Is Life Worth Living Without Immortality? / A Lecture Delivered Before the Independent Religious Society, Chicago

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Sacrificing the earth for paradise is giving up the substance for the shadow. —Victor Hugo.
A Lecture Delivered Before the Independent Religious Society, Chicago

I may be doing you an injustice, Bertie, but it seemed to me in your last that there were indications that the free expression of my religious views had been distasteful to you. That you should disagree with me I am prepared for; but that you should object to free and honest discussion of those subjects which above all others men should be honest over, would, I confess, be a disappointment. The Free-thinker is placed at this disadvantage in ordinary society, that whereas it would be considered very bad taste upon his part to obtrude his unorthodox opinion, no such consideration hampers those with whom he disagrees. There was a time when it took a brave man to be a Christian. Now it takes a brave man not to be. SIR A. CONAN DOYLE, The Stark Munro Letters—Fourth Letter.

Is life worth living? If we are in good health, it certainly is. In a certain sense, even to ask such a question implies that we are not at our best. It is the sick, mentally as well as physically, who question the value of life. We cannot appreciate health too highly. Our philosophy of life is more profoundly affected by the condition of our body than we have any idea. If I were composing a new set of beatitudes, one of them would be in exaltation of health:
Blessed are they that have health, for they shall take pleasure in life.
Health also inspires faith in life. The first commandment of the decalogue, instead of reading, Thou shalt have no other gods before me, which is metaphysical and without definite meaning, could with much advantage be altered to read: