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OCR
HANS ERICH BÖDEKER as morality; the Christian principle of morality, however, is "itself theological" inasmuch as the autonomy of pure practical reason stands for itself, because it does not see knowledge of God as its will at the basis of these laws, but only the achievement of the highest good on condition that these laws are obeyed. It does not even see the real motive for obeying these laws as lying in their desired consequences. The extent to which religion had already become less significant is also shown by the fact that Kant described the moral necessity of accepting the existence of God not as a duty, not merely as a human need. Even without religion man would have to obey the law of morality. Fichte, too, building on Kant, put forward this view when he referred to virtues which constitute “the real essence” of the Christian religion: “Surrender to the will of God, patience, meekness, sacrificed for the good of the whole .... love of one’s enemies, deep inside into the human heart." "Tt is absolutely necessary, and the essence of religion, that man, who insists on the dignity of his reason, should draw upon faith in this moral world order, the transcendence, this divinity which is infinitely superior to all things transient”, Fichte continued, and “regard every one of his duties as a disposition by this order, believe every one of its consequences to be good, that is, beatifying, and submit joyfully.” '”? Man realized the “kingdom of God on earth” in moral action. Ultimately, Fichte’s religion dissolved into morality, or perhaps it would be more accurate to say into free independence, for this was no longer morality in the traditional sense. As the “morally necessary” cause, God himself was part of ethical action in Fichte’s sense. He was seen as the consummation of morality, and the concept of God was regarded as merely a verbal expression of this living consummation.'®° “This is the true faith; this moral order is the divine, which we accept. It is constructed by doing right ...”'*! From the orthodox point of view, therefore, the accusation of atheism directed at Fichte was not entirely groundless, even though it did not do justice to his religious zeal and conviction.’ Fichte did indeed attempt to “argue away” the existence of God as an independent being. He remained true to himself: “Morality and religion are, in absolute terms, 8 FICHTE, Nachgelassene Schriften, (note 144), 92.; Cf. also 87: “According to this perfecting the whole man is a divine service, and its sublime purpose is illuminating the understanding, and improving the heart.” FICHTE, Johann Gottlieb, Appellation an das Publikum gegen die Anklage de Atheismus, in I.H. Fichte (ed.), Werke, vol. 5, Berlin, 1834-1846, reprinted Berlin, De Gruyter, 1971, 208. Cf. FICHTE, Ueber den Grund unseres Glaubens an eine göttliche Weltregierung, Werke, vol. 5, 177-89. Ibid., 185. On Fichte’s alleged atheism see note 11. 179 18 Ss 18 2 182 * 122 +
