491. But it is precisely by this attitude that terrestrial man's greatest delusion about, or misunderstanding of, the Godhead is made manifest. It has been, and to a large extent here on Earth, still is, a religion, an idolatry. This idolatry eulogizes what is called revenge. And in countenancing revenge one is actually supporting the doctrine of "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth".
      But how can one offset all the damage done in this way? An eye that has been blinded cannot regain its sight by blinding some other eye. A murdered man does not become alive by the murderer being killed. So consequently the commendation or eulogizing of revenge is devoid of logic and at variance with the laws of life. On the contrary, this commendation has shown that instead of being an opposer of hate and murder, it becomes the basis for the propagation and regeneration of hate and murder. To kill one person because he has killed another, actually turns one murder into two. To take revenge because one has oneself been the victim of revenge, can only breed further revenge. To believe that one can remove strife by propagating revenge which in reality is the basis of strife, is surely the height of naïvety. And we see how this type of mentality flourishes especially among primitive peoples, although to a great extent it also torments the modern world – indeed, as far as refinement in cruelty is concerned, it is here that it culminates.