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
Certainly he was liable to have these diseases, for he was, in fact,
a child. Other children have them. Other children, loved as dearly by
their mothers as Christ could have been by his, and yet they are taken
from the little family by fever; taken, it may be, and buried in the
snow, while the poor mother goes sadly home, wishing that she was lying
by its side. All that can be said of every word in this address, about
Christ and about his childhood, amounts to this; that he lived the
life of a child; that he acted like other children. I have read you
substantially what he has said, and this is considered blasphemous.
He has said, that:
"_According to the Old Testament, the God of the Christian world
commanded people to destroy each other._"
If the Bible is true, then the statement of the defendant is true. Is it
calculated to bring God into contempt to deny that he upheld polygamy,
that he ever commanded one of his generals to rip open with the sword
of war, the woman with child? Is it blasphemy to deny that a God of
infinite love gave such commandments? Is such a denial calculated to
pour contempt and scorn upon the God of the orthodox?
Is it blasphemous to deny that God commanded his children to murder each
other? Is it blasphemous to say that he was benevolent, merciful and
just?
It is impossible to say that the Bible is true and that God is good.
I do not believe that a God made this world, filled it with people and
then drowned them. I do not believe that infinite wisdom ever made a
mistake. If there be any God he was too good to commit such an infinite
crime, too wise, to make such a mistake. Is this blasphemy? Is it
blasphemy to say that Solomon was not a virtuous man, or that David was
an adulterer?
Must we say when this ancient King had one of his best generals placed
in the front of the battle--deserted him and had him murdered for the
purpose of stealing his wife, that he was "a man after God's own heart"?
Suppose the defendant in this case were guilty of something like that?
Uriah was fighting for his country, fighting the battles of David, the
King. David wanted to take from him his wife. He sent for Joab, his
commander-in-chief, and said to him:
"Make a feint to attack a town. Put Uriah at the front of the attacking
force, and when the people sally forth from the town to defend its gate,
fall back so that this gallant, noble, patriotic man may be slain."
This was done and the widow was stolen by the King. Is it blasphemy to
tell the truth and to say exactly what David was? Let us be honest with
each other; let us be honest with this defendant.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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