Locke and Hobbes: Cause of Religious Toleration

Locke and Hobbes Ca usance of Religious Toleration Kevin Kang Professor Bartlett Section Leader Alexander Duff Historically, Lockes treat work forcet of credence was single riddled with sacred change, religious turmoil, and political changes that were shaped largely by religious tensions. This was a time when piety, specifically the Christian church building, became fractioned and led to general warfargon and death in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Lockes Letter on Toleration promoted separation of church and state, arguing that each institution has legitimacy and motive in certain argonas.The state exists to protect stacks interests, and toilet use force to protect these interests. However, the state will not be fitting to coerce its people to accept in a certain religion. In Leviathan, Hobbes provides ideas that support Lockes toleration of religion. Hobbes belief in the state of nature, state of war, and concordats helps to tonality a clearer picture of a wor ld without religious intoleration. Lockes plea for tolerations is one of religious toleration in general but more specifically toleration among Christians.Locke speaks out against Christians whom deprive (men) of their estates, maim them with corporal punishments, starve and torment them in noisome prisons, and in the end even take away their lives(Letter p. 24). This fictional character of intolerance is itself intolerable because it violates many mandates that should characterize a veritable Christian. The mandates of charity and meekness are violated, and those who have committed these aggressive and violent actions against others are in themselves hypocritical. These people are usually careless about their own virtues, imposing on others something they dont practice.According to Locke, instead of spirit into others moral salvation, they should practice looking into their own moral salvations as well as the salvations of family and friends. These same people are spending time and effort on trivial things like dogmatic matters and ceremonial preferences. Locke urges that one should not worry so much about matters that, on the surface are nice and intricate, but exceed(s) the capacity of ordinary understandings(Letter p. 24). preferably of wasting time on these futile activities, one should actively try to better oneself.Separation of church and state is an master(prenominal) premise that buttresses his argument throughout the letter. It is a separation of complaisant versus religious authority and who has male monarch of what domain. Locke argues that civil g all overnment has certain responsibilities for its citizens, which include preserving and advancing the civil interests, well-being and life of its citizens. Locke defines the one who wields civil authority as a magistrate and it is the magistrate who is enjoined to tolerate any religious doctrine, provided that these doctrines do not violate rights or disrupt the peace.Locke is intolerable of vi olations of rights of citizens and crime, or anything that disrupts the peace. Individuals do not have the violence and position to respond and punish the criminals. That task is left to the magistrate. The magistrate has the ability to enforce laws through force but his coercive power moldiness be kept out of religious matters, in so long as the religious matters do not hinder citizens rights and their peace. Locke believes that in religious matters, true belief in a religion requires more then the coercive power to make one believe.He argues if people are forced to believe in a religion against their will, it will not be as strong and effective unless the person consciously makes his own effort to believe. The ability for the magistrate to impose its power on its people is something Hobbes believes is a requirement and duty of a civil government. Men have an inclination towards peace, which is why men build commonwealths. Men motive to get out of this state of war in favor of p eace. Therefore, men come together in a commonwealth to make a covenant with every other man to establish peace and order.This sovereign now has the authority to enforce civil laws. This is a necessity because men by themselves cannot outwardly judge conflicts and will be naturally inclined to certain biases. By agreeing to this covenant, the people bestow upon a man or group of men power over sovereign. This covenant also holds responsibility for the people because they are the ones who gave power to the magistrate. To actually ensure peace, Hobbes says that a sovereign of this power is necessary.The question of the individuals coercive power is other argument in favor of religious toleration. No private Person has any Right, in any manner, to prejudice other Person in his Civil Enjoyments, because he is of another Church or Religion (Letter p. 31). Tolerance brings about respect for the autonomy of the other. Since religious beliefs are freely chosen, there is no room for coerc ion to be a useful end because coercion and freedom cannot coexist in religious matters. Skepticism is another way religious believers can tolerate others holding different religions. both religious person moldiness tolerate one another because it would be foolish to believe that one person can have all the truths to the world. Similarly, Hobbes supports this argument through the state of nature. Having the freedom to choose ones religion is from the fact that individually, we are all peer. Hobbes believes that people are equal in strength of body and manifest of mind. There are differences, obviously, but Hobbes argues that these differences do not amount to much. We are fundamentally equal because we all have the ability to kill one another, whether it is through force or deceit.This constant threat of war between man and man is an important reason why men try to constantly seek peace. This state of nature provides us the liberty to our own self-governing because in the state of nature, there is no authority over man. Since man has no authority over him in the state of