Christianity Unveiled
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Christianity Unveiled, or examination of the principles and effects of the Christian religion (Le christianisme devoile, ou examination of principes et des effets de la religion chrétienne) is an anti-Christian book attributed to Baron d'Holbach, probably published in 1766.
In his religious criticism, Holbach focuses on aspects of the Christian faith which he considers inconsistent, and is particularly critical of the moral and political influence of the Christian religion. The findings of the book are numerous correspondences in Holbach's later works, however, contain only latent atheistic utterances and are mainly focused at Christianity than to religion in general.
Unlike previous publications critical of religion, the book has no analysis of the historical origins of religions or the project of a deistic religion alternative to the content, but is seen as an outspoken anti-Christian propaganda piece. The book sparked in philosophical and enlightened circles and the lively reaction it received caused it to be seized immediately after its release by the French authorities.
References
Le Christianisme dévoilé, ou Examen des principes et des effets de la religion chrétienne (Christianity unveiled: being an examination of the principles and effects of the Christian religion, published in Nancy), 1761 is a book by baron d'Holbach
English translation
CHRISTIANITY
BEI56
AN EXAMINATION
OF THE
PRINCIPLES AND EFFECIS
j'^uio
OF TBS
CHRISTIAN RELIGION.
From the French of Boulanger,
author of researches into the origin of
oriental despotism.
BY W. M. JOHNSON.
NEW-YORK. 1895.
1
i
J
EDITOR'S PREFACE.
Ill this philosophic age, when natare, reason and the rights of man have resumed their em- pire ; when the genias of a great, generous and brave people, is giving the last blow to super- stition and despotism, the publication of a work, which has greatly contributed to these events, must be highly acceptable, not only to the literary world, but even to the community at large, who eagerly seek after instruction, the moment they believe it necsssary for their happiness.
This publication bears a conspicuous rank among those works, whose free and independ- ent sentiments have introduced a happy change in the public mind, and concurred with the writings of Rousseau, Mably, Ranal and Vol- taire, in bringing forward the French Revolu- tion : A revolution which will probably prov^ the harbinger of the complete triumph of reason Persecutions and wars will then cease forevej throughout the civilized world.
IV
la oflfering this Translation to the public, I pay a tribute that every member of society owes to his fellow-citizens, that of endeavor- ing to acquaint them with their true rights and duties, and consequently the means most con- ducive to their happiness.
CONTENTS.
Page. A letter from the Author to a Friend . . 7
CHAPTER I.
Of the necessity of an Enquiry respecting Religion, and the obstacles which are met in pursuing this Enquiry ... 17
CHAPTER II.
Sketch of the History of the Jews . . 24
CHAPTER III.
SIcetch of the History of the Christian Religion 29
CHAPTER IV.
Of the Christian Mythology, or the Ideas of God and his conduct given us by the Christian Religion 96
CHAPTER V.
Of Revelation « 42
CHAPTER VI.
Of the Proofs of the Christian Religion, Miracles, Prophecies, and Martyrs . 47 CHAPTER VII. . ^ ^^ Of the Mysteries of the Christian Religion 61
vi
CHAPTER VIII.
Mysteries and Dogmas of Christianity . 68
CHARTER IX.
Of the Rites and Mysterious Ceremonies or Theurgy of the Christians ... 73
CHAPTER X.
Of the Inspired Writings of the Christians 76
CHAPTER XI.
Of Christian Morality B3
CHAPTER XII.
Of the Christian Virtues d2
CHAPTER XIII.
Of the Practice and Duties of the Chris- tian Religion 10»
CHAPTER XIV.
Of the Practical Effects of the Christian Religion 117
CHAPTER XV.
Of the Christian Church or Priesthood 126
CHAPTER XVI.
Conclusion 140
r
A LETTER from the Author to
A FftlEIND.
t receive, Sir, with gratitude the remarka i^hirh you send me upon my ii%ork. If I am sensible to the praises yoo condescend to give It, I am too fond of truth to be displ* ased with the fVankness with which you propose your objections. I find them sucitiSeirtly weighty to merit all my attention. He but ill deserves the title of philosopher, who has not the courage to heur his opinions contradicted. We are not divines; our disputes are of a nature to ter- minate amicably; they in no way resemble those of the apostles of superstition, who en- deavor to overreach each other by captions arguments, and who, at the expence of good faith, contend only to advocate tbe cause of their vanity and their pi*ejudices. We both desire the happiness of mankind, we t>oth search after truth; this being the case, wo cannot disagree.
You begin by admitting the necessity of ex- amining religion, and submitting opinions to the decision of reason. You acknowledge that Christianity cannot sustain thitii trial, and that in the eye of good sense it can never appear to be any thing but a tissue of absurdities, of un- connected fables, senseless dogmas, puerile ceremonies^ and notions borrpwdd from the
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CHialdeAnsr, Eg^yptiaos, Fhenicians, Grecian» and Roinaas In one i0rord« you eonfess that f his religrioQs system is only the defortned off- Bpring^ ^almost all ancient scrperatitione, be- gotten by orient:)! fanatfoism, and diversely modiied by the cirimmetances and prejudic^es of those who have since pretended to be the inspired ambassadors 4>f God, and the inter- preters of his will.
You tremble at the horrors which the intol- erant spirit of Christians has caused them lo commit, whenever they had power to do it ; yon feel that a religion founded on a sanguin- ary deity must be a religion of blood. Yoa lament that phrensy, which in infancy takes possession of princes and people, and renders them equally the slaves of soperstition^ and her priests; which prevents their acquaintance with their true interests, renders them deaf to reason, and turns them aside from the great objects, by which they ought to be occupied.— Vou confoss that a religion founded upon en- thusiasm or imposture can have no sure princi- ples ; that it most prove an eternal source of disputes, and always end in causing troubles, persecutions, and ravages ; especially when political power conceives itself indispensibly obliged to enter into its quarrels. In fine, yoa MO so far as to agree that a good Christian who follows literally the conduct prescribed to him as the most perfect by the gospel, fcnnws not in this world any thin^ar of those duties on which true morality is founded ; and that if he wtfnts energy he must prpve an useless misanthrope, or if his temper be warm, a turbulent fanatic.
After acknowledging ail this, how could it hcippen that yon should pronouaoe ray work a
dangeroo» one. Yon tell me thai a wise niHii ODght to thiok only for himself; that to thie populate a religion is neceeaary foe it good or bad ; that it is a restraint necessary to groflia and ignorant minds, which, without it, would have no longer any motive for abstaining from vice. You .look ppon a reform of religious prejudices as impossible, because it is the in- terest of many of those persofis who alone oao effect it, to continue mankind in that ignorance of which themselves reap the advantage.-*-* These, if 1 mistake not, are the weightiest of your objections. I will endeavor to remove them.
Books are generally written for that part of a nation, whose circnmstances, education, and sentiments, place them above the commission of crimes. This enlightened portion of society, which governs the other, reads and judges of writings ; if they contain maxims false or in- jurious, they are soon either condemned to o- blivion, or held up to public execration ; if they contain only truth, they are not in danger.*— Fanatics and ignorant people are the disturbers of society. Sensible, enlightened, and dislji- terested persons are ever the friends of peace.
Yon are not. Sir, of the number of pusillani- mous thinkers, who believe that truth i capable of doing harm. It does harm to those only who deceive mankind, and to the rest of the human species it will always be useful Yon ought long to have been convinced that the evils with which mankind are afflicted, arise only from our errors, our prejudices, our inter- ests misunderstood, and the false ideas we at- tach to objects. . In line, it is easy to see that the policy and
te
morality of man have been particularly corrupt ted by their religious prejudices. Was it not religious and isuper-natural ideas which rau«ecl sovereigruB to be Joolied upon as gods ? It is then religion which raised up tyrants and des- pots ; tyrants and despots made wicked laws ; their exainple corrupted the great, ibe great corrupted the lower classes of mankind ; these vitiated beings became unhaf)p$ slaves» em- ployed either in injuring themselves, flattering^ the great, or struggling to get clear of their misery. Kings were stiled images of God : they were absolute fike him ; they created justice and injustice ; their wills often sanctified oppression, violence and rapine. The means of obtaining their favors were vice and mean- ness. Thus nations became filled with perver- ted citizens, who^ under leaders corrupted by religious notions, made contfnuaTly a war, either open or clandestine, and were left destitute oT any motive for practising virtue.
Ha^ this religion influenced the manners of sovereigns, who derive their divine power from it? too we not behold princes, overflowing with faith, continually undertaking the most unjust wars; waisting the blood an:^ treasure of their subjects ; wrenching the bread from the hands of the poor ; permitting and even com- manding every species of injustice 1 Does this religion, considered by so many sovereigns as the support of their thrones, render them more humane, temperate, chaste, or faithful to their oatiis? Alas! when we consult history, we %hete find sovereigns, who were orthodox, zeal- ous and religious to a scruple, and at the same time guilty oï perjury, usurpation, adultery, robbery, and murder : men. who in fine, be»
Il
haved as if they feared not the God whom they honoL'eU with their moaths. Among the ooilr- tiers who surrounded them we see a continual ailiance of Christiauity and vice, devotion and iniquity, religion and treason. Among ' the priestd of n poor and crucified God, who found their existence upon religion, and pretend that without it there could be no morality, do we not see reigning amongst them, pride, avarice, it^antonness, and revenge?
Amongst us, education is very little attended to by the government, wnieh shews the most profound indifference concerning an object the most essential to the happiness of states, Wilh inoét modern nations public education is con- fined to the teaching languages^ useless to most vrho learn them. Christians, instead of morality, inculcate the marvellous fables at^d Incompre- hensible dogmas of a religion extremely r^ug- nant to right reason. At the first step a young man makes in his studies, he is taught that he ought to renounce the testimony of his senses, to reject his reason as an unfaithful guide^ and blindly conform himself to the dictates of his masters» But who are these masters 1 Priests, whose interest it is to continue inankind in er- rors, of which they alone i*eap the advantage.* Can the abject and isolated mind of these mer- cenary pedagogues be capable of instructing their pupils in that of which themselves are ignorant ? will they tçac^h them to love the pub lie good, to serve their country, to know the du- ties of the man and citizen ? Certalniy, not ;
- The reader will'bear in mind that this pnUioation was
written ia France and that when the author mentions priests, he commonk^ means Roman Catholic priests.-* Ameriean Editor*
AS
"we can expect nothing from the hands of each teaebere but ignorant and saperetitions popile, who, if Ihey have profited of the lesaons they have received, are nnacquainted with every thitjg npceesary io society, of which they must consequently become oeeless niembere.
On whatever side we cast oar eyes, we see the study of the objects most important to man, totally neglected. Morality, in which f also comprehend policy, is considered of very little importance in European edncation. The only moVallty taught by Christians is, the enthusias- tic, Impracticable, contradictory, and uncertain morality contained in the gos|ieI. This is calcu- lated only to degrade the mind, to render virtue odioua, to form ai^jeci slaves^ and break the spring of the soul; or, if it is sown in warm and aclive minds, to produce turbulent fanatics, ca- pable of shaking the foundations of society .
Notwithstaniling the inutility and perversity of the morality which Christianity teaches man- kind, its partisans presume to teli us that with- out this religion we cannot have morals. But what is it to have morals, in the language of Christians? It is to pray without creasing, to frequent churches, to do penance, and to abstain from pleasure ; it is to live in selfishness and solitude. What good results to society from these practices, all of which may be observed by a man, who has not the shadow of virtue ?. «If such morals lead to beaTeo, they are very useless on earth. Bat certain it is that a man may be a faithful observer of all that Christian- ity enjoins, without possessing any of the virtnes which reason shews to be necessary to tl>e sup- ^rt of political society.
It is necessary, then, to «arefally disthigaftfh
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Christian morality from political morality ; the former, makes saints, the latter citizens ; one raaltes men useless or even hurtful to the world; the other has for its object the formation of inemliers usetiiL to society ; men active and. vig- orous, who are capable of serving it, who falfiil the duties of bushands, fathers, friends, and companions, whatever may be their metaphys- ical ofiinions, which, let Theologtsts say what they will, are much less sure than the invariable rules of good sense.
In fact, it is certain, thi^ man is a social be- ing, who in ail things 8eeks his own happiness, that he does good when he finds It his inteust^ that hs is not commonly bad, because inat would be contrary to his welfare. This toeing premised, let education teach men to know the relations which exist among themselves, and the duties arising from ch«>$e relations ; let govern- 'ments ««ailing to their aid laws, rewards, and punishments, coniirm the lessons given by ed- ucation ; let happiness accompany useful and virtuous action», let shame, contempt, add chas- tisement be the rewards of vice. Then would mankind have a true morality, founded in their own nature upon their mutual wants, and the interest of nations at large. This morality, in- dependent of the sublime notions of Theology might perhaps have very little in common with Obristian morality ; but society has nothing to loose from this circumstance, as has already l>een proved.
When the people receive a proper education,
which, by inspiring them early In We with vir»
tûous principles, will habituate them to do hom^
, age to virtae, detest crimes, contemn vice, and
ehrink from infamy. Such an edacatibn eaà-
14
not be vaÎD, wben continuai example shall prove to the citizens that talents and virtue are the only means of arriving at honor, fortune, distinction, consideration, and favor ; and that viee conducts only to contempt and ignominy.
If the clergy have usurped from the sovereign power the right of instructing the people, let the latter reiissume its rights, or al least not sofi^r the former to enjoy the exclusive liberty of governing the mannei*s of mankind, and dic- tating th^ir morality. Let them teach if they please, that their God trannforms himself into bread, but let thciu never teach that we ought to tuple or destroy those who refuse to beiieve this ineffable mystery Let no individual in society nave the power of exciting citizens to rebellion, of sowing discord, breaking the bands iwhich unite the people amongst one another^ and disturbing thé public tranquility, for the sake of opinions. If ii be said that all govern- ments think it thWr interest to support rellgioas prejudices, and manage the clergy through pol- icy< although they themselves are undeceived. 1 answer, that it is easy to convince every en- lightened government, that it is their true in- terest to govern a happy people, that upon the happiness it procures the natiim depends the stability and safety of the government ; in one word, that a nation composed of wise and vir- ttiotts citizens, are much more powerful than a troop of ignorant and corrupted slaves, whom the go. ernment is forced to deceive in order to satisfy, atid to deluge with impositions that it may succeed in any enterprise.
Thus let us not despair, that. truth will one day force its way even to thrones. If the light mte^BQn aadicieiica reaches prinoee with so
4
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much difficulty, it ie because interested priesls and starveling coartlers endeavor to iLeep tbem in a peri>etual Infancy, point put to them ehi^ mericat prospects of power and grandeur, and thus turn. a way their attention ffom objects ne- cessary to their true happiness.
Every iroverntnent must feel that their power will always be tottering and precarious, so long as it depends for support on the phantoms of religion, the errors of the people and the ea* prices of the priesthood. It must feci the in* conveniences resuitinir front fanatic adminis* tratioh, which have hitherto produced nothing but ignorane-e and presumption, nothing but obstnate, weak citizens^ incapable of doing ser- vice to thf? state, and ready to receive the false impressions of guides who would lead them astray. It must perceive what immense re* sources might be derived from the wealth which has been aceumufated by a body of usetesa men, who, under pretensions of teaching the nation, cheat and devour it*. Upon this foundation, (which to the shame of mankind be it said, has hitherto served only to Support sacerdotal pride) a wise government might raise estab- lishments which would become useful to the state in forming the youth, cheishing talents, rewarding virtuous services, and comforting the people.
I flatter myself, sir, that these i^eflectioos will exculpate me in your eyes. I do not hope for the eofirages of those who fee! themselves interest- ed In the continuance of the evils suflTered by their fellow citizens 2 It is not such whom I atoi
•Some have thoiiglitthat the clergy mtfrht one »lajr serve 1^ a barrier aeainst despotism, but experience sufficienUy ^proves that this body always stipulates for itselt alone.
la- to eonvinoe ; nothing can be made to appear evident to vieioue and unreasonable men. But I présume to hope that you will cease to look upon my book as dangerous, and my expecta- tions as altogether ohimerioaL Many Immoral men have attacked the Christian religion, be- cause it opposed their propendities ; many wise men have despised it, because to them it ap- peared ridiculous : many persons have looked Qpon it with indiJBTerence, because they did not feel its real inconveniences. I attack it as a citizen, because it appears to me to be injurious to the welfare of the state, an enemy to the progress of the human mind, and opposed to the principles Of true morality, from which po- litical interests can never be separated. It re- gains only for me to say, with a poet, who was like myself, an enemy to superstition :
iSS ft&i ifera vîifefiir.
Dedemanitgf ei nfaisa eH, tteeingere eontriçt.
I am, A>c.
CHRISTIAIVITT VIVT1!1I.E]I.
■T>»»-i— fc^»*
I' I» I
CHAPTEB I.
lATaomJcnoir.
Of ikf. neeesêUff of an enquiry respé^mg IMgietii and ihe obtiadêa ukiitk are met m purêmng Hdi etiq%iiry,
A reasonable being ought in all bia actions to aim at bis own, happiness and that of his fellow- creatures. Religion which is held np as an ob* jert iQost important to our temporal and eternal felicity, can be advantageous to us only so far as it renders onr existence happy in Hns worldf or we are assured that it will falfill the flatter- ing promises which it makes us respecting an- other. Onr duty towards God, whom we look upon as the ruler of onr destinies, can be found- ed, it is said, only on the evils which we fear on his part. It is then necessary that man should examine the grounds of his fears. Ha ought, for this purpose, to consult experience and reason, which are the only guides to truth. By the benefits which he derives f\rom religion in the visible world which he inhabits, he may judge of the reality of those blessings for which it leads him ,to hope in that invisible world, to which it commands him to turn his views.
Mankind, for the most part, hold to their reli- gion through habit. They have never seriously ^fimined the reasona wh;r ^bey are «ttaohedto
»
It, the motives of their conduct, or the founda^ tions of their opinions. Thus, what ha» ever been considered as most important to all, has been of all things, least subjected to scrutiny. Men blindly follow on lo the paths which their fathers trod ; they believci because in infancy they were told they must believe ; they hope because their progrenitors hoped, and they trem- ble because they trembled. Scarcely ever have they deigned to render an account of the mo« tives of their belief Very frvy me*) have lei- sure to examine, or fortitude to analyze, ihe ob- jects of their habitual veneration, their blind at- tachment, or their traditional fears. Nations are carried away in the torrent of habit, exam pie and prejudice. Education habituate^ the mind to opinions the most monstrous, as it ac- customs the body to attitudes the most uneasy. All that has long existed appears sacred to the eyes of man ; they think it sacrilege to examine things slampt with the seal of antiquity. Pre- possessed in favor of the wisdom of their fhth- ers, they have not the presumption to invest!^ gate what has received their sanction. They see not that man has ever been the dupe of his prejudices, his hopes, and his fears ; and that the same reasons have almost always rendered this enquiry equally impracticable.
The vulgar, busied in the tabors necessary to tbeir sul>sistence, place a blind confidence in those who pretr-nd to guide them, give up to them the right of thinking and submit without mormering to all they prescribe. They believe' they shall oftend God, if they doubt for a mo- ment, the veracity of those who speak to thens in his name. The greats the rich, the men of. the world, even when they are more enlighten-
19
eé than the volgar, have foond it their interest to conform to received prejOfHceSi end even to roaintaiii them ; or swattowed up in diaeipatfon, pleasure,' and pflfeminac]^, they have no time to bestow on a rehfi;ion, whicfii they easily aceoni- modate to their passions, propensities, antt fond- neee for amusement. In childhood, we receive ail the impressions others wish to make upon us ; vre hfive neither tiie capacity, experience, or eonraire, necessary to examine what is tan^ht OS by those, on whom our weakness renders us dependent. In y ooth, the ardor ofoar passions, and the continual ebriety of our sen- ses, prevent our thinking seriously of a relig- ion, too austere and gloomy to please ; if by chance a young man examines It, he does it with partiality, or without perseverance ; he Is often disgusted with a single glance of the eye on an oliject so disgusting. In riper age, new passioi^s and cares, ideas of ambition, great- ness, power, the desire of riclies, and the hurry of business, absorb tlie whole attention of man, or leave him but few moments to think of relig ion, which he never has the leisure to scrutin- ize. In old age, the fhculties are blunted, hal>- its become incorporated with the machine, and the senses are debilitated by time and infirmity —and we are no longer able to penetrate back to the source of our opinions ; besides, the fear of death then renders an c«xamination, over which terror commonly presides, tery liable to suspicion.
Thus religious opinions, once reoeii^ed, main» tain their ground, through a long succession of ages ; thus nations transmit fVom generation to generation, ideas tvhtch they have never exam* Jned ; Ihey imagine *heir welfare to be attached
B
to institutions in which, were the trath kpowo, they would behold the eoarce of the greater part of their misfortones. Civil anthority also flies to the support of the pr^udices of mankind, eompels them to ignorance by forbidding en^ quiry, and hold itself in continual readiness to punish all who attempt to undeceive themselves.
Let us not be («urprised then, if we see error almost inextricably interwoven with human na* ture. AM things seem to concur to perpetuate our blindness, and hide the truth from us, Ty- rants detest and oppress truth, because it dares to dispute their unjust and chimerical titles ; it is opposed by the Priesthood because it anni- hiiates ^eir superstitions. Igçorance, indo* lence^ and passion render the great part of man- kind accomplices of those who strive to deceive them, in or4er to keep their necks beneath the yoke, and profit by their miseries. Hence na- tions groan under hereditary evils, thoughtless of a remedy ; being either ignorant of the cause, or so long accustomed to disease, that they have lost even the desire of health.
