Page 132 - Eclipse of God

On the Suspension of the Ethical 105

right, they pierce unhindered through the level of the ethical
and demand of you “the sacrifice.” Time and again, when I ask
well- conditioned young souls, “Why do you give up your dear-
est possession, your personal integrity?” they answer me, “Even
this, this most difficult sacrifice, is the thing that is needed in
order that. . . .” It makes no difference, “in order that equality
may come” or “in order that freedom may come,” it makes no
difference! And they bring the sacrifice faithfully. In the realm
of Moloch honest men lie and compassionate men torture.
And they really and truly believe that brother- murder will pre-
pare the way for brotherhood! There appears to be no escape
from the most evil of all idolatry.
There is no escape from it until the new conscience of men
has arisen that will summon them to guard with the innermost
power of their souls against the confusion of the relative with
the Absolute, that will enable them to see through illusion and
to recognize this confusion for what it is. To penetrate again
and again into the false absolute with an incorruptible, prob-
ing glance until one has discovered its limits, its limitedness—
there is to- day perhaps no other way to reawaken the power
of the pupil to glimpse the never- vanishing appearance of the
Absolute.