HOLY BIBLE

Robert G. Ingersoll, 1894

www.englishatheist.org/zing/aboutbible.shtml
Somebody ought to tell the truth about the Bible. he !rea"hers dare not, be"ause they would
be dri#en $rom their !ul!its. %ro$essors in "olleges dare not, be"ause they would lose their salaries.
%oliti"ians dare not. hey would be de$eated. &ditors dare not. hey would lose subs"ribers.
'er"hants dare not, be"ause they might lose "ustomers. 'en o$ $ashion dare not, $earing that they
would lose "aste. &#en "ler(s dare not, be"ause they might be dis"harged. )nd so I thought I would
do it mysel$.
here are many millions o$ !eo!le who belie#e the Bible to be the ins!ired word o$ God **
millions who thin( that this boo( is sta$$ and guide, "ounselor and "onsoler+ that it $ills the !resent
with !ea"e and the $uture with ho!e ** millions who belie#e that it is the $ountain o$ law, ,usti"e and
mer"y, and that to its wise and benign tea"hings the world is indebted $or its liberty, wealth and
"i#ilization ** millions who imagine that this boo( is a re#elation $rom the wisdom and lo#e o$ God
to the brain and heart o$ man ** millions who regard this boo( as a tor"h that "on-uers the dar(ness
o$ death, and !ours its radian"e on another world ** a world without a tear.
hey $orget its ignoran"e and sa#agery, its hatred o$ liberty, its religious !erse"ution+ they
remember hea#en, but they $orget the dungeon o$ eternal !ain. hey $orget that it im!risons the
brain and "orru!ts the heart. hey $orget that it is the enemy o$ intelle"tual $reedom. .iberty is my
religion. .iberty o$ hand and brain ** o$ thought and labor, liberty is a word hated by (ings **
loathed by !o!es. It is a word that shatters thrones and altars ** that lea#es the "rowned without
sub,e"ts, and the outstret"hed hand o$ su!erstition without alms. .iberty is the blossom and $ruit o$
,usti"e ** the !er$ume o$ mer"y. .iberty is the seed and soil, the air and light, the dew and rain o$
!rogress, lo#e and ,oy.
I. The Origin of the Bible
) $ew wandering $amilies ** !oor, wret"hed, without edu"ation, art or !ower+ des"endants o$
those who had been ensla#ed $or $our hundred years+ ignorant as the inhabitants o$ /entral )$ri"a,
had ,ust es"a!ed $rom their masters to the desert o$ Sinai. heir leader was Moses, a man who had
been raised in the $amily o$ Pharaoh and had been taught the law and mythology o$ Egypt. 0or the
!ur!ose o$ "ontrolling his $ollowers, he !retended that he was instru"ted and assisted by Jehovah,
the God o$ these wanderers.
&#erything that ha!!ened was attributed to the inter$eren"e o$ this God. 'oses de"lared that he
met this God $a"e to $a"e+ that on Sinai1s to! $rom the hands o$ this God he had re"ei#ed the tables
o$ stone on whi"h, by the $inger o$ this God, the Ten Commandments had been written, and that, in
addition to this, 2eho#ah had made (nown the sa"ri$i"es and "eremonies that were !leasing to him
and the laws by whi"h the !eo!le should be go#erned.
In this way, the 2ewish religion and the 'osai" /ode were established.
It is now "laimed that this religion and these laws were and are re#ealed and established $or all
man(ind.
)t that time these wanderers had no "ommer"e with other nations, they had no written
language, they "ould neither read nor write. hey had no means by whi"h they "ould ma(e this
re#elation (nown to other nations, and so it remained buried in the ,argon o$ a $ew ignorant,
im!o#erished and un(nown tribes $or more than two thousand years.
'any "enturies a$ter 'oses the leader was dead ** many "enturies a$ter all his $ollowers had
!assed away ** the Pentateuch was written, the wor( o$ many writers, and to gi#e it $or"e and
authority it was "laimed that 'oses was the author.
3e now (now that the %entateu"h was not written by 'oses.
owns are mentioned that were not in e4isten"e when 'oses li#ed.
'oney, not "oined until "enturies a$ter his death, is mentioned.
So, many o$ the laws were not a!!li"able to wanderers on the desert ** laws about agri"ulture,
about the sa"ri$i"e o$ o4en, shee! and do#es, about the wea#ing o$ "loth, about ornaments o$ gold
and sil#er, about the "ulti#ation o$ land, about har#est, about the threshing o$ grain, about houses
and tem!les, about "ities o$ re$uge, and about many other sub,e"ts o$ no !ossible a!!li"ation to a
$ew star#ing wanderers o#er the sands and ro"(s.
It is now not only admitted by intelligent and honest theologians that 'oses was not the author
o$ the %entateu"h, but they all admit that no one (nows who the authors were, or who wrote any
one o$ these boo(s, or a "ha!ter or a line. 3e (now that the boo(s were not written in the same
generation+ that they were not all written by one !erson+ that they are $illed with mista(es and
"ontradi"tions. It is also admitted that 2oshua did not write the boo( that bears his name, be"ause it
re$ers to e#ents that did not ha!!en until long a$ter his death.
5o one (nows, or !retends to (now, the author o$ 2udges+ all we (now is that it was written
"enturies a$ter all the ,udges had "eased to e4ist. 5o one (nows the author o$ Ruth, nor o$ 0irst and
Se"ond Samuel+ all we (now is that Samuel did not write the boo(s that bear his name. In the 67th
"ha!ter o$ 0irst Samuel is an a""ount o$ the raising o$ Samuel by the 3it"h o$ &ndor.
5o one (nows the author o$ 0irst and Se"ond 8ings or 0irst and Se"ond /hroni"les+ all we
(now is that these boo(s are o$ no #alue.
3e (now that the %salms were not written by 9a#id. In the %salms the /a!ti#ity is s!o(en o$,
and that did not ha!!en until about $i#e hundred years a$ter 9a#id sle!t with his $athers.
3e (now that Solomon did not write the %ro#erbs or the Song+ that Isaiah was not the author
o$ the boo( that bears his name+ that no one (nows the author o$ 2ob, &""lesiastes, or &sther, or o$
any boo( in the :ld estament, with the e4"e!tion o$ &zra.
3e (now that God is not mentioned or in any way re$erred to in the boo( o$ &sther. 3e (now,
too, that the boo( is "ruel, absurd and im!ossible.
God is not mentioned in the Song o$ Solomon, the best boo( in the :ld estament.
)nd we (now that &""lesiastes was written by an unbelie#er.
3e (now, too, that the 2ews themsel#es had not de"ided as to what boo(s were ins!ired ** were
authenti" ** until the se"ond "entury a$ter /hrist.
3e (now that the idea o$ ins!iration was o$ slow growth, and that the ins!iration was
determined by those who had "ertain ends to a""om!lish.
II. Is The Old Testament Inspired?
I$ it is, it should be a boo( that no man ** no number o$ men ** "ould !rodu"e.
It should "ontain the !er$e"tion o$ !hiloso!hy.
It should !er$e"tly a""ord with e#ery $a"t in nature.
here should be no mista(es in astronomy, geology, or as to any sub,e"t or s"ien"e.
Its morality should be the highest, the !urest.
Its laws and regulations $or the "ontrol o$ "ondu"t should be ,ust, wise, !er$e"t, and !er$e"tly
ada!ted to the a""om!lishment o$ the ends desired.
It should "ontain nothing "al"ulated to ma(e man "ruel, re#enge$ul, #indi"ti#e or in$amous.
It should be $illed with intelligen"e, ,usti"e, !urity, honesty, mer"y and the s!irit o$ liberty.
It should be o!!osed to stri$e and war, to sla#ery and lust, to ignoran"e, "redulity and
su!erstition.
It should de#elo! the brain and "i#ilize the heart.
It should satis$y the heart and brain o$ the best and wisest.
It should be true.
9oes the :ld estament satis$y this standard;
Is there anything in the :ld estament ** in history, in theory, in law, in go#ernment, in
morality, in s"ien"e ** abo#e and beyond the ideas, the belie$s, the "ustoms and !re,udi"es o$ its
authors and the !eo!le among whom they li#ed;
Is there one ray o$ light $rom any su!ernatural sour"e;
he an"ient <ebrews belie#ed that this earth was the "enter o$ the uni#erse, and that the sun,
moon and stars were s!e"(s in the s(y.
3ith this the Bible agrees.
hey thought the earth was $lat, with $our "orners+ that the s(y, the $irmament, was solid ** the
$loor o$ 2eho#ah1s house.
he Bible tea"hes the same.
hey imagined that the sun ,ourneyed about the earth, and that by sto!!ing the sun the day
"ould be lengthened.
he Bible agrees with this.
hey belie#ed that )dam and &#e were the $irst man and woman+ that they had been "reated
but a $ew years be$ore, and that they, the <ebrews, were their dire"t des"endants.
his the Bible tea"hes.
I$ anything is, or "an be, "ertain, the writers o$ the Bible were mista(en about "reation,
astronomy, geology+ about the "auses o$ !henomena, the origin o$ e#il and the "ause o$ death.
5ow, it must be admitted that i$ an in$inite Being is the author o$ the Bible, he (new all
s"ien"es, all $a"ts, and "ould not ha#e made a mista(e.
I$, then, there are mista(es, mis"on"e!tions, $alse theories, ignorant myths and blunders in the
Bible, it must ha#e been written by $inite beings, that is to say, by ignorant and mista(en men.
5othing "an be "learer than this.
0or "enturies the "hur"h insisted that the Bible was absolutely true+ that it "ontained no
mista(es+ that the story o$ "reation was true+ that its astronomy and geology were in a""ord with the
$a"ts+ that the s"ientists who di$$ered with the :ld estament were in$idels and atheists.
5ow this has "hanged. he edu"ated /hristians admit that the writers o$ the Bible were not
ins!ired as to any s"ien"e. hey now say that God, or 2eho#ah, did not ins!ire the writers o$ his
boo( $or the !ur!ose o$ instru"ting the world about astronomy, geology or any s"ien"e. hey now
admit that the ins!ired men who wrote the :ld estament (new nothing about any s"ien"e, and that
they wrote about the earth and stars, the sun and moon, in a""ordan"e with the general ignoran"e o$
the time.
It re-uired many "enturies to $or"e the theologians to this admission. Relu"tantly, $ull o$ mali"e
and hatred, the !riests retired $rom the $ield, lea#ing the #i"tory with s"ien"e.
hey too( another !osition+ hey de"lared that the authors, or rather the writers, o$ the Bible
were ins!ired in s!iritual and moral things+ that 2eho#ah wanted to ma(e (nown to his "hildren his
will and his in$inite lo#e $or his "hildren+ that 2eho#ah, seeing his !eo!le wi"(ed, ignorant and
de!ra#ed, wished to ma(e them mer"i$ul and ,ust, wise and s!iritual, and that the Bible is ins!ired
in its laws, in the religion it tea"hes and in its ideas o$ go#ernment.
his is the issue now. Is the Bible any nearer right in its ideas o$ ,usti"e, o$ mer"y, o$ morality
or o$ religion than in its "on"e!tion o$ the s"ien"es; Is it moral;
It u!holds sla#ery ** it san"tions !olygamy.
/ould a de#il ha#e done worse;
Is it mer"i$ul;
In war it raised the bla"( $lag+ it "ommanded the destru"tion, the massa"re, o$ all ** o$ the old,
in$irm and hel!less ** o$ wi#es and babes.
3ere its laws ins!ired;
<undreds o$ o$$enses were !unished with death. o !i"( u! sti"(s on Sunday, to murder your
$ather on 'onday, were e-ual "rimes. here is in the literature o$ the world no bloodier "ode. he
law o$ re#enge ** o$ retaliation ** was the law o$ 2eho#ah. )n eye $or an eye, a tooth $or a tooth, a
limb $or a limb.
his is sa#agery ** not !hiloso!hy.
Is it ,ust and reasonable;
he Bible is o!!osed to religious toleration ** to religious liberty. 3hoe#er di$$ered with the
ma,ority was stoned to death. In#estigation was a "rime. <usbands were ordered to denoun"e and
to assist in (illing their unbelie#ing wi#es.
It is the enemy o$ )rt. =hou shalt ma(e no gra#en image.= his was the death o$ )rt.
%alestine ne#er !rodu"ed a !ainter or a s"ul!tor.
Is the Bible "i#ilized;
It u!holds lying, lar"eny, robbery, murder, the selling o$ diseased meat to strangers, and e#en
the sa"ri$i"e o$ human beings to 2eho#ah.
Is it !hiloso!hi"al;
It tea"hes that the sins o$ a !eo!le "an be trans$erred to an animal ** to a goat. It ma(es
maternity an o$$en"e $or whi"h a sin o$$ering had to be made.
It was wi"(ed to gi#e birth to a boy, and twi"e as wi"(ed to gi#e birth to a girl.
o ma(e hair*oil li(e that used by the !riests was an o$$en"e !unishable with death.
he blood o$ a bird (illed o#er running water was regarded as medi"ine.
3ould a "i#ilized God daub his altars with the blood o$ o4en, lambs and do#es; 3ould he
ma(e all his !riests but"hers; 3ould he delight in the smell o$ burning $lesh;
III. The Ten Commandments
Some /hristian lawyers ** some eminent and stu!id ,udges ** ha#e said and still say that the
en /ommandments are the $oundation o$ all law.
5othing "ould be more absurd. .ong be$ore these "ommandments were gi#en, there were
"odes o$ laws in India and &gy!t ** laws against murder, !er,ury, lar"eny, adultery and $raud. Su"h
laws are as old as human so"iety+ as old as the lo#e o$ li$e+ as old as industry as the idea o$
!ros!erity+ as old as human lo#e.
