They have not forgotten the Mysteries,' she said, ‘they…
““They have not forgotten the Mysteries,' she said, ‘they have found them too difficult. They want a God who will care for them, who will not demand that they struggle for enlightenment, but who will accept them just as they are, with all their sins, and take away their sins with repentance. It is not so, it will never be so, but perhaps it is the only way the unenlightened can bear to think of their Gods.' Lancelot smiled bitterly. ‘Perhaps a religion which demands that every man must work though lifetime after lifetime for his own salvation is too much for mankind. They want not to wait for God's justice but to see it now. And that is the lure which this new breed of priests has promised them.' Morgaine knew that he spoke truth, and bowed her head in anguish. ‘And since their view of a God is what shapes their reality, so it shall be–the Goddess was real while mankind still paid homage to her, and created her form for themselves. Now they will make for themselves the kind of God they think they want–the kind of God they deserve, perhaps.' Well, so it must be, for as man saw reality, so it became.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
People seek a forgiving deity to avoid the burden of personal effort, but such expectations may lead to disillusionment and a distorted reality.
In simple terms: Desire for easy salvation creates false expectations.
Key Takeaway
Question the demands of belief systems.
Themes
faith
human nature
expectation
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
philosophical
contemplative
When to use this quote
- personal crisis
- spiritual counseling
- philosophical debate
Key Concepts
theology
psychology
existentialism
Questions to Reflect On
- What responsibilities do we have for our own enlightenment?
- How does belief shape reality?
A Different Perspective
Over-reliance on external salvation can hinder personal growth.