Kierkegaard writes: If Christianity were so easy and cozy, why should God in his Scriptures have set Heaven and Earth in motion and threatened eternal punishments? - Question: But then in that case why is this Scriptures so unclear? (p. 31e)
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Wittgenstein questions why religious texts contain vague if the core message is supposed to be simple and comforting.
- In plain terms
- If faith were easy, holy books would be clear instead of confusing.
- What can you take from it?
- Religious texts often obscure simple truths with complexity.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Why would a benevolent deity hide meaning?
- Is confusion a feature or bug of faith?
Another view
The quote assumes clarity is the goal of scripture which may not be true.
More from Ludwig Wittgenstein
If you use a trick in logic, whom can you be tricking other than yourself? (p. 24e)
Permalink to quote #76 Nothing is so difficult as not deceiving oneself. (p. 34e)
Permalink to quote #78 A confession has to be part of your new life. (p. 18e)
Permalink to quote #75
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