religious is the most sublime of all dispositions。 As intuition； feeling； representative knowledge； its
task is concentrated upon God as the unrestricted principle and cause on which everything hangs。
It thus involves the demand that everything else shall be seen in this light and depend on it for
corroboration； justification； and verification。 It is in being thus related to religion that state； laws；
and duties all alike acquire for consciousness their supreme confirmation and their supreme
obligatoriness； because even the state； laws； and duties are in their actuality something determinate
which passes over into a higher sphere and so into that on which it is grounded。 It is for this reason
that in religion there lies the place where man is always assured of finding a consciousness of the
unchangeable； of the highest freedom and satisfaction； even within all the mutability of the world
and despite the frustration of his aims and the loss of his interests and possessions。
Footnote： Religion； knowledge and science have as their principle a form peculiar to each and different
from that of the state。 They therefore enter the state partly as mean … means to education and （a higher）
mentality … partly in so far as they are in essence ends in themselves； for the reason that they are embodied in
existent institutions。 In both these respects the principles of tile state have； in their application； a bearing on
them。 A comprehensive； concrete treatise on the state would also have to deal with those spheres of life is well
as with art and such things as mere geographical matters； and to consider their place in the state and their
bearing on it。 In this book； however； it is the principle of the state in its own special sphere which is being fully
expounded in accordance with the Ideal； and it is only in passing that reference can be made to the principles
of religion； &c。； and to the application of the right of the state to them。
Remark： Now if religion is in this way the groundwork which includes the ethical realm in
general； and the state's fundamental nature … the divine will … in particular； it is at the same time only
a groundwork； and it is at this point that state and religion begin to diverge。 The state is the divine
will； in the sense that it is mind present on earth； unfolding itself to be the actual shape and
organisation of a world。 Those who insist on stopping at the form of religion； as opposed to the
state； are acting like those logicians who think they are right if they continually stop at the essence
and refuse to advance beyond that abstraction to existence； or like those moralists （see Remark to
§ 140） who will only good in the abstract and leave it to caprice to decide what is good。 Religion
is a relation to the Absolute； a relation which takes the form of feeling； representative thinking；
faith； and； brought within its all…embracing circumference； everything becomes only accidental and
transient。 Now if； in relation to the state； we cling to this form of experience and make it the
authority for the state and its essential determinant； the state must become a prey to weakness；
insecurity； and disorder； because it is an organism in which firmly fixed distinct powers； laws； and
institutions have been developed。 In contrast with the form of religion； a form which draws a veil
over everything determinate； and so comes to be purely subjective； the objective and universal
element in the state； i。e。 the laws； acquires a negative instead of a stable and authoritative
character； and the result is the production of maxims of conduct like the following： 'To the
righteous man no law is given； only be pious； and for the rest； practise what thou wilt； yield to thine
own caprice and passion； and if thereby others suffer wrong； commend them to the consolations
and hopes of religion； or better still； call them irreligious and condemn them to perdition。' This
negative attitude； however； may not confine itself to an inner disposition and attitude of mind； it
may turn instead to the outside world and assert its authority there； and then there is an outbreak
of the religious fanaticism which； like fanaticism in politics； discards all government and legal order
as barriers cramping the inner life of the heart and incompatible with its infinity； and at the same
time proscribes private property； marriage； the ties and work involved in civil society； &c。； &c。； as
degrading to love and the freedom of feeling。 But since even then decisions must somehow be
made for everyday life and practice； the same doctrine which we had before （see Remark to §
140； where we dealt generally with the subjectivity of the will which knows itself to be absolute）
turns up again here； namely that subjective ideas； i。e。 opinion and capricious inclination； are to do
the deciding。
In contrast with the truth thus veiled behind subjective ideas and feelings； the genuine truth is the
prodigious transfer of the inner into the outer； the building of reason into the real world； and this
has been the task of the world during the whole course of its history。 It is by working at this task
that civilised man has actually given reason an embodiment in law and government and achieved
consciousness of the fact。 Those who 'seek guidance from the Lord' and are assured that the
whole truth is directly present in their unschooled opinions； fail to apply themselves to the task of
exalting their subjectivity to consciousness of the truth and to knowledge of duty and objective
right。 The only possible fruits of their attitude are folly； abomination； and the demolition of the
whole ethical order； and these fruits must inevitably be reaped if the religious disposition holds
firmly and exclusively to its intuitive form and so turns against the real world and the truth present
in it in the form of the universal； i。e。 of the laws。 Still； there is no necessity for this disposition to
turn outward and actualise itself in this way。 With its negative standpoint； it is of course also open
to it to remain something inward； to accommodate itself to government and law； and to acquiesce
in these with sneers and idle longings； or with a sigh of resignation。 It is not strength but weakness
which has turned religious feeling nowadays into piety of a polemical kind； whether the polemic be
Connected with some genuine need or simply with unsatisfied vanity。 Instead of subduing one's
opinions by the labour of study； and subjecting one's will to discipline and so elevating it to free
obedience； the line of least resistance is to renounce knowledge of objective truth。 Along this line
we may preserve a feeling of abject humility and so also of self…conceit； and claim to have ready to
hand in godliness everything requisite for seeing into the heart of law and government； for passing
sentence on them； and laying down what their character should and must be； and of course if we
take this line； the source of our claims is a pious heart； and they are therefore infallible and
unimpeachable； and the upshot is that since we make religion the basis of our intentions and
assertions； they cannot be criticised on the score of their shallowness or their immorality。
But if religion be religion of a genuine kind； it does not run counter to the state in a negative or
polemical way like the kind just described。 It rather recognises the state and upholds it； and
furthermore it has a position and an external organisation of its own。 The practice of its worship
consists in ritual and doctrinal instruction； and for this purpose possessions and property are
required； as well as individuals dedicated to the service of the flock。 There thus arises a relation
between the state and the church。 To determine this relation is a simple matter。 In the nature of the
case； the state discharges a duty by affording every assistance and protection to the church in the
furtherance of its religious ends； and； in addition； since religion is an integrating factor in the state；
implanting a sense of unity in the depths of men's minds； the state should even require all its citizens
to belong to a church … a church is all that can be said； because since the content of a man's faith
depends on his private ideas； the state cannot interfere with it。 A state which is strong because its
organisation is mature may be all the more liberal in this matter； it may entirely overlook details of
religious practice which affect it； and may even tolerate a sect （though； of course； all depends on
its numbers） which on religious grounds declines to recognise even its direct duties to the state。
The reason for the state's liberal attitude here is that it makes over the members of such sects to
civil society and its laws； and is content if they fulfil their direct duties to the state passively； for
instance by such means as commutation or the performance of a different service。
Footnote： Quakers； Anabaptists； &c。； may be said to be active members only of civil society； and they may
be regarded as private persons standing in merely private relations to others。 Even when this position has
been allowed them； they have been exempted from taking the oath。 They fulfil their direct d