If religon be the. object most important to mankind ; if it extends its influences not only over our conduct in this fife, but over our eternal happiness, nothio|p can demand from us a more serious examination. Vet it \b of all things, that, respecting which, mankind exercise the most im- plicit credulity. The same man, who examines with scrupulous nicety, things of little moinent to bis welfare, wholly neglects enquiry eonoernlngr the motives whi<:h determine him to believe and perform things, on which, according to his own confession, depend both his tempoi^and eternal felicity.^He blindly abandons himself to those ^hom chance has given him for guides ; he con-
21
fides to them the care of thinking for him, and even makes a merit of his own indolence and criedulity. In matters of religion, infancy and barbarity seem to be the boast of the greater part of the human race.
Nevertheless, men have in all ages appeared, ^ho, shaking off the prejnrlices of their fellows, have, dared to lift before their eyes the light of truth. But what could their feeble voice effect against errors imbibed at the breast, confirroefl by habit, authorised by example, and fartifted by a policy which often became the accomplice of its own ruin ? The stentorian clamors of im- posture, soon overwhelm the calm exhortations ot the advocates of reason. In vaîn shall the philosopher endeavor to inspire mankind with courage, so long as they tremble beneath the ^d of priests and kings.
The surest means of deceiving mankind and perpetuating their errors, Is to deceive them in infancy. Amongst many nations at the present day, education seems designed only to form fanatics, devotees and monks; that is to say, men either useless or injurious to society. Pew are the places in which it is calculated fo form good citizens. Princes, to whom a great part ofthe earth is at present unhappily subjected, are commonly the victims of a superstitious ed- ac^tion, and remain all their lives In the pro- foundest ignorance of their own duties, and the true interests of the states which they govern. Religion seems to have been invented only to render both kings and the people equally the slaves of the priesthood. The latter is continu- ally busied in raising obstacles fo the felicity of nations. Wherever this reigns, other govern- ments have but a precarious power ; and citi-
«et» become Indolent, ignorant, destitate oP greatnesa of soal, and in short, of every quality necessry to the happiness of society.
If, in a state where the Christian religion is professed, we find soose activity, some science, and an approach to social nnanners, it is because nature, virhenever it is in her power, restores manltind to reason^ and obliges them to labor for their own felicjty^ Were all Christian na- tions exactly contbrmed to their principles, they must foe plunged into the most profound inac* tivity, Our countries wpuld be inhabited by a small number of pious savages, who would meet only to destroy each *»ther. For, why should a man mingle with the affairs of a world, which bis religion informs him is only a place of past«age? What can be the industry of that people, who believe themselves commanded by their God, to live in continual fVar, to pray, to groan, and afflict themselves înc^Ksantly ? now can asoHety exht which is composed of men who are ••convinced, that, in their zeal for reiig. ion. they ouj^ht to bate and destroy ail whose opinions differ from their own ? How can we expect to find humanity, justice, or any virtue amongst a horde of fanatics, who copy in their conduct a crtiel dissembling, and dishonest God ? A God who delights in the tears of his unhappy creatures, who sets for them the am- bush, and then punishes them for having; fallen into it ! A God, who himselt ordains robbery, persecution and carnage !
ISuch, however, are the traits with which the Christian relii^ioo represents the God which It has inherited from the Jews. ThI»» God was a sultan, a despot, a tyrant, to whom all things were lawful. Vet he is held up to as as a model
03
of perfection. Crimes at wiiich bumao nature revoltd, have been committed in bis name ; and the greatest vUlianies have been justified by the pretence of their bejng. committed, either t>y hie «ommandi or to merit his^ favor. Thas the Christian religion, which boasts of l>eing the only true support of morality, and of forni^bing mankind with the strongest motives for the practice of virtae, has proved lo them a source of division, oppression, and the blackest crimes. Under the pretext of bringing peace on earth, it has overwhelmed It with bate, discord and war. It furnishes the human race with a thousand ingenlouiii means of tormenting themselves, and scatters amongst them scourges unknown be* fore. The Christian, possessed of commot» sense, must bitterly regret the tranquil igno- rance of his idolatrous ancestors.
If the manners of nations have gained noth- ing by the Christian religion, governments, of which it has pretended to be the support, have tlrawn from it advantages equally small. It establishes to lt$elf In every state, a separate power, and becomes the tyrant or the enemy of everj other power. Kings were always the slaves of priests ; or if they refused to bow the knee, they were proscribed, strip{)ed of their •privileges, and extermmated either by subjects whom religion had excited to revolt, or assas* sins whose hands she had armed with her sa- cred poignard. Before the introdaction of the Christian religion, those who governed the state oominoDiy governed the priesthood ; since that period, sovereigns have dwindled into the first •laves of the priesthood, the mere executor of its vengeance and its decrees.
Let as then conclnde, that the Christian re-
ÎW"
ligioo bas no right to boast of procuriog advan- tages either to policy or morality. Let us tear aside the veil with which it eavetopes itself. Let ae penetrate back to its source. Let us pursue it in its course, we shall find that found- ed on imposture, ignorance and credulity, it can never be useful but to tnen i^ho wish to deceive their fellow creatures. We shall find that it will never cease to generate the greatest evils among mankind, and that rnstead of producing the felicity it promises, it is formed to cover the earth with outrages, and deluge it in blood ; that it wiil plunge the human rare in delirium and vice, and blind their eyes to their truest in- terest and their plainest duties.
CHAPTER H.
SkeicTi of the History of the Jetos»
In a small country, almost unknown to otb« «rs, lived a nation, the founders of which hav. ing long been slaves among the Egyptians^ were delivered from their servitude by a priest of Heliopolis, who, by means of his superior genius and knowledge, gained the ascendency over them*. This man, known by the name of Moses, being educated in the mysteries of a re- ligion, which was fertile in prodigies and the mother of soperstions, placed himself at the head of a band of fugitives, whom he persoad-
. 'iMtaneton and Cbercrnoo^ Egyptian historiaas, respect- ing whom testiraonies have been transmitted to us by Jo-
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ed that he wats an interpret'ep of the will of their God/ whose immediate commands he pretend- ed to receive. He prbved'his mission, it fs said, by works which appeared supernatural to men ignorant of the operations of nature, and the Teeources of art. The first command which he g^ave them on the part of his God, was to rob their masters, whom they were about to desert. 'When he had thns enriched them with the spoils of Egypt, being sure of their confidence, he conducted them Into a desert, where, during forty years, he accustomed them to the blind- est obedience. He taught them the will of heaven, the marvelous fables of their fore-fath- ers, and the ridiculous ceremonies to which he pretended the 5Iost High attached his favors. He waf^ particularly car<^fu] to inspire them with the most envenomed hatred against the gods of other nations, and the most refined cruelty to
f:epb the Jew, inform us tbat a multitQcle of lepers were drawn out of Egypt by Icing' Amenophi» ; and that these exiles elected for their leacler a priest of Heliopolis whose name was Moses, and who formed lor them a religion and a code of laws.
Joseph contra Appion. liv. I. chap. 9,11, 12.
Diodoms Sionlus also relates tlie history of Moses.
Vide translation of AM>ey Terrasson.
. Be this as it may, Moses, by the confession of the Bbile itself, begran his career by assassinating an Egyptian, who was quarrelling with an Hebrew ; after whicli he tied into Arabia, and married the daughter of an idolatrous priest, by whom he was «lAen reproached fiur his cruelty. Theoce hereliunied into Egypt, and. p^eed himself at the head of his nation, which was dissatisfied with Icing Pharaoh. Moses reigned very tyrannically ; the examples ot KorAh, Dathan, And Aoyron.. prove to what iùna of people he had an aversion. He at last dis- appeared, like Komuios, no one being al>le to find his body or the place of sepulture.
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those who adored them. By raeans of caruBge' aod severity be rendered them a nation or slaves, obt»equiou9 to bis will, ready to feiecund his pusf^ions. and sacrifice themsf^lves to gratify his ambitious views. In one word, he made the Hebrews mon«teri> ofpbrenzy and ferocity. After havini? thus animated them with the spir- it of destraction, be shewed them the lands and possessions of their neighbors, as an inheritance assigned them by God bimst^If.
Proud of the protection of Jehovah, the He- brews marched forth to victory. Heaven au- thorised in them knavery and cruelty. Relig- ion, anited to avidity, rendered them deaf to the cries of nature ; and^ under the conduct of Inhuman chiefs, they destroyed theOanaanitish nations with a barbarity, at which every man must revolt, .^hose reason Is not wholly anni- hilated by superstition. Their fury destroyed every thing, even infants at the breast, in those cities whither these monsters carried their vfc- torious arais. By the commands of their God, or his prophets, good faith was violated. Justice outraged, and cruelty exercised.
This nation of robbers, usurpers, and mur- derers, at length established themselves in a country, not indeed very fertile, but which they foanû delicious in comparison with the desert in which they had so long wandered. Here, under the authority of the visible priests of their hidden God, they founded a state, detestable to its neighbors, and at alt times the object of their contempt or their hatred. The priesthood, •under the title of a Theocracy, for a long time governed tbie blind and ferocious people. They weie persuaded thai In obeying their priests Ihey obeyed God himself.
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NotwUhetandiOfir their saperstition, the He- brews, at length, forced by circumstaoce» or perhaps ^eai y of the yoke of priesthood, de- termined to have a kingr, a« coniingr to the ex- arapJes of otiier asitioiis But io the rhoice of tueir monarch they thought themseives obliged to have recourse to a prophet. Thus be^an the anonarchy of the Hebrews. Their princes, how- ever, were always crossed in their enterprises, by inspired priests and ambitious prophets who conUnually laid obstacles in the way of «very sovereign whom they did not find suffi- ciently subniissi ve to their own wiji*. The his- tory of the Jews, at ail tiipes. shews us nothing but kings blindly obedient to the priesthood! ^r^.l^?'* ^\*^ •»' and perishing under its blows! I he ferocious and ridiculous superstitions of the Jew* rendered them at once the natural en- eiiiie9 of mankind, and the object of their con- tempt. Ttiey were always treated with great seiyerftyxby those who made inroads upon rheir territory. Buceessively enslaved by the JSgyp. tians, the Babylonians and the Grecians* ihey experienced from their masters the bitterest treatment, which was indeed but too well de- ' served. Often disobedient to their Ood, whose own cruelty, as well as the tyranny of his pnesls frequently Isgnsted them, they were never faitliful to their princes. In vatn Were I tbey crushed beneath sceptres of iron ; it was ! »{npo8sible to render them loyal subjects. The Jews were always the dupes of their prophets, and in their greatest distresses, their obstinate ' fanaticism, ridiculous hopes, and indefatigable ereduhty, supported them against the blows of fortune At last, conquered with the rest of the earth, Jadea submitted to the Roman yoke.
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Desf^ised by their new musters, the Jews were tre^ited hardly and with great haugbtines6 ; for their lnws as. well as their conduct, had inspired the hearts of their conqaerors with the liveliest detestation. Soar^^d by misfortane, they be- canie more i>lind, fanatic and seditious. Exal- ted by the pretended promises of their God ; full of confidence in oracles, which have always announced to them h felicity which they have never tasted ; encouraged hy enthusiasts, or by impostors, who successively profit by their credulity, the Jews have^ to this day, expect- ed the coming of a Messiah, a monarch, a deliv- erer, who shall free them from tbo yokes be- neath which they grdan, and cause their nation to reign over ail other nations in the universe.
IÉM
CHAPTER III.
Sketch efth^ Msiaryqfihe CkrisHan RsUgion,
In the midst of this nation, thus disposed to feed on hope and chimera, a new prophet arose, w^hose sectaries in pro<tf ss of time have chang- ed the fuce-of the earth. A poor Jew. who preten^ied to be descended from the royaj house of David,* after being long unknown in his own
- fhe Jews say that Jesus was the son of one Pnndira
or Panther, vvho had seduced hi^ mother Mary, a miiieher, the wifeof Jochanan. Âccordiog to others, Pandira, by some artifice, enjoyed her several tinie«, while she thought htm her husband ; aAer which, «he becoming' pregrnant. her husband, suspicious of hct fidelity, retired into Baby-
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eoQDtry, eaiergiep from obscurity, and goes- forth to nual^e proselytes. He succeeded a- tnon^st 9onie of the most igrnorant paK of the populace. To them he preached his doctrines, and taiififht them that be wai* the son of God, the deliverer of his oppressed natioti, aud the Messiah announced by the prophets* Bis dis* ciples, be^nif either impostors, or themselves deceived, rendered a clamorous testimony of his power, and declared that bis mission had been proved by miracles without number. The only prodi|çy which he was incapable of effect- ing, was that of convincing the Jews, who, far from beioir touched with his beneficent and niarveliotts works, caused hira to suffer an tg» nominious death. Thus the Son of God died in the si^ht of al} Jerusalem ; but his followers de> dare that he was secretly resuscitated three days alter bis death. Visible lo them alone, and invisible to the nation which he came to enliflrhten and convert to his doctrine. Jesus, afiter hi» resurrection, say they, conversed some time with his disciplet^, and then ascended into heaven, where, having again become equal to God the father, he share» with him the adora- tions and homages of the sectaries of his law. These sectaries, by accumulating superstitions, inventing impostures» and fabricating dogmas and mysteries, have by little êc little, heaped up a distorted and unconnected system of religion which is «railed ChrisitanUy, after the name ot Christ its foqnder.
Ion. Some say that Jttus was tauffht maigie io E^S^pt, from wlwBoe hé went . and «xerci«ea liis art in Galilee, where he was mit to death*
Vide Piefier, TheoK Jud. and Mahom. dec Principia. Lypsiae, 1687.
m
Tb« differeot nations, to wliich tbe Jews were sacceKçivély subjected, bad infected them witb a multitude of pagan dogmas. Thus tho Jewidb religpion, E/^yptian in its origin, adopted many of the rites and opinions of the people, tvitb whom the Jews conversed. We need not tben be surprised, if we see the Jews and the Christians their snccettsors, fiUed with notions borrowed of tbe Phenicians, tbe Magi or Per- sians, the Greeiss and the Romanf^. The errors of mankind respecting religion |iave a general resemblance ; they appear to differ only bv their combinations. Tbe commerce of tbe Jews and Christians with tbe Gh*ecians, made them ac- qoainted with tbe philosophy of Plato, so anal- ogous to tbe romantic spirit of the Orientals, and so comfprmable to tbe genius of a religion which boasts io being inaccessable to reason*. Paul, the most ambitious and enthusiastic ot the n« posties, carried his doctrines, seasoned with the sublime and marvellous, among tbe people of Greece and Asia, and even the inhabitant^ of Rome. He gained proselytes, as every man» who addresses himself to the imagination of ignorant peop\e may do; and he may be justly styled tbe principle founder of a religion, which» without him, could never have spread far ; for the rest of its followers were ignorant men.
- Origeii says tbat Celsns reproaohed Christ with having
borrowed many of his maxims fVom Plato. [See Origeo oontra Cel. chap. 1. 6,1 Augustine soni^sses, that he found the hefnnnm^ of (he GoepeX of John in Plato. ISeù S. Auç. Cont. 1. vil. chap. ix. x. xi.1 The notion oi tbe Word IS evidently taken from Plato ; theehurch faassinflO found means of transplantinf a gnat part of Plato, as we shall hereaner prove.
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from wfaom be soon leparated himteif to be< come the leader of bis own sect*.
The conqoests of the Christian religion were, Id ita inflincy, generally limited to the Tolgar and ignorant. It was embraced only by the most abject amongst the Jew» and Pagans. It is over men of this description that the marvel- lous has the greatest tnfluencef . An nnforto- nate God, thç innocent victim of wickedness and cruelty, and an enemy to riches and the greats must have been an object of consolation to the wretched. The austerity, contempt of riches, and apparently disinterested caree of the first preachers of the gospel, whose ambition was limited to the government oftoids; the equality of rank and property enjoined by their religit^o, and the mutual snoeoars interchanged by its followers,' these were objects w^il calculated to eitcite the defi>ires of the poor, and moliiply Christians. The onion, concord, and reciprocal affection, recommended to the first Christiana, must have been seductive to ingenious miads ; their submissive temper, tbair patience in indi« gence^ obscurity, and distress, caused their in^
^TfaeEbionites or first Christian» looked upon Saint Pan} as an apostate .and an heritic» becatiae h» wholly re« jected the law of Moses, which the other apostles wished only to refbnn.
fThe first Christians were, by way of oontempt, called Ebionites, which signifies begynFs or mendicants, f See Origen eontra Celsum, lib. 2. et Euseb. hist. Eccles lib. 3. chap. 37.] Ebion, in Hebrew,* signifies poor. The word Ebionhas since been personified into the meaning of an heretic or the leader of a sect, who were «celuded firom sacred things, and scarcely considered as men- It prom* ised them 'that tbey should one day have their tarn, and that, in tJUc other life, they should be happier than their îTîisjér^..
fiitit neet te be looked opon a» litUe clai^;erou8 1^ a government accQftomed to tolernte ail «ects^ TSos, thi*loatid«r8of Christiaiiity had many ad- lièrent» amoDg the pet^ple,, and their opprpssors atnd enemie» oonsiMied chiefly* of some idola- trous prie»t^ and Je we, whose interest it was to^enp^rt the religion previon»iy eBtablished.*» fi^ litlle and iitâe. ihie new syetem, covered with theciondeof myetery, took deep root, and beeame too strong and «xieneive to be sopptres^ sed» The Boman^governpient saw too late the progresser an aeeoeiHtJoo il bad despised. The Ohrletiahs now beeoniè nnnierous^ dared to brave the Pagan Godj», even in their temples^— * The en^perors and magistrates, disquieted «I BDch'proceedlngSf endeavore«^ to extingnish the sect whichgaye theoi nmbrage. They perse-, GitlfMt snch as they enuld not. reciatm by milder means, and whom their fenaticism had render* ed obstinate. The feeHngs of mankind are ever Interested in lavor of distress ; and this perfce^ cution only served to inorease the namher of the friends of the Christians. The fortitude and constancy with which they suflTered torment, appeared supernatural nnd divine in the eyes of those who were witnesses to it ; their enthosi- asm communicated itself, and produced new advocates Ibr the sect, whose destruction was attempted.
After this explnnation, let Christians no Ion* ger boast the mnrvellons progress of their reli- gion. It was thé religion of poverty : it an- Doonced a Qoô who was poor. It woa preach- ed by the poor, to the poor and ^norant. It gave them consolation In their misery. Svelt its gloomy ideas werf analogous to the dispO- stttdn oflildig^fiit^Dd tlnhapi^yVsR^» TtteiiP'
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iéù and coneorà sonmeli adoiirefl lA tàe eariier Cfaristitas, ie, by do tiièans, surprising; An in^ Aiat and oppressed 9éot tiainrally remained oftl- ted) and dread a s^aration of interests. It is * astonishing, tbat, in those early days, m(*D who tvere themselves pereeeated and treated as nial'^ contents, should pretumie to preach intolérance and persecuttoB. 'Hie tyranny ex^^rised against them wroi%ht no ohang'e in ttieir sentiments.—- Tyranny en ly irritate.'* the human mind, which is^atwaysitevKieibie, when those opinfolisaré ttttaclied to wfaioh ft has attached its welfare.-*^ Such is the lilevits ble effèet of persecution. Yet Chrlstfans, who <>aght to be undeceifved by the example of their owb sect, have to this day been inoap'âble of divesting themselves of the fury of persecution.
The Roman -emperors, having tfiemseives become Chrtstiatis, that is tn say, carried away by a general torrent* which obliged them to avail themselves of the support of a powerfbl sect; seated religion on the throne. They pro- tected the church and' its ministers, and endeav- oured to Inspire their cbnrtiers with their own ideas. They beheld wHh a jealous eye those who retained their attachment to the ancimi reUgion, They, at length, interdicted the exercise of it, and finished by fbrbidding it un- der ttie pain of death. They perseeuted with- out measure, those, who held to the worship of . their ancestors. The Christians no w repaid the Fagaiis with interest, the evils fn^hicih they had /before suffered from them. The Roman em* pire was shahen with convalsitms^ caused by the unbVidIéd zeal ef' sovereigns and those pa- cijk priests, who had just before preached noth- liX0 bat mildness and tolemtion. The emperors,
I
cither from • policy or saperstllimi, loaded Ihe prietthood with gifts and jbenefactiont^ which in- deed were seldom lepaid with gri^atitade. They eetablished the authority of the latter; aod at length reepected as divine what they had them- selves created. Priests were relieved from all civil functions, that nothing might divert ttieir minds from their sacred mioibtry.^ Thus the leaders of a once insignificHUt 4b oppressed sect became independent. Beio^ at lent more pow- erful than kings, they soon arrogated to them- selves the right of commandiog them. These priests of a God ef peace, almost eontinoaUy at variance with each other, communicated the itiry of their passions to their followers ; and mankind were astonished to behold quarrels and miseries engendered, under the kw of grace, which tliey had never experienced dnder the peaceful reign of the Divinities, who had for- merly shared without dispute- the adoration of mortals.