)ll o$ the en /ommandments that are good were old+ all that were new are $oolish. I$ 2eho#ah
had been "i#ilized, he would ha#e le$t out the "ommandment about (ee!ing the Sabbath, and in its
!la"e would ha#e said> =hou shalt not ensla#e thy $ellow*men.= <e would ha#e omitted the one
about swearing, and said> =he man shall ha#e but one wi$e, and the woman but one husband.= <e
would ha#e le$t out the one about gra#en images, and in its stead would ha#e said> =hou shalt not
wage wars o$ e4termination, and thou shalt not unsheathe the sword e4"e!t in sel$*de$en"e.=
I$ 2eho#ah had been "i#ilized, how mu"h grander the en /ommandments would ha#e been.
)ll that we "all !rogress ** the en$ran"hisement o$ man, o$ labor, the substitution o$
im!risonment $or death, o$ $ine $or im!risonment, the destru"tion o$ !olygamy, the establishing o$
$ree s!ee"h, o$ the rights o$ "ons"ien"e+ in short, all that has tended to the de#elo!ment and
"i#ilization o$ man+ all the results o$ in#estigation, obser#ation, e4!erien"e and $ree thought+ all that
man has a""om!lished $or the bene$it o$ man sin"e the "lose o$ the 9ar( )ges ** has been done in
s!ite o$ the :ld estament.
.et me $urther illustrate the morality, the mer"y, the !hiloso!hy and goodness o$ the :ld
estament>
THE STORY OF CH!
2oshua too( the /ity o$ 2eri"ho. Be$ore the $all o$ the "ity, he de"lared that all the s!oil ta(en
should be gi#en to the .ord.
In s!ite o$ this order, )"han se"reted a garment, some sil#er and gold.
)$terward 2oshua tried to ta(e the "ity o$ )i. <e $ailed and many o$ his soldiers were slain.
2oshua sought $or the "ause o$ his de$eat and he $ound that )"han had se"reted a garment, two
hundred she(els o$ sil#er and a wedge o$ gold. o this )"han "on$essed.
)nd thereu!on 2oshua too( )"han, his sons and his daughters, his o4en and his shee! ** stoned
them all to death and burned their bodies.
here is nothing to show that the sons and daughters had "ommitted any "rime. /ertainly, the
o4en and shee! should not ha#e been stoned to death $or the "rime o$ their owner. his was the
,usti"e, the mer"y, o$ 2eho#ah?
)$ter 2oshua had "ommitted this "rime, with the hel! o$ 2eho#ah he "a!tured the "ity o$ )i.
THE STORY OF ELISH
=)nd he went u! then"e unto Bethel, and as he was going u! by the way there "ame $orth little
"hildren out o$ the "ity and mo"(ed him, and said unto him, 1Go u!, thou baldhead.1
=)nd he turned ba"( and loo(ed at them, and "ursed them in the name o$ the .ord. )nd there
"ame $orth two she*bears out o$ the wood and tore $orty and two "hildren o$ them.=
his was the wor( o$ the good God ** the mer"i$ul 2eho#ah?
THE STORY OF "!IEL
8ing 9arius had honored and e4alted 9aniel, and the nati#e !rin"es were ,ealous. So they
indu"ed the (ing to sign a de"ree to the e$$e"t that any man who should ma(e a !etition to any god
or man e4"e!t to 8ing 9arius, $or thirty days, should be "ast into the den o$ lions.
)$terward these men $ound that 9aniel, with his $a"e toward 2erusalem, !rayed three times a
day to 2eho#ah.
hereu!on 9aniel was "ast into the den o$ lions+ a stone was !la"ed at the mouth o$ the den
and sealed with the (ing1s seal.
he (ing !assed a bad night. he ne4t morning he went to the den and "ried out to 9aniel.
9aniel answered and told the (ing that God had sent his angel and shut the mouths o$ the lions.
9aniel was ta(en out ali#e and well, and the (ing was "on#erted and belie#ed in 9aniel1s God.
9arius, being then a belie#er in the true God, sent $or the men who had a""used 9aniel, and $or
their wi#es and their "hildren, and "ast them all into the lions1 den.
=)nd the lions had the mastery o$ them, and bra(e all their bones in !ie"es, or e#er they "ame
at the bottom o$ the !it.=
3hat had the wi#es and little "hildren done; <ow had they o$$ended 8ing 9arius, the belie#er
in 2eho#ah; 3ho !rote"ted 9aniel; 2eho#ah? 3ho $ailed to !rote"t the inno"ent wi#es and
"hildren; 2eho#ah?
THE STORY OF #OSE$H
%haraoh had a dream, and this dream was inter!reted by 2ose!h.
)""ording to this inter!retation, there was to be in &gy!t se#en years o$ !lenty, $ollowed by
se#en years o$ $amine. 2ose!h ad#ised %haraoh to buy all the sur!lus o$ the se#en !lenti$ul years
and store it u! against the years o$ $amine.
%haraoh a!!ointed 2ose!h as his minister or agent, and ordered him to buy the grain o$ the
!lenti$ul years.
hen "ame the $amine. he !eo!le "ame to the (ing $or hel!. <e told them to go to 2ose!h and
do as he said.
2ose!h sold "orn to the &gy!tians until all their money was gone ** until he had it all.
3hen the money was gone, the !eo!le said> =Gi#e us "orn and we will gi#e you our "attle.=
2ose!h let them ha#e "orn until all their "attle, their horses and their $lo"(s had been gi#en to
him.
hen the !eo!le said> =Gi#e us "orn and we will gi#e you our lands.=
So 2ose!h let them ha#e "orn until all their lands were gone.
But the $amine "ontinued, and so the !oor wret"hes sold themsel#es, and they be"ame the
ser#ants o$ %haraoh.
hen 2ose!h ga#e them seed, and made an agreement with them that they should $ore#er gi#e
one $i$th o$ all they raised to %haraoh.
3ho enabled 2ose!h to inter!ret the dream o$ %haraoh; 2eho#ah? 9id he (now at the time that
2ose!h would use the in$ormation thus gi#en to rob and ensla#e the !eo!le o$ &gy!t; @es. 3ho
!rodu"ed the $amine; 2eho#ah?
It is !er$e"tly a!!arent that the 2ews did not thin( o$ 2eho#ah as the God o$ &gy!t ** the God o$
all the world. <e was their God, and theirs alone. :ther nations had gods, but 2eho#ah was the
greatest o$ all. <e hated other nations and other gods, and abhorred all religions e4"e!t the worshi!
o$ himsel$.
I%. &hat is it all 'orth?
3ill some /hristian s"holar tell us the #alue o$ Genesis;
3e (now that it is not true ** that it "ontradi"ts itsel$. here are two a""ounts o$ the "reation in
the $irst and se"ond "ha!ters.
In the $irst a""ount, birds and beasts were "reated be$ore man.
In the se"ond, man was "reated be$ore the birds and beasts.
In the $irst, $owls are made out o$ the water.
In the se"ond, $owls are made out o$ the ground.
In the $irst, )dam and &#e are "reated together.
In the se"ond, )dam is made+ then the beasts and birds, and then &#e is "reated $rom one o$
)dam1s ribs.
hese stories are $ar older than the %entateu"h.
%ersian> God "reated the world in si4 days, a man "alled )dama, a woman "alled &#ah, and
then rested.
he &trus"an, Babylonian, %hoeni"ian, /haldean and the &gy!tian stories are mu"h the same.
he %ersians, Gree(s, &gy!tians, /hinese and <indus ha#e their Garden o$ &den and the ree
o$ .i$e.
So the %ersians, the Babylonians, the 5ubians, the !eo!le o$ Southern India, all had the story
o$ the $all o$ man and the subtle ser!ent.
he /hinese say that sin "ame into the world by the disobedien"e o$ woman. )nd e#en the
ahitians tell us that man was "reated $rom the earth, and the $irst woman $rom one o$ his bones.
)ll these stories are e-ually authenti" and o$ e-ual #alue to the world, and all the authors were
e-ually ins!ired.
3e (now also that the story o$ the $lood is mu"h older than the boo( o$ Genesis, and we (now
besides that it is not true.
3e (now that this story in Genesis was "o!ied $rom the /haldean. here you $ind all about the
rain, the ar(, the animals, the do#e that was sent out three times, and the mountain on whi"h the ar(
rested.
So the <indus, /hinese, %arsees, %ersians, Gree(s, 'e4i"ans and S"andina#ians ha#e
substantially the same story.
3e also (now that the a""ount o$ the ower o$ Babel is an ignorant and "hildish $able.
3hat then is le$t in this ins!ired boo( o$ Genesis; Is there a word "al"ulated to de#elo! the
heart or brain; Is there an ele#ated thought ** any great !rin"i!le ** anything !oeti" ** any word that
bursts into blossom;
Is there anything e4"e!t a dreary and detailed statement o$ things that ne#er ha!!ened;
Is there anything in &4odus "al"ulated to ma(e men generous, lo#ing and noble;
Is it well to tea"h "hildren that God tortured the inno"ent "attle o$ the &gy!tians ** bruised
them to death with hailstones ** on a""ount o$ the sins o$ %haraoh;
9oes it ma(e us mer"i$ul to belie#e that God (illed the $irstborn o$ the &gy!tians ** the
$irstborn o$ the !oor and su$$ering !eo!le ** o$ the !oor girl wor(ing at the mill ** be"ause o$ the
wi"(edness o$ the (ing;
/an we belie#e that the gods o$ &gy!t wor(ed mira"les; 9id they "hange water into blood, and
sti"(s into ser!ents;
In &4odus, there is not one original thought or line o$ #alue.
3e (now, i$ we (now anything, that this boo( was written by sa#ages ** sa#ages who belie#ed
in sla#ery, !olygamy and wars o$ e4termination. 3e (now that the story told is im!ossible, and that
the mira"les were ne#er !er$ormed. his boo( admits that there are other gods besides 2eho#ah. In
the 1Ath "ha!ter is this #erse> =5ow I (now that the .ord is greater than all gods, $or, in the thing
wherein they dealt !roudly, he was abo#e them.=
So, in this blessed boo( is taught the duty o$ human sa"ri$i"e ** the sa"ri$i"e o$ babes.
In the 66d "ha!ter is this "ommand> =hou shalt not delay to o$$er the $irst o$ thy ri!e $ruits and
o$ thy li-uors> the $irst* born o$ thy sons thou shalt gi#e unto me.=
<as &4odus been a hel! or a hindran"e to the human ra"e;
a(e $rom &4odus the laws "ommon to all nations, and is there anything o$ #alue le$t;
Is there anything in .e#iti"us o$ im!ortan"e; Is there a "ha!ter worth reading; 3hat interest
ha#e we in the "lothes o$ !riests, the "urtains and "andles o$ the taberna"le, the tongs and sho#els o$
the altar or the hair*oil used by the .e#ities;
:$ what use the "ruel "ode, the $right$ul !unishments, the "urses, the $alsehoods and the
mira"les o$ this ignorant and in$amous boo(;
)nd what is there in the boo( o$ 5umbers ** with its sa"ri$i"es and water o$ ,ealousy, with its
shewbread and s!oons, its (ids and $ine $lour, its oil and "andlesti"(s, its "u"umbers, onions and
manna ** to assist and instru"t man(ind; 3hat interest ha#e we in the rebellion o$ 8orah, the water
o$ se!aration, the ashes o$ a red hei$er, the brazen ser!ent, the water that $ollowed the !eo!le u!hill
and down $or $orty years, and the ins!ired don(ey o$ the !ro!het Balaam; <a#e these absurdities
and "ruelties ** these "hildish, sa#age su!erstitions ** hel!ed to "i#ilize the world;
Is there anything in 2oshua ** with its wars, its murders and massa"res, its swords dri!!ing with
the blood o$ mothers and babes, its tortures, maimings and mutilations, its $raud and $ury, its hatred
and re#enge ** "al"ulated to im!ro#e the world;
9oes not e#ery "ha!ter sho"( the heart o$ a good man; Is it a boo( to be read by "hildren;
he boo( o$ 2oshua is as mer"iless as $amine, as $ero"ious as the heart o$ a wild beast. It is a
history ** a ,usti$i"ation ** a san"ti$i"ation o$ nearly e#ery "rime.
he boo( o$ 2udges is about the same, nothing but war and bloodshed+ the horrible story o$
2ael and Sisera+ o$ Gideon and his trum!ets and !it"hers+ o$ 2e!htha and his daughter, whom he
murdered to !lease 2eho#ah.
<ere we $ind the story o$ Samson, in whi"h a sun*god is "hanged to a <ebrew giant.
Read this boo( o$ 2oshua ** read o$ the slaughter o$ women, o$ wi#es, o$ mothers and babes **
read its im!ossible mira"les, its ruthless "rimes, and all done a""ording to the "ommands o$
2eho#ah, and tell me whether this boo( is "al"ulated to ma(e us $orgi#ing, generous and lo#ing.
I admit that the history o$ Ruth is in some res!e"ts a beauti$ul and tou"hing story+ that it is
naturally told, and that her lo#e $or 5aomi was dee! and !ure. But in the matter o$ "ourtshi! we
would hardly ad#ise our daughters to $ollow the e4am!le o$ Ruth. Still, we must remember that
Ruth was a widow.
