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confusion itself to be the constitution of the state and the proper form of knowledge。
In the first place； it may seem suspicious that religion is principally sought and recommended for
times of public calamity； disorder； and oppression； and that people are referred to it as a solace in
face of wrong or as a hope in compensation for loss。 Then further； while the state is mind on earth
（der Geist der in der Welt steht）； religion may sometimes be looked upon as commanding
downright indifference to earthly interests； the march of events； and current affairs； and so to turn
men's attention to religion does not seem to be the way to exalt the interest and business of the
state into the fundamental and serious aim of life。 On the contrary； this suggestion seems to assert
that politics is wholly a matter of caprice and indifference； either because this way of talking merely
amounts to saying that it is only the aims of passion and lawless force； &c。； which bear sway in the
state； or because this recommendation of religion is supposed to be of self…sufficient validity； and
religion is to claim to decide the law and administer it。 While it might seem a bitter jest to stifle all
animus against tyranny by asserting that the oppressed find their consolation in religion； it still must
not be forgotten that religion may take a form leading to the harshest bondage in the fetters of
superstition and man's degraded subservience to animals。 （The Egyptians and the Hindus； for
instance； revere animals as beings higher than themselves。） This phenomenon may at least make it
evident that we ought not to speak of religion at all in general terms and that we really need a
power to protect us from it in some of its forms and to espouse against them the rights of reason
and self…consciousness。
The essence of the relation between religion and the state can be determined； however； only if we
recall the concept of religion。 The content of religion is absolute truth； and consequently the
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 emb