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personality, his religion is unique and his way of life. However,
in telling such a person that his religion was just another
religion alongside many others, the religious personality is
diminished. This is called "comparative religion." In fostering
such studies, one could eventually lose respect for his own
religion, and regard it as another religion among the religions
of the world. Loyalty to the national state, according to
Mendelssohn, could only be achieved when faiths were
regarded as religions and not as ways of life.
It was conceived that in years to come, the Platonic order
would increasingly become the way of life of the world. As this
evolved it would be necessary for the State to demand the
surrender of religious values in the name of the State. When
Mendelssohn was writing about the separation of Church and
State in his Jerusalem, what he really meant was eventual
subversion of the Church to the State, and not separation.
Under such a system adultery could be tolerated, abortion
would be commended, and homosexuals would prosper.
It is interesting to note that under Napoleon, the
compatibility of Judaism with the State was translated into
action. Napoleon convened a court of Jewish law, a Sanhedrin
of Jewish leaders, in 1807, consisting of eighty delegates,
forty-six of whom were rabbis. They affirmed that Jews could
participate in all professions, and that while rabbis could not
officiate at mixed marriages, the decision of civil courts had
priority over religious courts. This meant that mixed marriages
that were prohibited according to Jewish law between Jews
and non-Jews would be foisted upon Jewish communities
against their will.
One may now justly ask, is there evidence that
Mendelssohn was really thinking in terms of a Platonic
society? And if this be true, how does one explain the fact that
Mendelssohn was supposed to be a religious Jew in his
private life? The answer to these questions is that
Mendelssohn was extremely interested in Plato, and that his
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