美国语文第五册 第259期:宗教 社会的唯一基石(1)

 　　Religion is a social concern; for it operates powerfully on society, contributing in various ways to its stability and prosperity. 宗教为一种社会关照，就维系社会稳定繁荣来说，宗教通过不同方式对社会影响甚大。

　　Religion is not merely a private affair; the community is deeply interested in its diffusion¹; 宗教不仅为个体信仰，宗教传播更为引起社会公众的高度关注，

　　for it is the best support of the virtues³ and principles, on which the social order rests. 因为，仁慈与信念才能维持社会秩序的正常运行，而宗教则为其提供最有力的支持。

　　Pure and undefiled religion is to do good; and it follows, very plainly, 纯真虔诚的宗教旨在行善，显而易见，它所遵循的信条是，

　　that if God be the Author and Friend of society, then, the recognition of him must enforce all social duty, 假如上帝缔造了社会，上帝是人类朋友，那么，对上帝认知势必强化社会的所有职能，

　　and enlightened piety⁴ must give its whole strength to public order. 知礼明义的诚信势必为社会公众秩序的坚韧基石。

　　Few men suspect, perhaps no man comprehends, the extent of the support given by religion to every virtue². 鲜少有人质疑，或许无人意识到，就维系并推动人类每一善行来说，宗教究竟能走多远；

　　No man, perhaps, is aware how much our moral and social sentiments are fed from this fountain; 人们可能无从获悉，人类道德与社会感知究竟从宗教精神源头撷取多少营养？

　　how powerless conscience would become without the belief of a God; 假如，不再信奉上帝，人类良心将会变得极度脆弱；

　　how palsied would be human benevolence⁵, were there not the sense of a higher benevolence to quicken and sustain it; 如果内心缺乏更为高尚的激励机制甚至维系向善，人类仁爱悲悯将会苟延残喘；

　　how suddenly the whole social fabric⁶ would quake, and with what a fearful crash it would sink into hopeless ruin, 社会构建系统无一避免随即产生动荡，从而引发整个系统的可怕崩溃毁灭：

　　were the ideas of a Supreme⁷ Being, of accountableness and of a future life to be utterly⁸ erased⁹ from every mind. 即至高无上的存在、责任担当意识，以及对未来生活的祈求展望将从每一个心灵完全抹去。

　　And, let men thoroughly¹⁰ believe that they are the work and sport of chance; 因此，不妨让人们由衷相信，他们才是向善机缘的实施与推动者，

　　that no superior intelligence concerns itself with human affairs; that all their improvements perish forever at death; 不会有先哲神明关注人类生活，他们所有努力身后已化为灰烬。

1 diffusion   

n.流布；普及；散漫

参考例句：

• The invention of printing helped the diffusion of learning.印刷术的发明有助于知识的传播。
• The effect of the diffusion capacitance can be troublesome.扩散电容会引起麻烦。

2 virtue   

n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力

参考例句：

• He was considered to be a paragon of virtue.他被认为是品德尽善尽美的典范。
• You need to decorate your mind with virtue.你应该用德行美化心灵。

3 virtues   

美德( virtue的名词复数 )； 德行； 优点； 长处

参考例句：

• Doctors often extol the virtues of eating less fat. 医生常常宣扬少吃脂肪的好处。
• She delivered a homily on the virtues of family life. 她进行了一场家庭生活美德方面的说教。

4 piety   

n.虔诚，虔敬

参考例句：

• They were drawn to the church not by piety but by curiosity.他们去教堂不是出于虔诚而是出于好奇。
• Experience makes us see an enormous difference between piety and goodness.经验使我们看到虔诚与善意之间有着巨大的区别。

5 benevolence   

n.慈悲，捐助

参考例句：

• We definitely do not apply a policy of benevolence to the reactionaries.我们对反动派决不施仁政。
• He did it out of pure benevolence. 他做那件事完全出于善意。

6 fabric   

n.织物，织品，布；构造，结构，组织

参考例句：

• The fabric will spot easily.这种织品很容易玷污。
• I don't like the pattern on the fabric.我不喜欢那块布料上的图案。

7 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

8 utterly   

adv.完全地，绝对地

参考例句：

• Utterly devoted to the people,he gave his life in saving his patients.他忠于人民，把毕生精力用于挽救患者的生命。
• I was utterly ravished by the way she smiled.她的微笑使我完全陶醉了。

9 erased   

v.擦掉( erase的过去式和过去分词 )；抹去；清除

参考例句：

• He erased the wrong answer and wrote in the right one. 他擦去了错误答案，写上了正确答案。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He removed the dogmatism from politics; he erased the party line. 他根除了政治中的教条主义，消除了政党界限。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 thoroughly   

adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地

参考例句：

• The soil must be thoroughly turned over before planting.一定要先把土地深翻一遍再下种。
• The soldiers have been thoroughly instructed in the care of their weapons.士兵们都系统地接受过保护武器的训练。