'Promises, covenants and oaths, which are the bonds of human society, can have no hold upon the atheist. The taking away of God, though but even in thought, dissolves all.'
John Locke, Letter on Toleration
The father of modern liberal politics shows his true colours...
1 comment:
Locke notion of tolerance is not as broad as many would like. He also had issues tolerating Catholics. He reckoned they had allegiances to foreign princes and were therefore seditious.
Pierre Bayle, a contemporary of Locke , was one of the few who argued against the 'atheist are untrustworthy' line which was fairly standard in the 17th Century. It is interesting. I am working on a chapter on it at the moment.
John Shellard
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