18 - Of oaths

Summary

There is a contradiction between the laws and the natural sentiments of men in the matter of the oaths which a criminal is required to take so as to make him truthful when he has the greatest interest in being deceitful. As if a man could swear himself into the duty of promoting his own destruction, and religion did not fall silent in most men when their interests were speaking. The experience of every century shows that men have abused religion, that precious gift from Heaven, more than anything. And why should knaves respect religion if the men who are considered wisest have often defiled it? For most men, the motives which religion opposes to the cries of fear and love of life, are too weak because too remote from the senses. The affairs of Heaven are conducted according to laws altogether different from those that govern the affairs of men. Why should the former be confused with the latter? And why should a man be put in the terrible dilemma of being either lost to God or conniving at his own ruin? The law which demands such an oath requires one to be either a bad Christian or a martyr. Oaths slowly become a mere formality, thereby sapping the strength of religious feelings which, in most men, are the sole pledges of virtue. Experience has shown how useless oaths are.