Excerpt from The Foundations of Religion We cannot properly understand things (men, events, beliefs, practices) unless we view them in their context, in the whole of which they are part, in the light of the preceding and following stages. The ape and the man are remarkably alike - or unlike - it depends upon the particular group of details (resemblances or differences) and the only critical estimate will be based upon both groups of evidence, and will refer the ape and the man to their environments and to their place in evolution. So, too, a religion (e.g. Christianity) may have remark able resemblances with other religions whether (1) now current, or (2) historically prior to it but it would be unwise to base an estimate upon those features alone or upon the differences alone. And if we proceed on these principles we must apply the same method to ourselves what we condemn in others may be virtually identical with something in ourselves, and what we think meritorious in our friends may be found in our foes. The fundamental resemblances will be obscured because of the fundamental differences, or vice versa. And if we pursue this further and compare men who are warmly enthusiastic and keenly zealous, we should find most interesting points of resemblance, so that the fiery religionist and the violent rationalist would have certain fundamental psychical similarities although their bodies of beliefs and practices might differ fundamentally. 0f. Above, p. 12 (foot). About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.