The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll, Vol. 4 (of 12)

my first history, the Jews were the first people, and the events narrated by Moses and the other inspired writers, and those predicted by pro

t his command, babes were butchered, women violated, and the white hair of trembling age stained with blood. This God visited the people with pestilence-filled the houses and covered the streets with the dyin

rce eyes of hunger-the wasted forms, the white lips, saw

respect the God of the Old Testament. A really civilized man, a rea

in his treatment of the heathen. The wretches who we

ple and he knew that without a revelation they could not know that

em. What did he create them for? He knew when he made them that they would be fo

tion," all had been changed-the sword of justice had been sheathed and love enthroned. In the Old Testament, they said, God is the judge-but in the New, Christ is the merciful. As a matter of fact, the New Testamen

g of punishment that has no end. In the New Testament the ma

smitten on one cheek to turn the other, and yet we are told that this same God, with the same loving lips, uttered t

e words of "

nation enough to conceiv

, in fire and flood,-all the pangs and pains of every disease and every death-

hristian religion. This is the j

ion, forged the chains, and furnished the fagots. It has darkened the lives of many millions. It made the cradle as terrible as the coffin. It enslaved nations and shed the blood of coun

crawls and coils and hiss

ch in which it is taught is a public curse. Every preacher who teaches it is an enemy of mankind.

rror of hell, except the pr

I shall deny with all my strength, and hate w

sands of ministers are ashamed of it. It gives me joy to know that Christians are becoming merciful, so merciful

use. Popes, cardinals, bishops, pries

e of the roar and din, in spite of the savage cries, heard reason's voice. Only a few i

th pain. They ought to know now that this dogma is utterly inconsistent with the wisdom, the justice, the goodness of their God. They ought to know