The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll Volume V Part 32

not be relied upon, and yet, the authenticity of every book in the New Testament was established by Cath- olic testimony. Some few miracles were performed in Scotland, and in fact in England and the United States, but they were so small that they are hardly worth mentioning. Now and then, a man was struck dead for taking the name of the Lord in vain. Now and then, people were drowned who were found in boats on Sunday. Whenever anybody was about to commit murder, G.o.d has not interfered--the reason being that he gave man free-will, and expects to hold him accountable in another world, and there is no exception to this free-will doctrine, but in cases where men swear or violate the Sabbath. They are allowed to commit all other crimes without any in- terference on the part of the Lord.

My own opinion is, that the clergy found it neces- sary to preserve the Sabbath for their own uses, and for that reason endeavored to impress the people with the enormity of its violation, and for that purpose gave instances of people being drowned and suddenly struck dead for working or amusing themselves on that day. The clergy have objected to any other places of amus.e.m.e.nt except their own, being opened on that day. They wished to compel people either to go to

346

church or stay at home. They have also known that profanity tended to do away with the feelings of awe they wished to cultivate, and for that reason they have insisted that swearing was one of the most terrible of crimes, exciting above all others the wrath of G.o.d.

There was a time when people fell dead for having spoken disrespectfully to a priest. The priest at that time pretended to be the visible representative of G.o.d, and as such, ent.i.tled to a degree of reverence amounting almost to wors.h.i.+p. Several cases are given in the ecclesiastical history of Scotland where men were deprived of speech for having spoken rudely to a parson.

These stories were calculated to increase the im- portance of the clergy and to convince people that they were under the special care of the Deity. The story about the bears devouring the little children was told in the first place, and has been repeated since, simply to protect ministers from the laughter of children. There ought to be carved on each side of every pulpit a bear with fragments of children in its mouth, as this animal has done so much to protect the dignity of the clergy.

Besides the protection of ministers, the drowning

347

of breakers of the Sabbath, and striking a few people dead for using profane language, I think there is no evidence of any providential interference in the affairs of this world in what may be called modern times.

Ministers have endeavored to show that great calam- ities have been brought upon nations and cities as a punishment for the wickedness of the people. They have insisted that some countries have been visited with earthquakes because the people had failed to discharge their religious duties; but as earthquakes happened in uninhabited countries, and often at sea, where no one is hurt, most people have concluded that they are not sent as punishments. They have insisted that cities have been burned as a punish- ment, and to show the indignation of the Lord, but at the same time they have admitted that if the streets had been wider, the fire departments better organized, and wooden buildings fewer, the design of the Lord would have been frustrated.

After reading the history of the world, it is some- what difficult to find which side the Lord is really on.

He has allowed Catholics to overwhelm and de- stroy Protestants, and then he has allowed Protestants to overwhelm and destroy Catholics. He has allowed Christianity to triumph over Paganism, and he allowed

348

Mohammedans to drive back the hosts of the cross from the sepulchre of his son. It is curious that this G.o.d would allow the slave trade to go on, and yet punish the violators of the Sabbath. It is simply wonderful that he would allow kings to wage cruel and remorseless war, to sacrifice millions upon the altar of heartless ambition, and at the same time strike a man dead for taking his name in vain. It is wonderful that he allowed slavery to exist for centu- ries in the United States; that he allows polygamy now in Utah; that he cares nothing for liberty in Russia, nothing for free speech in Germany, nothing for the sorrows of the overworked, underpaid millions of the world; that he cares nothing for the innocent languis.h.i.+ng in prisons, nothing for the patriots con- demned to death, nothing for the heart-broken widows and orphans, nothing for the starving, and yet has ample time to note a sparrow's fall. If he would only strike dead the would-be murderers; if he would only palsy the hands of husbands' uplifted to strike their wives; if he would render speechless the cursers of children, he could afford to overlook the swearers and breakers of his Sabbath.

For one, I am not satisfied with the government of this world, and I am going to do what little I can

349

to make it better. I want more thought and less fear, more manhood and less superst.i.tion, less prayer and more help, more education, more reason, more intellectual hospitality, and above all, and over all, more liberty and kindness.

_Question_. Do you think that G.o.d, if there be one, when he saves or d.a.m.ns a man, will take into con- sideration all the circ.u.mstances of the man's life?

_Answer_. Suppose that two orphan boys, James and John, are given homes. James is taken into a Christian family and John into an infidel. James becomes a Christian, and dies in the faith. John be- comes an infidel, and dies without faith in Christ.

According to the Christian religion, as commonly preached, James will go to heaven, and John to h.e.l.l.

Now, suppose that G.o.d knew that if James had been raised by the infidel family, he would have died an infidel, and that if John had been raised by the Christian family, he would have died a Christian.

What then? Recollect that the boys did not choose the families in which they were placed.

