Human nature, as manifested in tribalism and nationalism, provides the momentum of the machinery of human evolution. Arthur Keith More Quotes by Arthur Keith More Quotes From Arthur Keith Evolution is unproved and unprovable. We believe it only because the only alternative is special creation, and that is unthinkable. Arthur Keith alternatives special believe In a tribal organization, even in time of peace, service to tribe or state predominates over all self seeking; in war, service for the tribe or state becomes supreme, and personal liberty is suspended. Arthur Keith organization self war There are the further difficulties of building a population out of a diversity of races, each at a different stage of cultural evolution, some in need of restraint, many in need of protection; everywhere a bewildering Babel of tongues. Arthur Keith population diversity race The discovery of agriculture was the first big step toward a civilized life. Arthur Keith agriculture discovery firsts Tribal life comes automatically to an end when a primitive people begins to live in a town or a city, for sooner or later a tribal organization is found to be incompatible with life in a city. Arthur Keith organization cities people It is just because civilization is ever evolving, changing, and becoming more complicated, that experts find it so difficult to define it in explicit terms. Arthur Keith becoming experts civilization Reason has not tamed desire: it is as strong as ever. Arthur Keith strong reason desire In every man there is an instinctive and passionate reaction if his person or liberty is attacked. Arthur Keith passionate liberty men We shall never understand the ethical system taught by Jesus unless we realize that he was a Jew, not only by birth, but that he lived and taught as a Jew; the Sermon on the Mount was addressed to his distracted fellow nationals. Arthur Keith taught birth jesus The course of human history is determined, not by what happens in the skies, but what takes place in our hearts. Arthur Keith historical sky heart As long as man remains an inquiring animal, there can never be a complete unanimity in our fundamental beliefs. The more diverse our paths, the greater is likely to be the divergence of beliefs. Arthur Keith respect learning faith Civilization never stands still; if in one country it is falling back, in another it is changing, evolving, becoming more complicated, bringing fresh experience to body and mind, breeding new desires, and exploiting Nature's cupboard for their satisfaction. Arthur Keith civilization country fall My personal conviction is that science is concerned wholly with truth, not with ethics. Arthur Keith conviction ethics growth Man is by nature competitive, combative, ambitious, jealous, envious, and vengeful. Arthur Keith ambitious jealous men Christianity has not conquered nationalism; the opposite has been the case nationalism has made Christianity its footstool. Arthur Keith cases christianity opposites No tempting form of error is without some latent charm derived from truth. Arthur Keith charm errors form Under no stretch of imagination can war be regarded as an ethical process; yet war, force, terror, and propaganda were the evolutionary means employed to weld the German people into a tribal whole. Arthur Keith imagination war mean Religious leaders and men of science have the same ideals; they want to understand and explain the universe of which they are part; they both earnestly desire to solve, if a solution be ever possible, that great riddle: Why are we here? Arthur Keith religious men science No tribe unites with another of its own free will. Arthur Keith tribes free-will Nowhere is Universalism welcomed and encouraged by a people; everywhere governments have forced and are forcing Universalism upon unwilling and resistant subjects. Arthur Keith universalism government people