Such was the progress of a superstition, in- nocent In its origin, hut which, in its coarse. Ikr from producing happiness among mankind, be- fsame a bone of contention, aod a fruitful source of calamities.
p€4ice upon earth, and good will towards tnen.
Thus is the gospel announced, which has cost the human race more blood than all other relig- ions of the eartb> taken c^ollectively.
£ot?f ike Lord iky Qod with all iky etrmgtkf and thy neighbor as tkyàelf.
Thi«, according to the God and Legislator of the Christians, is the sum of their duties. Yet, we see it is ihipossihle for Christians to love that severe and capricious God, whom they
tSss TiUbmenf s Uh ef Cimtftfttiae. Vol. iy. urt. 9%
worftbîp. Oo (be other band, we see them etter- nally busied in tormenting, perBecuting, and de- stroyiog their neighbors and brethren.
To find ait explanation of these contradic- tions, it is sufficient to cast our eyes upon the God which the Christians inherited from the Jews. Not contented with the shocking col- ours in which he was painted, the Christians have still more disfigured his portrait. The Legislator of tbç Hebrews speaks only of the transient punishments of this life ; the Chria« tian represents his God as pouring out unboun- ded vengeance to all eternity. In one word, Christian fanaticism feeds itself with the idea of an hell, where its Gud transformed into a fero- cious executioner, as unjust as implacaUe» shall bathe himself in the tears of his wretched créatures, and perpetuate their existence, to render them eternally miserable. There, cloth- ed in vengeance, he shall mock at the torment of sinners, and listen with rnpture to the groans with which they shall make the brazen roofs of thei I' prisons resound ; not the smallest hope of some distant termination of their pains, shall give them an interval of imaginary relief.
The Christians in adopting the terrible Qoâi of the Jews, have sublimed his cruelty. They represent him as the most capricious, wickecu and cruel tyrant which the human mind can conceive, and suppose him to treat his sul^ect4 with a harbarity and injustice truly worthy of a demon. In order to be convinced of this trnth^ let us contemplate, for a moment, a picture of the Jewish mythology, adopted and rendered still more extravagant by the Shristianfi.
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99'
CttAPTER IV.
Xf/ikt Chnstian Mythology, or the Ideas of Sod. ani hi* Conduct, given us by the Christian Religion,
Qod, by ^n inconceivable act of bis omnipo- tence, created the univeree out ofnotbing/ He made thé earth for the residence ofmau; whom he created in his own image. Scarcely had this man, the prime object of the labors of his GodfOeen the light, when his Creator set a enare lor him, into which he andoubtedty knew that he must fall. A serpent, who speaks, seduces a wo^an, who is not at all i#urprised at this phe- Qoraenon. 9he,being persuaded by the serpent, solieits her husband to eat of a fi uit forbidden by Qoiï himself. Mam^ the father of the human race, by this light fault, draws upon himself and iris innocent posterity innumerable evils, which «re followed, but not terminated by death By the offence of only one man. the whole human race incurs the wrath of God, and they are at length punished for involuntary faults with an universal deluge. Ood repents having peopled <he earth, and be ftnds it easier to drown and destroy the human race, than to change their tiearta.
A small ni^t&ber of the just, however, escaped
- £x Dibllo nihil sit, was considered as an axiom by an-
cBent phitosopfaem. The creation aë admitted by l'iirîs- tiajw.of thç present day, that is to aay, edaotion of all Âings from tio^nf, is a theok^ri^I invention, nOi, in- «sea, of very remote date The word Barab, which is
"*"** ^S^^À^S^* ^ compose^ arnui^ to dï^^ose
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this âestruetive flood ? but the deluged earth, ftod the deetraotioa of mankind, did not satlato the impiacahle vengeance of their creator. A new generation appeared. These, ahfaoogh descended fVom the friends of OoH, , whom he had pi*es«rved in the general ehipwrèefc of the worl^d.^nsenee him by new crimes. The Almigh- ty i» represented as having been intmpable of rendering hts' oreatare KB<?h a» he desired him. A new torrent of corruption carrieeaway man- kind/and wrath is again excited in the bosom OfJehovah.
Partial in his affections ^nd his prefei^encee, He, at length, casts his eyes on an idolâtrons Assyrian. He enters into an alliance With ihfs' man, and covenants that hts posterity shall be moUiphed to the number of the i^ars of heaven, or the Sands of the sea, and that they shall for ever enjoy the favor of Ood. To this chosen rëce he reveals his will | for them, unmindful of hie justice, he destroys whole nations. N^yet^ tbeless, this fkvored race îs not the more happy or more atttiohed to their GK)d. They fly to strange gods^ from whom they seek succours, which are refused to them by tbeir own. They frequently insult the God who is able to exter- minate them. Sometime he punishes, sonie- times consoles them ; one while he hates them without cause, and another carresses them with as little reason. At lôbt, finding it impossible to reclaim this perverse people, for whom he con- Unttes to feeJ the warmest teiiderness, he sends aniongst them his own son: ' To this son they wilt not listen. Wlîat do I say ? This beloved eon, equal to Ood his father, is put to an Ignominious death by his favorite nation, m^ fulher^ftl the eeqie time^ And» It iiiH?09»lble
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to save tBe liumaii race, witfaoat tEie aaerifice of hie own eon. Thus, an innocent €kMl becomes the ^iotim of a just God by wbv>m lie ie beloved. Both consent to this étrange saoriilce, jttd|red necessary by aOod, whohnowe thaftU will be i]!«eless to an hardened nation, which nothing oan reclaim. We should expect that the d< ath of this Goà^ being useless to Israel, must Kcrve at least to expiate the sins of (he rest of the hannan race* Notwithetanding the eternal alliance with (he Hebrews, solemnly sworn toby the Host High, and bo many times renewed, that favorite nation finds themselves at last deserted by tiielr Ood, who could not reduce ihem to obedience. The mérite of the spflTerings and dealh of bis son, are applied to the nations be- fore excluded from his bounty, 'f'heee are re* eottciled to heaven, now become more just in regard to them, and return to grace. Yet, in spite of all the efforts of God* his favors are lavished in vain, ninotiind continue to sio, enkindle the divine wrath, and render them- selves worthy of the eternal punishments^ pre- viously prepared and destined for the greater part of the hooian race.
Such in the faithful history of tbev Ood, on ivhom the lonndation of the Christian religion Is laid. His conduct being su strange, eruel, and opposite to all reason, is it sorpriaing to see the worshippers of this Ood ignorant of their duties, destitute of humanity and juslice, and striving to assimulate themselves to the model of that barbarous divinity which they adore ?^«- What indulgence have mankind a right to ex- pect from a God, who spared not even his own son 1 What indulgence can the Christian, who believes this fable, shew to his fellow-oratares %
IF
'm
Ouirht be Boi to imagine that «be sliiegl means of pleasJog hifl God, is to imitate hie ftroeity anâ croelty 1*
It J8 at leaat evident, that the eeetariee of sac& a Go if mast have a precarioas morality, found- ed on prinoîplee destitate of all flrmnese Thia Ood in fact, is not always onjust and cruel ; hie conduct varies. Sometimes he appears to have created all nature for man alone ; at oth* era, he seems to have Created man only as aa object, whereon to exercise his arbitary ràgf • fSometimes they are cherished by him notwith* etanttjng all their faults ; at others, the whole species is condemned to eternal misery for an apple. This oechangable Qod is alternately agitated by anger and love, revenge and pity, benovolence and fury. His conduct is contins aally destitute of that uniformity which char- acterises wisdom. Partial in his affections, be makes it the duty of his favorite people to com* mit deliberately the most atrocious crimes. He <H>mmands them to violate good faith, and con^- temn the rights of natlone. He enjoins upon them the commission of robbery and murder. On other occasions, we see him fbrbldding the same crimes, ordain ig justice, and prescribing to mankind abstinence fVom whatever disturb» the good order of soi^iety. This Ood, who In torn is styled the God of Vengeance,the God of JHercUs, the God of ^rms and the Gh>d of Peace, is ever af vtirience with himself His subjects are coaae-
The sacsrifioe of th^ eon of God is msntiotkad as a pewi of his benevoieBce. Is it not rather s pvoof of bis ferocity^ cruelty, and inpiacable vengeance Y A good Cbrlêtias, on his death-bed said, he had never been able to eon* ceire how a good God could pot aa innoecnt jGod to dtath 0api»«seajast0o&»' • /^ "^ ^*
^[iMpUy éàèh one nt liberty to copy Ihat fMu*t of bi8 condttot, which be ândia most cïoageoiai lo hi« humour. Hence their morality becomes ar» bitrary. Is It fiurprisingi that Christiaos have never yet beeo able to agree ainoogst themselves whether it would be most pleasing to their GK>d to tolerate the various opiuioas of mankind.- or lo exterminate them all who differ from themselvee? It is, in fact, a problem with them, whether it be most expedient to persecute and assassinate those who think not as they 4o ; or to treat them with humanity^ and suffbrthemto live in peace. Christians, however, do not fail to justify the strange and often iniquitous conduct attriboted to their Uod in the Scriptures. This God, eay they, being of right, the absolute master of hie creatures, can dispoee of them at his pleasure, and (pr this no oae, can accuse him of ii^ostice, or demand an account of his conduct. His. jus- tice is not the justice of mankind, and they have no right to censure any of his actions. It Is aa ay to perceive the insufficiency of this answer Mankind in making justice an attribute of their ^bd, can have no idea of this virtue, biit by supposing that it resembles the justice of ther jl^liow creatures. If God bave oju^ice^ which in its essence differs from that of man, we know not what it is, and we attribute to him a Quality of wliich we have no idea. If it be said that God, owes nothing to his creatures, he is supposed to be a tyrant, whose conduct has no rule but his own caprice, and who cannot con- tinue to be a model for us having no longer any relation with us ; seeing all relations must b« waciprocal. If nothing be due from God to his Ratures, how can any thing be due from them to him ; ifj as vd are continouJiy told, mtfn. are*
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to Ooil, CL» the thy in the hands of tie poUfT^ np tnoral relation can exist between tbem. It &^ nevertheless, upon those relations that all re- ligion is founder I. Therefore, to say that God has no duty towards his créatures , and that his justice is different from that of mankind, in to sap the foandations of all religion and jus- lice, which necessarily suppose that God ought t9 reward manMàd for doing- good, and punit(l |he»i fordoing evil.
In fine, how canihe followers of the Christian system reoonoite that bârhàroos ebiuluct, ahé those sanguinary contmands, attributed to him in the Scriptures, with bis gioodness or his wis^ doon ? ' And how can gorodnes he an attritMlte of a Gkid, who has created most of thé honàion race only to damn them eternally ?
Here weshfrll bet told thatthèco&d«etof€k>é is, to us» an Impenetrable myMery, thftt we hftve no right to scrutinize it and that our Heebie rett* son" must be lost whenever It «itempts to found the depths of divine wisdom. We «r6 informed that we must addre in silence, and ti^mbtinglj^ submit to the oracles of a âod, who has himèelf snfficiently made known his will In his hdiy scriptures. This is what Ihéy call reteiatioir, to whfch we proé^eed in tli# n«3ct ehmf^u '
u
GûâPTBfi v:
0/ ReveîaHon.
How Cfttt W9 know, without the aidof reamov that God hath epoken. But, <^n the other side^ is oot reason proscribed by the Chjrietian reli- gloi^t Is«ot the use ofreasoo forbidden, in the examisation of the marveUous dogmas, with whleh we are presented by this reli^^ion I Does it not eootinualty exGlaim against â pro/antf rMMfi,. whieh it accuses of îasuAcieney, and of- ten rc^rds as rebellious to heaven? In order to be capable of Judging' of divine révélation, we must have a just idea of the Divinity. But, seeing human reason is too weak and groveling to exalt itself to an acquaintance with the Sn- preme Being, from what source ehaU we derive that idea, beside revelation itself Î Thus reve • lation itself is to become the proof of the au- thority of revdation. Let us pass on from this eonjurer's circle, and open the sacred booka, âestlaed loenligliten mankind,and before which reason must fall prostrate. Do they exhibit an; preeioe ideas of the Ood, whose oracles (hey announce ? Can we draw from them any Just eoooeptionsof his attributes Î Is not this God MpreiBentèd as a mass of contradictory ^alities, which form an explicable enigma ? If this revelation be, as is supposed, an emana tion from God himself, wha can confide in him 1 Does he not paint himself as false, unjust, de^ MsM tfnd emel ; ifiisetting snares ibr mankind
«eâuclagf, hardeoinpr, and leading Unem afifj^y ?* Thus the man, desirous of being assared oft^p trutii of Christian revelation, finds btaiself, à$ the first step of enquiry, plunged into dislrnst and perplexity, vrhlch is increased by the inter- tnintible disputes of his sacred gaic|aS) who have never been al>le to agree upon the manner of understanding the oracles of a Divinityt whiofk they say has revealed itself.
The hesitation and fear of the man, who hoQ* estly examines the revelation adopted by C%ri0- tians, mast redouble, when he sees their God represented as revealing himself onlyHo a few favorites of the hitman race, while he careAiUy conceals himself from the remainder, towhonii ' not withstanding this, revelation Is ec|oal)y ne- cessary. He mast be uncertain whether or not he is of the number, to whom this partial God deigns to make himself known. Ulnst not his heart be troubled at the sight of a God, who voQchsai^s to discover himself, and annoan<|6 bhs decrees, only to a number of men, incon- siderable fa comparison with the whole faumao race ? Is he not tempted to accuse this Ged of a malevolenre too dark, when be finds that for want of revealing himself to so many millions ^mankind, he baa caused their inevitable mta- ery through an endless succession of ages<—- What ideaÉ must he form to himself of a Chef who inflicts this punishment upon them fbr thelv Igaoraace of secret laws, vrbich he haapubllsh-
< II II
- By the Seriptsras and the Fathers of the Chareh^ 0ûd
is always reyrôséaled as a aedaeer. He perfiiits Sye 10 be seduced by a serpent. He banieaa the heart of Pha- roah. Christ himself is a atone of stamblioff* Snehare the points of view aaum which Divinity is Ui^f^itcd to vs.
44
ed by 8tealtii in an obscure and unknown cor- ner of Asia ?
Tfau8 Christians, even when they consult the scriptures, find all things conspiring to put them on their guard against the God exhibited there- in. Bvery thing inspires distrust of his moral character. All things float in uncertainty. His God, in concert with the pretended interpreters of his will, seems to have formed the design of redoubling the darkness of his ignorance. He is, however, told, in order to appease his doubts, that the revealed will of God consists of myste- ries ; that is to say, things inaccessible to hu- man understanding. In this case, what need was there of having spoken ? Ought a God to reveal himself to mankind for the sole purpose of norbeing comprehended. Is not such con- duct OS ridiculous as it is unreasonable ? To say that God has revealed himself only to an- nounce mysteries, is to say, thai he has revealed himself in order to remain unknown, to conceal from us his views, embarrass our understand- ings, and augment our ignorance and uncer- tainty.
A true revelation, proceeding from a just and good God, and necessary to all mankind, ought to be clear enough to be understood by all the human race. But will the revelation, upon which Judaism and Christianity are founded, bear the test of this criterion? The Elements of Euclid are intelligible to all wbo endeavour to understand them. This work excites no dis- pute among GeometKcians. Is it so with the Bible 1 and do its revealed truths occasion no disputes among divines ? By what fatality, have writings, revealed by God himself, still need of commentaries ? and why do they demand ad*
4^
ditional lights from on high, before they can be believed or understood. le it not astoniahing, that what was intended as a guide for mankind, flh^uld be wholly above their comprehension 1 la it not oroei that what is of most importance to them, should be least known 1 All is mystery, darkness, uncertainty, arid matter of dispute, In a religion, intended by the i>lost High to enligh- ten the human race.
Far from contenting themselves with the pretended mys(eries,contained in the scriptures, the priests of the Christian religion have, from age to age invented new ones, which, though never mentioned by their God, their disciples are forced to believe. No Christian can enter- tahi a doubt concerning' the mysteries of the Trinity, the Incarnation, and the efficacy of sa« cramants ; atid yet Christ never explained these subjects. Among Christians every thing seems to be abandoned to the imagination, caprice, and arbitrary decision of priests, who arrogate to themselves the right of fabricating mysteries and articles of faith, as theirinterests occasion- ally require. Thus, this revelation perpetuates itself by means of the church, which pretends to be inspired by God, and which, far (irùm en- lightenfbg the minds of her children, delights to confound and plunges them in a sea of uncer- tainty.
8no.h are theeffi?cts of this révélai ion, whicii forms the basis of the ChrUtian religion, and of the reality of which, we are not permitted to doubt. God, it is said, has spoken to mankind. But when has he spoken 1 Thousands of yeara ago, by prophets & inspired men, whot» he has chosen as organs of communication with man. Bot how can it be proved to have been 0oA
46
JbiolWl! vil» Bpoke, exeept by bavini^ reeéttrsé to the testimony of the very persons tvho pre- tend to have received hie eotnmends Î These Saterpretersofthe divine will were then me»; and are not men liable to be deceived tfapem- eelvee, and jprone to deceive others I How then «an we discover what confidence is dne to the teetiniony which these organs of heaven give in lavorof their own mission I How shall we be made eare, that they have not been the dopes, of some iliosion or an over heated imagittation? At this remote period, how can we be certain that Mosee conversed with Ood, and received from him the law which he comma oicated to the Hebrews ? What was the temperament of this Moses? Was he phelegmatio, or entfan fiiasticy honest, or knavish, ambitions, or fliiin- terested ; a practiser of troth, or of falsehood ? What confidence can be placed in the testimony o[f a man, who, alter pretending to have per- formed so many miracles., could not convert his people from idolatry ; and wbo, after KoVing otolsed ibrty seven thousand Israelites to per- ish by the sword, has the effrontery t^ assume the title of the medcest of mankind ? Is it certain that the books, which are attributed to JUoses, and report so many miraculous circumstances. are perfectly aathentio ? In fine, what proof have we of bis mission, except the testimony of e number of superstitious, ignorant, and credu- lous Israelites, who were probably the dupes of a fl»rocioo8 legislator ?
What proofs does the Chrie^tian religion give 14^ of the mission of Jesas Christ ? Are we ac «îttainted with his character and teroperamei^ t What dagree of conildence cao we place in the ^^1^$^ oi hk distipleis, who, by their <mo
4?
«oii9eft«i<Mi» were i^iiOTani Mid mileArned mnit^ Mttàn coseequénlly, lis^le to be impoeed upon by tlie ertiileee of'a dexlerooe Hnpoetor ? Ooght not ibe teetimony of tbe most ieereed in Jeruea- lem to till ve greater weight with as, tban tbat 0f Ibe lowest vulger, wbose igtioraliee always reader ^em tbe dupes of those who endeavor "to deceive them ? These eaqairiee brtag as to ftD eJ^aaii nation c(f the proofs which areZddae- «d in «apport of tbe Ciûristlan religion.
. éimrimmmmm9àmmmmmt,mmt^m,mm,»miÊiÈmmammmmm*mmmmm
CHAPTER Vî.
Ofûieprùofi o/* the Christian Adigion, Miracle^^ JnropheeieBt and Martyrs*
We have seen, In the preceding chapters, what jast reasons there are to doubt the authen- ticity of tbe révélât ioïi of the Jews and Chris* tiàns. And fbrtfaer, reiative to this article, Christianity has no advantage over any other ^ religion. All the religions on earth, notwith- standing theii* discordance, declare that they have eminated from Ood, anrd pretend to pos- eess an exelasive right to tirls favors. The iodl- an asserts, tbat the ^mmâblaieelf ie the author of his Worship. The Scaadlnavian cledves his from the aWfal Odtn. If the Jew and th« Chris- tian have received theirs from Mffvah, by the ministry of Moses and Jesus % the Mahometao affirms that he has received bis IVom bis proph- et, inspired by the same Boû, Thos all religions imtend to a divine origin ,• and they all f eier-
48
diet the use of reason in the exaniinatiottot* ibeir sacred titles. Each pretends to be the oaiy true one, to the excKision of all others. All menaoe with the wi^th of heaven those who refuse to sahmtt to their authority ; and all ^- quire the chararrter of falsehood, hy the palpa- ble contradictions with which they are filled ; by the nrishapen, obscare, & odious ideas which they give to the Godhead ; by the wbimsical laws which they attribute to him^ and by the dis- putes which they generate amongst their secta- ries. In fine, they all appear to be a tnass of impostures and reveries, equally disgusting to reason. Thus, on the score of pretensions, .the Christian religion has no advantage over the other superstitions, with which the world is in- fected ; and its divine origin is contested by all others with as much propriety as theirs is de- nied by it. .
How then shall we decide in its favor 1 How prove the validity of its pretensions ? Has it any superior qualities, by which it merits the preference ? And If so, what are they ? Does it, better than any other, make us acquainted with the natare and essence of God ? Alas ! it only renders them more incomprehensible. It represents him as a capricious tyraut, whose whimsies are sometimes favorable, but more commonly injurious to mankind. Does it ren- der mankind any better ? Alas ! it arms them against each other, render^ them intolerant, and forces them to butcher their brethren. Does it
render empires flourishing and powerful ?
