Bang. But equality is an impossibility!
The King. If you would only make it possible—which it can be made—even the socialists would cease to clamour for anything else. I tell you this: Christianity has destroyed ideals. Christianity lives on dogmas and formulas, instead of on ideals.
The Priest. Its ideals lead us away from earth to heaven—
The King. Not in a balloon, even if it were stuffed full of all the pages of the Bible! Christianity's ideals will lead to heaven only when they are realised on earth—never before.
The Priest. May I venture to say that Christianity's ideal is a pious life.
The King. Yes. But does not Christianity aim at more than that, or is it going to be content with making some few believers?
The Priest. It is written: "Few are chosen."
The King. Then it has given up the job in advance?
The Mayor. I think our friend is right, that Christianity has never occupied itself with such things as your Majesty demands of it.
The King. But what I mean is, could it not bring itself to do so?