nature, naturally it would mean that man has no authority over another man. However, Hobbes continues that this natural condition of mankind is decidedly undesirable and should be avoided. From the natural state of man the desire for a stable government arises.Men are naturally equal but Hobbes believes self-preservation can only be had by constantly trying to acquire new property, or power. Power is the mans means to some future good and the acquisition of more power is a constant cycle. Concerning the question of religious power, religious authorities also do not have the power for any coercive actions. Since religious authorities do not have the power to change someone who is not willing, they must(prenominal) respect and tolerate other religious churches or societies, even if there is disagreement with certain doctrines.Lockes reasoning for the toleration of other churches stems from the belief of orthodoxy of the church. Every church believes that it is the Orthodox Church but Locke argues that people can never know which is the true Orthodox Church. However, he goes on to say that the true Church is the one that practices the idea of toleration. Despite Lockes adamant stance on toleration, Locke does discuss certain beliefs that should not be tolerated. Locke specifically targets atheism because he believes that men should enter into some religious society because God should be publically worshipped.To Locke, atheists are the weak bones to a society because covenants and promises have no power over atheists. This causes problems within society because covenants and promises are the bonds of human society. Similarly, Locke also considers Catholics intolerable because of the political threat they represent. Catholics pledge allegiance to a remote king. Locke views this as a problem because it brings into question who the Catholic pledges his loyalty to, the foreig n king or his homeland king. Locke says that a person should be under the just king and not a foreign king.This means that any foreign jurisdiction in ones country and any influence from the Vatican recount is not acceptable. Locke also mentions odd religious practices, such(prenominal) as human sacrifice, as intolerable. The magistrate should make a conscious effort to not tolerate such practices because it could hurt society as a whole. Just because something is a religious matter should not dictate the legality of the practice. Hobbes would probably agree that atheists would not be tolerable under the condition that covenants and promises are not kept because they hold no power over atheists.Hobbes First Law of Nature is that human beings unceasingly seek a state of peace because it is the most advantageous to their survival. The Second Law of Nature is the creation of covenants. In Hobbess mind, the ideal covenant would be a leviathan government that would make and regulate l aws very effectively. The Third Law of Nature is derived from the second, which states that it is necessary for men to perform their covenants. From these three laws, as stated earlier, men create a commonwealth to ensure peace. If covenants hold no power over atheists, the commonwealth and essentially peace is destroyed.Hobbes is adamant that to fortify this social submit, the members of the contract need steps to prevent others from breaching it. The Third Law of Nature creates a society where peace is established, but if a citizen is not held under contract, the political disruptions are more likely to occur. Lockes primary rationale for toleration in the individual is the self-governing of the other. In Christina writing, loving ones neighbors is a key element in a Christians salvation. Locke emphasizes that one should only care for ones own salvation rather than worrying about his neighbors or others religious teachings.By practicing toleration, one must ignore the content and be satisfied with the fact that the other has reached his conclusion autonomously. Before worrying about someone else, Locke urges that one must focus on ones own salvation because there are many instances where hypocrisy can rise by imposing ones beliefs. However, there are instances where non-intervention can be unjust because some matters are so offensive, it would be unjust to let it slide. Matters where injury or death can occur are justifiable for others to intervene.Even though this Lockean autonomy works most of the time, there are times where it would not. Lockes reasoning for writing this letter, on the surface, seems to be from a religious perspective. However, a careful reading of the letter suggests that Locke is not interested in religious doctrines or practices. Locke finds that the religious differences are too insignificant for discussion. Although it is a letter concerning toleration of religion, this toleration is meant to benefit from a political standpoint. Rea ding the document with this point of view shows that Locke was writing it exclusively political in nature.Even though there was widespread religious violence and opposing opinions during the time Locke wrote the letter, it was a way for Locke to talk about the politics of society. This document was on religious toleration only because Locke viewed religion as having potential for civil disruption. This letter is a way for Locke to say what he believed was the means for maintaining peace and stability. To maintain peace and stability in a society requires sovereignty. The sovereign has the power and authority to govern its principality.Because it has the power to govern, it also gives the sovereign the right to use coercion. This does not give the right to religious institutions to use coercion because it has historically not worked in favor of the religion. The separation of church and state is therefore a way that Locke foresees peace in sovereign. Peace in sovereign is an importan t aspect to Hobbess Leviathan perspective because he views peace as the main reason we create societies. Religious toleration is therefore a tool that both Locke and Hobbes would advocate because it creates peace and unity in a sovereign.