Superstition in all agesHolbach, Paul Henri Thiry, baron d'
Religion
Superstition in all ages
Holbach, Paul Henri Thiry, baron d'
Atheism
The kingdom of Heaven is likened unto a man who sowed good seed in his
field. But while he slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the
wheat, and went his way. Again, the kingdom of Heaven is like unto
treasure hidden in a field, the which, when a man has found, he hideth
again, and for joy thereof goes and sells all that he has, and buys that
field. Again, the kingdom of Heaven is like unto a merchantman seeking
goodly pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and
sold all he had, and bought it. Again, the kingdom of Heaven is like
unto a net that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind;
which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down and gathered
the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. It is like a grain of
mustard-seed, which a man took and sowed in his field which, indeed, is
the least of all seeds, but when it is grown it is the greatest among
herbs, etc.
Is this a language worthy of a God? We will pass the same judgment upon
Him if we examine His actions more closely. Because, firstly, He is
represented as running all over a country preaching the approach of a
pretended kingdom; Secondly, as having been transported by the Devil
upon a high mountain, from which He believed He saw all the kingdoms of
the world; this could only happen to a visionist; for it is certain,
there is no mountain upon the earth from which He could see even one
entire kingdom, unless it was the little kingdom of Yvetot, which is in
France; thus it was only in imagination that He saw all these kingdoms,
and was transported upon this mountain, as well as upon the pinnacle of
the temple. Thirdly, when He cured the deaf-mute, spoken of in St. Mark,
it is said that He placed His fingers in the ears, spit, and touched his
tongue, then casting His eyes up to Heaven, He sighed deeply, and said
unto him: "Ephphatha!" Finally, let us read all that is related of Him,
and we can judge whether there is anything in the world more ridiculous.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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