Wherever it reigns, do we not see the people debased, destitute of energy, and ignorant of true morality ? What then are the proofs which are to establish the superiority of the Christlaif
.49
jrelîgian overall otiiers? We are asawered^
- • * mir acies, propbeoies» anci martyrs.'^ Bat theae
are to befoaadin all religions of the eartlu— • There are in^all natioas tneo, who^ being sufie- Mtor to the vaigar in science and cunning, de* i^eive them with imposture, afid davale them irith performances, which are judged to be «u* pernaturai, by men ignorant of the secrets of nature and the resources of art.
It the Jew ci(|i the miracles of Moses,.! see
- them performedibefure a people most ignorant,
abject, and credulous, whose testimony has no
weight with me- I may, also, suspect that
I these pretended miricles have been inserted In
< the sacred books of the Hebrews, long after the
- death of those who niighthave testilied the truth
> concerning them. If ibe Christians cite Jerusa-
I Jem, and the testimony of all Gallilee, to prove
I. the miracles of Christ, I see them attested only
^by an ignorant populace ; or, I demand how, it
could be possible that an entire people, who had
1 been witnesses to the miracles of Christ, should
. consent to his death, and even earnestly demand
it ? Would the people of London or Pairis
safibr a man, who had raised the dead, restored
^ the blind to ^igbt, and healed the lame and
paralytic, to be put to death before their eyes ?
If the Jews demanded the death of Jesus, alf
his miracles are at once annihilated in the mind
of every unprejudiced person.
May we not, also, oppose to the miracles of
i Moses ûxkfi Christ, those performed by Qllabom-
f et in presence of ail Meoea and Arabia assem-
. ^led ? The eflfect of his miracles was, at least,
' to convince the Arabians that he was à divine
person* The miracles of Jesus convinced no« '
[ body of his mission. Saint Paul bimself, who
1
»
É4ftrVàr<b bë<siime the most ardent of' bis dir* ciipleB, was not eonvineed by tb« miracles, ot wM«b, in bis tini4», tbere existed so many wk- Hesses. A fiow one vrai» necessary for his €ob«I ysfUaà&a, And by wbat rigbt do tbey at this day dsfiiaiid Hazier of miracles wbieb crooid not con vfn^oe, even in the time of the Apostles ; tlvat is t& say, a short time after they were wrouebt ?
Let it not be sâ^d that the miracies of Christ; «iro as wellloCtested as any (enti 'm profane histo- ry, and that to doubt them ts%s ridiouloas as to i dIotfN the existenee of Seipio or Cmsar, wbish ^vfte believe only on tiie report of the histcM'iaAS; hy i^htkà lb«y are mentioned. Tbe<«fXi8teBGe| of a man, of the general of an army, or an bero, ÎÉ not improbable ; nefther is it a miracle**'- We believe the probable facts, whilst we rejeet ^ifb contempt, the miracles recounted by Titos; Uvias. The most stupid crednlity Is ofleni jafaed to «be most distiaeroisfaed Uitents. Of tblsj %be Christian reliipion liH*nisbes us with inan-j itfisrabte examples. In matters of religrion, âll| iéstimony is liable to suspléion. The most es- Iffbtened men see bat ill, when they are inf oxi- dated with enthusiasm, and daaseled by the «chimeras of a wild imagtaation. A miraciete a tlilOg impossible in the order of nature. If tilts be changed by Ôod, he is not imtnutable.
It will probably bo said, that, without chaair | fng the order of thinga, God and his fovorltes
- À sapàrMtanil «cent rehires» in cttéer to be b«liev«l, !
nMeh stronger prooA than a ftot in no wiee ooatradictofy \ tpr probability. It is easy to believe, upon the testimony i of Pliiioatrates, that ÂppoUoniout exitteo, because bis ex- Sstetiee has oothhigr in >t tliat ibocka reason : but I vill ntft believe PhiloSt^tea, when he tells me, that AppeUonits t^mcà mtrades. I believe that iesas. . Clinet 4ied: I>ut I do tf<A believe tW h^ âTo^from thedeaa.
a
tOonr «om* naloral ««"•v^""^
S^o, taken from th« «•'*«».?*,^' bWii^-
îooe of tHerti ha» ««"rtioned those «xirao ,
Cf. We and "»*/J"|'^^:,: "VbX.rd
in the midet of them. The miracles of Cbrisr were ever attested by Christiaos only. We are requested to believe, that, at the death of the Son of God, the earth quahed, the sun was darkei^ed,. and the dead arosç. How does it happen that such extraordinary e\'ent8 have bean noticed only by a handful of Christians ? ! Were they the only persons who perceived ^ them ? We are told, also, that Christ arose \ fitom the deiid ; to prove whioh, they appeal to j the testimony of his apostles^ and followers.-*- ] Would not one solemn apparition in some pub- \ Ho place* have been more decisive than ail those clandestine ones, made to persons interested la the formation of a new seet .? The Ohrbtian faith, according to St. Paul^ is founded on the resuirrection of Christ. This, then, ought to have been demonstrated to mankind, in the clearest and most indispotable manner.*
Have we not room to accuse the Saviour of the world with want of benevolence, in shewing himself only to his disciples and favorites ? It seems that he did not desire that all the WorM should believe in him. The Jews, it is eaid^ deserve to be bHoded, for putting Christ te death. But, if this be the case, why di<^ the apostles preach to them the gospel ? Could It be expected that the Jews would believe the re- port of the apostles, rather thaii their own eyes/
Miracles appear to have been invented to sjipply the want of good reasons. Truth and
"The Barilidians and Corinthien, here-ice who lived 19 the Infaney of Christianity, maintained that Jeçus was not dead, and that Simon the Cyrenian was crucified ia his place. [See Epipb* Heer. c. 28.1 Thus, there were , luen, firomthe birth of the church, wao doubled tbecruoi- fiction and consequently the resurrection of Christ ; asd yet we are exhorted to believe them at the present day.
pvidenee ha^e no need 6f miraeles to ensard (heir reception. Is It not very aetonisbing that God Almiglity should find it easier to derange |be order ot nature, than to convinoe mankind
Ï' truths the most evident, and calculated to rce their assent ! Miracles were made to prove things which it is impossible to believe. There b no need of miracles when we talk of reason. ThiDga incredible are here adduced in proof of locredibie things. Almost all impostors who lave fabricated religions, have announced in< eredibllities to mankind. They have afterwards fabricated miracles in proof of those Incredibil- ities. ** You cannot comprehend/' said they,
- ' what I tell you ; but I will dearly prove to
you that I tell the truth, by doing things that you cannot cKimpreheml." People have In all ages been overcome by this brilliant reasoning. A passion for the marveUoos has prevented en« %airy. Mankind have not perceived that mir- acles could neither prove impossibilities, nor change the essence of truth. Whatever wott-> ders 8 man, or, if you please, a God may per- ibrm,they can never prove that two and two are
- Dot four, or that three are no more than one.— «
They cannot prove that an immaterial being, destitate of organs, hai^ spoken to man ; or that a good, wiee and just being has commanded the execution of injustice, folly and cruelty. It ap- pears, therefore, that miracles prove nothing, tmleas it he the addlress and imposture of those nho are desirous of profiting by the stupid cre- [ Polity of mankind, and endeavor to seduce them i into a belief of thé most extravagant falsehoods. "Such men have always be^n by fhlsely pre-
fcdiog to have an intfanate commerce with d, in order to prove which, they have per-
[
formed tkooders tbfit tbey attribi^eto the Be- log by whom they Bay tèey were commiesloo ed. Every man, who ptKfortOB roiraelee, eo- de^vore to e»tai)iisb, not tratii, but falsehood. Trath ie simple and évident ; the marveUoo$ ts ever to be suspected. Natare ia al ways true to herself; she acts by navarying laws. To say that Go4 performs miracles, is to say that he coatradiots bimseiff and vieiatea tbe laws ivbick be has prescribed to nature. It is to say, ifast he roodera useless bumao reason, of which he is the author. Impostures alooe can proDounce it necessary to discredit exper^noe and reject reasoa*
Thus, the pretended miracles of the Chris- tian, a4 well as all other relifpioes, have no Ibuaihittan, but the iirnorance, erodulity, and eo- thuslasm of mimklad, and the conaing of im- postors. The same may be said af propbeeissJ Mankind are ever anxioi)s to pry into futurity; and tiiere are always some Itiod individoais disposed to aid them* in the gratification of this desire. There have been enohaaters, divines, and prophets, in all the nalioBa of the earth. Tlw Jewf have aot l»eett happier, in this respect, than others. Tartars, Negroes, aad Indians bave their share of ii[nposlo#8. All societies will find deceivers eaougfa, so long as they are willing to pay for deception.
These inspired men bave not been ignorant that their propfaeciea ought to ba extremely vague and ambiguoDS, in order that they might not, in prooeea of line, appear to iiave been falsehoods. We need not, therefore» be sur- prised, that the Jewish prophecies are very dark, aadiof suoh a nature, that any thiag may be found ia them, vrMcb intarpcetera thlaiK pro*
65
per to «f»ftk Tho^e which are attributed 1er Christ by hifi follovrers, are not conûidered in the samt' ll^bt by the Jews, who still expect the Messiah, wlîoni the Ibrmer believe to j^ure been où earth eighteen centuries ago. The Jewish propbeei«>t$ unifbrilily anooance the de- liverer of a discontebted and oppressetl nation. Surh a one was also expected l>y the Romans, and almost all the nations of the earth. AU inankmd have a natural propensity to hope for a termination bf the evUs they suffer, and be- lieve that Providence cannot, injustice, fail to render them, one day, happy. The Jews, the most soperstitious nation on earth, butldin^r upon the supposed promise o( their God, havo afways expeoted the coming of a monarch or conqueror, who is to elevate them from dis- jgrace, and crown them with triumph, ft was Impossble fbr them to see this deliverer in the person of Jesos, who, inatead of t>eing the re- storer of the Hebrew nation, was its destroyer — «ad si née «lirbose coming, they seem to have lost all favor with God.
It is asserted that the destruction of the Jew- ish nation and the dispersion of the Jews, were themselves foretold, and that they fhrnish a convincing proof of the truth of Christian prophecy. To this I answer, it was easy to foretell the dispersion aad destruction of a rest- less, turbaleat, and rebellioos people, continu« ally torn and convulsed by intestine divisions. Besides, this people waé often conqoered ^nd dispersed. The temple destroyed by Titos, bad previoosly suffered the same 6i«e from Neba- dhadneïisar, who carried the captive tHbes in- to Assyria, and spread them through his terri«
toiifs. file dtapetsion afÛMàiiem»i»4atm,
o6
perceptible ihao that of other cpoquei^ed oatio&s because these have generally, after a certain time, become oonfouoded with their oooquerora; whereas the Jews refUse to iotermiogle, by do- mestic connexions, with the nations where they reside, and have religiously maiataSned this distinction. It is not the same with the Cwbret or Porsis, of Persia and Indostan, as well as the Armenians, who dwell in Mahometan countries. The Jews remain dispersed, beeause they are unsocial, intolerant, and blindly attached to theisr superstitions.*
Thus Christians have no reason to boast of the prophecies contained in the books of the Jews, nor to make invidious applications of them to that nation, because they detest its re* ligion.
Judea was always subjected to priests, wbo had great influence over affairs of state.—» «^ They were always meddling with politics, and undertook to foretell the events, fortunate or unfortutiate, which were to befall the nation. No country was ever more fertile in prophets. This description of men instituted schoolsi where they initiated into the mysteries of their art, tliose who proved themselves worthy of that honor, tiy discovering a wish to deceive a credulous people, and, by such honest means, acquire riches and respect .f
The art of prophesying was then an actual
- Tlie Acts of the Apostles evidentty prove, that^cven
1>efbre the time of Jesus, the Jews be^an to be dispersed. Jews oame froni Oresoe, Persia, Arama, 4e.c to the least of Penteesst (Acts, cs» ii. 8.] So tliat, ai\er Jesus, the inhabitants of Jndea only, were dispersed by tlie Romans.
tSaint J«ronie says, that the Saddocees did not adopt ^e prophets, bqt «Mtsnted themselves with beUevio$r the
profeésian, or nn usefal and profitable branch of commeroe in that miserable nation, which be- lieved God to be incessantly busied in their af- fairs. The j^reat ^ains resulting from this traf- fic of imposture, must have caused divisions a* mon the Jewish prophets. Accordingly, we find them rryinsr down each other, finch one treated his rivnl<« nê false prophets, inspired by evil spirits. There have always (>een quarrels among impostors, to decide who should have the exclusive right of deceiving mankind.
If we examine the conduct of the boasted prophets of the Old IVstament, we shall find them far from being virtuous persons. We see orrogant priests, continually meddling with af' fairs of state, and interweaving them with re- ligion. We see in them seditions subjects^ in- cessantly caballing against all sovereigns, who were not sufficiently submissive to them. They r^ross their projects, excite their subjects to re-* belUon, effect their deatruction, and thus accom- plish the fatal predJctiond, which they had be- fore made against them.* Such is the charac- ter of most of the prophets, who have played a part in the history of the Jews.
five bnoks of Moses, podwell, de jure laioomm asserts, ttiAt the prophets prepared themselves to propliesy by drinking wine. f9ec page S59, J ]t seems they were jng* lers, poets, aod mufiioians, who had made themselves mas- tors of their trades, and Itnew how to exercise them profit- ably.
- Tbe prophet Samuel displeased with Saul, who refused
to second bis emelty, declared that be bad Ibrtëited the crown, and raised up a rival to him in the person of David. Eiias appears to have been a seditions sobject, who, find^ ing tifimself unable to succeed in bis rebellious desinis, thought proper to escape.dae puntshmenA by flight. Jere- miah himsefff (gives tts to understand that he conspired
The .8tilcii«d obscurity qÇ the prophecies is 9Qeh, that those which are commonly applied to the Messiah, or the deliverer of Israel, are e<|uaH>'«pplir*able to every enthusiast or proph- et» that appeared in Jeruîsalem or Judea. — - Christians, heated with the idea of Christ, thinic they n»eethiro in ali places, and pretend to see him in the darkest passages of the Old Testa- mei^t. Deluding themselves by force of alle- gories, sqbtilties, cojtnnientaries, and forced in- terpretations, they have discovered the most formal predictions in all the va^ue oracles and nonsensical trash of the prophets^^
with the Assyrians apiinet hi« besf«ir«d country. He seems to have employ-^d himselfin depriving' hit* fcllow- citize-s of both the will and the coiira??e to defend them* selves. Ue purchased a field of his relationst at the very time when he informed his QOuaCryni^D that the;^ wore a- bout to be dispersed, and led away in captiviiy. The kinf of Assy ri 1 recommends this prophet to his general Nabuz- Arasan, whom he commands to take great care of hinl.
£É$ee Jeremtah'
- Aoy thipf vCBj be found in tM Bible, if it be read with
the im^nation of :r^aint Augustinr, who pretended to see all the 5lew Testament in the Old. According to him, the death of Abd is a t^ pe^flhat o« Christ ; ihe.two wives of Abraham are the syunsro^ae'and- the ohureh ; a piece of red cloth heid up by au harlot, who betrayed Jericm», sigr- AifitfM the blood of Christ; the lamb, guiit, and lion, are %*u'*es of «lesiis ' 'hrint ; the brazen serpent represents the s^riôce ou the cross ; even the mysteries of tae Christian religion are announced in the Old Testament. Manna rep- FQseuls the Ëuchari/st, &c. ^ee 2$aint Augf. sermon, 7Z and Rp. 156 How can a m<>n, n his 8c*nscs, see, m the Immanuel announced by Isaiah, the Messiah, whose name is Jesus ? Isaiah, chan. vii, ver. 14. How discover in an obsr^ure and crucifie^ jew . a leader who shall govern Is- rael ? How see a royal deliverer and restorer of the Jews in one, who, far irom delivenng his nation, csme only to destroy their laws ; and afler whose comaig their land was desMilated by the Romans 1 A man mus* be t*{\fir^ «tghted indeed^ to find the Messiah in their predictions.-*-
Atco are Dût scrupolons respecting U^n^ "Wbicb accord with tbeir desires WbeD ti examine, without predjudice, the prophecies < the Hebrews, we find them to be a misshape mass of rhapsodies, the ofibpring of fanaticis] and delirium. V/e find them obscure & enigma ical, like the oracles of the Pagans, to fin it is evident that these pretended divine oracle are the vagaries and imposture» of mcu, wt imposed on the credulity of a «uperntious n; tipn whicl^ believed in dreams, visious, appai tionSy and sorceries, and received with avîdit any deception, provided it were sufficient decorated .«\'ith the' marvellous. Wherevi mankind are ignorant^ there will be four prophets and workers of miracles, and tbes two branches of commerce will always «tect in the same proportion as mankind J>ecome e, lightened.
^Amongthe proofs of the authenticity of the religion, Christians enumerate a multitude iïtartyra, who have sealed with their blood the belief of the opinions they had embraced.' There is no religion destitute of ardent defe ders, who would not sacrifice their lives for tl opinions to which they believe their etero happiness attached. Superstitious and. ign< rant men are obstinate in titeir prejudices. Their credulity prevents them from suspectii
JcsuB himself does not seem to bave been more dear» bappy, in his prophecies. In the gospel of Luke, èhtfp. ! he f peaku of the ladt judgment : He mention* aiigels, tv] At the scMind of the tan^liMyt» «saemèie mankind tqgeti before him* He adfls : Verily I «ay ants yen this fea ation shall not pass away, until these things are aoeo ptished. The world, however, still stands, and Christife have been expecting thelast judgment for eighteen In dred vears.
B9
6;î
«ball be told (hat the groatest of those i^ecret»^ iiad the one moist neoepsarjF is mankiad it tho IJnity of the GoUbead ; a secret, which, say they, haixiaD wâidom <>oul(l never have discovered ^t* itself» Hat are we Dot at liberty to doabt the truth of this asfiertion ? Mo^e», uodouhtedly, declared an . only God to the Hebrevv«, and did all in bis power to render tbem enemteb to the ioolatory and polytheism of other surrounding cations, whose belief and whosç^ moiles of wor- ship he iepi*escnted as abominable in tht^ eyes of the celestial i^loaarrb. who bad brought the<uout of the laitd of E^ypt. Rat have not many wise men amonf? the heathens dist^overed without the assistance of the Jewish revelation, one supreme GoiA, superior lo ali others? More- over, was not Fate, to which all the other gods of the heathens were subordinate; an only God« "to whose soverign law all nature was subfect? As to the colours in which jMoses painté his Godhead, neither Je W6 nor Christians have ti right to pride themselves therein. He is repre- sented as a capricious and irascible despot, foil of cruelty, injustice, partiality and malignity.-^ What kind of being shall wecont^mplate, when we add to this the ineffable attiihutes ascribed to him in the Christian Theology ? U the God- head when it is said that it is a jmiritf an immate* rial being, which resembles nothing pretended to us by our senses ? Is not human understand- ing confounded with the negative attributes of injiniiy, immensity ^ eternity , omnipotence, and omai- ^cteitce, with which be has been decorated, only to render him still more ioeoaif»reheostblet— How ran the wisdom, the goodness, justice, and other moral qualities of tbi^ God. be r^conciietl with that c^amgie aad ode» atrocions conduct^
m
Mrlûch are fittributed to bim îq almost every paf e of the Old and New Testament'? W oald it not^have been better to have left mankWd in entire ignorance ofthe Godhead, than to reveal to him a God made up of coptradictiana, whicU ]ead to eternal dispute, and se^rve only to troub- le his repose? To reveal such a God to man- kind, is only to discover to them meaos and render themselves wretched, and quarrel with and Injure one another.
But, be this a» it may, is it trae that ChnMiao- îty admits but one God, the same which was re- vealed by Closes? Do we not see Christians a- dorea threefold divinity, under the aamè ofthe 7'rinUy I The supreme Gad begat from alt eter- nity a son equal to himself; from these two pro- ceeds a third ec^al to the first; these three i^ods equal in perfectiuo, divinity, and po.wer, form^ nevepthelcss, only one God. To overtura this fiystem, it seems suOicient to shew Its absurdity* Is^il but to reveal such mysterlejS as thes^ that the Godhead has taken pains to instruct n)ao- hind ? Have opinoins more absôrd and con- trary to reason eyer existed among' the most iirnorant and savage nations ?* In the meaa time, however, the tvritin^ of Moses contata
- The dofi^mft of the Trinity is eviden1l3r borrowed from
tbe fcVeriet* of Piiito» or from the aWegories under which that philosopher chose to Conceal his doctrines. It appears ihnt to Mm the > hristian religion is indebted for the g» eat- er part of its dog^nas. Plato admitted three Hypostases, «r modes of being in the Divlnrty. The first constitated tbe supreme God : the second the Logos, Word, or divine in- telligence proeeeding from the first ; the third is the spirit, or Sonl ofthe VVorld. Tbe e:irly teachtrrs of ih« Christian religion appear to have been Platonics; their enthusiaiâm probably found in Plato a doctrine analogous to their ieei- ins^; had ibey been grateful iheywottW haye recorded
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flOtbjnf^ thjEit could authorize the coustruotioi? of a system so wild. It m only by having re* course to the most forced explanations, that the doctrine of the Trinity is pretended to be found in the Bible. As to the Jews, contented with the only God which their legislator has declared to them, they have never attempted to create a threefold one.