Is there anything worth reading in the $irst and se"ond boo(s o$ Samuel; :ught a !ro!het o$
God to hew a "a!tured (ing in !ie"es; Is the story o$ the ar(, its "a!ture and return o$ im!ortan"e to
us; Is it !ossible that it was right, ,ust and mer"i$ul to (ill $i$ty thousand men be"ause they had
loo(ed into a bo4; :$ what use to us are the wars o$ Saul and 9a#id, the stories o$ Goliath and the
3it"h o$ &ndor; 3hy should 2eho#ah ha#e (illed Bzzah $or !utting $orth his hand to steady the
ar(, and $orgi#en 9a#id $or murdering Briah and stealing his wi$e;
)""ording to =Samuel,= 9a#id too( a "ensus o$ the !eo!le. his e4"ited the wrath o$ 2eho#ah,
and as a !unishment he allowed 9a#id to "hoose se#en years o$ $amine, a $light o$ three months
$rom !ursuing enemies, or three days o$ !estilen"e. 9a#id, ha#ing "on$iden"e in God, "hose the
three days o$ !estilen"e+ and thereu!on, God, the "om!assionate, on a""ount o$ the sin o$ 9a#id,
(illed se#enty thousand inno"ent men.
Bnder the same "ir"umstan"es, what would a de#il ha#e done;
Is there anything in $irst and Se"ond 8ings that suggests the idea o$ ins!iration;
3hen 9a#id is dying he tells his son Solomon to murder 2oab ** not to let his hoar head go
down to the gra#e in !ea"e. 3ith his last breath he "ommands his son to bring down the hoar head
o$ Shimei to the gra#e with blood. <a#ing uttered these mer"i$ul words, the good 9a#id, the man
a$ter God1s heart, sle!t with his $athers.
3as it ne"essary to ins!ire the man who wrote the history o$ the building o$ the tem!le, the
story o$ the #isit o$ the Cueen o$ Sheba, or to tell the number o$ Solomon1s wi#es;
3hat "are we $or the withering o$ 2eroboam1s hand, the !ro!he"y o$ 2ehu, or the story o$ &li,ah
and the ra#ens;
/an we belie#e that &li,ah brought $lames $rom hea#en, or that he went at last to %aradise in a
"hariot o$ $ire;
/an we belie#e in the multi!li"ation o$ the widow1s oil by &lisha, that an army was smitten
with blindness, or that an a4e $loated in the water;
9oes it "i#ilize us to read about the beheading o$ the se#enty sons o$ )hab, the !utting out o$
the eyes o$ Dede(iah and the murder o$ his sons; Is there one word in 0irst and Se"ond 8ings
"al"ulated to ma(e men better;
0irst and Se"ond /hroni"les is but a re*telling o$ what is told in 0irst and Se"ond 8ings. he
same old stories ** a little le$t out, a little added, but in no res!e"t made better or worse.
he boo( o$ &zra is o$ no im!ortan"e. <e tells us that /yrus, 8ing o$ %ersia, issued a
!ro"lamation $or building a tem!le at 2erusalem, and that he de"lared 2eho#ah to be the real and
only God.
5othing "ould be more absurd. &zra tells us about the return $rom "a!ti#ity, the building o$ the
em!le, the dedi"ation, a $ew !rayers, and this is all. his boo( is o$ no im!ortan"e, o$ no use.
5ehemiah is about the same, only it tells o$ the building o$ the wall, the "om!laints o$ the
!eo!le about ta4es, a list o$ those who returned $rom Babylon, a "atalogue o$ those who dwelt at
2erusalem, and the dedi"ation o$ the walls.
5ot a word in 5ehemiah worth reading.
hen "omes the boo( o$ &sther> In this we are told that 8ing )hasueras was into4i"ated+ that
he sent $or his Cueen, Eashti, to "ome and show hersel$ to him and his guests. Eashti re$used to
a!!ear.
his maddened the (ing, and he ordered that $rom e#ery !ro#in"e the most beauti$ul girls
should be brought be$ore him that he might "hoose one in !la"e o$ Eashti.
)mong others was brought &sther, a 2ewess. She was "hosen and be"ame the wi$e o$ the (ing.
hen a gentleman by the name o$ <aman wanted to ha#e all the 2ews (illed, and the (ing, not
(nowing that &sther was o$ that ra"e, signed a de"ree that all the 2ews should be (illed.
hrough the e$$orts o$ 'orde"ai and &sther the de"ree was annulled and the 2ews were sa#ed.
<aman !re!ared a gallows on whi"h to ha#e 'orde"ai hanged, but the good &sther so
managed matters that <aman and his ten sons were hanged on the gallows that <aman had built,
and the 2ews were allowed to murder more than se#enty*$i#e thousand o$ the (ing1s sub,e"ts.
his is the ins!ired story o$ &sther.
In the boo( o$ 2ob we $ind some ele#ated sentiments, some sublime and $oolish thoughts,
something o$ the wonder and sublimity o$ nature, the ,oys and sorrows o$ li$e+ but the story is
in$amous.
Some o$ the %salms are good, many are indi$$erent, a $ew are in$amous. In them are mingled
the #i"es and #irtues. here are #erses that ele#ate, #erses that degrade. here are !rayers $or
$orgi#eness and re#enge. In the literature o$ the world there is nothing more heartless, more
in$amous, than the 1F9th %salm.
In the %ro#erbs there is mu"h shrewdness, many !ithy and !rudent ma4ims, many wise
sayings. he same ideas are e4!ressed in many ways ** the wisdom o$ e"onomy and silen"e, the
dangers o$ #anity and idleness. Some are tri#ial, some are $oolish, and many are wise. hese
!ro#erbs are not generous ** not altruisti". Sayings to the same e$$e"t are $ound among all nations.
&""lesiastes is the most thought$ul boo( in the Bible. It was written by an unbelie#er ** a
!hiloso!her ** an agnosti". a(e out the inter!olations, and it is in a""ordan"e with the thought o$
the nineteenth "entury. In this boo( are $ound the most !hiloso!hi" and !oeti" !assages in the
Bible.
)$ter "rossing the desert o$ death and "rime, a$ter reading the %entateu"h, 2oshua, 2udges,
Samuel, 8ings and /hroni"les ** it is delight$ul to rea"h this gro#e o$ !alms, "alled the =Song o$
Solomon.= ) drama o$ lo#e ** o$ human low+ a !oem without 2eho#ah ** a !oem born o$ the heart
and true to the di#ine instin"ts o$ the soul.
=I slee!, but my heart wa(eth.=
Isaiah is the wor( o$ se#eral. Its swollen words, its #ague imagery, its !ro!he"ies and "urses,
its ra#ings against (ings and nations, its laughter at the wisdom o$ man, its hatred o$ ,oy, ha#e not
the slightest tenden"y to in"rease the well*being o$ man.
In this boo( is re"orded the absurdist o$ all mira"les. he shadow on the dial is turned ba"( ten
degrees, in order to satis$y <eze(iah that 2eho#ah will add $i$teen years to his li$e.
In this mira"le the world, turning $rom west to east at the rate o$ more than a thousand miles an
hour, is not only sto!!ed, but made to turn the other way until the shadow on the dial went ba"( ten
degrees? Is there in the whole world an intelligent man or woman who belie#es this im!ossible
$alsehood;
2eremiah "ontains nothing o$ im!ortan"e ** no $a"ts o$ #alue+ nothing but $ault*$inding,
lamentations, "roa(ings, wailings, "urses and !romises+ nothing but $amine and !rayer, the
!ros!erity o$ the wi"(ed, the ruin o$ the 2ews, the "a!ti#ity and return, and at last 2eremiah, the
traitor, in the sto"(s and in !rison.
)nd .amentations is sim!ly a "ontinuan"e o$ the ra#ings o$ the same insane !essimist+ nothing
but dust and sa"("loth and ashes, tears and howls, railings and re#ilings.
)nd &ze(iel ** eating manus"ri!ts, !ro!hesying siege and desolation, with #isions o$ "oals o$
$ire, and "herubim, and wheels with eyes, and the ty!e and $igure o$ the boiling !ot, and the
resurre"tion o$ dry bones ** is o$ no use, o$ no !ossible #alue.
3ith Eoltaire, I say that any one who admires &ze(iel should be "om!elled to dine with him.
9aniel is a disordered dream ** a nightmare.
3hat "an be made o$ this boo( with its image with a golden head, with breast and arms o$
sil#er, with belly and thighs o$ brass, with legs o$ iron, and with $eet o$ iron and "lay+ with its
writing on the wall, its den o$ lions, and its #ision o$ the ram and goat;
Is there anything to be learned $rom <osea and his wi$e; Is there anything o$ use in 2oel, in
)mos, in :badiah; /an we get any good $rom 2onah and his gourd; Is it !ossible that God is the
real author o$ 'i"ah and 5ahum, o$ <aba((u( and De!haniah, o$ <aggai and 'ala"hi and
De"hariah, with his red horses, his $our horns, his $our "ar!enters, his $lying roll, his mountains o$
brass and the stone with $our eyes;
Is there anything in these =ins!ired= boo(s that has been o$ bene$it to man;
<a#e they taught us how to "ulti#ate the earth, to build houses, to wea#e "loth, to !re!are
$ood;
<a#e they taught us to !aint !i"tures, to "hisel statues, to build bridges, or shi!s, or anything o$
beauty or o$ use; 9id we get our ideas o$ go#ernment, o$ religious $reedom, o$ the liberty o$
thought, $rom the :ld estament; 9id we get $rom any o$ these boo(s a hint o$ any s"ien"e; Is
there in the =sa"red #olume= a word, a line, that has added to the wealth, the intelligen"e and the
ha!!iness o$ man(ind; Is there one o$ the boo(s o$ the :ld estament as entertaining as =Robinson
/rusoe,= =he ra#els o$ Gulli#er,= or =%eter 3il(ins and his 0lying 3i$e=; 9id the author o$
Genesis (now as mu"h about nature as <umboldt, or 9arwin, or <ae"(el; Is what is "alled the
'osai" /ode as wise or as mer"i$ul as the "ode o$ any "i#ilized nation; 3ere the writers o$ 8ings
and /hroni"les as great historians, as great writers, as Gibbon and 9ra!er; Is 2eremiah or
<aba((u( e-ual to 9i"(ens or ha"(eray; /an the authors o$ 2ob and the %salms be "om!ared with
Sha(es!eare; 3hy should we attribute the best to man and the worst to God;
%. &as #eho(ah a )od of Lo(e?
9id these words "ome $rom the heart o$ lo#e; ** =3hen the .ord thy God shall dri#e them
be$ore thee, thou shalt smite them and utterly destroy them+ thou shalt ma(e no "o#enant with
them, or show mer"y unto them.=
=I will hea! mis"hie$ u!on them. I will send mine arrows u!on them+ they shall be burned with
hunger and de#oured with burning heat and with bitter destru"tion.=
=I will send the tooth o$ beasts u!on them, with the !oison o$ ser!ents o$ the dust.=
=he sword without, and terror within, shall destroy both the young man and the #irgin+ the
su"(ling also with the man o$ gray hairs.=
=.et his "hildren be $atherless and his wi$e a widow+ let his "hildren be "ontinually #agabonds
and beg+ let them see( their bread also out o$ their desolate !la"es+ let the e4tortioner "at"h all that
he hath, and let the stranger s!oil his labor+ let there be none to e4tend mer"y unto him, neither let
there be any to $a#or his $atherless "hildren.=
=)nd thou shalt eat the $ruit o$ thine own body ** the $lesh o$ thy sons and daughters.=
=)nd the hea#en that is o#er thee shall be brass, and the earth that is under thee shall be iron.=
=/ursed shalt thou be in the "ity, and "ursed shalt thou be in the $ield.=
=I will ma(e my arrows drun( with blood.=
=I will laugh at their "alamity.=
9id these "urses, these threats, "ome $rom the heart o$ lo#e or $rom the mouth o$ sa#agery;
3as 2eho#ah god or de#il;
3hy should we !la"e 2eho#ah abo#e all the gods;
<as man in his ignoran"e and $ear e#er imagined a greater monster;
<a#e the barbarians o$ any land, in any time, worshi!ed a more heartless god;
Brahma was a thousand times nobler, and so was :siris and Deus and 2u!iter. So was the
su!reme god o$ the )zte"s, to whom they o$$ered only the !er$ume o$ $lowers. he worst god o$ the
<indus, with his ne"(la"e o$ s(ulls and his bra"elets o$ li#ing sna(es, was (ind and mer"i$ul
"om!ared with 2eho#ah.
/om!ared with 'ar"us )urelius, how small 2eho#ah seems. /om!ared with )braham .in"oln,
how "ruel, how "ontem!tible, is this god.
%I. #eho(ah*s dministration
<e "reated the world, the hosts o$ hea#en, a man and woman ** !la"ed them in a garden. hen
the ser!ent de"ei#ed them, and they were "ast out and made to earn their bread.
2eho#ah had been thwarted.
hen he tried again. <e went on $or about si4teen hundred years trying to "i#ilize the !eo!le.
5o s"hools, no "hur"hes, no Bible, no tra"ts ** nobody taught to read or write. 5o en
/ommandments. he !eo!le grew worse and worse, until the mer"i$ul 2eho#ah sent the $lood and
drowned all the !eo!le e4"e!t 5oah and his $amily, eight in all.
hen he started again, and "hanged their diet. )t $irst, )dam and &#e were #egetarians. )$ter
the $lood, 2eho#ah said> =&#ery mo#ing thing that li#eth shall be meat $or you= ** sna(es and
buzzards.
hen he $ailed again, and at the ower o$ Babel, he dis!ersed and s"attered the !eo!le.
