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
Now, it may be that the Rev. Dr. Campbell can explain all these things.
He may not care to do it for my benefit, but let him think of his own
congregation; of the lambs he is protecting from the wolves of doubt and
thought.
The Rev. Henry Frank appears to be a man of exceedingly good sense; one
who thinks for himself, and who has the courage of his convictions. Of
course I am sorry that he does not agree with me, but I have become used
to that, and so I thank him for the truths he utters.
He does not believe in the existence of a personal devil, and I guess by
following him up we would find that he did not believe in the existence
of a personal God, or in the inspiration of the Scriptures. In fact,
he tells us that he has given up the infallibility of the Bible. At the
same time, he says it is the most perfect compendium of religious and
moral thought. In that I think he is a little mistaken. There is a vast
deal of irreligion in the Bible, and there is a good deal of immoral
thought in the Bible; but I agree with him that it is neither inspired
nor infallible.
The Rev. E. C. J. Kraeling, pastor of the Zion Lutheran Church, declares
that those who do not believe in a personal God do not believe in a
personal Satan, and _vice versa_. The one, he says, necessitates the
other. In this I do not think he is quite correct. I think many people
believe in a personal God who do not believe in a personal devil, but I
know of none who do believe in a personal devil who do not also believe
in a personal God. The orthodox generally believe in both of them, and
for many centuries Christians spoke with great respect of the devil.
They were afraid of him.
But I agree with the Rev. Mr. Kraeling when he says that to deny a
personal Satan is to deny the infallibility of God's word. I agree with
this because I suppose by "God's word" he means the Bible.
He further says, and I agree with him, that a "Christian" needs no
scientific argument on which to base his belief in the personality of
Satan. That certainly is true, and if a Christian does need a scientific
argument it is equally true that he never will have one.
You see this word "Science" means something that somebody knows; not
something that somebody guesses, or wishes, or hopes, or believes, but
something that somebody knows.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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