Ttie second of these Gods, or, accord in^r to the Christians, ih'i second person of the Trinity, having clad himself with hnmRn nature, and become Incarnate fn the womb of a virgin, be submitted himself to the infirmaties of ourape- ciesand even suifered an ignominious death to expiate the sins of the earth. This is what Christians call the mystery of Incarnation. He movt be indeed blind, who cannot »<eeth8t these absurd notions are borrowed from the Egypt- ians, indian<). and Grecians whoso ridiculous mythologies describe gods as possesRing hn- man (brms, and subject to inflrroatles, like man- kind.»
him as a prophet, or M least as one of i^e fathers of th& church. The Jesuitical luisaiooariee found a Divinity» nearly similar to that of the Christians at Thitiet. Amoagr the Tartars, God is called Kotf-cio-ciok, the only God, and Kon-cio-sam, the three-fold GcL They also grive him the titles of On, Ha,lUiuA« intelliffsnee, misrht, power or word, heart, love* The number three was ulwaye revered among the ancients s because Salom, which in the oriental Ian? gnnge9, signifies three, signifies ah»o health, «a^eiy^ salva- tisn-
- The fiff plians appear to have been the first who ore-
tended that toeir goos had assumed material bodies* tpe, the ffod of the Chinrse, wrs bom of a virgio, who was fe- cnudated by a ray of the sun. In lodostsn, nobody douhts the inoarnatioas of Vistaou . It seems that the theologi sts of all i>atioBs, despairinir to exalt themselves to n level with Go4, have endeavored to debase him to a level wiih themselve».
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Thus, we are commanded by Çbrietiantty %p believe that a Ciod havio^ becoifte man with- out doing injury to his divine nature, Has suflTer- ed» died, and ofiered Utmself a sacrifice to hitn« ^
self; and ail this was absolutely and îtidiapen- ejbly necessary to appease his own wraUi.-* This is what Christiana denominate the m^aU^ 9-1/ of the redempiion of the bumao race.
This dead God, hoVrever, was resuscitated.'* Thus the the Adonis of the Phenicians, the Osi- ris of the iiigyptiaas, and the A tys of the Phry« ' gians, are represented as periodically resigning *' and réassurai ng liie. The Ood of ihe Christ- ians rises again« re animated, and bursts the tomb, triumphant.
Such are the wondrous secrets, 'or sublime inysteries that the Christian religion unfolds to its disciples. So great, so abject, and so ever incomprehensible are the ideas it gives us of thé divine Beiojir* Such is the illumination our minds receive from revelation ! A revelation which only serves to render still more impene- trable the clouds ivhich veil the divine essence from human eyes. God, we are told, is wilting to render himself inconsistent and ridiculous, to confound the curiosity of those, whom, we are ut the same time informed, he /desires to enlight- en hy his special grace. What must we think of a revelation, which, for fVom teaching us a- ny thing is calculated tb darken and puzzle the clearest Ideas ?
Thus, notwithstanding the boasted revela- tion of the Christians, they know nothing of that Being, whom they make the basis of their religion* On the contrary, it only serves io ob- scure all the notions which might other tvise be formed of him. In holy writ, he is Called an
m
bidden God.» David tells U9, that he places his dwelling in aarktiess, that clouds and troutyled water» form the pavilion with which he i« cov- ered. In fine, OhriattanB, althoug^h enlightened, as they say, by God himself, have only rtdico- Ions and Inconsistent ideas of him, which i-en- der his existence donbtfal, or even impossible, in the eyes of every man, who consatts his rea- spn.
What notions, indeed, can we form of a God, who, after having created the world solely fyv the happiness of mankind, nevertheless, sutfers the greater part of the human race to be miser able both in this world and that which is to coole ! How can a God, who enjoys a su- preme felicitv, be offended with the acitions of his creatures? This God is then éùsibeptible of grief; his happiness can be disturbed ; he is then dependant on man, who can at pleasure, delight or afliièt him ! How can a benevolent God bestow on his creatures a fatal liberty, by the abuse of which they ttiav Incur his anger, and their own destrudtion ? now can that Be- ing, ^ho is himself the author of life and naturs, Buffbr death 1 How can an only God become triple without injuring his unity Î We shall be ansWeï*ed, that all these matters arcr masteries; but such mysteries; but such mysteries de- stroy even the existence of tiod. It would foe moi*e reasonable, to admit, with Zoroaster, or Manes, two principles or opposite powers In nature, than to believe, with Christians, that there is an omnipotent God, who cannot prevent the existence of evil ; a God who is just, and yet partial ; a Goâ alt merciful, and yet so implacable, that h^ will punish through an eternity the crimes of a ptomeotf an oniy
aï
liiod, who 19 threefold; tt God, the diief ofbe* rngS) who eonflents to die, being unable to «atie* fy by mny other uieaiis hie divine Justice. If, In the same subject, contraries cannot subsist at the sarnie time, either the existence oF thf Chnl of the Jews^or of that of the Christians,^iiittst un- doubtedly be impossible. Whence, we are for* oed to conclude, that the teachers of Christiani- ty, by means of ijiïe attributes with wbvph they have çleçorated or rathei* disflgured their; 6od- liead, have/ in fact, annihilate<l the God of the Je ws^r at least so transformed hiin Ihat he is no loMer ttie s'anie. . l^hus, revelation, with all its fables aocl mysteries, has only embarrassed the reason t)f manhind, and rendered uncertain the simple notions which they might form to them- aelves pf i\vi% nectary Bemg, who governs the universe with immtitabie laws» Itio! the exis* lence of a God cannot bedenied^ it. is ^et cer- tain that reason cannot admit tlib existence of the one which the Cbrit<iians adore, and whose conduct, cotnniande, aiid qualities, their reli- gi^on prends is> reveal. ; If tbey are Atheists, who have no ideal» of the , ^Supreme Being, the Chri(^tiaQ theology must be looked ujpon. as a project invented to destroy his elustence.*
- i)Wteci bate êXwâijt dlwgi^Mfi wnong themfeÏTef respecting (be
fttùt^U of ifie «fttftelfiie <0 • ^d. TUty natuaOy «tyfe ^*c1l «tfecr AUietttt, hfttiM^ ibfir «Aemowttiifwn he«e té^r ^be*a lh# «ODe. Peir 04initl«ii( bave vritUMa QHthe fiiftepee p( QoA, vithitnt drftwlày upon t&eWtelwl «b ae<Mitil«A bf Ailrelsiii. I)eicar{èB, Ctefke, PàM»l, Araaeld, aiid IlieelB fcaw Men «ontklered 9» Attm^ Ittt, The reaion is pyilp. |t, ip loiMfM^ i^ Rrpv* ^^ ^^*^P^ of a BeiQs ^ IncoikslsteVkt ai tbe GM of ae Onrifetians. we thiiM hfk teltf teat «en kBve *o tMtns for jadj^^ of the tMirlolty, aad uMt «fir onderftandian are |oQ narrow to wm W i<iee.of..liiin. . way tl^B âo they dKpafo incesiantljr côDcemiDir J|<ni * Wby ae- |n'fo titan ^attires wblfcb dettiof eaeb Mber f wlrr reeuanr t^* iey.e^neemiBC Htnf ~ Wl>y Vi%rrel and «ol each etMrt ibiSat»^ UTse they «re ditferentty interpreted by d^irnt per»oii9>
F
«8
CHAPTER VIII
J^Uries and Dogmas qf Ckriêtimùly.
' Not content with having enveloped their Ood In mysterious clouds and Judiac Ikbles, the the teachers of Christianity seem to be still bu- sied in the muitiplication of mysteries, and* em- barrassing more and more the reason of tbeir disciples. Religion, designed to enligtlien mankind, is only a tissue ofei^ghnas a iaby ffnth which sound sense can never explore. That which ancient superstitions found most incomi- prehensible, «eems not unaptly to be interwo- ven with a religious system, which imposes e- ternal silence on teûaon. The fhtalism of tlio Grecians, has been transformed, in the hands of Christian priests, into prédestination. Ac- cording to this tyrannic dogma, the God of mercies has destined the greatest part of man- kind to eternal torments. He places them In this world, that they, by the abuse of their Ihc- uities and liberty, may render themselves wor- thy of the implacable wrath of their creator.-^ A benevolent and prescient God, gives to man- kind a/riee frt^ of which he knows they will make so perverse an use. as to merit eternal damnation. Thus, instead of punishing them with the propensities necessary to their happi- ness^he permits them.to aet. only that he may have the pleasure of plunging them Into hell*—- Nothing can be more horrid than the descrip- tion given us by Christians c»f this place, desti- ned to be the future residence of almost all man- kind. There a n^erelAil God will^ Ihrùoghoot an
65
per to «eftk Tho^e which are attributed 1er Christ by his followers, are not condidered in the sanit> li^bt by the Jews, who still expect the Messiah, whom the former belie^^e to have been oo earth eighteeh centuries ago. The Jewish prophecitfti uniformly announce the de- liverer of a discontebted and oppressed nation^ Such a one was also expec^ted by the Romans, and almost a|[ the nations of thé earth. AU ihaokmd have a natural propensity to hope for a termination of the evUs they sufier, and be- lieve that Providence cannot, injustice, faB to render them, one flay, happy. The Je^s, the most superstitious nation on earth, building upon the supposed promise o( their God, have afways expeoted the coming of a monarch or conqueror, who is to elevate them from dis- grace, and crown them with triumph, ft was lonpossble fbr them to see this deliverer in the person of Jesus, who, inatead of being the re- storer of the Hebrew nation, was its destroyer -i— aad siat^a «Àrboae coming, they s^m to have lost all favor with God.
It is asaerted that thé destructioD of the Jew- ish nation and the dbpersion of the Jews, were themselves foretold, and that they fhrnish a convincing proof of the truth of Christian prophecy. To this I answer, it was easy to foretell the dispersion aad destruction of a rest- lass, tufbuleat, and rebellious people, continu« aily torn and convulsed by inteatine divisions. Besides, this people waé oHen conquered and dispersed. The temple destroyed by Titos, bad previottsly suffered the same fote from IWeba- chadneiÉaar, who carried the captive tribes in- to Assyria, and spread them through his terri«
torias. Tli^ diapetsion of ibe^ Jewa ja4afiite,
70
a blâi9ral residence to those, wbom God eiiaU have chosen, to be objects of his love. Bot Ihia place is reserved only for a small aomber of elictf who, without any merit in themselves, shall nevertheless, have oAHounded elalins upon tho grace of God.
Thus, the Tartarus and BIysiam of the hea- then mythofogry, invented by Impostors to awe and seduCe maokind, have been transplanted « into the system of the Christians, who have glv- en them the new appellations of Heaven and Hell.
The followers of the Christian religion be- lieve in a race of Invisible beings. diflTering from man and subordinate tp God : a part of whocâ Is emt^loyed in executing the wrath of God up- on offenders; and part in watchlng o^er bis works, and particttlarly the preservation of mail^ The former, being malevolent spirits, are called devîU. demont^ â^. the It^tter, being benevolent spirits, are called angeh. They are supposed to have the faculty of remlertag themselves sensible, and taking the homan form. Good an- gels are in the imagination of Christians, what the Nymphs, Lares, and Penates, were to be by heathens, and what the Fairies were with writers of romaoces^ The sacred hooks of the Jews and Christians, are replete with these marvettoos beings, whom God has sent to his favorites to be tibieir guides» protectors and tut- elar deities.
Pevlls are considered as the enemies and se- doo^rs.of the human race, atnl perpetually bu- sied in drawing them into sin. A power is at^ tributsd to them» of performing miracles, simi- lar to those wronghtbythe Most High, and,, «hove, a power that jcpanleracfii his, and ren^
4^
dm all his projeeta abortivi^. lo lact, tl^e€Sl(f-^ tian religion does not ftirmally aljow lue Btkmp power to the devAl as to God ; neTertiielè8«i it supposes, that noalévolent Beiag prerents .man- kind from eot^ring into the enjoyment of the fe- licity det^tîned tb«m by the goodness of Ood» «md leads inQ9t of theni into eternal perdition^*-*» Chriçtlan^, Jiowever, do yirtuaUy attribute tp the devjl« ^n enipire much more extensive thfrn that of the Supreme jSeingr- The latler, wiài difl^eulty^ saves a few elect; w|iile the foriner ca^r^so^i in spite of him, the greater part of HiaQKi^di whù hsten to his destructive tempta- tions» ratlier than the absolute commands pt ^o(\. This Satan, the cause of /to much terror to Christians, was evidently borrowed from the doctrine of two principles, formerly admit- ted ia fSgypt and all the ;^ast. The Osyriji and Typboa oJTlhe Bfryptiaiie? the 4i>rosma4es atid 4.harimaaes pf tjhîe Persie^ns and Ohaldeai^, hmws uadoobtedly givjen b\rih to the continoal tvar between, the God of Ofari8tian9 and hi» fyf- Btidabie adversary, tiy ihla «y^lem maakiad httv^ eadeavoored to «cooant for aH the good and evil with whidi life is ehèiqiiered; An Al- Enigbty DerHeerves to iostify tfba ^iopreme Being wilh respect to an aeeeiisary and ah- merited evils, wbii^ afitictlhe haman race.
JSuob afa the dreadfur and my^terloua do.<:- trines upon which CkristiaBS, in general are <ii- greed « There are many others, which are pe- culiar to diflTereiit seats. TWi a humeroii» aeet ofChristlaas admit an intermediate etata Jbetweea heaven a&d hell, where «ouls, jtoo eln- Itil for the former and too Innoeeat fer the lat- ter, are su tweeted lor a time, in order to jbxgf{ by their adTerlngs the sins they eomnrft tS
■ 5
n
life; after andergoSng this punishment tbcy âr^ ]*eceive<l Into the abodi^s of eternal felicity.— This doctrine, which was evidently drawn Iroin the reveries of Plato, has In the hands of tli^ Boman priests, been converted into an inex* hanstiblé source of riches. They have arroga- ted to themselves thé power of opening the gates of purgatory, and pretend that, by their prayers, the jr can mitigate the rigor of the di« Tine decrees, at|d abridge the torments of the souls, condemned to this place by à jnst Ood.'*
l*he preceding remarks shew^ that the Chris- tiflm religion has been often inculcated and spread by dint of terror. By striliing mankind wi^ horror they rendejr them submissive, and remove all his dependence on his reasoo.f
- It is CTldenl t^»t the Romfto Catholics ar« iodebted to Plato f^r
Ihelr PurvatoiTw Tliat f rtat pbtiofophvr divMed louls iato three dMMt ; the pura, tttt curable, and tbe fncoi^bl^. The first re- tQfsed by reusion, to the «niversal soul of the world, or tbe dWin- ity, itbm wbich tbey bad emanated) tbc teootd went to bell,
3riMi« tibmj passed la review every year befisfo the judge* q( that ark enkplre, who suflered ihcm. to return to light when they had iluèkleiitly «Kpiated tbeir faultai the ioearablca remained- in Tnr> tsrut, wbere th«|r vera to suffer ettiMl tonncvt. Plato, as well m Ohristian ea>ttistS| described tbe erlmei, faults, Jlc which merit ttiose different degrees of pantshment.
Pretestatot IMvines, jealous probably of the ridies of the GatboKo çlMgy, bave impmdently r^cct«i the doctrine ef a Pm^^atory, whoreby tbey have much ditnioitbed their own credit. It would, ^peiiiaps, kave been wiser to have rejected the doctrine of an bell, vVbtAea aoida can nayer be relquied, than that ef PH|f;gatoiy, which Is nu>re reasonable, and trom which the clergy can driiTer souls by «eans ef 4mt «U pou^erful, ageot, «Mneyk . ■ • ^
f Mahomet perceived, at well as Ohristian DivhMS, the nc c essHy •r (Hghteiilnr mankind, i« order to govern them. « Tboae,** says the Aleomo, ^ wIm» 4» not believe, shaU be elotbed in a garment ot ^re } b<^aj|; water shall be poured on dielr beiuls— their skins «ad their entratb shall be smitten with rods of Inm. Whenever tbey shall strive to escape from bcU, and avoid Jts torments, tbey shan be thrust agalo into iv-and the d«vlls shall say unto thepi— *< tu^ ^e p«i» orbuming." 8te Aleoran, chap, viii.
^
I
jeUAFTEEJX.
Of the Bites and MysUrious Ceremonies or J^ieurgy
of the Christian*
If the doctrines of the Chrktlan religioa be mysteries inaccessible to reason; if the Gtod \t announces he inconceivable, we ought not to be surprised at seeing the rites and ceremonies of this religion mysterloos and unintelligible.-»- Concerning a God, who hath revealed himself only to confound human reason, all things must necssarily be incomprehensible and un- reasonable.
The most important ceremony of the Chris* tian religian is sailed baptism* Without this, no man. it is held, can bis saved. It conMsts in pouring water on the iniant or, ^duit» with an iiivooailon on the name of tb^e Trinity. JHy the mysterious virtue of this water, and the words by which U is accompanied, the person is spiritually regenerated. He Is cleansed from Ihe stains,^ transmitted through successive gen- erations, fVom the fatltcr of the human race.— In a word, lie h^comed à child of Ood, and is prepared to enter into his glory at death. Now, It is said, that the death of man is the effect of the sin of Adam ; and» if* by baptism, sin be efr faced, why ië man still sulject to death? But, here we are told, it is Irom the>spiritual, pot bod* llvt death, that Christ has dellverd mankind;«-^ Yet this spiritualdeath is only the death oftAnw
jfiilneM. 2o thîft case, bow doe» it teppeo iW €brifitiaii8 continne to sin, at if they bad never been redeemed and delivered from sin? Whence it reeultii, that baptUm is a mystery impenetra- ble to reason, and its efDMsacy is disproved, by experience.*
In some Christians sects, a bishop or pontiiT, by proooancin^a few wordu and applying a few drops of oil to the forehead, causes the spir- it to desend noon i%bom be pleases. By this ceremony the Christian is confirmed in the faitb, and receives invisibly a profusion of^^races from the IVIost High. Those, who wandering Airtbest from reason, have entered most deeply into the spirit of the Christian religion, not contented with the dark mysteries commua to othe^ sects, have invented one still darker and more aston- ishiQg, which they denominate jtransubstantia- tion. At the all powerful command çf a priest, the God of the Universe is forced to descend from the habitation of his glory^ and transform himself into' a piece of bread. This bread is af- terwards worshiped by a people, who boast their detestation of idolatry .f
In the puerile ceremonies, so highly valued
- Tlkr «creiaony «f taplifa wai pracliwd la the «lyttfrtef of Mj^
thUs,«Ad tboie initUiM were (liertlw cegeneriKe^- Tbis Mythias VfM also & medlalor. At though Chmiian éMatt coniitfertmMftin iit«eaaff!sr to calmlloa, wr fiait Faol «oold Mt suflTer the OortaihU MU to bfrtm^liMd. (9f9 mtorhnn that^e dmuBclfcd TiiqotMeia.
fTha BramM of Indoitip, (ttstribtite a ^od oC^rain ip t^eir Pa. godas-, this distribution li caned Pn^adaro, or Buchailtt. tte Mexiekos boUote ia a Wad traiMabalaaiiail^B, «iiMi is.aiaNtiMifd I9 Fatter Acoita. Bee Us Tmvetei chap. 24. Tbe ProcwUnts ham nad the courage to rfject traosnbsUMitiation, althoiyfb ft is formalfir «siablisbcKl by Christ, who fiays, ttahe, eat; thiaii «y horiy/tl Av«n>cs said— AAboa maa fH mm pbttosapbis, m^ vera cuai cfbrif- tiaqU, gf ntc stoUdlssiaia, qui Deuin faclunt et copnedunt. The Pe* ruviaas have a reilgleui cetvoiony, in whieb, ailtor saerlMiig a laaih they mlagle ftl». bwad wSUl Aour, aad distril^a it anooMt O» P^V^ pitnttptc qiuak Bb. ^, chap. W.
SCbrislians, we cannot avoid %ûim$ tf» liilest traee» of the Theurgy practiced 8ftiOii|^ the Orientiste, where the fifvine Beio^, com-; peiled by the mngle povret of eeftaifl word^ and eerefnonieel ntfered by prieets, or other per- sons» ipitiated into the neccéesary secret des- cends to earth and perform.-* miracles. This sort of ma^^ic is also exercised among Ohriilk tian' priests. They persuade their disciplea that, by certain arbitrary acttooë, and certain moverhents of the borty, they can oblige the Qod oV Naturt* to euâpénd his laws, ^ive him- eiBtf up totherr desires, and load them w Kb eVe- ry faVor they choose to demand. Thos, in tbi$ relisri/in, the priest assumes the rtght of cobi» manding Ood himsetf. On this empire over their God; this real Theurgy, or mysteriond commerce with heaven, are Ibundéd those pu- etHe and ridiculous ceremoniesi which Chris- tians call 9Mrammt9. We have already teea this Theurgy in Baptlsnhi, Confirmation, and the Bncharfst. We find it aUo in penitence, or the power which the priests, of some sects air- rogate to themselves, of remitting in the name I of Heaven, all sine confessed to them. It is f seen in orders, that is to say, in the ceremony
- which Impresses on certain men of sacred
I character, by which they are ever after dtstin- goished from profane morf ais. It is seen in the rites and functions wbfcb torture the last mo- ments of the dying. It Is seen in marriage, which natural union, it is supposed, cannot meet with the approbation of Heaven, unless the ce^ \ emony of a priest render it valid, and procure it i the sanction of the Most High.^
f Tha lumber of Itomon GttboRc iKcreineiid \» se?et *, t <afi%l(lktil
76
Wa tee ihU Theurgy ^ or whUe mag'û;, îa the l^rayeni^ forms, litiirgiet, and, in »bort, In all tho ceremonies of the Cbristiane . We find it in their opinion, that words disposed in a certain manner can influence the wiil of God and obli|re fa|m to cKiange his immntable decrees. Its effi^ caey is seen in exorcisms, that is, ceremonies, In which, by means of a magic water and some mysterious words« it is pretended that evil spir- its whjch in/est manliind can l>e expelled. Holy tfiater, which has tafcen the place of the ogva InalraUs of the Bomaas, is t^elteved by certain Christians to possess astonishing virtues. It renders sacred, places and things which were proline. In fine, the Christian Theurgy being employed by a pontiff in the consecration of a king, renders him more respectable in the eyes of men, and stamps him with a divine charac- ter.