0inding that he "ould not su""eed with all the !eo!le, he thought he would try a $ew, so he
sele"ted )braham and his des"endants. )gain he $ailed, and his "hosen !eo!le were "a!tured by the
&gy!tians and ensla#ed $or $our hundred years.
hen he tried again ** res"ued them $rom %haraoh and started $or %alestine.
hen he "hanged their diet, allowing them to eat only the beasts that !arted the hoo$ and
"hewed the "ud. )gain he $ailed. he !eo!le hated him, and !re$erred the sla#ery o$ &gy!t to the
$reedom o$ 2eho#ah. So he (e!t them wandering until nearly all who "ame $rom &gy!t had died.
hen he tried again ** too( them into %alestine and had them go#erned by 2udges.
his, too, was a $ailure ** no s"hools, no Bible. hen he tried (ings, and the (ings were mostly
idolaters.
hen the "hosen !eo!le were "on-uered and "arried into "a!ti#ity by the Babylonians.
)nother $ailure.
hen they returned, and 2eho#ah tried !ro!hets ** howlers and wailers ** but the !eo!le grew
worse and worse. 5o s"hools, no s"ien"es, no arts, no "ommer"e. hen 2eho#ah too( u!on himsel$
$lesh, was born o$ a woman, and li#ed among the !eo!le that he had been trying to "i#ilize $or
se#eral thousand years. hen these !eo!le, $ollowing the law that 2eho#ah had gi#en them in the
wilderness, "harged this 2eho#ah*man ** this /hrist ** with blas!hemy+ tried, "on#i"ted and (illed
him.
2eho#ah had $ailed again.
hen he deserted the 2ews and turned his attention to the rest o$ the world.
)nd now the 2ews, deserted by 2eho#ah, !erse"uted by /hristians, are the most !ros!erous
!eo!le on the earth. )gain has 2eho#ah $ailed.
3hat an administration?
%II. The !e' Testament
3ho wrote the 5ew estament;
/hristian s"holars admit that they do not (now. hey admit that i$ the $our gos!els were
written by 'atthew, 'ar(, .u(e and 2ohn, they must ha#e been written in <ebrew. )nd yet a
<ebrew manus"ri!t o$ any one o$ these gos!els has ne#er been $ound. )ll ha#e been and are in
Gree(. So, edu"ated theologians admit that the &!istles, 2ames and 2ude were written by !ersons
who had ne#er seen one o$ the $our gos!els. In these &!istles ** in 2ames and 2ude ** no re$eren"e is
made to any o$ the gos!els, nor to any mira"le re"orded in them.
he $irst mention that has been $ound o$ one o$ our gos!els was made about one hundred and
eight years a$ter the birth o$ /hrist, and the $our gos!els were $irst named and -uoted $rom at the
beginning o$ the third "entury, about one hundred an se#enty years a$ter the death o$ /hrist.
3e now (now that there were many other gos!els besides our $our, some o$ whi"h ha#e been
lost. here were the gos!els o$ %aul, o$ the &gy!tians, o$ the <ebrews, o$ %er$e"tion, o$ 2udas, o$
haddeus, o$ the In$an"y, o$ homas, o$ 'ary, o$ )ndrew, o$ 5i"odemus, o$ 'ar"ion and se#eral
others.
So there were the )"ts o$ %ilate, o$ )ndrew, o$ 'ary, o$ %aul and he"la and o$ many others+
also a boo( "alled the She!herd o$ <ermas.
)t $irst not one o$ all the boo(s was "onsidered as ins!ired. he :ld estament was regarded
as di#ine+ but the boo(s that now "onstitute the 5ew estament were regarded as human
!rodu"tions. 3e now (now that we do not (now who wrote the $our gos!els.
he -uestion is, 3ere the authors o$ these $our gos!els ins!ired;
I$ they were ins!ired, then the $our gos!els mast be true. I$ they are true, they mast agree.
he $our gos!els do not agree.
'atthew, 'ar( and .u(e (new nothing o$ the atonement, nothing o$ sal#ation by $aith. hey
(new only the gos!el o$ good deeds ** o$ "harity. hey tea"h that i$ we $orgi#e others God will
$orgi#e us.
3ith this the gos!el o$ 2ohn does not agree.
In that gos!el we are taught that we must belie#e on the .ord 2esus /hrist+ that we must be
born again+ that we must drin( the blood and eat the $lesh o$ /hrist. In this gos!el we $ind the
do"trine o$ the atonement and that /hrist died $or us and su$$ered in our !la"e.
his gos!el is utterly at #arian"e with the other three. I$ the other three are true, the gos!el o$
2ohn is $alse. I$ the gos!el o$ 2ohn was written by an ins!ired man, the writers o$ the other three
were unins!ired. 0rom this there is no !ossible es"a!e. he $our "annot be true.
It is e#ident that there are many inter!olations in the $our gos!els.
0or instan"e, in the 68th "ha!ter o$ 'atthew is an a""ount to the e$$e"t that the soldiers at the
tomb o$ /hrist were bribed to say that the dis"i!les o$ 2esus stole away his body while they, the
soldiers, sle!t.
his is "learly an inter!olation. It is a brea( in the narrati#e.
he 1Fth #erse should be $ollowed by the 1Gth. he 1Fth #erse is as $ollows>
=hen 2esus said unto them, 1Be not a$raid+ go tell my brethren that they go unto Galilee and
there shall they see me.1=
he 1Gth #erse>
=hen the ele#en dis"i!les went away unto Galilee into a mountain, where 2esus had a!!ointed
them.=
he story about the soldiers "ontained in the 11th, 16th, 1Hth, 14th and 17th #erses is an
inter!olation ** an a$terthought ** long a$ter. he 17th #erse demonstrates this.
0i$teenth #erse> =So they too( the money and did as they were taught. )nd this saying is
"ommonly re!orted among the 2ews until this day.=
/ertainly this a""ount was not in the original gos!el, and "ertainly the 17th #erse was not
written by a 2ew. 5o 2ew "ould ha#e written this> =)nd this saying is "ommonly re!orted among
the 2ews until this day.=
'ar(, 2ohn and .u(e ne#er heard that the soldiers had been bribed by the !riests+ or, i$ they
had, did not thin( it worth while re"ording. So the a""ounts o$ the )s"ension o$ 2esus /hrist in
'ar( and .u(e are inter!olations. 'atthew says nothing about the )s"ension.
/ertainly there ne#er was a greater mira"le, and yet 'atthew, who was !resent ** who saw the
.ord rise, as"end and disa!!ear ** did not thin( it worth mentioning.
:n the other hand, the last words o$ /hrist, a""ording to 'atthew, "ontradi"t the )s"ension>
=.o I am with you always, e#en unto the end o$ the world.=
2ohn, who was !resent, i$ /hrist really as"ended, says not one word on the sub,e"t.
)s to the )s"ension, the gos!els do not agree.
'ar( gi#es the last "on#ersation that /hrist had with his dis"i!les, as $ollows>
=Go ye into all the world and !rea"h the gos!el to e#ery "reature. <e that belie#eth and is
ba!tized shall be sa#ed+ but he that belie#eth not shall be damned. )nd these signs shall $ollow
them that belie#e> In my name shall they "ast out de#ils+ they shall s!ea( with new tongues. hey
shall ta(e u! ser!ents, and i$ they drin( any deadly thing it shall not hurt them+ they shall lay hands
on the si"( and they shall re"o#er. So, then, a$ter the .ord had s!o(en unto them, he was re"ei#ed
u! into hea#en and sat on the right hand o$ God.=
Is it !ossible that this des"ri!tion was written by one who witnessed this mira"le;
his mira"le is des"ribed by .u(e as $ollows.
=)nd it "ame to !ass while he blessed them he was !arted $rom them and "arried u! into
hea#en.=
=Bre#ity is the soul o$ wit.=
In the )"ts we are told that> =3hen he had s!o(en, while they beheld, he was ta(en u!, and a
"loud re"ei#ed him out o$ their sight.=
5either .u(e, nor 'atthew, nor 2ohn, nor the writer o$ the )"ts, heard one word o$ the
"on#ersation attributed to /hrist by 'ar(. he $a"t is that the )s"ension o$ /hrist was not "laimed
by his dis"i!les.
)t $irst /hrist was a man ** nothing more. 'ary was his mother, 2ose!h his $ather. he
genealogy o$ his $ather, 2ose!h, was gi#en to show that he was o$ the blood o$ 9a#id.
hen the "laim was made that he was the son o$ God, and that his mother was a #irgin, and that
she remained a #irgin until her death.
hen the "laim was made that /hrist rose $rom the dead and as"ended bodily to hea#en.
It re-uired many years $or these absurdities to ta(e !ossession o$ the minds o$ men.
I$ /hrist rose $rom the dead, why did he not a!!ear to his enemies; 3hy did he not "all on
/aia!has, the high !riest; 3hy did he not ma(e another trium!hal entry into 2erusalem;
I$ he really as"ended, why did he not do so in !ubli", in the !resen"e o$ his !erse"utors; 3hy
should this, the greatest o$ mira"les, be done in se"ret. in a "orner;
It was a mira"le that "ould ha#e been seen by a #ast multitude ** a mira"le that "ould not be
simulated ** one that would ha#e "on#in"ed hundreds o$ thousands.
)$ter the story o$ the Resurre"tion, the )s"ension be"ame a ne"essity. hey had to dis!ose o$
the body.
So there are many other inter!olations in the gos!els and e!istles.
)gain I as(> Is the 5ew estament true; 9oes anybody now belie#e that at the birth o$ /hrist
there was a "elestial greeting+ that a star led the 3ise 'en o$ the &ast+ that <erod slew the babes o$
Bethlehem o$ two years old and under;
he gos!els are $illed with a""ounts o$ mira"les. 3ere they e#er !er$ormed;
'atthew gi#es the !arti"ulars o$ about twenty*two mira"les, 'ar( o$ about nineteen, .u(e o$
about eighteen and 2ohn o$ about se#en.
)""ording to the gos!els, /hrist healed diseases, "ast out de#ils, rebu(ed the sea, "ured the
blind, $ed multitudes with $i#e loa#es and two $ishes, wal(ed on the sea, "ursed a $ig tree, turned
water into wine and raised the dead.
'atthew is the only one that tells about the Star and the 3ise 'en ** the only one that tells
about the murder o$ babes.
2ohn is the only one who says anything about the resurre"tion o$ .azarus, and .u(e is the only
one gi#ing an a""ount o$ the rising $rom the dead the widow o$ 5ain1s son.
<ow is it !ossible to substantiate these mira"les;
he 2ews, among whom they were said to ha#e been !er$ormed, did not belie#e them. he
diseased, the !alsied, the le!rous, the blind who were "ured, did not be"ome $ollowers o$ /hrist.
hose that were raised $rom the dead were ne#er heard o$ again.
9oes any intelligent man belie#e in the e4isten"e o$ de#ils; he writer o$ three o$ the gos!els
"ertainly did. 2ohn says nothing about /hrist ha#ing "ast out de#ils, but 'atthew, 'ar( and .u(e
gi#e many instan"es.
9oes any natural man now belie#e that /hrist "ast out de#ils; I$ his dis"i!les said he did, they
were mista(en. I$ /hrist said he did, he was insane or an im!ostor.
I$ the a""ounts o$ "asting out de#ils are $alse, then the writers were ignorant or dishonest. I$
they wrote through ignoran"e, then they were not ins!ired. I$ they wrote what they (new to be
$alse, they were not ins!ired. I$ what they wrote is untrue, whether they (new it or not, they were
not ins!ired.
)t that time it was belie#ed that !alsy, e!ile!sy, dea$ness, insanity and many other diseases
were "aused by de#ils+ that de#ils too( !ossession o$ and li#ed in the bodies o$ men and women.
/hrist belie#ed this, taught this belie$ to others, and !retended to "ure diseases by "asting de#ils out
o$ the si"( and insane. 3e (now now, i$ we (now anything, that diseases are not "aused by the
!resen"e o$ de#ils. 3e (now, i$ we (now anything, that de#ils do not reside in the bodies o$ men.
I$ /hrist said and did what the writers o$ the three gos!els say he said and did, then /hrist was
mista(en. I$ he was mista(en, "ertainly he was not God. )nd i$ he was mista(en, "ertainly he was
not ins!ired.
Is it a $a"t that the 9e#il tried to bribe /hrist;
Is it a $a"t that the 9e#il "arried /hrist to the to! o$ the tem!le and tried to indu"e him to lea!
to the ground;
<ow "an these mira"les be established;
he !rin"i!als ha#e written nothing, /hrist has written nothing, and the 9e#il has remained
silent.
<ow "an we (now that the 9e#il tried to bribe /hrist; 3ho wrote the a""ount; 3e do not
(now. <ow did the writer get his in$ormation; 3e do not (now.
Somebody, some se#enteen hundred years ago, said that the 9e#il tried to bribe God+ that the
9e#il "arried God to the to! o$ the tem!le and tried to indu"e him to lea! to the earth and that God
was intelle"tually too (een $or the 9e#il.
his is all the e#iden"e we ha#e.
Is there anything in the literature, o$ the world more !er$e"tly idioti";
Intelligent !eo!le no longer belie#e in wit"hes, wizards, s!oo(s and de#ils, and they are
!er$e"tly satis$ied that e#ery word in the 5ew estament about "asting out de#ils is utterly $alse.
/an we belie#e that /hrist raised the dead;
) widow li#ing in 5ain is $ollowing the body o$ her son to the tomb. /hrist halts the $uneral
!ro"ession and raises the young man $rom the dead and gi#es him ba"( to the arms o$ his mother.
his young man disa!!ears. <e is ne#er heard o$ again. 5o one ta(es the slightest interest in
the man who returned $rom the realm o$ death. .u(e is the only one who tells the story. 'aybe
'atthew, 'ar( and 2ohn ne#er heard o$ it, or did not belie#e it and so $ailed to re"ord it.
