God and my Neighbour Part 2

They used to believe that the sun revolved round the earth, and that he who thought otherwise was an Infidel, and would be d.a.m.ned in the "bottomless pit." But now--! Now they declare that Christ was G.o.d, and His mother a virgin; that three persons are one person; that those who trust in Jesus shall go to Heaven, and those who do not trust in Jesus will be "lost." And if anyone denies these statements, they call him Infidel.

Are you not aware, friend Christian, that what was Infidelity is now orthodoxy? It is even so. Heresies for which men used to be burned alive are now openly accepted by the Church. There is not a divine living who would not have been burned at the stake three centuries ago for expressing the beliefs he now holds. Yet you call a man Infidel for being a century in advance of you. History has taught you nothing. It has not occurred to you that as the "infidelity" of yesterday has become the enlightened religion of to-day, it is possible that the "infidelity"

of to-day may become the enlightened religion of to-morrow.

Civilisation is built up of the "heresies" of men who thought freely and spoke bravely. Those men were called "Infidels" when they were alive.

But now they are called the benefactors of the world.

Infidel! The name has been borne, good Christian, by some of the n.o.blest of our race. I take it from you with a smile. I am an easiful old pagan, and I am not angry with you at all--you funny, little champion of the Most High.

ONE REASON

I have been asked why I have opposed Christianity. I have several reasons, which shall appear in due course. At present I offer one.

I oppose Christianity because _it is not true_.

No honest man will ask for any other reason.

But it may be asked why I say that Christianity is not true; and that is a very proper question, which I shall do my best to answer.

WHAT I CAN AND CANNOT BELIEVE

I hope it will not be supposed that I have any personal animus against Christians or Christian ministers, although I am hostile to the Church.

Many ministers and many Christian laymen I have known are admirable men.

Some I know personally are as able and as good as any men I have met; but I speak of the Churches, not of individuals.

I have known Catholic priests and sisters who were worthy and charming, and there are many such; but I do not like the Catholic Church. I have known Tories and Liberals who were real good fellows, and clever fellows, and there are many such; but I do not like the Liberal and Tory parties. I have known clergymen of the Church of England who were real live men, and real English gentlemen, and there are many such; but I do not like the Church.

I was not always an Agnostic, or a Rationalist, or an "Infidel," or whatever Christians may choose to call me.

I was not perverted by an Infidel book. I had not read one when I wavered first in my allegiance to the orthodoxies. I was set doubting by a religious book written to prove the "Verity of Christ's Resurrection from the Dead." But as a child I was thoughtful, and asked myself questions, as many children do, which the Churches would find it hard to answer to-day.

I have not ceased to believe what I was taught as a child because I have grown wicked. I have ceased to believe it because, after twenty years'

hard thinking, I _cannot_ believe it.

I cannot believe, then, that the Christian religion is true.

I cannot believe that the Bible is the word of G.o.d. For the word of G.o.d would be above criticism and beyond disproof, and the Bible is not above criticism nor beyond disproof.

I cannot believe that any religion has been revealed to Man by G.o.d.

Because a revealed religion would be perfect, but no known religion is perfect; and because history and science show us that the known religions have not been revealed, but have been evolved from other religions. There is no important feature of the Christian religion which can be called original. All the rites, mysteries, and doctrines of Christianity have been borrowed from older faiths.

I cannot believe that Jehovah, the G.o.d of the Bible, is the Creator of the known universe. The Bible G.o.d, Jehovah, is a man-made G.o.d, evolved from the idol of an obscure and savage tribe. The Bible shows us this quite plainly.

I cannot believe that the Bible and the Testament are historically true.

I regard most of the events they record as fables, and most of their characters as myths.

I cannot believe in the existence of Jesus Christ, nor Buddha, nor Moses. I believe that these are ideal characters constructed from still more ancient legends and traditions.

I cannot believe that the Bible version of the relations of man and G.o.d is correct. For that version, and all other religious versions known to me, represents man as sinning against or forsaking G.o.d, and G.o.d as punis.h.i.+ng or pardoning man.

But if G.o.d made man, then G.o.d is responsible for all man's acts and thoughts, and therefore man cannot sin against G.o.d.

And if man could not sin against G.o.d, but could only act as G.o.d ordained that he should act, then it is against reason to suppose that G.o.d could be angry with man, or could punish man, or see any offence for which to pardon man.

I cannot believe that man has ever forsaken G.o.d. Because history shows that man has from the earliest times been eagerly and pitifully seeking G.o.d, and has served and raised and sacrificed to G.o.d with a zeal akin to madness. But G.o.d has made no sign.

I cannot believe that man was at the first created "perfect," and that he "fell." (How could the perfect fall?) I believe the theory of evolution, which shows not a fall but a gradual rise.

I cannot believe that G.o.d is a loving "Heavenly Father," taking a tender interest in mankind. Because He has never interfered to prevent the horrible cruelties and injustices of man to man, and because He has permitted evil to rule the world. I cannot reconcile the idea of a tender Heavenly Father with the known horrors of war, slavery, pestilence, and insanity. I cannot discern the hand of a loving Father in the slums, in the earthquake, in the cyclone. I cannot understand the indifference of a loving Father to the law of prey, nor to the terrors and tortures of leprosy, cancer, cholera, and consumption.

I cannot believe that G.o.d is a personal G.o.d, who intervenes in human affairs. I cannot see in science, nor in experience, nor in history any signs of such a G.o.d, nor of such intervention.

I cannot believe that G.o.d hears and answers prayer, because the universe is governed by laws, and there is no reason to suppose that those laws are ever interfered with. Besides, an all-wise G.o.d knows what to do better than man can tell Him, and a just G.o.d would act justly without requiring to be reminded of His duty by one of His creatures.

I cannot believe that miracles ever could or ever did happen. Because the universe is governed by laws, and there is no credible instance on record of those laws being suspended.

I cannot believe that G.o.d "created" man, as man now is, by word of mouth and in a moment. I accept the theory of evolution, which teaches that man was slowly evolved by natural process from lower forms of life, and that this evolution took millions of years.

I cannot believe that Jesus Christ was G.o.d, nor that He was the Son of G.o.d. There is no solid evidence for the miracle of the Incarnation, and I see no reason for the Incarnation.

I cannot believe that Christ died to save man from h.e.l.l, nor that He died to save man from sin. Because I do not believe G.o.d would condemn the human race to eternal torment for being no better than He had made them, and because I do not see that the death of Christ has saved man from sin.

I cannot believe that G.o.d would think it necessary to come on earth as a man, and die on the Cross. Because if that was to atone for man's sin, it was needless, as G.o.d could have forgiven man without Himself suffering.

I cannot believe that G.o.d would send His son to die on the Cross.

Because He could have forgiven man without subjecting His son to pain.

I cannot accept any doctrine of atonement. Because to forgive the guilty because the innocent had suffered would be unjust and unreasonable, and to forgive the guilty because a third person begged for his pardon would be unjust.

I cannot believe that a good G.o.d would allow sin to enter the world.

Because He would hate sin and would have power to destroy or to forbid it.

I cannot believe that a good G.o.d would create or tolerate a Devil, nor that he would allow the Devil to tempt man.

I cannot believe the story of the virgin birth of Christ. Because for a man to be born of a virgin would be a miracle, and I cannot believe in miracles.

I cannot believe the story of Christ's resurrection from the dead.

Because that would be a miracle, and because there is no solid evidence that it occurred.

I cannot believe that faith in the G.o.dhood of Christ is necessary to virtue or to happiness. Because I know that some holding such faith are neither happy nor virtuous, and that some are happy and virtuous who do not hold that faith.