SYMPATHETIC IMAGINATION is the real foe of sin, the power
of putting oneself in the place of another; and much of the
sentiment which is so prevalent nowadays is the evidence of the
growth of sympathy.
The old theory of sin lands one in a horrible dilemma, because it
implies a treacherous enmity on the part of God, to create man weak
and unstable, and to pit his weakness against tyrannous desires; to
allow his will to do evil to be stronger than his power to do
right, is a satanical device. One must not sacrifice the truth to
the desire for simplicity and effective statement. The truth is
intricate and obscure, and to pretend that it is plain and obvious
is mere hypocrisy. The strength of Calvinism is its horrible
resemblance to a natural inference from the facts of life; but if
any sort of Calvinism is true, then it is a mere insult to the
intelligence to say that God is loving or just. The real basis for
all deep-seated fear about life is the fear that one will not be
dealt with either lovingly or justly. But we have to make a simple
choice as to what we will believe, and the only hope is to believe
that immediate harshness and injustice is not ultimately
inconsistent with Love.
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