2ohn says that .azarus was raised $rom the dead+ 'atthew, 'ar( and .u(e say nothing about
it.
It was more wonder$ul than the raising o$ the widow1s son. <e had not been laid in the tomb
$or days. <e was only on his way to the gra#e, but .azarus was a"tually dead. <e had begun to
de"ay.
.azarus did not e4"ite the least interest. 5o one as(ed him about the other world. 5o one
in-uired o$ him about their dead $riends. 3hen he died the se"ond time no one said> =<e is not
a$raid. <e has tra#eled that road twi"e and (nows ,ust where he is going.=
3e do not belie#e in the mira"les o$ 'ohammed, and yet they are as well attested as this. 3e
ha#e no "on$iden"e in the mira"les !er$ormed by 2ose!h Smith, and yet the e#iden"e is $ar greater,
$ar better.
I$ a man should go about now !retending to raise the dead, !retending to "ast out de#ils, we
would regard him as insane. 3hat, then, "an we say o$ /hrist; I$ we wish to sa#e his re!utation we
are "om!elled to say that he ne#er !retended to raise the dead+ that he ne#er "laimed to ha#e "ast
out de#ils.
3e must ta(e the ground that these ignorant and im!ossible things were in#ented by zealous
dis"i!les, who sought to dei$y their leader.
In those ignorant days these $alsehoods added to the $ame o$ /hrist. But now they !ut his
"hara"ter in !eril and belittle the authors o$ the gos!els.
/an we now belie#e that water was "hanged into wine; 2ohn tells o$ this "hildish mira"le, and
says that the other dis"i!les were !resent, yet 'atthew, 'ar( and .u(e say nothing about it.
a(e the mira"le o$ the man "ured by the !ool o$ Bethseda. 2ohn says that an angel troubled the
waters o$ the !ool o$ Bethseda, and that whoe#er got into the !ool $irst a$ter the waters were
troubled was healed.
9oes anybody now belie#e that an angel went into the !ool and troubled the waters; 9oes
anybody now thin( that the !oor wret"h who got in $irst was healed; @et the author o$ the gos!el
a""ording to 2ohn belie#ed and asserted these absurdities. I$ he was mista(en about that he may
ha#e been about all the mira"les he re"ords.
2ohn is the only one who tells about this !ool o$ Bethseda. %ossibly the other dis"i!les did not
belie#e the story.
<ow "an we a""ount $or these !retended mira"les;
In the days o$ the dis"i!les, and $or many "enturies a$ter, the world was $illed with the
su!ernatural. 5early e#erything that ha!!ened was regarded as mira"ulous. God was the immediate
go#ernor o$ the world. I$ the !eo!le were good, God sent seed time and har#est+ but i$ they were
bad he sent $lood and hail, $rost and $amine. I$ anything wonder$ul ha!!ened it was e4aggerated
until it be"ame a mira"le.
:$ the order o$ e#ents ** o$ the unbro(en and the unbrea(able "hain o$ "auses and e$$e"ts ** the
!eo!le had no (nowledge and no thought.
) mira"le is the badge and brand o$ $raud. 5o mira"le e#er was !er$ormed. 5o intelligent,
honest man e#er !retended to !er$orm a mira"le, and ne#er will.
I$ /hrist had wrought the mira"les attributed to him+ i$ he had "ured the !alsied and insane+ i$
he had gi#en hearing to the dea$, #ision to the blind+ i$ he had "leansed the le!er with a word, and
with a tou"h had gi#en li$e and $eeling to the withered limb+ i$ he had gi#en !ulse and motion,
warmth and thought, to "old and breathless "lay+ i$ he had "on-uered death and res"ued $rom the
gra#e its !allid !rey ** no word would ha#e been uttered, no hand raised, e4"e!t in !raise and
honor. In his !resen"e all heads would ha#e been un"o#ered ** all (nees u!on the ground.
Is it not strange that at the trial o$ /hrist no one was $ound to say a word in his $a#or; 5o man
stood $orth and said> =I was a le!er, and this man "ured me with a tou"h.= 5o woman said> =I am
the widow o$ 5ain and this is my son whom this man raised $rom the dead.=
5o man said> =I was blind, and this man ga#e me sight.=
)ll silent.
%III. The $hilosoph+ of Christ
'illions assert that the !hiloso!hy o$ /hrist is !er$e"t ** that he was the wisest that e#er uttered
s!ee"h.
.et us see>
Resist not e#il. I$ smitten on one "hee( turn the other.
Is there any !hiloso!hy, any wisdom in this; /hrist ta(es $rom goodness, $rom #irtue, $rom the
truth, the right o$ sel$*de$en"e. Ei"e be"omes the master o$ the world, and the good be"ome the
#i"tims o$ the in$amous.
5o man has the right to !rote"t himsel$, his !ro!erty, his wi$e and "hildren. Go#ernment
be"omes im!ossible, and the world is at the mer"y o$ "riminals. Is there any absurdity beyond this;
.o#e your enemies.
Is this !ossible; 9id any human being e#er lo#e his enemies; 9id /hrist lo#e his, when he
denoun"ed them as whited se!ul"hers, hy!o"rites and #i!ers;
3e "annot lo#e those who hate us. <atred in the hearts o$ others does not breed lo#e in ours.
5ot to resist e#il is absurd+ to lo#e your enemies is im!ossible.
a(e no thought $or the morrow.
he idea was that God would ta(e "are o$ us as he did o$ s!arrows and lilies. Is there the least
sense in that belie$;
9oes God ta(e "are o$ anybody;
/an we li#e without ta(ing thought $or the morrow; o !low, to sow, to "ulti#ate, to har#est, is
to ta(e thought $or the morrow. 3e !lan and wor( $or the $uture, $or our "hildren, $or the unborn
generations to "ome. 3ithout this $orethought there "ould be no !rogress, no "i#ilization. he
world would go ba"( to the "a#es and dens o$ sa#agery.
I$ thy right eye o$$end thee, !lu"( it out. I$ thy right hand o$$end thee, "ut it o$$.
3hy; Be"ause it is better that one o$ our members should !erish than that the whole body
should be "ast into hell.
Is there any wisdom in !utting out your eyes or "utting o$$ your hands; Is it !ossible to e4tra"t
$rom these e4tra#agant sayings the smallest grain o$ "ommon sense;
Swear not at all+ neither by <ea#en, $or it is God1s throne+ nor by the &arth, $or it is his
$ootstool+ nor by 2erusalem, $or it is his holy "ity.
<ere we $ind the astronomy and geology o$ /hrist. <ea#en is the throne o$ God, the monar"h+
the earth is his $ootstool. ) $ootstool that turns o#er at the rate o$ a thousand miles an hour, and
swee!s through s!a"e at the rate o$ o#er a thousand miles a minute?
3here did /hrist thin( hea#en was; 3hy was 2erusalem a holy "ity; 3as it be"ause the
inhabitants were ignorant, "rud and su!erstitious;
I$ any man will sue thee at the law and ta(e away thy "oat let him ha#e thy "loa( also.
Is there any !hiloso!hy, any good sense, in that "ommandment; 3ould it not be ,ust as
sensible to say> =I$ a man obtains a ,udgment against you $or one hundred dollars, gi#e him two
hundred.=
:nly the insane "ould gi#e or $ollow this ad#i"e.
hin( not I "ome to send !ea"e on earth. I "ame not to send !ea"e, but a sword. 0or I am "ome
to set a man at #arian"e against his $ather, and the daughter against her mother.
I$ this is true, how mu"h better it would ha#e been had he remained away.
Is it !ossible that he who said, =Resist not e#il,= "ame to bring a sword; hat he who said,
=.o#e your enemies,= "ame to destroy the !ea"e o$ the world;
o set $ather against son, and daughter against $ather ** what a glorious mission?
<e did bring a sword, and the sword was wet $or a thousand years with inno"ent blood. In
millions o$ hearts he sowed the seeds o$ hatred and re#enge. <e di#ided nations and $amilies, !ut
out the light o$ reason, and !etri$ied the hearts o$ men.
)nd e#ery one that hath $orsa(en house, or breathren, or sisters, or $ather, or mother, or wi$e,
or "hildren, or lands, $or my name1s sa(e, shall re"ei#e an hundred$old, and shall inherit e#erlasting
li$e.
)""ording to the writer o$ 'atthew, /hrist, the "om!assionate, the mer"i$ul, uttered these
terrible words. Is it !ossible that /hrist o$$ered the bribe o$ eternal ,oy to those who would desert
their $athers, their mothers, their wi#es and "hildren; )re we to win the ha!!iness o$ hea#en by
deserting the ones we lo#e; Is a home to be ruined here $or the sa(e o$ a mansion there;
)nd yet it is said that /hrist is an e4am!le $or all the world. 9id he desert his $ather and
mother; <e said, s!ea(ing to his mother> =3oman, what ha#e I to do with thee;=
he %harisees said unto /hrist> =Is it law$ul to !ay tribute unto /aesar;
/hrist said> =Show me the tribute money.=hey brought him a !enny. )nd he saith unto them>
=3hose is the image and the su!ers"ri!tion; =hey said> =/aesar1s.= )nd /hrist said> =Render unto
/aesar the things that are /aesar1s.=
9id /hrist thin( that the money belonged to /aesar be"ause his image and su!ers"ri!tion were
stam!ed u!on it; 9id the !enny belong to /aesar or to the man who had earned it; <ad /aesar the
right to demand it be"ause it was adorned with his image;
9oes it a!!ear $rom this "on#ersation that /hrist understood the real nature and use o$ money;
/an we now say that /hrist was the greatest o$ !hiloso!hers;
I,. Is Christ o-r e.ample?
<e ne#er said a word in $a#or o$ edu"ation. <e ne#er e#en hinted at the e4isten"e o$ any
s"ien"e. <e ne#er uttered a word in $a#or o$ industry, e"onomy or o$ any e$$ort to better our
"ondition in this world. <e was the enemy o$ the su""ess$ul, o$ the wealthy. 9i#es was sent to hell,
not be"ause he was bad, but be"ause he was ri"h. .azarus went to hea#en, not be"ause he was
good, but be"ause he was !oor.
/hrist "ared nothing $or !ainting, $or s"ul!ture, $or musi" ** nothing $or any art. <e said
nothing about the duties o$ nation to nation, o$ (ing to sub,e"t+ nothing about the rights o$ man+
nothing about intelle"tual liberty or the $reedom o$ s!ee"h. <e said nothing about the sa"redness o$
home+ not one word $or the $ireside+ not a word in $a#or o$ marriage, in honor o$ maternity.
<e ne#er married. <e wandered homeless $rom !la"e to !la"e with a $ew dis"i!les. 5one o$
them seem to ha#e been engaged in any use$ul business, and they seem to ha#e li#ed on alms.
)ll human ties were held in "ontem!t+ this world was sa"ri$i"ed $or the ne4t+ all human e$$ort
was dis"ouraged. God would su!!ort and !rote"t.
)t last, in the dus( o$ death, /hrist, $inding that he was mista(en, "ried out> ='y God 'y
God? 3hy hast thou $orsa(en me;=
3e ha#e $ound that man must de!end on himsel$. <e must "lear the land+ he must build the
home+ he must !low and !lant+ he must in#ent+ he must wor( with hand and brain+ he must
o#er"ome the di$$i"ulties and obstru"tions+ he must "on-uer and ensla#e the $or"es o$ nature to the
end that they may do the wor( o$ the world.
,. &h+ sho-ld 'e pla/e Christ at the top and s-mmit of the h-man ra/e?
3as he (inder, more $orgi#ing, more sel$*sa"ri$i"ing than Buddha; 3as he wiser, did he meet
death with more !er$e"t "almness, than So"rates; 3as he more !atient, more "haritable, than
&!i"tetus; 3as he a greater !hiloso!her, a dee!er thin(er, than &!i"urus; In what res!e"t was he
the su!erior o$ Doroaster; 3as he gentler than .ao*tsze, more uni#ersal than /on$u"ius; 3ere his
ideas o$ human rights and duties su!erior to those o$ Deno; 9id he e4!ress grander truths than
/i"ero; 3as his mind subtler than S!inoza1s; 3as his brain e-ual to 8e!ler1s or 5ewton1s; 3as he
grander in death ** a sublimer martyr than Bruno; 3as he in intelligen"e, in the $or"e and beauty o$
e4!ression, in breadth and s"o!e o$ thought, in wealth o$ illustration, in a!tness o$ "om!arison, in
(nowledge o$ the human brain and heart, o$ all !assions, ho!es and $ears, the e-ual o$ Sha(es!eare,
the greatest o$ the human ra"e;
I$ /hrist was in $a"t God, he (new all the $uture. Be$ore him li(e a !anorama mo#ed the
history yet to be. <e (new how his words would be inter!reted. <e (new what "rimes, what
horrors, what in$amies, would be "ommitted in his name. <e (new that the hungry $lames o$
!erse"ution would "limb around the limbs o$ "ountless martyrs. <e (new that+ thousands and
thousands o$ bra#e men and women would languish in dungeons in dar(ness, $illed with !ain. <e
(new that his "hur"h would in#ent and use instruments o$ torture+ that his $ollowers would a!!eal
to whi! and $agot, to "hain and ra"(. <e saw the horizon o$ the $uture lurid with the $lames o$ the
auto da $e. <e (new what "reeds would s!ring li(e !oisonous $ungi $rom e#ery te4t. <e saw the
ignorant se"ts waging war against ea"h other. <e saw thousands o$ men, under the orders o$ !riests,
building !risons $or their $ellow*men. <e saw thousands o$ s"a$$olds dri!!ing with the best and
bra#est blood. <e saw his $ollowers using the instruments o$ !ain. <e heard the groans ** saw the
$a"es white with agony. <e heard the shrie(s and sobs and "ries o$ all the moaning, martyred
multitudes. <e (new that "ommentaries would be written on his words with swords, to be read by
the light o$ $agots. <e (new that the In-uisition would be born o$ the tea"hings attributed to him.