Thus all is magic and mystery, ail Is îacom* 'ftfehenslbJe, in a religion revealed by Ood h im- pels, to enlighten the darjkjei^ed anderstandiag 4>fman^in0.
CHAPTER X.
Ofihe hofind Writings tftfie Christians,
dbristlans endeavor to prove the divine ori- gin of their religion by certain writings, which they believe to be sacred^ and to have been in- inspired by Ood himself. Let us then see if Ibese writings do really exhibit marlis of that
7^
wisdom, om|)iscience and perfection Tviiich \f •' bttribute to IMvinlty.
The Bibie, every word of which, Christiana believe to have been dictated by inspiration, i» composed of an incongraous collection of the sacred writings of the Hebrews, called the Old i'ediai^eni; to which are added, a number of ^vorks, more t^ecent Indeed, but of eqnai inspira- tion» linown by the name of the J>/iw Testament At the head of this collection are five books which are attributed to Moses, who was^ it is said, in writing them, the secretary of God.— > He therein goes hacic to the origin of thiiigs.-^ He attempts to initiate us into the mvstery of the creation of the world, of which he has only the most vague and confused ideas. He betrays at every word a profound ignorance of the Taws of Nature. God, according to Moses, created the sua, which, in our pfanètary system, is the source of light, several days after he had creat- ed the light. Gody who can be represented by no image, created man in his own image; Bte creates him male andfemak} but, soon forgetting what he had done, he creates woman from one of the ribs of the man. In one word, we see, at the very entrance of the Bible, nothing but ignorance and contradiction.* Ft appears, at once, that the cosmogony of the Hebrews is only a tissue of fableé and allegories, incapable of giving any true idea of things, and calcnlated to please only a savage and igndrant people, destitute of science, and unqaalffied for reason-
- 8t. Attfoitia 6onft<fék ibÉt lh«n k m Wat of nweniag tbe
tnM feme at thp tbrM first di»picn of a«o«M< iri»o«t wrviwlag religion and atlributliig: tbings to OÔj wlikb are vnworlhy of tt|iB, add deefaiiM tbat recoitne mint be rod to AUegorj. Aug. de âe»> est, eoBira BladiiMOi* Orig e% aiiOf grtnU, if we talie tiw hifiocy of tlio Bible li terally, It b.aostti^ ipd eoBtradletory. Ffttlai p. WK^
\ng. In ther«Bt of the writiaff» of Mosoefi we s^ iiUle but a «tring of marveiloas aod qn prob- able storiesi and a, miass of riâieulotts and arbi- ti^ary laws. ,The aatbor coacludes with giving an acGoaQt of bis own death. The books pos- lertor to lyioees, es bib it equal ignorance. Joak- ua stops the etin. which did not move, âamp- 30D, the Jfewish Hercuiea, has strength to oTe^ ihrow a temple.— bot we should never fini§h the ennumeratioo of the fables and falsboods, of these books, which are audaciously attributed to the Holy iSRioet. The story of the Hebrews presents us only with a mass of tales, unworthy the/rravety of history and the mi^esty of JDivini- fy. ftidieuloiis to rea8on« it appears to b^ve been invented only 1o amuse the credulity of t atupfd and Infant people
This strange compilation, is IntermingM with obscure and unconnected oracles, wijQi which different prophets have, from time to time, enriched /ewtsh superstition. Sverv thing, ih the Old. Testiinient, breathes enthuii- tuBoit faaatlrisni, an«i delirium, often decorated with, pompous language. There, every tbi^ is to be found, except good sense, good logic, and reason, which seem^ to he absolutely ex- cluded from the books, which guide the coo- duicjl of the Hebrews and Christians.
We have already mentioned, the abject, and ollen, absurd ideas of God, whioh are exhibited 111 the Bible. I^ this book, ali his conduct, ap- pears ridiculous. He blows hot and cold, and oontradlets himself every moment. He acts htiprodefitly, and then irepents of what he had done, fie supports with one hand, and destroy» with the other. After having punished ali tie OdihttQ race wiQi death; for tho rfnii of ntaOf h^
r
^
fîeolares, by Easekiel, that be i$ juidt, âod wiiiiu^ render children responsible far the iniquities of their fathers. He commands the Hebrews, by thetnoQthoflSloses, torob the Egyptians, la the decalogue, published by JHoses, theft and murder are forbidden. In short, Jehovah, ever in contradietion with himself, varies with cir- cumstancestpreserves no uniformity of conduct^ and is represented in the books, said to be In* spired by his spirit, as a tyrant, which the most decided villain %vould blush to be.
When we cast our eyes over the New Testa- ment, there, also we see nothing eharaoterlstio of that spirit of truth which i8«aid to have die* tated this woris. Four historians, or fabulists have written the marvellous history of the Mes- ^siah Seldom agreeing^ with respect to the cir-« cumstances of his life, they sometimea contra- dict each other in the most palpable manner.— The^renealogy of Christ, given us by Matthew, diflTers widely from that given us by Luke.-^ One of the. Evangelists says, that Christ was carried into Egypt; whilst, by another this event is not even hinted at. One makes the duration of his mission three years^ while another repre- sents it as only ns many months. We do not find them at better accord, respecting the facts in genera], which they report, fliark says that Christ died at the third hour, that is to say, nine oVlock in the morning: John says, that be died at the çixth hour, that is. at noon. According to Matthew and Mark, the women, who, after the «leath of Jesus, went to his sepuichre, saw only one angel; whereas, according to Luke and John, Ihey saw two. These angels were, by some, said to be wittim the tomb; by other» wilhotit. Several of the miracles of Jesus ««f
So
also, cJifferentîy reported by the E^rang^eUsts.-^ ïhfs is likewise the case with bis appearanceff after his resurrection. Ought not all tbete things to excite a doiibt of the infhllibility of the evangelists, and the reality of the divine inspi- rations ? What shall we say of the false and iorgeâ prophesies, applied to Christ in the gos' pels ? Matthew prétends that Jeremy foretold that Christ should be betrayed for thirty pieces of silver ; yet, no such prophecy is to be foaod in Jerimiah. Nothing is more singular than the manner in which Chrrstian divines evade ihe^ difficulties. Their solutions are calcula- ted |o satisfj' only those who conceive it their 4oty to remain in blindness.* Every man of seafle must feel, that all the industry and soph- ism on earth can never reconcile such|palpable contradictions ; and the efforts of Interpreters serve only to shew the weakness of their cause. Ts ft, then, by subterfuges, subtleties, and false- hoods, that we are to render service to God ?
We find equal errors and contradictions in the pompous gascanade Sc declamatory bombast of Stt, Paul. The epistles and harrangues of this msn, inspired by the Spirit of God, appear ts be the enthusiastic ravings of a madman. Tlie mdst labored commentaries have, in vain, eo- , 4eavored to reconcile *he contradictions with which his works are filled, and the inconsist- ency of his conduct, which sometimes favored, and sometimes opposer) Judiaism.f We do
Jerome himself says, that the quotations of Matthew do not anee with the Greeic version of the Bibleé Eras- mus is pbligsd to confess, tbat the Holy Spirit permitted thp Apostles to go astray.
jSt. Paul himself informs us, that be was ravished up to wthin he&vqié Wlfywftslie tranvpoirted Oiifher^cmt^
not âad oarsttlve*^ more enligbtened by \h% work» attributed to tho other Apoilies. it «eeme as if these persons, inspired by the Holy Cihost, came on the earth only to prevent their di^riples from GOfn|;lrebeading. what they bad been sent to teaeb tbeni.
At Ibe foot of the collection» which forms the New TesiHment, we fin4l the mystic work> bnown by >he na,roe of the Revelation of St, John* Thitt is an oninteliigible thing, in which the au- thor has endeavored to collect and concentrate all the gloomy and dreadful. ideas contained in. the rest of the Bible. It exhibits to the wretch- ed race of Man, tha awful and approaching end of a perishing world. It ie tilled with hor- rid pictures, by gazing on which, the trembling Christian becomet» petrified with feiM^ and won^ der, indifferent to life, and useless, or an incuiD'* brance to sodety. Thus, in a manner not im^^
what did be learn by his journey ? Things unspeakal&Iey which no man could comprehend. What advantage étp manlcind to derive from all this 7 St. Paul, in the Actsot the Apostles, is guilty of a falsoheod, in saying before tjle high priest, that be is persecmedy because be is a Phari- see, and on aeeount oi the retfurrectiun. Here are two untruths. I* irst. because Paul was, at thut time, tlie most zealous Apostle of the Christian religion, and conaequenl?^ ly a Christian. Seeondly, because the aoeusationsbroc^t against him, dut not refer to his opinion on resurrection. If we know that the Apostles sometinyes wander from tfte truth, how shall we believe tbeui at others ? Further, we see this great Apostle continudlly changing his conasels nnd conduct. At Jerusalem he point blank appeses Peter, who favored Judaism ; whereas he himseir afterwards complied with the Jewish rites- In fine, he always ac- commodates h mself to the circnmstauoes of the time, and. iMcomes all things to all men. He seems to have set 9n example to the Jesuits of the conduct in the Indies, with which they are reproaehed, where they vaite tfte wo^hin ieltoratiil4itbt1|»t«fe)nri6« . ^ ^
I
tGTûrthy ofiUelf, terminates this compilatioD, so ioestimable and adorable to Christians, so rid- iculous and contemptible to the man of reason, so unworthy of a good and bounteous God ; so detestable to him who contemplates the unpar- alleled erHs i( has occasioned on the earth.
Having taken for the rule of their conduct and opinions, a Book, so full of blasphemous fables and striking contradii^tions concerniag Ood, Christians have never agreed in the in- terpretation of his will, or precisely known what he exacted from them. Thus, they have made this obscure work a bone of contentidn. an inexaostible source of quarrels, a comn^on arsenal, where all contending parties haVe sap- plied themselves with arms, for mutual des^ traction. Geometricians dispute not concern fng the fundamental principles of tbHr science. By what fataKty does it happen that Christian revelation, the foundation of a religion on which depends the eternal felicity of man, should be «inintelligible, subject to disputes, and often deluge th« earth in blood ? To judge by eflects, such a revelation ought rather to be thought the work of a malign spirit, a genius of dark- ness and falsehood, than a God desirous to pr099rve, enlighten, and beautify mankind.
^ ^ ' ■ ' ', iJ
CHAFTER XI.
Of CkrUtian Morality.
^Vere we to believe Cfarieliaiw^ there could have been no troe moratity oo' earth before the coming of the founder of their eeot. They rep« resect the world as having been plunged in darkness and vice ai all times and plaees where Christ was unknown. Yet morality was al- ways necessary to mankind ; for, without it, no aooiety can exist. We find, Uiat before the time of Christ, there were jSoariehlng and virtu- ous nattions, and etitightened philoêopfaer«, who continually reminded mankind of their duties, The precepts of Socrates, Confueius, and the Oymnosophists of India, are by no means infe* rior to those of |he Afessiah of the Christians. We 0nd, amongst heathens, innumerable in- stances of equity, humanity, temperance, disin^ terestedness, patience and meekness, which flatly contradict the pretensions of the Chris- tians, and prove that, before Cbirst was known on earth, virtues flourished, which were far more real than those he came to teach men.
Was a supernatural revelation necessary to inform mankind that society cannot exist with- out virtue, and that by the admission of vice, societies consent to their own destruction f-^ Was it necessary that a God should speak, to shew that they have need of mutual aid and mutual love ? Was assistance fVom on High Jiecessary to discover that rerenge is an evil» Btidan outrage upon the laws, which, whco
tb0y are Jost, asâume ta themaelve» tlle ngftt qf ntributioo ? Is not the forftTeoees of iDJuries oennected with this principle ? And is not ha- tred eternalieed, where implacable revenge is exercised P Is not the pardoning ofeor ene- mies a greatness of soul, which gives us an ad- vantage over those who offend us ? When we do good to our enemies, does it not give us a aaperiority over them ? Is not such conduct oaleuiated to muitipfy our friends ? Does not every man, who is desirous to live, perceive that vice, intemperance, and voluptuousness, must shorten the period of lUe ? Has not expe- rience demonstrated to every tbinhiog being, that vice is injurious and detestable, even to those who are not free from its empire, and that the practice of virtue is the oniy means of ac- quiring r«*al esteem and ibve ? However little mankind may reflt^ct on what they themselves, their true interests, and the end of society are, they muit feel what they ought to be to each other Good laws will render them good ; and wtiere these exist, there is no need of âying to heaven for rules for the preservation and happiness of society. Reason is sufficient to teach us our duties to €>ur fellow creatures.—* What assistance can it receive from a religion by which it ie continually contradicted and de- graded.
It is said, that Christianity, far from counter- acting morality, is its chief support, and renders its obligations more sacred, by giving them the sanction of Go partial and
9^
jeaiirlciofm, and ordains with ih» «aine iiuivlhj jostlce aod injostice, coaeord and carnage, tçji* eration iind p^ersecution. It is impossible to follow the precepts of a* rational morality, n|i- der the empire ot a religion, which makes a merit of the must destructive zeal, enthusiasm aod fanaticism. A relififion which commands as to imitate the ronduct of a despot who de- lights to ensnare his creatures, who is implaca- ble in hit* venjereance, and devotes to flamiPjg destruction all who have the misfortune to dia- please him, is incompatible with all morality. The innumerable crimes with which the Chris- tian, more than any o^her religion, has stained itself, have alwajfs been committed under the pretext of pleasing the ferocious God whom the Christians have inherited from the Jews. Tha moral character of this God, must of necessity,
fovern the moral conduct of those who adoca im.
Hence arises the uneei;talnty of Chriatlana^ whether it be most conformable to the spirit of their relii^ion to tolerate or to persecute those wl^» differ from them In opinion. The two partly And themselves equally authorized in modes of «onduct which are diametrically opposite. At one time, Jehovah declares bis detestation of idolators, and makes it a duty to exterminate them ; at another time Moses forbids bis peo« pie to sp'^ak ill of the God of nation^ The Son of 0OÛ forbids persecution,, afler having said that men must be constrcUned to enter into . his king- dom. Yet« as the idea of a severe and cruel êhod makes a much deeper impression than th|it of a bounteous one. true Christians have gener- ally thought it their duty to exert their zeal ^- gainst thoffe whom they baTo- ]|iipe<tfed .to b'a
QoemiëB to tbeir God. They have fmaglDeâ it impossible to offend bim by efipoasijig his cause ivith too much ardor. Toleration has seldom been practised, except by indolent and pbleg^m- atic Christians, of a temperament little analo- gous to that of the God whom they serve.
Mast not a true Christian, to whose imita* tlon the examples of the saints and heroes of the Old Testament are propobcd, become fero* clous and sanguinary ? Will faie not find mo- tives for cruelty in the condoi^t of Moses, who twice caused the blood of Israel to stream, and Immolated to bis God more than forty thtiusand victims ? To justify bis own, will he not ap» peal to the perfidious cruelty of Vhin&ai, JaM, and Juiiûi f Will be not see Daviii to be a monster of barbarity, adultery, and rebetllon, which nevertheless does not pi event his being 4t inan afitf God's own heart? In short, the whole Bible informs the Christian that his God ia de- lighted with a furious zeal in his service ; and
, this zeal Is^sofficient to close his eyes on ev^ery species of crime. Let us not, then, be surprised to see Chris-
'tifins incessantly persecnting each other. If they are at any time tolèrent, it is only when they are themselves perseuted, or too weak to persc^cute others. Whenever tliey have power ^hey become the terror find destruction of each
other. Since Christianity first appèiared on earth,, its different sects bave incessantly quar- relled. I'hey have mutunlly exercised the most refined cruelty. Sovereigns, in imitation of ]>avid, have espoused the quarrels of discord* ant priests, and served God by fire and sword.. i^Dgs themselves have often perished the vie-
87
tioas of religious ranaticism, which tramples on every moral daty in obedience to its God.
In a word, the religion, which boasts of hav« ing brought pecice on enrtk and good will towards Tnerif has for eigf>teen centuries caused more ravages an^ greater efiusions oftilood than ail the superstions of Heathenism. It has raised «vaili^ of separation between the citizen» of the same state. It has banish^ed concord and nfiec- tioD fi om families. It has made a duty of in- justice anJ inhumanity. The Ibllowers of a God, who wafc' unjustly offended at mankind, because as unjust as he. The seryants of a jealous and vindictive God. conceived it their duty to enter into hie quarrels and avenge hi» fnjuries. Under h God of cruelty, it was judged meritorious to caot«e the earth to echo with groans and float in blood.'
Such are the important services which the Christian religion ha«B rendered to morality.-^ Let it not be said that if is through a shamefql abase of this religion, that these horrors have happened. A spirit of persecution and intoler- ance is the spirit of a religion ordained by a God. jealous of his power ; a God who has formally commanded the commission of mur- der ; a God who. in the excess of his ang^er» has not spared even his own Son ! The servant of such a God is much surer to please him by exterminating his enemies, than by permitting them to offend him in peace. Such a God must necessarily serve ias a pretext to the most des« trnctive excesses. A zeal for his glory is used as a veil to coaceal the passions of all impostors and fanatics who pretend to be interpreters of the will of hen veil ; and the enthcisiast hapeeto
\vAsb away thm greatest crimes by batbiDg fils bands in the blood of the enemies of his Ood.
By a natural coospquence of the same prin- ciples, an intolerent religion can be only rondi- tionally »aforaif«8tve to the authority of temporal sovereigns. Jews aQd Christiana cannot he obedient to a temporal government, unless its laws be conformed to the arbitary and often ridiculous commands of tbeii God. But who shall decide whether the laws, most advanta- geous to society, are conformed to the will of bis God ? Without doubt, his ministers, the confidants of his secrets and Interpreter? of his oracles. Thus in a Christian state, the citizens must be subject rather to spiritual than tempo- ral government, to the priest rather than the Ipagistrate. Hence must arise civil war, blood- shed, proscription, and all that inspires the ba- man breast with horror.
$uch is the support afforded to moralltj by a religion, the first principle of which is to ad- mit tlie God of the Jews, that is, a tyrant, whose Dantastic commands annihilate every rule ne- cessary to the^ tranquil existence of society. *- Thi^ God creates justice and injustice» his Su- preme Will changes good into bad, and vice into virtue. His eaprire overturns the laws» which he himself bad given to natuie. He de- stroys at his pleasure,the moral relations among mankind. In his own conduct, he. dii«pe rises with all duties toward^^ his creatures. Be seems to authorise them to follow no certain laws, except those prescribed to them, in different circumstances, by the voice of his ministers and prophets. These, when in power, preach noth- ing r)ut submission- If an attempt be made to Qbrldge. thai power, tbsy preach urim and re«
a»
béllioii. Are tbey weak ? They preach <olerao tioD, patience an«l meekness. Are Ihey strong ? They preach persecution, revenffef rapine and ornehy. They always 6nd in Moiy Writ arga menta to authorise these différent modes of con- dnct. They find in the oracles of their just and immutable Qod, arguments amply sufficient to justify actions diametricHlly opposite !n their nature and essence. To lay the foundation of morality on such a God. or open books which contain laws so contiadictory, is to give It an unstable base ; it is to found it on the caprice of those who speak in the name of God ; it is to found it on the temperament oï each one of hlB adorers.
Morality should be founded upon invariable rales. A God, who destroys these rules, de- stroys his own work. If God be the creator of man, if he intends their happiness and preserr* ation, he would have them to be just, humane, and benevolent, and averse to injustice, . fanàti* oisni and cruelty.
From what has been Said, we may see what we ought to think of those divines who pretend that, without the christian religion there could be neither morality nor virtue among mankind, The converse of this proposition would macb nigher approach tbe truth : and it might be maintained, that every Christian who imitates his God and practices all his commands, most necessarily be an immoral person. If It b0 said that th'>se commands are not always unjuet, and that the scriptures ofren breathe benevo. lence. harmony and equity. I answer, chrisfians must have an inconstant morality, sometimes good and sometimes bad, according to tntereflt agd {Qdividoafar. Il appears that Christic^ns
so
inagt «itber he t?bo]y destitute of true inoraKty, or vibrate continuHlly from virtue to vice, and from vk'e to virtue.
