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The philosopher who would be completely loyal to Truth will also be non-denominational in religion. Among those who boast of their formal membership in a solidly organized or socially respected church he will be a churchless outsider. The very membership they are so proud of would be an oppressive limitation to him. Intellectually he is fully justified in refusing to affix to himself any label bearing the name of any sect. His detached impartial judgement allows him to see the errors and weaknesses of all sects no less than their truths and services. He can gladly share what is true in all beliefs but not what is false in them or limiting in their followers and organizers. Yet this true position will not be what it seems from the outside. It will paradoxically be both in and out of all religions--in by reason of his deeper understanding of them than their own believers possess, and out by reason of his knowledge that the inspired Word has been spoken in many lands, among different races, to the most varied individuals. He is in by reason of his sympathy with all groping for light and all giving Light, which a religion represents, but out by reason of his inability to narrow down his receptivity to that Light through adopting a dogmatic creed or through identifying himself completely with any particular faith. He cannot for the sake of partial truth endure the imitating error. He is out too because he sees each denomination locked in on itself, restricted in outlook and inadequate in tolerance. He feels the need of a larger liberty than any of them can give him, so as to express somewhat the infinite freedom of the Spirit itself. Nor will he, for the personal or social benefit of associating with a closed congenial group, yield to the temptation of losing interest in all other groups. His intellectual attitude is the only truly catholic one, and the neutrality of his feelings is the only really universal one. He stands at the frontier between every pair of religions, a foreigner but yet a friend, serene and immobile. In all this what else is he doing except expressing not only a stricter adherence to truth but also to love? For no man, whether believer or atheist, is shut out from his circle. All men are included in it.

-- Notebooks Category 17: The Religious Urge > Chapter 6 : Philosophy and Religion > # 148