans of the time where the religion was seen as another extension of the state. Even in America there is some ambivalence on this point. Many religions require not only training but a grant of authority from the religious hierarchy. Others such as some Baptists and many Protestant Fundamentalist groups believe that no specific authority is needed other than the “calling of god.” Lucian was apparently the first person to claim the authority as an individual. He was burnt alive for his position. There is a second Saint Lucian. To distinguish the latter is often referred to as Saint Lucian the Syrian.
- Born: August 13, 1851
- Died: April 24, 1933
- Nationality: American
- Profession: Professor Political Social Ethics
Felix Adler was a German American professor of political and social ethics, rationalist, influential lecturer on euthanasia, religious leader and social reformer who founded the Ethical Culture movement.