Tbe Christian relijpion is but a rotten prop to morality, ft will not bear examination, and e- very msn who discovers its defec^ts wtil be rea dy to believe that tbe moraitiy founded on such a basis can be onfy a chimera. Thus we often heboid men, who have couched the neck be- neath the yoke of religion, break loose at once and atMindon themselves to debauchery, intem- perance, and every kind of vice. Escaping from the slavery of superstition, they fly to com plete anarchy, c^d disbelieve all moral du- ties, because they have found religion to be but a fahle, Henc^e, amon|^ christians, the words infidel K%nd libertine have become synonymous. All these inconveniences would be avoided, if mankind, instead of being taught a theological, were taught a nature^ morality. Instead of in- terdicting intemperance and vice because they are ofibnsive to God and religion ; they should be prevented, by ciinvincing man that they are destructive to his existence, and render him con temptible in society; that they are disapproved and forbidden by reason and nature, who aim ' at his preservation, and dir«ct him to take the patbthat leads to permanent felicity. What* ever may be tbe will of God, and independent- ly of future rewards and punishments announc- ed by religion, it is easy to prove to every man that it \B^ in this world, his interest to preserve his health, to respect virtue, acquire the esteem of bis fellow creatures, and, in fine, to be chaste temperate and viitnons. Those whose passions will not suffer them to attend to princi «les so- dear and reaMnabiéjL will not be okore docile to'
81 «
Ibe voice of a religion, which they wili ceoee to l^elieve the moment it opposes their mis^uid- iD|^ propenfttties.
Liet, then, the pretended advantages, which the Christian religion lends morality, he no lon- ger boasted. The principles drawn from reve* lation tend to its deMrurtion. We have fré- quent examples of Christian nations, whose morals are far more corrupted, than those of people whom fhey style infidels and heathens, the former are, at least, mostsobject to religious fanaticism, a pa'ssion calculated to banish jus- tice and Sill the social virtaes from society.
Christianity creates intolérants, and persecu« tors, who are morjii. mppre injurious to society than the most abandoned debauchees It is, at least, certain, that the most christian nations of Europe, are not those where true morality is most felt and practised. In Spain, Portugal unrl Itaily, where the most superstitious seer of Christians has fixed its residence, people live in the most shameful ignorance of their duties. Robbery, assassination, debauchery, and per- secution, are there carried to their worst ex- treme; and yet all men are full of religion. Few virtuous men exist in those countries. Reli- gion itself there becomes an accomplice to vice, furnishes criminals with an asylum, and pro- cures to them easy means of réconciliation with God. Presents, prayers, and ceremonies,there, furnish mankind with a dispensation fVom the [practice of virtue. Amongst nations, who ^boast of possessing Christianity in all its parity, rfliirion has so entirely absorbed the attention [■of Its sectaries that morality enters not into tbeir thought; and they think they fulfil all their rdntles by ascropuloos observation of the minu*
H
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trse ofsupefstitioos cérémonies^ whilst t,heyaffe strangers to all social aflTections and tabor for th« destruction of human huppJness.
€5H AFTER XXh
Of the Christian Virtues,
What has been said is stiffictent to slietv wkat we ought to think of christian morality. If we oxamine the virtues recommended in the chris- tian religion, we find them but illy calculated ibr mankind. They lift him above his sphere, are useless to society, and often of dangerous consequence. In the boasted precepts, whîcfa Jesus Christ came to give mankind, we find lit tie but extravagant maxims, the practice of which is impossible, and rul^s which iiterafly followed, must prove injurious to society. Id those of his precepts that are practicable, we find nothing which was not as welt or better known to the sages of antiquity, without the aid of revelation.
According to the Messiah, the whole duty of man consists in loving god above all things, and his neighbour as himself. Is it possibte to obey this precept ? Can n man love n God above ail things, who is repi'o«onted as wratfafol, capri- cious, unjust, and implacable? who is said to lie cruel enough to damn his creatures eternally? Can man love r^h-yvc txtl thîiigîs, un obîject the
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mo9\ Ûre&àÇù\ that bamao ioiagioaUoo. cûuJci ever conceive? Oan such an object excite in the humai} heart a sentiment oflove ? How can y^e love that which we dread? How can T^e detigfht in the God, under whosd rod we trem- ble ? Do we not deceive ourselves, when we think we love a beings so terrible, and so calca* lated to ex«'ite i>olhing b.ut horror ?^
its it even practicable for manl^ind to lovo their neighbors as themselves ? livery man naturally loves himself in preference to ail oth- ers. He loves his fe\low-creatureti> only in pro- portion as they contribute to his happiness. Ho exer<;ises virtue m doing good to his neighbor. He acts generously when he, sacrifices bis self- love to his ioye for another. Vet he will never love bi^fo^Movv creatures but for the useful qualities lie finds in tbcni. He can love them no furiber than they are known to him, and his . love for tht^m must ever be governed by the ^ood he receives from them.
Xo love one's eneniies is then impossibfo A onanmay abstain from doing evil to the person by wjioni he Is injured ; but love is an afiectioo which call be excited in ot^r heartsi only by an obje'-t which we supponed friendly to us. Pol- itic nations,, who have enacted just and wise laws, bayealvvajs forbidden individi|al>» to re* Tenge^ or do justice to themselves. A senti- ment of generosity, of greatness of soul or he- roism, may indu'*e mankind to do good to those from whom they suffer ir]g[uries. By such means
^Seneca says, with much truth, that a man of sense can- not f^ar the Uods, because bo mp.a can iove vvhat he fears --*0e Benef. 4. '1'he Bit>les«vs, the feat of the Lord Is the bsgrnainff of wiBdrnn. lOiink itratherj^ |h«b^imii»g (fÇ
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Ifaoy était themselves above their enemies, and may even chancre the disposition ôftlieir hearts. Thus, without having recourse to a supernatur- al morality, ue feel that it is our interest to sti- fle in OUI* hearts the lust ofrc ven<;:e. Christians may, therefore, cease to boast the forârivenc^s of injurie», as a precept that could be i?iven on- ly by their God, and which proves the divine origin of their morality. Pyihagoras, long be- fore the time of r'hrîst, had said, let men revenge themselves vpon their enemies, only by laboring to cqnvert them intofnends. Socrates tau/etht that it iocis not lawful for a mail, who had received an inju- ry ^ to revenue it by doing another injury,
Christ must have forgotten that he spoke to men, when, in order to conduct them to perfec- tion, he commanded them to abandon their possessions ià the avidity of the Rrst who $«hou(d demand them ; to turn the other cheek to re- ceive a new iastilt ; to oppose no resistance to the most outrageous violence ; to renounce the perishable riches of this world ; to forsake hou<^ês, possessions, relations, and friends, to follotv him ; and to reject even the most inno- cent pleasures. Who does dot see in these sublime precepts, the language of enlhusianm and hyperbole? Are not they calculated to discourage man, and throw him into despair ? If literally practised, would they not prove ru- inous to society. '
What shall we say of thé morality which commands the human heart to detach itself from objects which reason commands it to love ? When we refuse the blessings olTered us by nature, da we not despise the benefacttiODS of the One {Supreme ? What real good can result to society from the melancholy and ferocioas
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virtaes whîob Chrhitlatts consider Hidispensi- ble? Can a man continue ti^efat to «society vrhen his mind is perpetually agltateil with im- aginary terrors, gloomy idea», and black inqoi- «ftudes, which mcaparitnte bini for the perform* ance of his duties to hit* famiiy. bis ccuntry and mankind ? If the Christian adhere to the ^loo- my principles of bis religion, must he not be- come equally iusupportable to himself and those by Wliora he is surrounded ?
It cannot be said, that, in g^eneral, fanaticism and enthusiasm are the iiases of the morality of Christ. The virtues, fvhicb lie reoommends, tend to render men unsocial, to ptunge,them in- fo melencholy. and often to render them injuri- oas to tht h' I uHow creatures. Amon«f buluaii l>eiBj^« humuu virtues are necessary ; Chris- tian virtues are not calculated on < the scale of i'tfallife. , Society has need of real virtues, IVom which it may derive energy, activity and «apport. Vigilance, labor and aflfectlonf are oeces^ry to families. A desire oi' enjoying Jawfui pleatures, and au^meniingr the sum of tbeir happiness, is necessary to all mankind. ^The Christian religion is perpetually busied in degrading mankind by threatening them %vitU «dismaying terrors, or diverting them with frivo- lous hopes ; sentiments eqtially proper to turn ^hem from their true diitiee. If the Christian Uteraliy obey the precepts of his legislator, he will ever lie either an useless or injurious mem- ber of society.*
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^Notwithstanding the ettlogies lavished by ChristiaDS on the precepts of their divine master, some of them are wholly contrary to equity and rig'bt reason. When Jesus says, make to yourselves friends in heaven with the mam- inon of anrighteousness, does he not plainly insinuate,
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What real advantage can mankind derive from tho^e ideal virtues which Ohrietiani^ gtylè €vangelie, divine, &c. and which they pr*»fer to the HOfûal, humane and sut>6tuntiHt virtue'^:, and without which they pretend no man can please God, or enter into hii^ glory ? Lei u> examine those hoasted virtues iu detail. I«et uu set* of what utility they are to eoeiety, and whether they truly merit the prefejenee which is given them, to thot^e %vhlch are pointed put by reajBon a0 necessary to the welfare of mankind.
T'^e first of the Chirstian virtues i^/atVA, which «erves as a toundatton for ail the others. It consists in an inipotiible convirtion of the re- vealed doctrines and abMird fables which the Christian religion commands its disciples to be- lieve. Hence it appears that this virtue exacts a total renunciation of reaaon, and impractica- ble assent to ioiprobable facts, and a blind sob- inission to the authority of priestt», who are the only goaratitees of thé truth of the doctrines and miracles ttiat every Christian mast beleive under penalty of damnation.
This virtue, although necessary to all man- kind, is nevertheless*, a gid of heaven, and the effect of a special grace It forbids all doubt
that we may take fWwn others wherewithal to give alms to the poor ? Divines will «ay that be spoke in parables ; these ^arables are, however, easily ir folded. In the meantime, (his precept is» but loo WcP followed. Mnny Christians Cheat and swindle during :ili their liviss to have the pleasure ofmakint; donations at thf ir death to cborch- es, moDasteries, &c — The Mesniah, at another time, trea- ted hiN mother, who with parental seliritude was seeking him, extremely ill. Hec moMinds his discipte» to steal aa ass. lie dro\vni« an herd of swine, &«% it must be cod> fessed, ihese things do not agree extreqieiy well with good morality.
ant] enquiry : uod d^^pri'ves mau of the Ubertf of exercising hi« reason and reflection. It re- duce* him to the passive acquiescence of beasts in matters which he is, «it the same time, told ar^ of all thinjrs iiiiost important to bis eternal happiness. Hence it is plain, that faith is a virtue invented by men, who shrinking from the light of reason, deceived their fellow creatures, to subject them to their own authority, and de- gradcii them that they might exercise an em- pire over thecp. If faith be a virtue, it is cer- tainly itweful only to. the spiritual guides of the Christiani» ; for they alone gather its fruits, ft cannot but be injurious to other men, who are taught by it to dr«pi«>o that reason, which dis- tinsruitîsheii (}\ein from brutes, and is their only (uiihfut jfniilc in tltit$ world. Christians, how- over, repie«ip:)t tbi» reason as perverted and an unfaithrui îriiide ; by which they seem to intl- niaKMbat it was not' made for reasonable be- ings. ^I»y u^e not. however, ask them how far this renunciation <>f reason ought to be carried ? Do not they themselves, in certain cases, have recourse to reason ? Do ihey not appeal to rea- son, when they endeavor to prove the existence of their God 1
Be this as it may, if is an absurdity to sny we believe that, of which we have no conception. What, then, are the motives of the Christian, for pretending to such a belief? His conûdenco in his spiritual guides. But what is the founda- tion of this confidence? Revelation. On what then, is Revelation itself founded ? On the au- 4horitv of spirituat guides. Such is the manner in which Christians reason. Their arguments in favor of faith are comprised in the folio wins: sentence. To befieve <nir retigioff {i is neeestary to
have faitli, and to have faith, you must believe in our religion. Or, it is necessilry to have faith alr^^ody, in order to believe in the necessity of faith*
The phamtbm Faith, vanishes at the approach of the sun of reason. It can never sustain a calm examination. Hence it arises, that cer- tain Christian divines are so much at enmity with science. The foundei* of their reli^on de- clare fl, that hit» low was niade for ij^rnorant men Sc children. Faith is th«» €»flect of a j^race which God seldom g^rttnts to enlightened persons, who are accustomed to consult rheir reason, It is adapted only to the minds ot men, who are in- capable of reflection, rendered insane by en- thusiasm, or invincibly attached to the prejudi- ces of childhood. Hoience must ever he at en- mity with this religpion ; for in proportion an either of them grains g^round the other must lose.
Another Christian virtue, proceeding from the former, ia Hope. Foiinxled on the flatteftifl^: promises, given by this religion to those wbo render themselves wretched in this life, it feeds their enthusiasm. It Induces thenrv (irmty to believe that God will reward, in heaven, their
- blany divines have maintained, that faith without
xvorks is sufficient for snlvntion. Tbts is tlie virtue which is, in general, most cried up amongr tliem. It is, at least, the one most necessary to their existence. It is not, theretbre, surprising that they have endeavored to esiab- lis it by jQre and sword. Ii was tor the support of taith that the inquisition burned hen tics an*l Jews. Kings and priests persecute, for the establishment of (aith. t.'hris- tiaas have destroyed tbose who were destitute ot faith, ia order to demonstrate to them their error. O, wondrous virtue, and worthy of tiie God of mercies ! His minister punish mankind, when ho reuses them his grace. ! t
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gloominess, xuntility; indolence, prayers, anc( (letestation of pleasures ou earth. Uow can a man, who, being intoxicated with these pom- pous hopes, beronre iodifiprent to bis own hap-, piness, concern bim<>'elt* with that of his fellow- creatures? The Christian believes that ho pleases his God by rendering himself miserable in this life: and» however flattering his bopea may be for the futuie, they arc here empoisen- ed by the idea of a jealous Q(w\^ who commands him to wck out his own sulvation vyitb ibar dnd trembling, who will plunge him inta eter* nal torture,' if he for a moment has the weak- ness to be a MAN.
Another oï th«» Christian virtues is Chastity. It consists in loving God and our neighbor.*^ We have always seen how difil< olt, not to say impossible, it is to feel sentiments of tenderness for any being whom we tear. It wiil undoubt- e<lty be said^ that the fear of the Cbrislians is a iilial fear. Fear is a passion, totally opposite to love. A son. who fears the anger and dreads the capriceii of n father, can never love him- sincerely. The love, therefore, of a Christiair to his God, can never be true. In vain he en- deavors to feel sentiments of tenderness for a rigorous master, at whose iden his heart shrinks back in terror, lie pan never love him but as a tyrant, to whom his month renders the hom^ age that his heart refuses. The devotee is not honest to himself, when he pretends to love his €rod. His affecticm is a dissembled homage, like that which men are forced to render to certain inhuman despots, who, while they tread their subjects in the dust, demand from them the exterior marks of attachment. If some tender minds, by ferce of ilinsJpn, ffeel sentie-
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tseoU of divine lave^ it it» theo a mystic ana to- fnantic passtion, produced by a Warm tempera* ment, and nn ardent imagrioation, which pre- . «ent their God to them dressed in smiles, with all the imputed rault9coneeale(;l.t The love of -Ood id not the least infH>mpreben9ible mystery ùf this religicm.
Charity. ronsid#ired as the loTe of mankind, tsa vfrtuous and aecessary disposition. It then becomes no more than that tender humanity which attaches us to our feilowe^ aud inclines ^s to love and assiMt them But how shall we reconcile this attachment with tht^ commands of a jenfous God, who would have us to love «one »ut himsetC and who came to separate the friend from the Iriend, and the son from the father ? According to the precept» ofthe g^os- pel it would he ciminal to ofier God an heart shared by nn earthly object. It would be idol- atry thus to confound the creature with the Creator. And ftirther., how can the Christian love beiojsrs %Vho cnntinnally ofiend hit* God ? Beings who would continually heti',ay them- selves into oflertce ? How can he love sinners ? Experience teaches us that the devout, ohli^p^d by principle to hnte themselves, have little more affection (or others. W thtB be the case, tbey
. *Itis aQ-itpdeDt«ndl tender ieoiperament that produced mystic devotion, hysterical women, are those who eoir- iQoniy lovft God with most vivacity, ihcy UvVeftiro to dis traction, as they would love a mtm. In monasteries, panifularlY 8te. Tfaerese, Madeleine de Pozzy, a la coqi.e -—most of tb<3 lie votées are ot this descriptittn. Tdeir im- jtgtoatioDs grow wild, and they give to their God, whom they paint in the mo&t e.iptivatng colors, that tenderness which they are sot permitted to bestow on beings of their «WD species. 1 1 requires a «troof imaginslioa (o be smit- . len with sn object unlniown.
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bnve not arrived at the perfection of divine lovcCr W** do fiot find that those, who are suppoeeii to tove tlie Creator most ardently, shew much atfët tion for his creatures. On the ooatrary, we see them fill with bitterne«v8 all who* surround them ; they rritlris^e with severity the fairiis of otherH^ and make it n crime to speak of human frailty ' with indulgence.* A sincere love for Oor| mu9t he accompanied with zeal. A true ChristHiri must be eorasped when he sees hi» O m1 ofl^nled. ^He must arm htmfitelf.with a just i^ttd holy severity to re^nress the olfeoders^ Ife must hnve an ardent desire to extend the empire of hh reli^iofi. A zeal, originating in thia divine love, has been the source of the terri- ble perse» utions of %vhreh Christians have so often been guilty. Zeat produces murderers as* well as martyrs. Ii is this seal that prompti» intolérant man to wrest the thunder from the hand of the Most Hr^h, to avenge him of his enemies, ft is this zeal that cause» member*» of the samestitte, and the same family, to detest and torment each other for opinons^ waà poeriJe oeremonies, which they ^are led to esteem as of the last importance: '• It is this ^eal that has a thousand tlmf^s kindled those j^elitflons wars so remarkable for their atrocity. Finally, it is this zeal for reiigrion whieh ju^^tiftes calumny, trea- son, carnà^re, and, In shoit, the disorders most fatal to society* , It has always been consider-
•Devotees are srenerally considered as seounires of «oei- «ty. A devout womab bas «eldorn the taleqt of coqeiliat^ i&9 t)ie love ol her hii«hand atid hia domestics. A globtny and meiancholy reits'inD cannot render its disciples very amiable. A sad and sullen monarch must have sad and ealien subjects. Cbristians have jadicioasly remarkied^ ihat Jesus Christ wept, Imt never «mijed.
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ed as lawful to employ af tifice, falsehood and force, io support of the cause of God, . «
The most choleric and corropted men are com- monly the most zealous. They hope, that for the «ake of their zeal, Heaveo will pardon the depravity of their manners, be it ever so exces- sive.
It is from an effect of tho same zeal that en- tbasiastic Christians fly over every sea and continent, to extend ihe empire of the^r God and make proselytes. Stiitmlated by this zeal, missfonarieib go to trouble the reptme of what they call heatlten nations, whilst they would be astonished and enraged to find missionaries from those nations endeavoring: to propagate a new religion in their country.* When these propagators of the faith havo had power in their hands, they have eiS^cited the most horrid rebellions ; and have, in conquered countries, exercised eruelties calculated only to render the God detestable, whom they pretended to serve. They have thought that men who had so long been strangers to their God, could be little bet- ter than beasts ; and, thercffore, judged it lawfViI to exercise every kind of violence oyer themr In the eyes of a Christian, an infidel is seldom worthier than a dog.
It is, apt>arent1y, in imitation of the Jews that Christian nations have usurped tiie posses- sions of the inhabitants of the new world. The Castillans and Portuguese had the same right
^Knmbi, Emperor of China, asked the Jesuit missionaries fit Pekin, what they would say, if he should send mission- aries to their nation. The revolts excited by the Jesuit» in Japan and'Ethiopia are well known. A hofy missionrtry has been lieard to say, that without muskets, missioBtiries could never make proselvtes.
to Ihe posessioD of America and AfVica, that the Hebrews had to make themeelve* maeierd of the lapd of Canaan, and exterminate its in- habitante, or reduce them to «lavery. Have not Popes arrogated the right of diepobing of dis- tant empires |o their favorite Monarehs in Cq> rope ? These manifest violations of the bw of nature and of nations appeared just to those Christian princes, ,in favor of whom religion 6an> tified avarice, cruelty, and usurpation.^
Humility is^ also, considered by Christians as a sublime virtue, and of inestimable value. No supernatui'al Sc divine revelations are necessa- ry to teach us that pride does not become man 5 and that it renders him disagreeable to others. All must be convinced, on a moment's reflec- tion, that arrogance, presumption, and vanity, are disgusting and contemptible qualities. But Christian humility is carried to. n more refined extreme. The Christian must renounce his rea- soUi mistrust his virtues, refuse to do justice to bis own good actions, and repress all self es- teem, however well merited. Whence, it ap- pears, that this pretended virtue, only degrades and debases man In his own eyes, deprives him of all energy, and stifles in him every desire of rendering himself useful to society. To forbid minkind to esteem themselves and merit the esteem of others, is to break the ohly pow-
- St. Aa^rnstio says, that of right divine, all things belong
to the Just. A maxim which is foun'ted on a passage in the Psalms/ whieh says, the just shall est the fruit of the labor of ihe uorighteoiie. It is known that the Pope, hy a bnli grivea in favor of the kings of Castile, Arragon ana, Portugal. fi;f ed the line of demarkation which was to rule the eonquests which eaeh had gained ovsr the infidels.' After such i^rineiples, is not the whsle earth to besome a prey to CbruKm rapawty 1
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«rfiil $irtng that inclines them to study, iodiui' try, and noble actions. This Christian virtue is calculated only to render them abject slaves, wholly useless to the world, and make ali virtue give place 2h them, to a blind submission to âieir spiritual guides.
