XPost: alt.dads-rights.unmoderated, alt.banjo, alt.banjo.clawhammer   
   XPost: alt.music.midi, uk.music.folk   
   From: spl@er.nl   
      
   184. A letter to incite to the search after God.   
      
   And then to make people seek Him among the philosophers, sceptics, and   
   dogmatists, who disquiet him who inquires of them.   
      
   185. The conduct of God, who disposes all things kindly, is to put religion   
   into the mind by reason, and into the heart by grace. But to will to put it   
   into the mind and heart by force and threats is not to put religion there,   
   but terror; terorrem potius quam religionem.22   
      
   186. Nisi terrerentur et non docerentur, improba quasi dominatio videretur   
   (St. Augustine, Epistle 48 or 49),[23] Contra Mendacium ad Consentium.   
      
   187. Order.--Men despise religion; they hate it and fear it is true. To   
   remedy this, we must begin by showing that religion is not contrary to   
   reason; that it is venerable, to inspire respect for it; then we must make   
   it lovable, to make good men hope it is true; finally, we must prove it is   
   true.   
      
   Venerable, because it has perfect knowledge of man; lovable because it   
   promises the true good.   
      
   188. In every dialogue and discourse, we must be able to say to those who   
   take offence, "Of what do you complain?"   
      
   189. To begin by pitying unbelievers; they are wretched enough by their   
   condition. We ought only to revile them where it is beneficial; but this   
   does them harm.   
      
   190. To pity atheists who seek, for are they not unhappy enough? To inveigh   
   against those who make a boast of it.   
      
   191. And will this one scoff at the other? Who ought to scoff? And yet, the   
   latter does not scoff at the other, but pities him.   
      
   192. To reproach Milton with not being troubled, since God will reproach   
   him.   
      
   193. Quid fiet hominibus qui minima contemnunt, majora non credunt?[24]   
      
   194. ... Let them at least learn what is the religion they attack, before   
   attacking it. If this religion boasted of having a clear view of God, and of   
   possessing it open and unveiled, it would be attacking it to say that we   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)