Lectures of Col. R. G. Ingersoll - LatestIngersoll, Robert Green
Religion
Lectures of Col. R. G. Ingersoll - Latest
Ingersoll, Robert Green
Free thought
Let us take another step; let us examine the Presbyterian confession of
faith. If it be possible to commit blasphemy, then I contend that the
Presbyterian creed is most blasphemous, for, according to that, God is
a cruel, unrelenting, revengeful, malignant and utterly unreasonable
tyrant. I propose now to pay a little attention to the creed. First,
it confesses that there is such a thing as a light of nature. It is
sufficient to make man inexcusable, but not sufficient for salvation;
just light enough to lead man to hell. Now imagine a man who will put
a false light on a hilltop to lure a ship to destruction. What would
we say of that man? What can we say of a God who gives this false
light of nature which, if its lessons are followed, results in hell?
That is the Presbyterian God. I don't like Him. Now it occurred to
God that the light of nature was somewhat weak, and He thought He'd
light another burner. Therefore He made His book and gave it to His
servants, the priests, that they might give it to men. It was to be
accepted, not on the authority of Moses, or any other writer, but
because it was the word of God. How do you know it's the word of God?
You're not to take the word of Moses, or David, or Jeremiah, or Isaiah,
or any other man, because the authenticity of their work has nothing to
do with the matter; this creed expressly lets them out. How are you to
know that it is God's word? Because it is God's word. Why is it God's
word? What proof have we that it is God's word? Because it is God's
word.
Now, then, I find that the next thing in this wonderful confession of
faith of the Presbyterians is the decree of predestination. [Reads the
decree.] I am pleased to assure you that it is not necessary to
understand this. You have only to believe it. You see that by the
decree of God some men and angels are predestinated to heaven and
others to eternal hell, and you observe that their number is so certain
and definite that it can neither be changed nor altered. You are asked
to believe that billions of years ago this God knew the names of all
the men and women whom He was going to save. Had 'em in His book, that
being the only thing except Himself that then existed. He had chosen
the names by the aid of the secret council. The reason they called it
secret was because they knew all about it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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