The reward in heaven is the perpetual bait, a bait that has caught man in an iron net, a strait-jacket which does not let him expand or grow. All pioneers of truth have been, and still are, reviled; they have been, and still are, persecuted. But did they ask humanity to pay the price? Did they seek to bribe mankind to accept their ideas? They knew too well that he who accepts a truth because of the bribe, will soon barter it away to a higher bidder... Proud and self-reliant characters prefer hatred to such sickening artificial love. Not because of any reward does a free spirit take his stand for a great truth, nor has such a one ever been deterred because of fear of punishment.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Religious rewards are used to control people, stifling growth and free thought. True pioneers accept persecution without demanding payment or using fear to enforce belief.
- In plain terms
- Seeking truth should not be about rewards or fear, but about genuine belief and integrity.
- What can you take from it?
- True conviction does not need bribes or threats to survive.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What motivates your belief?
- Do you accept ideas for the right reasons?
Another view
Some argue that external incentives can help motivate initial engagement with difficult truths.
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