JB/015/219/001

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Next to the misapplication of such principles to morality, the misapplication of
religion may be necessary takes its place among the causes of immorality, – and its misapplication
will be traced wherever its sanctions are applied to the diminution of the balance pleasure
or the production of balance of pain. And there can be no stronger test of neither the falsehood of
any religion that its or repugnancy to the greatest human happiness.
To understand religion is to understand the will of God. God is a being one of
whose attributes is benevolence – benevolence not imperfect, not limited, – but
infinite benevolence. And how can He be benevolent but in proportion to
the quantity of happiness which it is his wish to be enjoyed by those who are
subject to his power. And of that happiness be not an amply same, of what can
it be composed but of pleasures? Be the pleasure what is may to demand
its abandonment without the institution of a greater pleasure, – or to supersede
it by a more than equivalent pain, cannot be an act of benevolence – To
speak of a being ofas benevolent & to represent him as producing, – intending to
procure a balance of misery in any is a contradiction in terms – And by the
use of no phraseology can the character of things be altered – Neither actions nor
persons change their nature, because their nature is so falsely designated by words.
If a stab be called a Kiss it does not therefore become an act of kindness.

To draw a distinction between the attributes of God & the attributes of
man – to say that God's benevolence tho' different from man's benevolence, is
still benevolent, is mere mockery. Except as applied to human conduct & to human
feelings how did the word benevolence acquire its meaning? Be it what it may
an effect is still the same – it is still itself whatsoever be its anther or its cause.
To ascribe to God under the name of benevolence that which ascribed to man
would not be benevolence is on the part of him whom terror or prejudice has
not blinded an act of fraud: under the name of a fish it is to sell a serpent.
By being called a silk-worm would a scorpion become harmless?

And what is true of any one attribute cannot but be true of any
other. Any other than as man is just, can God any other being be just? And so of knowledge, and
veracity and power. From what but from the preservation of human conduct
or human feelings can the idea of justice – the idea for which the word justice has
been found – from what can it have been derived?

That part portion of the field of thought which religion, as unconnected
with others lives occupies, it is no part of the present purpose to enter explore. Others not
religion is the subject of this work.

Identifier: | JB/015/219/001"JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 15.
Date_1		Marginal Summary Numbering
Box	015	Main Headings	deontology
Folio number	219	Info in main headings field
Image	001	Titles
Category	linking material	Number of Pages	1
Recto/Verso	recto	Page Numbering	f74
Penner	sir john bowring	Watermarks	b&m 1829
Marginals		Paper Producer	arthur moore; richard doane
Corrections		Paper Produced in Year	1829
Notes public		ID Number	5435
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