Subversion Quotes (3 quotes)
And who can doubt that it will lead to the worst disorders when minds created free by God are compelled to submit slavishly to an outside will? When we are told to deny our senses and subject them to the whim of others? When people devoid of whatsoever competence are made judges over experts and are granted authority to treat them as they please? These are the novelties which are apt to bring about the ruin of commonwealths and the subversion of the state.
In Galileo’s handwriting is his personal copy of Dialogue on the Great World Systems, x. As quoted in Edward Aloysius Pace and James Hugh Ryan, The New Scholasticism (1954),
The atheist movement declares religion to be an arbitrary illusion—devised by power-hungry priests—for the pious belief in a higher Power over us. At this point, it is not surprising that the atheist movement describes religion with only words of mockery. The atheist movement eagerly makes use of the advance of scientific knowledge. In apparent unity with the progress of science, atheism accelerates its subverting action on the peoples of earth in all social classes. In short, after a victory by atheism, not only all the most precious wealth of our culture would topple, but—what is worse—the prospects for a better future also fade.
This is a loose translation by Webmaster. It has been gently rephrased for clarity, from a passage in Religion und Naturwissenschaft, Vortrag Gehalten im Baltikum Mai 1937 (1958), 7. The passage in the original German is prolix. The original German version of this quote can be found, together with a closer translation, elsewhere on this web page, beginning: “Under these circumstances….”
Under these circumstances, it is not surprising that the atheist movement—which declares religion to be an arbitrary illusion, devised by power-hungry priests, and for the pious belief in a higher Power over us—has nothing but words of mockery, eagerly makes use of the advancing scientific knowledge, and in apparent unity with it, accelerates its subverting action on the peoples of earth in all classes. I need not discuss here in any more detail, that after its victory, not only all the most precious wealth of our culture would topple, but—what is worse—the prospects for a better future.
In Religion und Naturwissenschaft, Vortrag Gehalten im Baltikum Mai 1937 (1958), 7. Translated by Webmaster, using online resources, and modifying punctuation). For a more easily understood version, more loosely translated, see the quote on this page beginning: “The atheist movement….”
from the original German: “Unter diesen Umständen ist es nicht zu verwundern, wenn die Gottlosenbewegung, welche die Religion als ein willkürliches, von machtlüsternen Priestern ersonnenes Trugbild erklärt und für den frommen Glauben an eine höhere Macht über uns nur Worte des Hohnes übrig hat, sich mit Eifer die fortschreitende naturwissenschaftliche Erkenntnis zunutze macht und im angeblichen Bunde mit ihr in immer schnellerem Tempo ihre zersetzende Wirkung über die Völker der Erde in allen ihren Schichten vorantreibt. Daß mit ihrem Siege nicht nur die wertvollsten Schätze unserer Kultur, sondern, was schlimmer ist, auch die Aussichten auf eine bessere Zukunft der Vernichtung anheim fallen würden, brauche ich hier nicht näher zu erörtern.”
In science it often happens that scientists say, 'You know that's a really good argument; my position is mistaken,' and then they would actually change their minds and you never hear that old view from them again. They really do it. It doesn't happen as often as it should, because scientists are human and change is sometimes painful. But it happens every day. I cannot recall the last time something like that happened in politics or religion.
(1987) -- 
