The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll Volume V Part 44

_Question_. Was the Catholic Church infallible then?

_Answer_. It was then, but it is not now.

_Question_. If the Catholic Church at that time had thrown out the book of Revelation, would it now be our duty to believe that book to have been inspired?

_Answer_. No, I suppose not.

_Question_. Is it not true that some of these books were adopted by exceedingly small majorities?

_Answer_. It is.

_Question_. If the Epistle to the Hebrews and to the Romans, and the book of Revelation had been thrown out, could a man now be saved who honestly believes the rest of the books?

_Answer_. This is doubtful.

_Question_. Were the men who picked out the in- spired books inspired?

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_Answer_. We cannot tell, but the probability is that they were.

_Question_. Do we know that they picked out the right ones?

_Answer_. Well, not exactly, but we believe that they did.

_Question_. Are we certain that some of the books that were thrown out were not inspired?

_Answer_. Well, the only way to tell is to read them carefully.

_Question_. If upon reading these apocryphal books a man concludes that they are not inspired, will he be d.a.m.ned for that reason?

_Answer_. No. Certainly not.

_Question_. If he concludes that some of them are inspired, and believes them, will he then be d.a.m.ned for that belief?

_Answer_. Oh, no! n.o.body is ever d.a.m.ned for believing too much.

_Question_. Does the fact that the books now com- prising the New Testament were picked out by the Catholic Church prevent their being examined now by an honest man, as they were examined at the time they were picked out?

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_Answer_. No; not if the man comes to the con- clusion that they are inspired.

_Question_. Does the fact that the Catholic Church picked them out and declared them to be inspired, render it a crime to examine them precisely as you would examine the books that the Catholic Church threw out and declared were not inspired?

_Answer_. I think it does.

_Question_. At the time the council was held in which it was determined which of the books of the New Testament are inspired, a respectable minority voted against some that were finally decided to be inspired.

If they were honest in the vote they gave, and died without changing their opinions, are they now in h.e.l.l?

_Answer_. Well, they ought to be.

_Question_. If those who voted to leave the book of Revelation out of the canon, and the gospel of Saint John out of the canon, believed honestly that these were not inspired books, how should they have voted?

_Answer_. Well, I suppose a man ought to vote as he honestly believes--except in matters of religion.

_Question_. If the Catholic Church was not infal- lible, is the question still open as to what books are, and what are not, inspired?

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_Answer_. I suppose the question is still open-- but it would be dangerous to decide it.

_Question_. If, then, I examine all the books again, and come to the conclusion that some that were thrown out were inspired, and some that were ac- cepted were not inspired, ought I to say so?

_Answer_. Not if it is contrary to the faith of your father, or calculated to interfere with your own po- litical prospects.

_Question_. Is it as great a sin to admit into the Bible books that are uninspired as to reject those that are inspired?

_Answer_. Well, it is a crime to reject an inspired book, no matter how unsatisfactory the evidence is for its inspiration, but it is not a crime to receive an uninspired book. G.o.d d.a.m.ns n.o.body for believing too much. An excess of credulity is simply to err in the direction of salvation.

_Question_. Suppose a man disbelieves in the inspira- tion of the New Testament--believes it to be entirely the work of uninspired men; and suppose he also be- lieves--but not from any evidence obtained in the New Testament--that Jesus Christ was the son of G.o.d, and that he made atonement for his soul, can he then be saved without a belief in the inspiration of the Bible?

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_Answer_. This has not yet been decided by our church, and I do not wish to venture an opinion.

_Question_. Suppose a man denies the inspiration of the Scriptures; suppose that he also denies the divinity of Jesus Christ; and suppose, further, that he acts precisely as Christ is said to have acted; suppose he loves his enemies, prays for those who despitefully use him, and does all the good he pos- sibly can, is it your opinion that such a man will be saved?

_Answer_. No, sir. There is "none other name "given under heaven and among men," whereby a sinner can be saved but the name of Christ.

_Question_. Then it is your opinion that G.o.d would save a murderer who believed in Christ, and would d.a.m.n another man, exactly like Christ, who failed to believe in him?

_Answer_. Yes; because we have the blessed promise that, out of Christ, "our G.o.d is a consuming "fire."

_Question_. Suppose a man read the Bible care- fully and honestly, and was not quite convinced that it was true, and that while examining the subject, he died; what then?

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_Answer_. I do not believe that G.o.d would allow him to examine the matter in another world, or to make up his mind in heaven. Of course, he would eternally perish.

_Question_. Could Christ now furnish evidence enough to convince every human being of the truth of the Bible?

_Answer_. Of course he could, because he is in- finite.

_Question_. Are any miracles performed now?

_Answer_. Oh, no!

_Question_. Have we any testimony, except human testimony, to substantiate any miracle?