Superstition in all agesHolbach, Paul Henri Thiry, baron d'
Religion
Superstition in all ages
Holbach, Paul Henri Thiry, baron d'
Atheism
Here are still other proofs, which will not be less evident, of the
falsity of human religions, and especially of the falsity of our own.
Every religion which relies upon mysteries as its foundation, and which
takes, as a rule of its doctrine and its morals, a principle of errors,
and which is at the same time a source of trouble and eternal divisions
among men, can not be a true religion, nor a Divine Institution. Now,
human religions, especially the Catholic, establish as the basis of
their doctrine and of their morals, a principle of errors; then, it
follows that these religions can not be true, or of Divine origin. I do
not see that we can deny the first proposition of this argument; it is
too clear and too evident to admit of a doubt. I pass to the proof of
the second proposition, which is, that the Christian religion takes for
the rule of its doctrine and its morals what they call faith, a blind
trust, but yet firm, and secured by some laws or revelations of some
Deity. We must necessarily suppose that it is thus, because it is this
belief in some Deity and in some Divine Revelations, which gives all the
credit and all the authority that it has in the world, and without which
we could make no use of what it prescribes. This is why there is no
religion which does not expressly recommend its votaries to be firm in
their faith. ["Estate fortes in fide!"] This is the reason that all
Christians accept as a maxim, that faith is the commencement and the
basis of salvation, that it is the root of all justice and of all
sanctification, as it is expressed at the Council of Trent.--Sess. 6,
Ch. VIII.
Now it is evident that a blind faith in all which is proposed in the
name and authority of God, is a principle of errors and falsehoods. As a
proof, we see that there is no impostor in the matter of religion, who
does not pretend to be clothed with the name and the authority of God,
and who does not claim to be especially inspired and sent by God. Not
only is this faith and blind belief which they accept as a basis of
their doctrine, a principle of errors, etc., but it is also a source of
trouble and division among men for the maintenance of their religion.
There is no cruelty which they do not practice upon each other under
this specious pretext.
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