You can put this another way by saying that while in other sciences the instruments you use are things external to yourself (things like microscopes and telescopes), the instrument through which you see God is your whole self. And if a man's self is not kept clean and bright, his glimpse of God will be blurred - like the Moon seen through a dirty telescope. That is why horrible nations have horrible religions: they have been looking at God through a dirty lens.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- The self is the instrument for seeing God; if the self is unclean, the view is blurred.
- In plain terms
- Yourself is the tool to see God; if you are unclean, the view is unclear.
- What can you take from it?
- Personal purity affects spiritual perception.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How does self affect belief?
- What makes a view clear?
Another view
The metaphor assumes a direct link between cleanliness and truth.
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