The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll, Vol. 11 (of 12): Dresden Edition—MiscellanyIngersoll, Robert Green
Religion
The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll, Vol. 11 (of 12): Dresden Edition—Miscellany
Ingersoll, Robert Green
Free thought
"Aaron therefore went unto the altar, and slew the calf of the sin
offering, which was for himself. And the sons of Aaron brought the blood
unto him: and he dipped his finger in the blood, and put it upon the
horns of the altar, and poured out the blood at the bottom of the altar:
But the fat, and the kidneys, and the caul above the liver of the sin
offering, he burnt upon the altar; as the Lord commanded Moses. And the
flesh and the hide he burnt with fire without the camp. And he slew the
burnt offering; and Aaron's sons presented unto him the blood, which
he sprinkled round about upon the altar. * * * And he brought the meat
offering, and took a handful thereof, and burnt it upon the altar. * * *
He slew also the bullock and the ram for a sacrifice of peace offering,
which was for the people: and Aaron's sons presented unto him the
blood, which he sprinkled upon the altar round about, and the fat of the
bullock and of the ram, the rump, and that which covereth the inwards
and the kidneys, and the caul above the liver, and they put the fat upon
the breasts, and he burnt the fat upon the altar. And the breast and the
right shoulder Aaron waved for a wave offering before the Lord, as Moses
commanded."
If the Chinese only did something like this, we would know that they
worshiped the "living" God. The idea that the supreme head of the
"American system of religion" can be placated with a little meat and
"ordinary eatables" is simply preposterous. He has always asked for
blood, and has always asserted that without the shedding of blood there
is no remission of sin.
The world is also informed by these gentlemen that "the idolatry of
the Chinese produces a demoralizing effect upon our American youth by
bringing sacred things into disrespect, and making religion a theme of
disgust and contempt."
In San Francisco there are some three hundred thousand people. Is it
possible that a few Chinese can bring our "holy religion" into disgust
and contempt? In that city there are fifty times as many churches as
joss-houses. Scores of sermons are uttered every week; religious books
and papers are plentiful as leaves in autumn, and somewhat dryer;
thousands of Bibles are within the reach of all. And there, too, is the
example of a Christian city.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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