If to tell a man the true nature of a disease from which he is suffering, with the hope that he will seek a cure for his malady, is pessimism, then I am a pessimist. Is the use of a danger signal at a hazardous crossing, for the purpose of preventing disaster, pessimism? If to literally "hold the mirror up to Nature," disclosing Nature's utter disregard for the life and feelings of man, as a warning against the extravagant and useless propagating of life, is pessimism, then surely I am a pessimist. If a fervent desire to help Man, instead of wasting time in prayer to "God," is pessimism, I am a pessimist. If to think, to investigate, to express one's thoughts courageously in the face of centuries old dogma is pessimism, then I must confess I am a pessimist. If to expose sham, hypocrisy and fraud; if to open the mind and free it from fear; if to stimulate the intellect, and work for the Here instead of the "Hereafter"--if all these are classified as pessimism, then truly may I be called an arch pessimist. "The Tyranny of God" was written to express the truth as I see it--to portray life, not as we would like to have it, but as it actually is. Millions are still like frightened children, afraid of their own shadows. Fear of the truth is the greatest deterrent to its acceptance. JOSEPH LEWIS _April 14, 1922_ PREFACE TO THE FOURTH EDITION I am indeed gratified to send forth the fourth edition of "The Tyranny of God." I wish, however, to say to the reader that my book deals with life philosophically and not individually. It was from the viewpoint of life in general and the universe as a whole that the sentiments herein were expressed. To love God is not the duty of man and one of the most important tasks to be accomplished for the human race is to destroy the Theistic conception of Life and the Universe. The sentiments I expressed at a memorial meeting in honor of Luther Burbank last May best illustrate my convictions. I said: "The religious person loves God so vehemently that he has no love left for Man." May "The Tyranny of God" do much to accomplish the purpose of its author. JOSEPH LEWIS _January 10, 1928_ INTRODUCTION _Where did we come from? What are we doing here? Whither are we going?_ These questions have puzzled thinking people since consciousness first dawned in the brain. Many have sought to answer them, so why not I?--with the hope that the reading of this book will arouse in the minds of the readers thoughts that will enable them to answer these questions for themselves.