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
How many mortals have been frightened out of their senses by the
false alarm of fire in the next world. Preachers have pictured
to mothers their children who died without the sacraments of the
church being administered to them, as rolling on the fiery billows of
hell. Parents have been demented by such descriptions, and have gone
to lunatic asylums, or to their graves in consequence. Millions thus
frightened have joined the church, and confessed belief in the creed,
although they may not have known the meaning of a single article of
it. But once having avowed their adherence to the church have lived
lives of hypocrisy ever afterward because they had not the honor
and the courage to break away from their bondage. What stories the
pulpit has related of Infidels being struck dead for profanity and
blasphemy. These holy pulpit alarmists will have much to answer for
if there is any such thing as a judgment day or a God in Israel.
It is plain that Jesus taught the doctrine of future, if not endless
punishment. It was endless punishment to those who committed the
unpardonable sin: "And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of
man, it shall be forgiven him; but whosoever speaketh against the
Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world,
neither in the world to come." (Mat. 12 : 32.)
Other passages may be cited to show that Jesus taught the horrible
doctrine of eternal torment, and all efforts on the part of modern
commentators to explain away hell are in vain. "And these shall
go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life
eternal." (Mat. 25 : 46.)
If these words do not teach the doctrine of endless torment, it would
be a hard matter to express it in the vernacular.
Pictures of Hell.
John Bunyan describes this interesting locality, and its inhabitants
thus: "All the devils in hell will be with thee howling and roaring,
screeching and yelling in such a manner that, thou wilt be at thy wits
end, and be ready to run stark mad from anguish and torment. * * * Here
thou must lie and fry, and scorch, and broil, and burn forevermore."
The father of New England theology, Jonathan Edwards, portrays his
own imagination after this fashion:
"The saints in glory will be far more sensible, how dreadful the wrath
of God is, and will better understand how terrible the sufferings
of the damned are, yet this will be no occasion of grief to them,
but rejoicings. They will not be sorry for the damned: it will cause
no uneasiness or dissatisfaction to them, but on the contrary when
they see this sight, it will occasion rejoicing, and excite them to
joyful praises."
Dr. Emmons reveals his own "true inwardness" by giving it the following
description:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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