The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll, Vol. 07 (of 12): Dresden Edition—DiscussionsIngersoll, Robert Green
Religion
The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll, Vol. 07 (of 12): Dresden Edition—Discussions
Ingersoll, Robert Green
Free thought
The Rev. Dr. Hillier seems to reason in a kind of circle. He takes the
ground, in the first place, that "infidelity, Christianity, science, and
experience all agree, without the slightest tremor of uncertainty, in
the inexorable law that whatsoever a man sows that shall he also reap."
He then takes the ground that, "if we wish to be rid of the harvest, we
must not sow the seed; if we would avoid the result, we must remove the
cause; the only way to be rid of hell is to stop doing evil; that this,
and this only, is the way to abolish an eternal penitentiary."
Very good; but that is not the point. The real thing under discussion
is this: Is this life a state of probation, and if a man fails to live
a good life here, will he have no opportunity for reformation in
another world, if there be one? Can he cease to do evil in the eternal
penitentiary? and if he does, can he be pardoned--can he be released?
It is admitted that man must bear the consequences of his acts. If the
consequences are good, then the acts are good. If the consequences are
bad, the acts are bad. Through experience we find that certain acts tend
to unhappiness and others to happiness.
Now, the only question is whether we have wisdom enough to live in
harmony with our conditions here; and if we fail here, will we have an
opportunity of reforming in another world? If not, then the few years
that we live here determine whether we shall be angels or devils
forever.
It seems to me, if there be another life, that in that life men may do
good, and men may do evil; and if they may do good it seems to me that
they may reform.
I do not see why God, if there be one, should lose all interest in his
children, simply because they leave this world and go where he is. Is
it possible that an infinite God does all for his children here, in this
poor ignorant world, that it is possible for him to do, and that if he
fails to reform them here, nothing is left to do except to make them
eternal convicts?
The Rev. Mr. Haldeman mistakes my position. I do not admit that "an
infinite God, as revealed in Nature, has allowed men to grow up
under conditions which no ordinary mortal can look at in all their
concentrated agony and not break his heart."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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