<e saw the inter!olations and $alsehoods that hy!o"risy would write and tell. <e saw all wars
that would he waged, and he (new that abo#e these $ields o$ death, these dungeons, these ra"(ings,
these burnings, these e4e"utions, $or a thousand years would $loat the dri!!ing banner o$ the "ross.
<e (new that hy!o"risy would be robed and "rowned ** that "ruelty and "redulity would rule
the world+ (new that liberty would !erish $rom the earth+ (new that !o!es and (ings in his name
would ensla#e the souls and bodies o$ men+ (new that they would !erse"ute and destroy the
dis"o#erers, thin(ers and in#entors+ (new that his "hur"h would e4tinguish reason1s holy light and
lea#e the world without a star.
<e saw his dis"i!les e4tinguishing the eyes o$ men, $laying them ali#e, "utting out their
tongues, sear"hing $or all the ner#es o$ !ain.
<e (new that in his name his $ollowers would trade in human $lesh+ that "radles would be
robbed and women1s breasts unbabed $or gold.
)nd yet he died with #oi"eless li!s.
3hy did he $ail to s!ea(; 3hy did he not tell his dis"i!les, and through them the world> =@ou
shall not burn, im!rison and torture in my name. @ou shall not !erse"ute your $ellow*men.=
3hy did he not !lainly say> =I am the Son o$ God,= or, =I am God=; 3hy did he not e4!lain the
rinity; 3hy did he not tell the mode o$ ba!tism that was !leasing to him; 3hy did he not write a
"reed; 3hy did he not brea( the "hains o$ sla#es; 3hy did he not say that the :ld estament was
or was not the ins!ired word o$ God; 3hy did he not write the 5ew estament himsel$; 3hy did
he lea#e his words to ignoran"e, hy!o"risy and "han"e; 3hy did he not say something !ositi#e,
de$inite and satis$a"tory about another world; 3hy did he not turn the tear*stained ho!e o$ hea#en
into the glad (nowledge o$ another li$e; 3hy did he not tell us something o$ the rights o$ man, o$
the liberty o$ hand and brain;
3hy did he go dumbly to his death, lea#ing the world to misery and to doubt;
I will tell you why. <e was a man, and did not (now.
,I. Inspiration
5ot be$ore about the third "entury was it "laimed or belie#ed that the boo(s "om!osing the
5ew estament were ins!ired.
It will be remembered that there were a great number o$ boo(s, o$ Gos!els, &!istles and )"ts,
and that $rom these the =ins!ired= ones were sele"ted by =unins!ired= men.
Between the =0athers= there were great di$$eren"es o$ o!inion as to whi"h boo(s were ins!ired+
mu"h dis"ussion and !lenty o$ hatred. 'any o$ the boo(s now deemed s!urious were by many o$
the =0athers= regarded as di#ine, and some now regarded as ins!ired were belie#ed to be s!urious.
'any o$ the early /hristians and some o$ the =0athers= re!udiated the Gos!el o$ 2ohn, the &!istle
to the <ebrews, 2ade, 2ames, %eter, and the Re#elation o$ St. 2ohn. :n the other hand, many o$
them regarded the Gos!el o$ the <ebrews, o$ the &gy!tians, the %rea"hing o$ %eter, the She!herd o$
<ermas, the &!istle o$ Bar nabas, the %astor o$ <ermas, the Re#elation o$ %eter, the Re#elation o$
%aul, the &!istle o$ /lement, the Gos!el o$ 5i"odemus, ins!ired boo(s, e-ual to the #ery best.
0rom all these boo(s, and many others, the /hristians sele"ted the ins!ired ones.
he men who did the sele"ting were ignorant and su!erstitious. hey were $irm belie#ers in the
mira"ulous. hey thought that diseases had been "ured by the a!rons and hand(er"hie$s o$ the
a!ostles, by the bones o$ the dead. hey belie#ed in the $able o$ the %hoeni4, and that the hyenas
"hanged their se4 e#ery year.
3ere the men who through many "enturies made the sele"tions ins!ired; 3ere they **
ignorant, "redulous, stu!id and mali"ious ** as well -uali$ied to ,udge o$ =ins!iration= as the
students o$ our time; <ow are we bound by their o!inion; <a#e we not the right to ,udge $or
oursel#es;
&rasmus, one o$ the leaders o$ the Re$ormation, de"lared that the &!istle to the <ebrews was
not written by %aul, and he denied the ins!iration o$ Se"ond and hird 2ohn, and also o$ Re#elation.
.uther was o$ the same o!inion. <e de"lared 2ames to be an e!istle o$ straw, and denied the
ins!iration o$ Re#elation. Dwinglius re,e"ted the boo( o$ Re#elation, and e#en /al#in denied that
%aul was the author o$ <ebrews.
he truth is that the %rotestants did not agree as to what boo(s are ins!ired until 1G4A, by the
)ssembly o$ 3estminster.
o !ro#e that a boo( is ins!ired you must !ro#e the e4isten"e o$ God. @ou must also !ro#e that
this God thin(s, a"ts, has ob,e"ts, ends and aims. his is somewhat di$$i"ult.
It is im!ossible to "on"ei#e o$ an in$inite being. <a#ing no "on"e!tion o$ an in$inite being, it is
im!ossible to tell whether all the $a"ts we (now tend to !ro#e or dis!ro#e the e4isten"e o$ su"h a
being.
God is a guess. I$ the e4isten"e o$ God is admitted, how are we to !ro#e that he ins!ired the
writers o$ the boo(s o$ the Bible;
<ow "an one man establish the ins!iration o$ another; <ow "an an ins!ired man !ro#e that he
is ins!ired; <ow "an he (now himsel$ that he is ins!ired; here is no way to !ro#e the $a"t o$
ins!iration. he only e#iden"e is the word o$ some man who "ould by no !ossibility (now anything
on the sub,e"t.
3hat is ins!iration; 9id God use men as instruments; 9id he "ause them to write his
thoughts; 9id he ta(e !ossession o$ their minds and destroy their wills;
3ere these writers only !artly "ontrolled, so that their mista(es, their ignoran"e and their
!re,udi"es were mingled with the wisdom o$ God;
<ow are we to se!arate the mista(es o$ man $rom the thoughts o$ God; /an we do this without
being ins!ired oursel#es; I$ the original writers were ins!ired, then the translators should ha#e
been, and so should be the men who tell us what the Bible means.
<ow is it !ossible $or a human being to (now that he is ins!ired by an in$inite being; But o$
one thing we may be "ertain> )n ins!ired boo( should "ertainly e4"el all the boo(s !rodu"ed by
unins!ired men. It should, abo#e all, be true, $illed with wisdom, blossoming in beauty ** !er$e"t.
'inisters wonder how I "an be wi"(ed enough to atta"( the Bible.
I will tell them> his boo(, the Bible, has !erse"uted, e#en unto death, the wisest and the best.
his boo( stayed and sto!!ed the onward mo#ement o$ the human ra"e. his boo( !oisoned the
$ountains o$ learning and misdire"ted the energies o$ man.
his boo( is the enemy o$ $reedom, the su!!ort o$ sla#ery. his boo( sowed the seeds o$ hatred
in $amilies and nations, $ed the $lames o$ war, and im!o#erished the world. his boo( is the
breastwor( o$ (ings and tyrants ** the ensla#er o$ women and "hildren. his boo( has "orru!ted
!arliaments and "ourts. his boo( has made "olleges and uni#ersities the tea"hers o$ error and the
haters o$ s"ien"e. his boo( has $illed /hristendom with hate$ul, "ruel, ignorant and warring se"ts.
his boo( taught men to (ill their $ellows $or religion1s sa(e. his boo( $unded the In-uisition,
in#ented the instruments o$ torture, built the dungeons in whi"h the good and lo#ing languished,
$orged the "hains that rusted in their $lesh, ere"ted the s"a$$olds whereon they died. his boo( !iled
$agots about the $eet o$ the ,ust. his boo( dro#e reason $rom the minds o$ millions and $illed the
asylums with the insane.
his boo( has "aused $athers and mothers to shed the blood o$ their babes. his boo( was the
au"tion blo"( on whi"h the sla#e* mother stood when she was sold $rom her "hild. his boo( $illed
the sails o$ the sla#e*trader and made mer"handise o$ human $lesh. his boo( lighted the $ires that
burned =wit"hes= and =wizards.= his boo( $illed the dar(ness with ghouls and ghosts, and the
bodies o$ men and women with de#ils. his boo( !olluted the souls o$ men with the in$amous
dogma o$ eternal !ain. his boo( made "redulity the greatest o$ #irtues, and in#estigation the
greatest o$ "rimes. his boo( $illed nations with hermits, mon(s and nuns ** with the !ious and the
useless. his boo( !la"ed the ignorant and un"lean saint abo#e the !hiloso!her and !hilanthro!ist.
his boo( taught man to des!ise the ,oys o$ this li$e, that he might be ha!!y in another ** to waste
this world $or the sa(e o$ the ne4t.
I atta"( this boo( be"ause it is the enemy o$ human liberty ** the greatest obstru"tion a"ross the
highway o$ human !rogress.
.et me as( the ministers one -uestion> <ow "an you be wi"(ed enough to de$end this boo(;
,II. The Real Bible
0or thousands o$ years, men ha#e been writing the real Bible, and it is being written $rom day
to day, and it will ne#er be $inished while man has li$e. )ll the $a"ts that we (now, all the truly
re"orded e#ents, all the dis"o#eries and in#entions, all the wonder$ul ma"hines whose wheels and
le#ers seem to thin(, all the !oems, "rystals $rom the brain, $lowers $rom the heart, all the songs o$
lo#e and ,oy, o$ smiles and tears, the great dramas o$ Imagination1s world, the wondrous !aintings,
mira"les o$ $orm and "olor, o$ light and shade, the mar#elous marbles that seem to li#e and breathe,
the se"rets told by ro"( and star, by dust and $lower, by rain and snow, by $rost and $lame, by
winding stream and desert sand, by mountain range and billowed sea.
)ll the wisdom that lengthens and ennobles li$e, all that a#oids or "ures disease, or "on-uers
!ain ** all ,ust and !er$e"t laws and rules that guide and sha!e our li#es, all thoughts that $eed the
$lames o$ lo#e the musi" that trans$igures, enra!tures and enthralls the #i"tories o$ heart and brain,
the mira"les that hands ha#e wrought, the de$t and "unning hands o$ those who wor(ed $or wi$e and
"hild, the histories o$ noble deeds, o$ bra#e and use$ul men, o$ $aith$ul lo#ing wi#es, o$ -uen"hless
mother*lo#e, o$ "on$li"ts $or the right, o$ su$$erings $or the truth, o$ all the best that all the men and
women o$ the world ha#e said, and thought and done through all the years.
hese treasures o$ the heart and brain ** these are the Sa"red S"ri!tures o$ the human ra"e.
Ingersoll1s .e"ture on
The Bible
he true Bible a!!eals to man in the name o$ demonstration. It has nothing to "on"eal. It has
no $ear o$ being read, o$ being "ontradi"ted, o$ being in#estigated and understood. It does not
!retend to be holy or sa"red+ it sim!ly "laims to be true. It "hallenges the s"rutiny o$ all, and
im!lores e#ery reader to #eri$y e#ery line $or himsel$. It is in"a!able o$ being blas!hemed. his
boo( a!!eals to all the surroundings o$ man. &a"h thing that e4ists testi$ies o$ its !er$e"tion. he
earth, with its heart o$ $ire and "rowns o$ snow+ with its $orests and !lains, its ro"(s and seas+ with
its e#ery wa#e and "loud+ with its e#ery lea$ and bud and $lower, "on$irms its e#ery word, and the
solemn stars, shining in the in$inite abysses, are the e4ternal witnesses o$ its truth.
I will tell you what I mean by ins!iration. I go and loo( at the sea, and the sea says something
to me+ it ma(es an im!ression u!on my mind. hat im!ression de!ends, $irst, u!on my e4!erien"e+
se"ondly, u!on my intelle"tual "a!a"ity. )nother loo(s u!on the same sea. <e has a di$$erent brain,
he has had a di$$erent e4!erien"e, he has di$$erent memories and di$$erent ho!es. he sea may
s!ea( to him o$ ,oy and to me o$ grie$ and sorrow. he sea "annot tell the same thing to two beings,
be"ause no two human beings ha#e had the same e4!erien"e. So, when I loo( u!on a $lower, or a
star, or a !ainting, or a statue, the more I (now about s"ul!ture the more that statue s!ea(s to me.
he more I ha#e had o$ human e4!erien"e, the more I ha#e read. he greater brain I ha#e, the more
the star says to me. In other words, nature says to me all that I am "a!able o$ understanding.
hin( o$ a God wi"(ed and mali"ious enough to ins!ire this !rayer in the 1F9th %salm? hin(
o$ one in$amous enough to answer it? <ad this ins!ired %salm been $ound in some tem!le ere"ted
$or the worshi! o$ sna(es, or in the !ossession o$ some "annibal (ing, written with blood u!on the
dried s(ins o$ babes, there would ha#e been a !er$e"t harmony between its surroundings and its
sentiments.
