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
The truth is Christian doctrines are purely selfish. When man does
certain duties, as they are called, because he wants to get to heaven,
his conduct is intensely selfish. The gospel constantly invites the
followers of Jesus to act, from the consideration that "great is your
reward in heaven." Very many Christians say that if it were not for
the hope of future reward, they would not try to do right. In other
words they confess that they do not act from moral motives. They are
moved by the selfish motives of other worldliness. To act morally we
must do right because it is right and for no other consideration. When
we look beyond the act to see how much we are going to make out of it,
then our conduct is not moral. He who is going through the performance
of duties because he wants to get to heaven, has yet to learn the
meaning of morality.
Christianity is Intolerant.
Revelation does not admit of two sides to religious questions. There
is only one side, say the Moodys and Talmages, and that side is
God's side. We have no right to question Holy Writ. We must accept
it. "Believe or be damned," does not admit of the latitude of free
thought, or the right of reason to question the authority of the Bible.
"Reason is 'carnal,' says the Christian idolator, and you cannot rely
upon it--only trust in Jesus and you are saved."
The following historical facts prove beyond question that intolerance
is the very soul of Christianity:
"When any step was taken to establish a system of permanent
institutions, which might effectually protect liberty from the
invasions of power in general, the church always ranged herself on
the side of despotism." (Guizot's "History of Civilization in Europe,"
p. 154.)
"Persecution for religious heterodoxy, in all its degrees, was in
the sixteenth century, the principle as well as the practice of every
church." (Hallam's "Middle Ages," vol. 2, p. 48.)
When Queen Mary, the first queen of England, had burned Latimer,
Ridley and others, and her ministers had chided her for it, she replied
that she did not think God could be angry with her for burning the
heretics a few hours in this world, for their heresy, since he was
going to burn them eternally in the next world for the same thing.
Here you have the unadulterated article. It is nothing, if not
intolerant, and in every age and country, with sword and hand,
has commanded the trembling people to believe or be damned. And
the Christian who does not do his utmost toward having heretics and
infidels burned at the stake, is trying to be better than his God.
Hell, Hades, Gehenna, Sheol.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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