The Gods: From 'The Gods and Other Lectures'Ingersoll, Robert Green
Religion
The Gods: From 'The Gods and Other Lectures'
Ingersoll, Robert Green
Deism; Free thought; Rationalism
For three hundred years the Christian world endeavored to rescue from
the "Infidel" the empty sepulchre of Christ For three hundred years the
armies of the cross were baffled and beaten by the victorious hosts
of an impudent impostor. This immense fact sowed the seeds of distrust
throughout all Christendom, and millions began to lose confidence in
a God who had been vanquished by-Mohammed. The people also found that
commerce made friends where religion made enemies, and that religious
zeal was utterly incompatible with peace between nations or individuals.
They discovered that those who loved the gods most were apt to love men
least; that the arrogance of universal forgiveness was amazing; that the
most malicious had the effrontery to pray for their enemies, and that
humility and tyranny were the fruit of the same tree. For ages, a deadly
conflict has been waged between a few brave men and women of thought and
genius upon the one side, and the great ignorant religious mass on the
other. This is the war between Science and Faith. The few have appealed
to reason, to honor, to law, to freedom to the known, and to happiness
here in this world. The many have appealed to prejudice, to fear, to
miracle, to slavery, to the unknown, and to misery hereafter. The few
have said, "Think!" The many have said, "Believe!"
The first doubt was the womb and cradle of progress, and from the first
doubt, man has continued to advance. Men began to investigate, and the
church began to oppose. The astronomer scanned the heavens, while the
church branded his grand forehead with the word, "Infidel;" and now,
not a glittering star in all the vast expanse bears a Christian name.
In spite of all religion, the geologist penetrated the earth, read her
history in books of stone, and found, hidden within her bosom, souvenirs
of all the ages. Old ideas perished in the retort of the chemist, and
useful truths took their places. One by one religious conceptions have
been placed in the crucible of science, and thus far, nothing but dross
has been found. A new world has been discovered by the microscope;
everywhere has been found the infinite; in every direction man has
investigated and explored, and nowhere, in earth or stars, has been
found the footstep of any being superior to or independent of nature.
Nowhere has been discovered the slightest evidence of any interference
from without.
These are the sublime truths that enabled man to throw off the yoke of
superstition. These are the splendid facts that snatched the sceptre of
authority from the hands of priests.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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