Jesus and Christ - стр. 100
– Oh! – Venus exclaimed, as if this revelation were her own personal tragedy.
Apparently determined to finish her off, Nomor added:
– Very often the Immaculate Conception is used in arguments in terms of proving the contrary. In fact, it played into the hands of Christians to attract like-minded people. Allegedly, the followers of Christ had to speak about his real conception from a man, because a pregnant girl not from her husband, and from whom it is unknown, was a disgrace. But here they omit the fact, and I frankly think they are lying, that conception by the Holy Spirit was a cult and privilege of gods or divine persons. Here I must make a footnote – see the beginning of the lecture. Although I would feel more comfortable saying – stories. It's not like we're listening to all this for an exam.
Smiles appeared on faces, mostly those that were younger.
– As for belief or non-belief, in particular, in this and similar things, I will say this, which, by the way, I always say, or rather, I stipulate in advance, so as not to be accused of offending the feelings of believers, as it is fashionable to say nowadays, – you are as right in your belief as atheists are in their non-belief. Just as, indeed, adherents of another religion are right in their disbelief in what to you is a sacred tenet of your religion. So you may believe this, someone may believe that which is not true, and someone may believe something that we both will not believe, yet to them we will be… there are a lot of words you could put here, from unbeliever to Satanist. In religious interpretation, being born of God, of the Holy Spirit, unmarried, immaculate is, to put it mildly, the sweetest magic for those who perceive reality in terms of scientific interpretation. After all, believers in the divine origin of the world and man in no way deny the creation of the world, the universe, and everything simply by the dictates and wishes of God, and instantly. Although no… in six days.....
Nomor said the last in a muffled voice, as if he were speaking doubtfully to himself. With that, he brought a smile back into the eyes of his listeners.
– That is why I always say: if you believe in your own, if you consider it to be the truth, then be kind enough to accept the belief of others in the unbelief of your "truths". Otherwise, it is first egoism, and at the end of the social progression – tyranny and dictatorship.
The lecturer looked closely at the "applicants", studying their reactions. Apparently, this manner was a professional habit for him and, perhaps, a necessity for the style of presentation.