“Reader! To whatever visible church, synagogue, or mosque you may belong! See if you do not find more true religion among the host of the excommunicated than among the far greater host who excommunicated them.” IfsMayChurchGreaterReaderVisibleHostMosquesTrue ReligionSynagogue Book:Moses Mendelssohn: Writings on Judaism, Christianity, and the Bible Source: Moses Mendelssohn: Writings on Judaism, Christianity, and the Bible
“The state dictates and coerces; religion teaches and persuades. The state enacts laws; religion gives commandments. The state is armed with physical force and makes use of it if need be; the force of religion is love and benevolence.” IfsNeedsGivingStatesUseLawForceTeachCommandmentsBenevolenceCoercePhysical Force Book:Jerusalem; a Treatise on Ecclesiastical Authority and Judaism Source: Jerusalem; a Treatise on Ecclesiastical Authority and Judaism
“We consider the beauty of nature and art with pleasure and satisfaction, without the slightest movement of desire. Instead, it appears to be a particular mark of beauty that it is considered with tranquil satisfaction; that it pleases if we also do not possess it and we are still far removed from demanding to possess it” IfsArtStillsDesirePleasureMovementParticularPleaseMarkSatisfactionTranquilNature BeautyNature And Art Author:Moses Mendelssohn
“We would be able neither to remember nor to reflect nor to compare nor to think, indeed, we would not even be the person who we were a moment ago, if our concepts were divided among many and were not to be encountered somewhere together in their most exact combination.” IfsThinkingPersonsMomentsWould BeAbleTogetherRememberConceptsCombinationCompareDivided Author:Moses Mendelssohn
