Andnowwecometothecrucialquestionwhichtrulyconcludesthewholematter。Areasonableagnostic,ifhehashappenedtoagreewithmesofar,mayjustlyturnroundandsay,\"YouhavefoundapracticalphilosophyinthedoctrineoftheFall;verywell。
YouhavefoundasideofdemocracynowdangerouslyneglectedwiselyassertedinOriginalSin;allright。Youhavefoundatruthinthedoctrineofhell;Icongratulateyou。YouareconvincedthatworshippersofapersonalGodlookoutwardsandareprogressive;
Icongratulatethem。Butevensupposingthatthosedoctrinesdoincludethosetruths,whycannotyoutakethetruthsandleavethedoctrines?Grantedthatallmodernsocietyistrustingtherichtoomuchbecauseitdoesnotallowforhumanweakness;
grantedthatorthodoxageshavehadagreatadvantagebecause(believingintheFall)theydidallowforhumanweakness,whycannotyousimplyallowforhumanweaknesswithoutbelievingintheFall?
Ifyouhavediscoveredthattheideaofdamnationrepresentsahealthyideaofdanger,whycanyounotsimplytaketheideaofdangerandleavetheideaofdamnation?Ifyouseeclearlythekernelofcommon-senseinthenutofChristianorthodoxy,whycannotyousimplytakethekernelandleavethenut?