“ The animal existence of a man does not constitute human life alone. ”
Leo Tolstoy, The Kingdom of God Is Within You (1894). copy citation
Author | Leo Tolstoy |
---|---|
Source | The Kingdom of God Is Within You |
Topic | existence life |
Date | 1894 |
Language | English |
Reference | |
Note | Translated by Constance Garnett |
Weblink | http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/4602/pg4602-images.html |
Context
“Christ's teaching only has power when it demands absolute perfection—that is, the fusion of the divine nature which exists in every man's soul with the will of God—the union of the Son with the Father. Life according to Christ's teaching consists of nothing but this setting free of the Son of God, existing in every man, from the animal, and in bringing him closer to the Father.
The animal existence of a man does not constitute human life alone. Life, according to the will of God only, is also not human life. Human life is a combination of the animal life and the divine life. And the more this combination approaches to the divine life, the more life there is in it.”
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