Lectures of Col. R. G. Ingersoll - LatestIngersoll, Robert Green
Religion
Lectures of Col. R. G. Ingersoll - Latest
Ingersoll, Robert Green
Free thought
products of industry were not to be interfered with, but the producer
might be stolen as often as possible. "Thou shalt not bear false
witness against thy neighbor." And yet the God who said this said
also, "I have sent lying spirits unto Ahab." The only commandment He
really kept was, "Thou shalt have none other gods but Me."
Is it blasphemous to describe this God as malicious? You know that
laughter is a good index of the character of a man. You like and
rejoice with the man whose laugh is free and joyous and full of good
will. You fear and dislike him of the sneering laugh. How does God
laugh? He says, "I will laugh at their calamity and mock at their
misfortune," speaking of some who have sinned. Think of the malice and
malignity of that in an infinite God when speaking of the sufferings He
is going to impose upon His children. You know that it is said of a
Roman emperor that he wrote laws very finely, and posted them so high
on the walls that no one could read them, and then he punished the
people who disobeyed the laws. That is the acme of tyranny: to
provide a punishment for breach of laws the existence of which were
unknown. Now we all know that there is sin against the Holy Ghost
which will not be forgiven in this world nor in the world to come.
Hundreds of thousands of people have been driven to the lunatic asylum
by the thought that they had committed this unpardonable sin. Every
educated minister knows that that part of the bible is an
interpolation, but they all preach it. What that sin against the Holy
Ghost is, is not specified. I say, "Oh, but my good God, tell me what
this sin is." And He answers, "Maybe now asking is the crime. Keep
quiet." So I keep quiet and go about tortured with the fear that I
have committed that sin. Is it blasphemy to describe God as needing
assistance from the Legislature? Calling for the aid of a mob to
enforce His will here, compare that God with a man, even with Henry
Bergh. See what Mr. Bergh has done to awaken pity in our people and
call sympathy to the rescue of suffering animals. And yet our God was a
torturer of dumb brutes.
It is blasphemy to say that our God sent the famine and dried the
mother's breast from her infant's withered lips? Is it blasphemy to
say that He is the author of the pestilence; that He ordered some of
His children to consume others with fire and sword? Is it blasphemy to
believe what we read in the 109th Psalm? If these things are not
blasphemy, then there is no blasphemy. If there be a God I desire Him
to write in the book of judgment opposite my name that I denied these
lies for Him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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