A handbook of Freethought : $b containing in condensed and systematized form a vast amount of evidence against the superstitious doctrines of Christianity
Religion
A handbook of Freethought : $b containing in condensed and systematized form a vast amount of evidence against the superstitious doctrines of Christianity
Christianity -- Controversial literature; Free thought
W. Lauder Lindsay: By no kind of scientific evidence can it be proved
that soul exists, whether in man or other animals.... Nor should it
be forgotten that, according to many writers, the word or term "soul"
is regarded as synonymous with "mind," in which case there can be no
question as to its possession by the higher animals. While the term
"soul" has also been applied--in figurative senses no doubt--even to
plants. ("Mind in the Lower Animals," v. 1, p. 101.) It obviously lies
with those who assert dogmatically that all men have immortal souls,
while no animals possess them, to reconcile with such a conviction the
provable fact that many animals are superior to many men, not only in
general intelligence, but also as regards moral sense and religious
feeling. (Ib.) Ideas of justice or right, feelings of decency or shame,
that combination or essence of moral qualities known as conscience,
are as certainly present in some animals as they appear to be absent
in countless numbers of men. (Ib., p. 103.)
Ernst Haeckel: The final result of this comparison is this: That
between the most highly developed animal souls, and the lowest
developed human souls there exists only a small quantitative, but
no qualitative difference, and this difference is much less than
the difference between the lowest and the highest human souls,
or than the difference between the lowest and the highest animal
souls. ("Hist. of Creation," v. 2, p. 362.) Some of the wildest tribes,
of men, in Southern Asia and Eastern Africa have no trace whatever of
the first foundations of all human civilization of family life, and
marriage. They live together, in herds, like apes, generally climbing
on trees and eating fruits; they do not know of fire, and use stones
and clubs as weapons, just like the higher apes. (Ib., p. 363.)
Descartes: (17 c.) Matter, whose essence is extension, is known by
the senses; mind, whose essence is thinking, can be known only by
self-consciousness. The thinking principle is immaterial.
Origen: The nature of the soul is such as to make her capable of
existing eternally, backward as well as forward, because her spiritual
essence, as such, makes it impossible that she should, either through
age or violence, be dissolved.
Rev. Joseph Baylee, D. D.: (Principal of St. Aidan's College,
Birkenhead, England.) Man is eternal. He was in existence before he
was born; sinned before he was born, and if he had never been born
would have suffered eternal damnation for that sin. (Dis. on God and
the Bible between Dr. Baylee and Mr. Bradlaugh.)
Draper: ("Conflict," p. 127.) Moreover, to many devout persons there
is something very revolting in the suggestion that the Almighty is a
servitor to the caprices and lusts of men, and that at a certain term
after its origin, it is necessary for him to create for the embryo
a soul.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account