5ow, I read the bible, and I $ind that God so lo#ed this world that he made u! his mind to
damn the most o$ us. I ha#e read this boo( and what shall I say o$ it; I belie#e it is generally better
to be honest. 5ow, I don1t belie#e the bible. <ad I not better say so; hey say that i$ you do you
will regret it when you "ome to die. I$ that be true, I (now a great many religious !eo!le who will
ha#e no "ause to regret itIthey don1t tell their honest "on#i"tions about the bible.
he bible was the real !erse"utor. he bible burned hereti"s, built dungeons, $ounded the
In-uisition, and tram!led u!on all the liberties o$ men. <ow long, : how long, will man(ind
worshi! a boo(; <ow long will they gro#el in the dust be$ore the ignorant legends o$ the barbari"
!ast; <ow long, : how long, will they !ursue !hantoms in a dar(ness dee!er than death;
he belie#ers in the bible are loud in their denun"iation o$ what they are !leased to "all the
immoral literature o$ the world+ and yet $ew boo(s ha#e been !ublished "ontaining more moral $ilth
than this ins!ired word o$ God. hese stories are not redeemed by a single $lash o$ wit or humor.
hey ne#er rise abo#e the dull details o$ stu!id #i"e. 0or one, I "annot a$$ord to soil my !ages with
e4tra"ts $rom them+ and all su"h !ortions o$ the s"ri!tures I lea#e to be e4amined, written u!on, and
e4!lained by the "lergy. /lergymen may (now some way by whi"h they "an e4tra"t honey $rom
these $lowers. Bntil these !assages are e4!unged $rom the :ld estament, it is not a $it boo( to be
read by either old or young. It "ontains !ages that no minister in the Bnited States would read to his
"ongregation $or any reward whate#er. here are "ha!ters that no gentleman would read in the
!resen"e o$ a lady. here are "ha!ters that no $ather would read to his "hild. here are narrati#es
utterly un$it to be told+ and the time will "ome when man(ind will wonder that su"h a boo( was
e#er "alled ins!ired.
But as long as the bible is "onsidered as the wor( o$ God, it will be hard to ma(e all men too
good and !ure to imitate it+ and as long as it is imitated there will be #ile and $ilthy boo(s. he
literature o$ our "ountry will not be sweet and "lean until the bible "eases to be regarded as the
!rodu"tion o$ a god.
In the days o$ homas %aine the "hur"h belie#ed and taught that e#ery word in the bible was
absolutely true. Sin"e his day it has been !ro#en $alse in its "osmogony, $alse in its astronomy, $alse
in its "hronology, $alse in its history, and so $ar as the :ld estament is "on"erned, $alse in almost
e#erything. here are but $ew, i$ any, s"ienti$i" men who a!!rehend that the bible is literally true.
3ho on earth at this day would !retend to settle any s"ienti$i" -uestion by a te4t $rom the bible;
he old belie$ is "on$ined to the ignorant and zealous. he "hur"h itsel$ will be$ore long be dri#en
to o""u!y the !osition o$ homas %aine?
I lo#e any man who ga#e me, or hel!ed to gi#e me, the liberty I en,oy tonight. I lo#e e#ery
man who hel!ed !ut our $lag in hea#en. I lo#e e#ery man who has li$ted his #oi"e in all the ages $or
liberty, $or a "hainless body, and a $etterless brain. I lo#e e#ery man who has gi#en to e#ery other
human being e#ery right that he "laimed $or himsel$. I lo#e e#ery man who thought more o$
!rin"i!le than he did o$ !osition. I lo#e the men who ha#e tram!led "rowns beneath their $eet that
they might do something $or man(ind.
he best minds o$ the orthodo4 world, today, are endea#oring to !ro#e the e4isten"e o$ a
!ersonal 9eity. )ll other -uestions o""u!y a minor !la"e. @ou are no longer as(ed to swallow the
bible whole, whale, 2onah and all+ you are sim!ly re-uired to belie#e in God, and !ay your !ew*
rent. here is not now an enlightened minister in the world who will seriously "ontend that
Samson1s strength was in his hair, or that the ne"roman"ers o$ &gy!t "ould turn water into blood,
and !ie"es o$ wood into ser!ents. hese $ollies ha#e !assed away.
0or my !art, I would in$initely !re$er to (now all the results o$ s"ienti$i" in#estigation than to
be ins!ired as 'oses was. Su!!osing the bible to be true+ why is it any worse or more wi"(ed $or
$ree*thin(ers to deny it, than $or !riests to deny the do"trine o$ e#olution, or the dynami" theory o$
heat; 3hy should we be damned $or laughing at Samson and his $o4es, while others, holding the
nebular hy!othesis in utter "ontem!t, go straight to hea#en;
5ow when I "ome to a boo(, $or instan"e, I read the writings o$ Sha(es!eareISha(es!eare,
the greatest human being who e#er e4isted u!on this globe. 3hat do I get out o$ him; )ll that I
ha#e sense enough to understand. I get my little "u! $ull. .et another read him who (nows nothing
o$ the drama, who (nows nothing o$ the im!ersonation o$ !assion+ what does he get $rom him;
Eery little. In other words, e#ery man gets $rom a boo(, a $lower, a star, or the sea, what he is able
to get $rom his intelle"tual de#elo!ment and e4!erien"e. 9o you then belie#e that the bible is a
di$$erent boo( to e#ery human being that re"ei#es it; I do. /an God, then, through the bible, ma(e
the same re#elation to two men; <e "annot. 3hy; Be"ause the man who reads is the man who
ins!ires. Ins!iration is in the man and not in the boo(.
he real o!!ressor, ensla#er and "orru!ter o$ the !eo!le is the bible. hat boo( is the "hain that
binds, the dungeon that holds the "lergy. hat boo( s!reads the !all o$ su!erstition o#er the "olleges
and s"hools. hat boo( !uts out the eyes o$ s"ien"e, and ma(es honest in#estigation a "rime. hat
boo( unmans the !oliti"ian and degrades the !eo!le. hat boo( $ills the world with bigotry,
hy!o"risy and $ear.
Eolumes might be written u!on the in$inite absurdity o$ this most in"redible, wi"(ed and
$oolish o$ all the $ables "ontained in that re!ository o$ the im!ossible, "alled the bible. o me it is a
matter o$ amazement that it e#er was $or a moment belie#ed by any intelligent human being.
Is it not in$initely more reasonable to say that this boo( is the wor( o$ man, that it is $illed with
mingled truth and error, with mista(es and $a"ts, and re$le"ts, too $aith$ully !erha!s, the =#ery $orm
and !ressure o$ its time;= I$ there are mista(es in the bible, "ertainly they were made by man. I$
there is anything "ontrary to nature, it was written by man. I$ there is anything immoral, "ruel,
heartless or in$amous, it "ertainly was ne#er written by a being worthy o$ the adoration o$ man(ind.
It stri(es me that God might write a boo( that would not ne"essarily e4"ite the laughter o$ his
"hildren. In $a"t, I thin( it would be sa$e to say that a real god "ould !rodu"e a wor( that would
e4"ite the admiration o$ man(ind.
he man who now regards the :ld estament as, in any sense, a sa"red or ins!ired boo( is, in
my ,udgment, an intelle"tual and moral de$ormity. here is in it so mu"h that is "ruel, ignorant and
$ero"ious that it is to me a matter o$ amazement that it was e#er thought to be the wor( o$ a most
mer"i$ul deity.
)dmitting that the bible is the boo( o$ God, is that <is only good ,ob; 3ill not a man be
damned as -ui"( $or denying the e-uator as denying the bible; 3ill he not be damned as -ui"( $or
denying geology as $or denying the s"heme o$ sal#ation; 3hen the bible was $irst written it was not
belie#ed. <ad they (nown as mu"h about s"ien"e as we (now now, that bible would not ha#e been
written.
&#ery se"t is a "erti$i"ate that God has not !lainly re#ealed <is will to man. o ea"h reader the
bible "on#eys a di$$erent meaning. )bout the meaning o$ this boo(, "alled a re#elation, there ha#e
been ages o$ war and "enturies o$ sword and $lame. I$ written by an in$inite God, <e must ha#e
(nown that these results must $ollow+ and thus (nowing, <e must be res!onsible $or all.
%aine thought the barbarities o$ the :ld estament in"onsistent with what he deemed the real
"hara"ter o$ God. <e belie#ed that murder, massa"re and indis"riminate slaughter had ne#er been
"ommanded by the 9eity. <e regarded mu"h o$ the bible as "hildish, unim!ortant and $oolish. he
s"ienti$i" world entertains the same s!irit in whi"h he had atta"(ed the !retensions o$ (ings. <e
used the same wea!ons. )ll the !om! in the world "ould not ma(e him "ower. <is reason (new no
=<oly o$ <olies,= e4"e!t the abode o$ ruth.
5othing "an be "learer than that 'oses re"ei#ed $rom the &gy!tians the !rin"i!al !arts o$ his
narrati#e, ma(ing su"h "hanges and additions as were ne"essary to satis$y the !e"uliar su!erstitions
o$ his own !eo!le.
)""ording to the theologians, God, the 0ather o$ us all, wrote a letter to <is "hildren. he
"hildren ha#e always di$$ered somewhat as to the meaning o$ this letter. In "onse-uen"e o$ these
honest di$$i"ulties, these brothers began to "ut out ea"h other1s hearts. In e#ery land, where this
letter $rom God has been read, the "hildren to whom and $or whom it was written ha#e been $illed
with hatred and mali"e. hey ha#e im!risoned and murdered ea"h other, and the wi#es and "hildren
o$ ea"h other. In the name o$ God e#ery !ossible "rime has been "ommitted+ e#ery "on"ei#able
outrage has been !er!etrated. Bra#e men, tender and lo#ing women, beauti$ul girls and !rattling
babes ha#e been e4terminated in the name o$ 2esus /hrist.
he "hur"h has burned honesty and rewarded hy!o"risy. )nd all this, be"ause it was
"ommanded by a boo(Ia boo( that men had been taught im!li"itly to belie#e, long be$ore they
(new one word that was in it. hey had been taught that to doubt the truth o$ this boo(Ito
e4amine it, e#enIwas a "rime o$ su"h enormity that it "ould not be $orgi#en, either in this world or
in the ne4t.
)ll that is ne"essary, as it seems to me, to "on#in"e any reasonable !erson that the bible is
sim!ly and !urely o$ human in#entionIo$ barbarian in#entionIis to read it. Read it as you would
any other boo(+ thin( o$ it as you would any other+ get the bandage o$ re#eren"e $rom your eyes+
dri#e $rom your heart the !hantom o$ $ear+ !ush $rom the throne o$ you brain the "owled $orm o$
su!erstitionIthen read the holy bible, and you will be amazed that you e#er, $or one moment,
su!!osed a being o$ in$inite wisdom, goodness and !urity, to be the author o$ su"h ignoran"e and
su"h atro"ity.
3hether the bible is $alse or true, is o$ no "onse-uen"e in "om!arison with the mental $reedom
o$ the ra"e. Sal#ation through sla#ery is worthless. Sal#ation $rom sla#ery is inestimable. )s long
as man belie#es the bible to be in$allible, that boo( is his master. he "i#ilization o$ this "entury is
not the "hild o$ $aith, but o$ unbelie$Ithe result o$ $ree thought.
3hat man who e#er thin(s, "an belie#e that blood "an a!!ease God; )nd yet our entire system
o$ religion is based on that belie$. he 2ews !a"i$ied 2eho#ah with the blood o$ animals, and
a""ording to the /hristian system, the blood o$ 2esus so$tened the heart o$ God a little, and rendered
!ossible the sal#ation o$ a $ortunate $ew.
It is hard to "on"ei#e how any sane man "an read the bible and still belie#e in the do"trine o$
ins!iration.
he bible was originally written in the <ebrew language, and the <ebrew language at that time
had no #owels in writing. It was written entirely with "onsonants, and without being di#ided into
"ha!ters and #erses, and there was no system o$ !un"tuation whate#er. )$ter you go home to*night
write an &nglish senten"e or two with only "onsonants "lose together, and you will $ind that it will
ta(e twi"e as mu"h ins!iration to read it as it did to write it.
he real bible is not the result o$ ins!ired men, nor !ro!hets, nor e#angelists, nor "hrists. he
real bible has not been written, but is being written. &#ery man who $inds a $a"t adds a word to this
great boo(.
he bad !assages in the bible are not ins!ired. 5o god e#er ordered a soldier to sheathe his
sword in the breast o$ a mother. 5o god e#er ordered a warrior to but"her a smiling, !rattling babe.
5o god e#er u!held tyranny. 5o god e#er said, be sub,e"t to the !owers that be. 5o god endea#ored
to ma(e man a sla#e and woman a beast o$ burden. here are thousands o$ good !assages in the
bible. 'any o$ them are true. here are in it wise laws, good "ustoms, some lo$ty and s!lendid
things. )nd I do not "are whether they are ins!ired or not, so they are true. But what I do insist
u!on is that the bad is not ins!ired.
here is no ho!e $or you. It is ,ust as bad to deny hell as it is to deny hea#en. %ro$. Swing says
the bible is a !oem. 9r. Ryder says it is a !i"ture. he Garden o$ &den is !i"torial+ a !i"torial sna(e
and a !i"torial woman, I su!!ose, and a !i"torial man, and may be it was a !i"torial sin. )nd only a
!i"torial atonement?
'an must learn to rely on himsel$. Reading bibles will not !rote"t him $rom the blasts o$
winter, but houses, $ire and "lothing will. o !re#ent $amine one !low is worth a million sermons,
and e#en !atent medi"ines will "ure more diseases than all the !rayers uttered sin"e the beginning
o$ the world.
&hat &o-ld Yo- S-bstit-te for the Bible as a 0oral )-ide?