Suppose that a child, cast away upon an island in which he found plenty of food, grew to manhood; and suppose that after he had reached mature years,

350

the island was visited by a missionary who taught a false religion; and suppose that this islander was con- vinced that he ought to wors.h.i.+p a wooden idol; and suppose, further, that the wors.h.i.+p consisted in sacri- ficing animals; and suppose the islander, actuated only by what he conceived to be his duty and by thankfulness, sacrificed a toad every night and every morning upon the altar of his wooden G.o.d; that when the sky looked black and threatening he sacri- ficed two toads; that when feeling unwell he sacrificed three; and suppose that in all this he was honest, that he really believed that the shedding of toad-blood would soften the heart of his G.o.d toward him? And suppose that after he had become fully-convinced of the truth of his religion, a missionary of the "true religion" should visit the island, and tell the history of the Jews--unfold the whole scheme of salvation? And suppose that the islander should honestly reject the true religion? Suppose he should say that he had "internal evidence" not only, but that many miracles had been performed by his G.o.d, in his behalf; that often when the sky was black with storm, he had sacrificed a toad, and in a few moments the sun was again visible, the heavens blue, and without a cloud; that on several occasions, having

351

forgotten at evening to sacrifice his toad, he found himself unable to sleep--that his conscience smote him, he had risen, made the sacrifice, returned to his bed, and in a few moments sunk into a serene and happy slumber? And suppose, further, that the man honestly believed that the efficacy of the sacrifice depended largely on the size of the toad? Now suppose that in this belief the man had died,--what then?

It must be remembered that G.o.d knew when the missionary of the false religion went to the island; and knew that the islander would be convinced of the truth of the false religion; and he also knew that the missionary of the true religion could not, by any possibility, convince the islander of the error of his way; what then?

If G.o.d is infinite, we cannot speak of him as making efforts, as being tired. We cannot con- sistently say that one thing is easy to him, and another thing is hard, providing both are possible.

This being so, why did not G.o.d reveal himself to every human being? Instead of having an inspired book, why did he not make inspired folks? Instead of having his commandments put on tables of stone, why did he not write them on each human brain?

352

Why was not the mind of each man so made that every religious truth necessary to his salvation was an axiom?

Do we not know absolutely that man is greatly influenced by his surroundings? If Mr. Talmage had been born in Turkey, is it not probable that he would now be a whirling Dervish? If he had first seen the light in Central Africa, he might now have been prostrate before some enormous serpent; if in India, he might have been a Brahmin, running a prayer-machine; if in Spain, he would probably have been a priest, with his beads and holy water. Had he been born among the North American Indians, he would speak of the "Great Spirit," and solemnly smoke the the pipe of peace.

Mr. Talmage teaches that it is the duty of children to perpetuate the errors of their parents; conse- quently, the religion of his parents determined his theology. It is with him not a question of reason, but of parents; not a question of argument, but of filial affection. He does not wish to be a philoso- pher, but an obedient son. Suppose his father had been a Catholic, and his mother a Protestant,--what then? Would he show contempt for his mother by following the path of his father; or would he show

353

disrespect for his father, by accepting the religion of his mother; or would he have become a Protestant with Catholic proclivities, or a Catholic with Protest- ant leanings? Suppose his parents had both been infidels--what then?

Is it not better for each one to decide honestly for himself? Admitting that your parents were good and kind; admitting that they were honest in their views, why not have the courage to say, that in your opinion, father and mother were both mistaken? No one can honor his parents by being a hypocrite, or an intellectu- al coward. Whoever is absolutely true to himself, is true to his parents, and true to the whole world. Who- ever is untrue to himself, is false to all mankind. Re- ligion must be an individual matter. If there is a G.o.d, and if there is a day of judgment, the church that a man belongs to will not be tried, but the man will be tried.

It is a fact that the religion of most people was made for them by others; that they have accepted certain dogmas, not because they have examined them, but because they were told that they were true. Most of the people in the United States, had they been born in Turkey, would now be Mohammedans, and most of the Turks, had they been born in Spain, would now be Catholics.

354

It is almost, if not quite, impossible for a man to rise entirely above the ideas, views, doctrines and re- ligions of his tribe or country. No one expects to find philosophers in Central Africa, or scientists among the Fejees. No one expects to find philoso- phers or scientists in any country where the church has absolute control.

If there is an infinitely good and wise G.o.d, of course he will take into consideration the surround- ings of every human being. He understands the philosophy of environment, and of heredity. He knows exactly the influence of the mother, of all a.s.sociates, of all a.s.sociations. He will also take into consideration the amount, quality and form of each brain, and whether the brain was healthy or diseased.

He will take into consideration the strength of the pa.s.sions, the weakness of the judgment. He will know exactly the force of all temptation--what was resisted. He will take an account of every effort made in the right direction, and will understand all the winds and waves and quicksands and sh.o.r.es and shallows in, upon and around the sea of every life.

My own opinion is, that if such a being exists, and all these things are taken into consideration, we will

355

be absolutely amazed to see how small the difference is between the "good" and the "bad." Certainly there is no such difference as would justify a being of infinite wisdom and benevolence in rewarding one with eternal joy and punis.h.i.+ng the other with eternal pain.

_Question_. What are the princ.i.p.al reasons that have satisfied you that the Bible is not an inspired book?

_Answer_. The great evils that have afflicted this world are:

_First_. Human slavery--where men have bought and sold their fellow-men--sold babes from mothers, and have practiced) every conceivable cruelty upon the helpless.

_Second_. Polygamy--an inst.i.tution that destroys the home, that treats woman as a simple chattel, that does away with the sanct.i.ty of marriage, and with all that is sacred in love.

_Third_. Wars of conquest and extermination-- by which nations have been made the food of the sword.

_Fourth_. The idea entertained by each nation that all other nations are dest.i.tute of rights--in other

356

words, patriotism founded upon egotism, prejudice, and love of plunder.