Guide To The Perplexed

Maimonides has long been one of my favourite Theologians. He used allegorical interpretations on the antropomorph expressions on God, to refute (and provoke) those who read the Bible literally. WHEN the chief of philosophers [Aristotle] was about to inquire into some very profound subjects, and to establish his theory by proofs, he commenced his treatise with an apology, and requested the reader to attribute the author's inquiries not to presumption, vanity, egotism, or arrogance, as though he were interfering with things of which he had no knowledge, but rather to his zeal and his desire to discover and establish true doctrines, as far as lay in human power. We take the same position, and think that a man, when he commences to speculate, ought not to embark at once on a subject so vast and important; he should previously adapt Himself to the study of the several branches of science and knowledge, should most thoroughly refine his moral character and subdue his passions and desires, the offspring of his imagination; when, in addition, he has obtained a knowledge of the true fundamental propositions, a comprehension of the several methods of inference and proof, and the capacity of guarding against fallacies, then he may approach the investigation of this subject. He must, however, not decide any question by the first idea that suggests itself to his mind, or at once direct his thoughts and force them to obtain a knowledge of the Creator, but he must wait modestly and patiently, and advance step by step. [Moses Maimonides, The Guide for the Perplexed, trans. M. Friedländer, 2nd Rev. ed. (New York: Dover Publications, 1956) 18.] Don't anybody tell Pat Robertson who has other things such as the loss of yet another opportunity to shill shekels from the perpetually perplexed. Notes: An abridged version of "The Guide" can be bought here a free e-text is avalable here.