Robert G. Ingersoll
www.in$idels.org/library/histori"al/robertJingersoll/bibleJsubstitute.html
@ou as( me what I would =substitute $or the Bible as a moral guide.=
I (now that many !eo!le regard the Bible as the only moral guide and belie#e that in that boo(
only "an be $ound the true and !er$e"t standard o$ morality.
here are many good !re"e!ts, many wise sayings and many good regulations and laws in the
Bible, and these are mingled with bad !re"e!ts, with $oolish sayings, with absurd rules and "ruel
laws.
But we must remember that the Bible is a "olle"tion o$ many boo(s written "enturies a!art and
that it in !art re!resents the growth and tells in !art the history o$ a !eo!le. 3e must also
remember that the writers treat o$ many sub,e"ts. 'any o$ these writers ha#e nothing to say about
right or wrong, about #i"e or #irtue.
he boo( o$ Genesis has nothing about morality. here is not a line in it "al"ulated to shed
light on the !ath o$ "ondu"t. 5o one "an "all that boo( a moral guide. It is made u! o$ myth and
mira"le, o$ tradition and legend.
In &4odus we ha#e an a""ount o$ the manner in whi"h 2eho#ah deli#ered the 2ews $rom
&gy!tian bondage.
3e now (now that the 2ews were ne#er ensla#ed by the &gy!tians+ that the entire story is a
$i"tion. 3e (now this be"ause there is not $ound in <ebrew a word o$ &gy!tian origin, and there is
not $ound in the language o$ the &gy!tians a word o$ <ebrew origin. his being so, we (now that
the <ebrews and &gy!tians "ould not ha#e li#ed together $or hundreds o$ years.
/ertainly &4odus was not written to tea"h morality. In that boo( you "annot $ind one word
against human sla#ery. )s a matter o$ $a"t, 2eho#ah was a belie#er in that institution.
he (illing o$ "attle with disease and hail, the murder o$ the $irst*born, so that in e#ery house
was death, be"ause the (ing re$used to let the <ebrews go, "ertainly was not moral+ it was $iendish.
he writer o$ that boo( regarded all the !eo!le o$ &gy!t, their "hildren, their $lo"(s and herds, as
the !ro!erty o$ %haraoh, and these !eo!le and these "attle were (illed, not be"ause they had done
anything wrong, but sim!ly $or the !ur!ose o$ !unishing the (ing. Is it !ossible to get any morality
out o$ this history;
)ll the laws $ound in &4odus, in"luding the en /ommandments, so $ar as they are really
good and sensible, were at that time in $or"e among all the !eo!les o$ the world.
'urder is, and always was, a "rime, and always will be, as long as a ma,ority o$ !eo!le ob,e"t
to being murdered.
Industry always has been and always will be the enemy o$ lar"eny.
he nature o$ man is su"h that he admires the teller o$ truth and des!ises the liar. )mong all
tribes, among all !eo!le, truth*telling has been "onsidered a #irtue and $alse swearing or $alse
s!ea(ing a #i"e.
he lo#e o$ !arents $or "hildren is natural, and this lo#e is $ound among all the animals that
li#e. So the lo#e o$ "hildren $or !arents is natural, and was not and "annot be "reated by law. .o#e
does not s!ring $rom a sense o$ duty, nor does it bow in obedien"e to "ommands.
So men and women are not #irtuous be"ause o$ anything in boo(s or "reeds.
)ll the en /ommandments that are good were old, were the result o$ e4!erien"e. he
"ommandments that were original with 2eho#ah were $oolish.
he worshi! o$ =any other God= "ould not ha#e been worse than the worshi! o$ 2eho#ah, and
nothing "ould ha#e been more absurd than the sa"redness o$ the Sabbath.
I$ "ommandments had been gi#en against sla#ery and !olygamy, against wars o$ in#asion and
e4termination, against religious !erse"ution in all its $orms, so that the world "ould be $ree, so that
the brain might be de#elo!ed and the heart "i#ilized, then we might, with !ro!riety, "all su"h
"ommandments a moral guide.
Be$ore we "an truth$ully say that the en /ommandments "onstitute a moral guide, we must
add and subtra"t. 3e must throw away some, and write others in their !la"es.
he "ommandments that ha#e a (nown a!!li"ation here, in this world, and treat o$ human
obligations are good, the others ha#e no basis in $a"t, or e4!erien"e.
'any o$ the regulations $ound in &4odus, .e#iti"us, 5umbers and 9euteronomy, are good.
'any are absurd and "ruel.
he entire "eremonial o$ worshi! is insane.
'ost o$ the !unishments $or #iolations o$ laws are un!hiloso!hi" and brutalK he $a"t is that
the %entateu"h u!holds nearly all "rimes, and to "all it a moral guide is as absurd as to say that it is
mer"i$ul or true.
5othing o$ a moral nature "an be $ound in 2oshua or 2udges. hese boo(s are $illed with
"rimes, with massa"res and murders. hey are about the same as the real history o$ the )!a"he
Indians.
he story o$ Ruth is not !arti"ularly moral.
In $irst and se"ond Samuel there is not one word "al"ulated to de#elo! the brain or "ons"ien"e.
2eho#ah murdered se#enty thousand 2ews be"ause 9a#id too( a "ensus o$ the !eo!le. 9a#id,
a""ording to the a""ount, was the guilty one, but only the inno"ent were (illed.
In $irst and se"ond 8ings "an be $ound nothing o$ ethi"al #alue. )ll the (ings who re$used to
obey the !riests were denoun"ed, and all the "rowned wret"hes who assisted the !riests, were
de"lared to be the $a#orites o$ 2eho#ah. In these boo(s there "annot be $ound one word in $a#or o$
liberty.
here are some good %salms, and there are some that are in$amous. 'ost o$ these %salms are
sel$ish. 'any o$ them are !assionate a!!eals $or re#enge.
he story o$ 2ob sho"(s the heart o$ e#ery good man. In this boo( there is some !oetry, some
!athos, and some !hiloso!hy, but the story o$ this drama "alled 2ob, is heart*less to the last degree.
he "hildren o$ 2ob are murdered to settle a little wager between God and the 9e#il. )$terward,
2ob ha#ing remained $irm, other "hildren are gi#en in the !la"e o$ the murdered ones. 5othing,
howe#er, is done $or the "hildren who were murdered.
he boo( o$ &sther is utterly absurd, and the only redeeming $eature in the boo( is that the
name o$ 2eho#ah is not mentioned.
I li(e the Song o$ Solomon be"ause it tells o$ human lo#e, and that is something I "an
understand. hat boo( in my ,udgment is worth all the ones that go be$ore it, and is a $ar better
moral guide.
here are some wise and mer"i$ul %ro#erbs. Some are sel$ish and some are $lat and
"ommon!la"e.
I li(e the boo( o$ &""lesiastes be"ause there you $ind some sense, some !oetry, and some
!hiloso!hy. a(e away the inter!olations and it is a good boo(.
:$ "ourse there is nothing in 5ehemiah or &zra to ma(e men better, nothing in 2eremiah or
.amentations "al"ulated to lessen #i"e, and only a $ew !assages in Isaiah that "an be used in a
good "ause.
In &ze(iel and 9aniel we $ind only ra#ings o$ the insane.
In some o$ the 'inor %ro!hets, there is now and then a good #erse, now and then an ele#ated
thought.
@ou "an, by sele"ting !assages $rom di$$erent boo(s, ma(e a #ery good "reed, and by sele"ting
!assages $rom di$$erent boo(s, you "an ma(e a #ery bad "reed.
he trouble is that the s!irit o$ the :ld estament, its dis!osition, its tem!erament, is bad,
sel$ish and "ruel. he most $iendish things are "ommanded, "ommended and a!!lauded.
he stories that are told o$ 2ose!h, o$ &lisha, o$ 9aniel and Gideon, and o$ many others, are
hideous+ hellish.
:n the whole, the :ld estament "annot be "onsidered a moral guide.
2eho#ah was not a moral God. <e had all the #i"es, and he la"(ed all the #irtues. <e generally
"arried out his threats, but he ne#er $aith$ully (e!t a !romise.
)t the same time, we must remember that the :ld estament is a natural !rodu"tion, and that
it was written by sa#ages who were slowly "rawling toward the light. 3e must gi#e them "redit $or
the noble things they said, and we must be "haritable enough to e4"use their $aults and e#en their
"rimes.
I (now that many /hristians regard the :ld estament as the $oundation and the 5ew as the
su!erstru"ture, and while many admit that there are $aults and mista(es in the :ld estament, they
insist that the 5ew is the $lower and !er$e"t $ruit.
I admit that there are many good things in the 5ew estament, and i$ we ta(e $rom that boo(
the dogmas, o$ eternal !ain, o$ in$inite re#enge, o$ the atonement, o$ human sa"ri$i"e, o$ the
ne"essity o$ shedding blood+ i$ we throw away the do"trine o$ non*resistan"e, o$ lo#ing enemies,
the idea that !ros!erity is the result o$ wi"(edness, that %o#erty is a !re!aration $or %aradise, i$ we
throw all these away and ta(e the good, sensible !assages, a!!li"able to "ondu"t, then we "an
ma(e a $airly good moral guide, ** narrow, but moral.
:$ "ourse, many im!ortant things would be le$t out. @ou would ha#e nothing about human
rights, nothing in $a#or o$ the $amily, nothing $or edu"ation, nothing $or in#estigation, $or thought
and reason, but still you would ha#e a $airly good moral guide.
:n the other hand, i$ you would ta(e the $oolish !assages, the e4treme ones, you "ould ma(e a
"reed that would satis$y an insane asylum.
I$ you ta(e the "ruel !assages, the #erses that in"ul"ate eternal hatred, #erses that writhe and
hiss li(e ser!ents, you "an ma(e a "reed that would sho"( the heart o$ a hyena.
It may be that no boo( "ontains better !assages than the 5ew estament, but "ertainly no boo(
"ontains worse.
Below the blossom o$ lo#e you $ind the thorn o$ hatred+ on the li!s that (iss, you $ind the
!oison o$ the "obra.
he Bible is not a moral guide.
)ny man who $ollows $aith$ully all its tea"hings is an enemy o$ so"iety and will !robably end
his days in a !rison or an asylum.
3hat is morality;
In this world we need "ertain things. 3e ha#e many wants. 3e are e4!osed to many dangers.
3e need $ood, $uel, raiment and shelter, and besides these wants, there is, what may be "alled, the
hunger o$ the mind.
3e are "onditioned beings, and our ha!!iness de!ends u!on "onditions. here are "ertain
things that diminish, "ertain things that in"rease, well*being. here are "ertain things that destroy
and there are others that !reser#e.
<a!!iness, in"luding its highest $orms, is a$ter all the only good, and e#erything, the result o$
whi"h is to !rodu"e or se"ure ha!!iness, is good, that is to say, moral. &#erything that destroys or
diminishes well*being is bad, that is to say, immoral. In other words, all that is good is moral, and
all that is bad is immoral.
3hat then is, or "an be "alled, a moral guide; he shortest !ossible answer is one word>
Intelligen"e.
3e want the e4!erien"e o$ man(ind, the true history o$ the ra"e. 3e want the history o$
intelle"tual de#elo!ment, o$ the growth o$ the ethi"al, o$ the idea o$ ,usti"e, o$ "ons"ien"e, o$
"harity, o$ sel$*denial. 3e want to (now the !aths and roads that ha#e been tra#eled by the human
mind.
hese $a"ts in general, these histories in outline, the results rea"hed, the "on"lusions $ormed,
the !rin"i!les e#ol#ed, ta(en together, would $orm the best "on"ei#able moral guide.
3e "annot de!end on what are "alled =ins!ired boo(s,= or the religions o$ the world. hese
religions are based on the su!ernatural, and a""ording to them we are under obligation to worshi!
and obey some su!ernatural being, or beings. )ll these religions are in"onsistent with intelle"tual
liberty. hey are the enemies o$ thought, o$ in#estigation, o$ mental honesty. hey destroy the
manliness o$ man. hey !romise eternal rewards $or belie$, $or "redulity, $or what they "all $aith.
hese religions tea"h the sla#e #irtues. hey ma(e inanimate things holy, and $alsehoods
sa"red. hey "reate arti$i"ial "rimes. o eat meat on 0riday, to en,oy yoursel$ on Sunday, to eat on
$ast*days, to be ha!!y in .ent, to dis!ute a !riest, to as( $or e#iden"e, to deny a "reed, to e4!ress
your sin"ere thought, all these a"ts are sins, "rimes against some god, o gi#e your honest o!inion
about 2eho#ah, 'ohammed or /hrist, is $ar worse than to mali"iously slander your neighbor. o
-uestion or doubt mira"les is $ar worse than to deny (nown $a"ts. :nly the obedient, the "redulous,
the "ringers, the (neelers, the mee(, the un-uestioning, the true belie#ers, are regarded as moral, as
#irtuous. It is not enough to be honest, generous and use$ul+ not enough to be go#erned by
e#iden"e, by $a"ts. In addition to this, you must belie#e. hese things are the $oes o$ morality. hey
sub#ert all natural "on"e!tions o$ #irtue.
)ll =ins!ired boo(s,= tea"hing that what the su!ernatural "ommands is right, and right be"ause
"ommanded, and that what the su!ernatural !rohibits is wrong, and wrong be"ause !rohibited, are
absurdly un!hiloso!hi".
)nd all =ins!ired boo(s,= tea"hing that only those who obey the "ommands o$ the su!ernatural
are, or "an be, truly #irtuous, and that un-uestioning $aith will be rewarded with eternal ,oy, are
grossly immoral.
)gain I say> Intelligen"e is the only moral guide.