Let us not be surprised, that a religion which boast** of beinjET supernatuaj, should endeavor to nnnaturali^Ee man. Tbio relioriôn, în the rie- lirlum of its enthusiasm, forbids mankind to love themselves. It Commands them to hate pleasures and court srrlef. It makes a merit of involuntary evils they do unto themselves. Hence those austerities ^ penances so destruc- tive to health ; thiise extravagant môrtifica> tions. cruel privations, an«l fi^radual suicides, by which fanatic Christians thine: they merit heav. en. It must be confessed, all Ohristi'rins do iKit ieel themselves capable of such marvelous per- fections, but aH believ« themselves more or le«rs obliged to mortify the flesh, and renounce the blessings prepared for them by a bounteons God, who they suppose, offers his good things only that they may be refused, and would be offended should his creatures presume to touch them.
Reason cannot approve virtues which are destructive to ourselves, nor admit a God who is delighted when mankind render themseves miserable, and voluntarily submit to torments. Reason and experience, without the aid of sa- perstitlon, are suâSlcif*nt to prove, that passions and pteasures. pushed to excess, destroy us ; and that the abuse of the best things becomes a rreal evil. Rature herself, inculcate» upon U9 the privation of thing» which prove injurious to VS. A being» solicitoiis for bis own préserva»
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tioo, must restrain irregular propoDsitiet, aod fly wtiatever tends to his destruction. It is pluiD, ibat by the Christian religion, suicide it, at least, indirectly authorised.
It was in consequence oftbese fanai ioal ideas, that, in tiie eariie»t açe9 of Cbnstianity. the forest^ and deMerti^ were peopled with perfect Christ iane), who, flying from the worid,^ief\ their families destitnte of support, and their country of their citizens, to abandon tbeuisetves to an idle and coQte optative life. Hence those le- gions of rtioiiks and ceiiohites, who, under tfae standards of different enthusiasts/have enrolled themselves into a militia, burthensome and in- jurioiis to society. They tho't to merit heaven, by burying talents, which might be serviceable to their fellow citizens» and vowing a life of indolence and celibacy. Thus, in nations whicli are the most fuithfql to Christanity, a multitude of men render themselves useless and wretched all their lives. What heart is so hard as to re- fuse a tear to the hapless victiniis taken fl*om that enchanting sex which was destined to give happiness to our own ! . Unfortunate dupes of youthful enthusiasm, or sacrificed to the ambi- tious veiws of imperions dimities, they are for- ever exiled from the \«ortd ! They are bouod by rash oaths to unending slavery and misery. Engagements, c.ontradicte<l by every precept of nature, force them to perpetual virginity. It is in vain that riper feelingti sooner or later. Warm fhetr breasts, and make them groali un- der the weight of their imprudent vows. They regret their voluntary sterility, and find them- aelves forgotten in society Cut off* from their families, and subjected to troublesome and' dcvpotic gt>aler9, they eink into a Hfe of diagost,
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of bitterness and tears. In fine, thus exiled from society, thns unrelated and unbeloved^ there only remains for them the shocking con- solation of sedncing other victims to share with them the torments of their solicitude and morti- âctions.
The Christian religion seems to have nnder- talien to combat nature and reason in every thing. Ifit admits some virtues, approved by rea- son, it always carrier them to a vicious excess. It never observes that just méan,'whl<*h Is Ihe point of perfection. All illicit and shame- fol pleasui'es wUl be avoided by every man, who Is desirous of his, own preservation, and the esteem of his fellow-creatnres. ) The heathens knew and taught this truth., nbtwithstandlo^; the depravity of morals with .which they are reproached by Christians."^ . The chiirch even recommends celibacy as a state of perfec- tion, and considers the natural tie of marriage as an approach to sin. God, however, de- olares in Genesis, that it is not good for man to be alone, fie also formally cammanded ail eretitiires to increase and multiply. His (coHi 'In the gospel^ comes to annul those laws He teachen that, to attain to perfection, it is neces- sary to avoid marriage, and resist the strongest desir«^ with which the breast of man is inspired
^Aristotle & Epictetus recommended Chastity of speech. Menandersaid that a good man ccmid never consent to de- bauch a vinfin or commit adultery. Tiballi s said, casta placent snperis. Mark Antony thanks the Gods, that he bad preserved his chastity, in his youth. The Romans made laws against adultery. Father Tachard infbrms us, that the S iamans forbids not only dishonest actions, bat also impure thoughts and desires. Wheaee, it appears» that chastity and purity of manners wereestseaiea even nefore Che Christian religion exllfted.
- — that of perpetaating his exietence, by a pou*
ferity, and providing supports for bis old age and infirmities.
If we ooosalt reason, we find, that the pleaa- QreB.of love are always injurioos when talsen in excess; a^d tbattliey tire always criminal when they prove itijiirioas. We shall perceive that to debaanh a woman is to condemn her to distress and infamy, and annihilate to her ail the advantages of society; tbat adaltery is des* tractive to the greatest fellcîty of baman life, conjugal anion. Hence we shall be convinced, that marriage, being the only means of aatlBfy- ing oar desire of increasing the species and providing filial supports, is a state far more re- spectabie and sacred, than the destractive ceU* biacy, and volnntary castration» recommended as a virtoe by the Christian religion*
Natare, or its aathor, invites man, by tlie attraction of pleasure, to multiply himself. He has aaequivocally declared, that women are necessary to men. Experience shews, that they are formed for society, not solely for the purpose of a transient pleasure, but to give mu- tual assistance in the misfortunes of life, to pro- duce and educate children, from them into citi- seens, and provide in them support for them- selves in old age. In giving man superior strength, nature has pointed out his duty of la- bouring for the support of bis family; the weak- er organs of his companion, are destined to functions, less violent, but not less necesâ«ry. In giving her è sool more soA and sensible, na- tare has, by a tender sentiment, attached her more particularly to her children. Such are the sore bands, which the Christian religion woold tear asander. Sach the bleiiringii It
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^ould wrest from man, wfail« it substitute* in tbeir place an unnatural celibacy, whirh rem- 'dors man selfish and uselests, depopulate» soci- ety, and which can he advantaireous only to the odioijs policy of some Christran prieetn^who «eparatiiig from iheir fellow citizens, have for- med a destructive body, which eternalizes it- self without posterity. Gens eterna in qua nemo nacitur^ ■
irthis religion has permitted marria§^e to some sects, who have not the temerity to soar, to the liigbest pinnacle of perfection, it seems to have «ufficieutly punished them for this indulgence, by the untiatural shackles it has fixed on the connubial state. Thus, 'amotig them, we see divorce forbidden, aud the most wretched uo- ions indissoluble. Persons once married, are forced to groan under the weight of wedl.tck, ^ven when Section and -esteem are dead, and and place of thet^e essentials to conjugal happi- ness, issuppiietl by hatred and contempt. Tem- poral laws also, conspiring with religion, for- bid the wret^^hed prisoners to breah their chains. It seems as if the Christian religion exerted Itl its powers to make us view mairtage with dis- gust, and give the preference to a celibacy which is pregnant with debauchery, adultery, and d ssolution. Yet the God of the Hebrews made divorce lawful, and I know not by what right his son, who came to accomplish the law of Moses, revoked an indulgence so reasonable. 8ueh are the perfections ivhich Christianity in<*tdrHtes on her children, and such tiie virtues «he prefers to those which are contemptiKnisly styled human virtues. She even rejects these, and calls them false and sinful, bec^aose their flQËgggdprs nve forsoofh» not filled vith faith;*^
Wiiitt ! the \iHam of Crreece and Rome, eo ami- able, and »o beroloy were they not true virtue? If jutittee. humaRity, generosily, temperance and patience be not virtuea, to what can the name be ^i.ven ? and are the virtues lese bei^aase professed by h«»athens ? Are not the virtues of 8oera«ee, Cato, Epictetus und Aotonioe, real .and préférable to the zeal of th«» Cyrille, the ob* atinaey of Athanaeiu«^. the a«ele»giie8« of An- thony, the rebellioo of Thrygostom» the ferocity <of Dominic, afi<l the meaaetae of Francis ?
AU the virtues adm^tted by Christians, are . aithf^r overstrained, and fanatic ; tending to •render man useless, abject, and miserable or- Dbetinate, baugrhty, cruel» and destructive to society. Such are the effects of a religion, which, contemnintr the earth, hesitates not to overwhelm it with trouble, provided it thereby heightens the triumph of its God over his ene- mies. No true morality can e«er bo compatible Avith SDcb a religion*
CHAPTER XIIL
Of the PracUee and DuHes of the CbriêHan EéUg-
tffU'
If the Christian virtuee be destitute of solidity and produipe no efl^ct which reason can ap prove, we shall finti nothing more estimable ia a moltitu^le of incommodious, useless, and oden danireroaa practices, which Christians consider as their sacred dattes^ and by meana of which
they are confident of obtaining the pnrdoD and favors of Qod and -an eternal abode with faini in qnspeakable glory and feiirity.
The first /and most essntial d uty of Christians {sprayer. To côntiooai prayer their religroo attaches Its felicify: Their God, whom they suppose to be overflowing witjh t^ounty, refuses to bestow his blessings onsoiicitéd. He grants them only tO importanity. Sensible to flattery, like the kings of the earth, he exacts an éti- quette, and hears no petitions unless they are presented inn eettaln form. What should we' say of a father, who, knowing the wants of his children, should refuse to give them necessary food until wearied out with fervent supplica- tions T But. in another view, does itimpljr mfsitrust of the wisdom of God to prescribe rules for his conduct ? Does it not imply a doubt Of his immutability; to believe he can be prevailed on by his creatures' to alter his de- signs? If he knows all things, what needle there of continually informing him what are the dispositions and desires of his sobJectB Î If be is almighty, ho^ can he bé Aatered with the submissions, • adorations» and formalities witb which Christians prostrate themselves before him?
In one word, prayer supposes a capricious God, deficient in memory, voracious of praise, fond of seeing his creatures abased in the dost, and anxious to receive at every instant, the most abject marks of their submission.
Can these ideas, borrowed from t^arthly prin- ces, be with propriety applied to an omnipotent Being, who erected the universe for man, and desires only that he should be happy Î Can H be supposed that evteh a Being, without equal
and without riTsI, fthoald be jealous of bis glo» ry ? Can the prayers of man add glory to a Being beyond comparison superle»' to all oth- ers 9 Cannot Christians see. that in endeavor- fing to honor and exalt their God they oaly de* grade and debase him 1
I It is also the opioion of Christians, that the prayers of one man nlay be serviceable to oth- ers. Partial to his favorites, God hears peti- tions only from Chelr lips. He listens not to his people uoléss their prayers be offered up to him through bis ministers. He beisoines a sul- tan, arïoessable only to his ministers, vlBiers^ eunuchs, and the women of his Seraglio^. Henoo tbe millions of priests and cénobites, who hare no business on earth, but to raise their idle hands to heaven, and pray night and day fbr Its blessing on society. Nations pay dearly for these important services, and these pious Im- postors live in splendor and ease, while real merit, labor and indastry languish In misery.
Ufider the pretence of devofing himself to prayer and other ceremonies of bis worship, the CUfistian, particularly, in some of the mora superstitious sects, i«» obliged to remain idle, and stand with arms across during a great part of the year. He is p«*rsua{Jed that he honors God by his inutility. FeaÉits and foists, multi- plied by the interest of priests and thecreduHty of the people, oHen suspend for long intervaw the laburf necetisary to the sahsisteoi^ of soei- ety. Men 'fly to temples to pray when they should 'stay àt home and cultivate their fieldflL There their eyes are fed with childish ceremo- nies, and Uielr ears are filled' with fables and doctrines, of which they can comprehend noth- ing. This tyrannical religion niahes it a crime
112
for the po»r laborer to eodeavor, during^ conse* jcrated days, to procure subsisteoce for a ou- meroos and indigent family. And civil author- ity, in concert with religion, punishes those who have the audacity to' earn bread insteadof praying or being Id la.
Can reaaon aubscribe to the ridiculous obtigt tJOQ of abstaining from certain aliment» and meats which ia imposed by i*ome sects of CbrJi<tiana.? In consequence of these laws, people, who live by their labour are forced to content themselves. <luring long intervals, with dear and unwhole^^ome provisions, more proper to ge> era te disease than repair strength.
Wt^at abject and ridiculpu» ideas must they entertain o God who believes be can be afiend- ed by the quality of the food that enters into the stomachs of his creatures! Heaven, however, for a certain sum of money becomes aonietioies more accommodating. Priests have been con- tinualiy busied in straitening the path of their aaolaries, that they might transgress more fre- quently; and that the revenue arismg from their Iransgreseions might thus become more ample. All things, even sin itself, among Christians, contribute to the pritfit of the priests.
No religion ever placed it6 sectaries in more complete and ^^ontinual<tepe«. dance on priests, than the Christian. Those harpies never lose sight of tbeir prey. They lake iitiailible meas- ures for snbjecting maiikinU* an<i maki. g all contribute to their power, riehes. and domin- ion. Uavipg assumed the offite of mediator between the heavenly monarch and his subjects these priestt^ wer/& looked upon as courtiers in favour, ministers commissiioned to exercise pioTwer in his name> and favoriiers to whom hi
m
\ tx>uld refuse ootbiiiff* Thai they becattie aQi . solute masters of the destiny of the Christians. I They grained establishments and rendered them- I selves necessary by the introdactio|i of innu- [ merable practices and duties, which, though
- puerile and ridiculous, they had the address to
^ itiake their flocks took upon as indispensably Ï necessary to their salvation. They ref)resent-
- ©d the omission of these pretended duties as a
I crime infinitely greater than an open violation 1 of all the laws of morality and reason.
Let Us n«)t then be surprised, that, In thé most zealous, that is to say the most superstitious sects, we see mafihind perpetually infested with ' priests. Scarce are they born, when under the pretex.t of washing away original sin, their priests imitose on them a mercenary baptism, and ^iretend to reconcile them with a Otod whom they have as yet been unable to offend'. By meiiUs of h few words and magricat oere- ^ monies tbey are thus snatched from the dcimiji- ' ion of Satan. From the tendereist infancy their education is frequently entrusted to priests, whose principal care is to instil into them early the prejudices as necessary to the views of the I church. Terrors are now introduced into their i minds which Increase during their whole lives. I They are instructed in the fables, absurd â&c- \ Irines. and incomprehensible mysteries of a I marvellous religion. In one vrord, they are I formed into superstitious Christians, and ren- i dered incapable of being: useful citiseens or eoi i Tightened men. Only one thin^ is represented i to thetn as necessary ,.which is to be m all thiD|rs devoutly submissive to his religion. * Be de- vout,*' say his teachers, ** be blind, despise thy , r.easoD> attend to beaverij and ne^leet earth,
m
this ia an thy 0od demands to conduot thee ta eteroai felieUy."
To maintaio the abject aod fanatfè ideas, with which the priest has filled bis pupils in their childhood, he commands them to conte fre« ttuetitly and deposite in his bosom their bidden faalts, their most secret artions and thoug^hts. He obliges them to bomiliate themselves at his feet, aod render homage to hie power. He fVightens the crirainids, and afterwards if they are judged worthy, he reconciles them to Qoâ, who on the eoramand of his ministers remits their sins. The Christian sects /hat admit thb practice, boast of it as extremely usefal in regu- lating the manners and restraining the passions of men; bat experience proves, that the coua- tfjee ill which this usa$re is most faithfully ob- served, are distinguished rather for the dissola- tion than the purity of their manners. By such easy expiations they are only emboldened in vice. The lives of Christians are circles of suc- cessive offences and coalisions. The priest- hood reap the profit of this practice by means of which they exercise an absolute dominion over the consciences of mankind.
How great must be the power of an order of men who possess all the secrets of families, can Icindle at pleasure the destructive flame of fan- aticism* and open or shut the gates of heaven 1
Without the consent of his priests, the Chris- tian cannot participate in the knowledge of the mysteries of his religion, from which they have a right to exclude him entirely This privation, however, he has no great reason to lament.— But the anathemas or excommunications of the priest generally ^ a real mischief to mankind. These spiritual^poninhioenls. produce temporal
^itbctfii und every citizen who incqrA the iiii* ^race of the churoh is là danger of that of tba goyernmeot, aod becomes odiou!^ to his fellow- citizens. . .
We have already remorke4 that priests have taken upon themselves the. managenient of marriages. .Without their consent,, a Christian canuot become a father* He must i^rst spibmit^ tp the , capricious formalities of , h i^. religion,. withou$ which hii^ «childien. must be excluded, from the rank of citizen».
During ah his lifej the .Christian ^ obliged to assist in Jhe ceremonies of worship, und^r the UirectipD of his priests. When he has perform-- e,d.this important duty, he esteems hi mseif the favorite of God^, apd^porauades himoelf that ho no longera owes any thing to society. . ^hus frivolous pra'ctires take place of morality, which is alv^ays.reodjercd «nb^rdiiiate to relig- ion.
When death approaches,, thé Christian, «tretched in .agony on his bed, is still assailed jn those distressful moments by priests. In somo . sejots, religion «eêms to. have been in]pented to render the bitter death of man t^n thousand times more bitter., A malicious priest comes to the cauçhof the dyin^ mM^P«.^i^*<l ^^4* before . him the spectacle pf bis: approaching enà, ar- rayed in more than. aM its terporiif. Although this custom is destructive to citi^^ens» M 13 ex-, tremely profitable to the prlêstt)<>Qd, who owe much of t^el;* riches to. legacies prpcufed by it. l\Iorality is not quite so hi^hJy açlvantaged by . it: Experience proyes,. that niesi Christian^ live ineeO;uritv and iVostpone ull 4^&>h their re- coneihation with God. . Py mea.Q^ of a late re- pentance^ and largesses to the priesthood^ theii»
K
U6
Aolto «re eiiilaM, and they are permitted I9 1m»P^ that beaT^ will fbrget the aoomnolated crime* of a lonir aad wicked lilë.
Deatli iteelfdoes not terminate the empire of tlie priesthood Iq eertala «eotSi which fiodi meaae to make money evea oat of the dead iKMllee of their follower». Theee. for a 8oAcieat eam are permitted to be depeeited In templee, wliere they have the priTile|pB of spreading in» fectlon and dieeaae. The eaeerdotal power eztenda etf 11 fiirther. The prayers of the church are porchaeed at a dear rate, to deliver the aoole of the dead fVom their pretended torments in the other world, inflected for their purifica- tion. Happy they who are rich, in a religioa whose priests, helolf favorites with Ood, can be kired to prevail on him to remit the pnoieh- nenta which his fmmatihle jostloe bad Imend- ed to Inflict
Snch are the principle duties recommended by the Christians ; ami apon the observation of these they believe their salvation to depend.-^ 0oeh are the arbitary, ridleuloos and hnrtftil practices substituted for the real duties of mo- rality. We stall not combat the difièrent sv- perstltioos practices, admitted by eome sectf and ndeoted by others ; such as the honora rendered to the memory of those ploas fhnatica and obscmfe eontemplaiora whom Roman pon- tUb have ranked among the saints. We say nothing of those pilgrimages which superstition has so often produced, nor those indulgencies by means of which sins are remitted. We shall only observe^ that these things are commonly more respected where thi'y are admitted, than the duties of morality which in those places» frequentl|r are whoHy naknown.. Mankind find
tHelr'^iiatoral propeBBities mock toss thw4)r1<aè by such rites, cérémonies, and praotices than hf being virtuous. A good Christian is a man who conforms exactly to all that his priests exact from him ; these substitute jblindness and ^sibmission in place of all virtues.
CIHAPTEB XrV.
O^Dke PoUtkal EffecU of ike Chrùtiam B^Ugkn.
After haying seen the inutility and «Ten dan- ger of the perfections» virtues and duties pro- posed by the Christian religion, let us en<|uire whether its political influences he more hajppy, and whether it can In reality, promote the wâ« fare of nations, among whom il is estahllshed and Ihithfully observed We at onee find, that wherever this religion is admitted» two oppo- site legislations, ever at variance with each other, establish thems^slves; Although this re« ligioa preaches love and peace, it soon annlhl*- lates the effects of those precepts by the divi- sions which it necessarily sows among its sec- taries, who unavoidably interpret diversely the ambiguous oracleg announced in holy writ.— • We nod, that from the infancy of religion, the most acrimonious disputes have continually taken place among divine». The successive ages of Christianity have been stained with schisaBSA herlste% psfsecntiens, and «entspt*»
119
widely discprdant Ttotti^iiB boasted 8{»irit of peace and concord; which is in fact incpmpat- able with a relid^ion whofie precepts are so dark and equivocal. In all religious disputes, eacb party believes that Ood is on his side, and con- sequently they are obstinate. Indeed, bow can it be otherwise, when tboy confoand the cause of €ùd with that of their own vanity ? Tbua, nra tually averse to concession, tbisy quarrel and fight until force has decided a contest in which they never appeal to resaon. In fact^ politico authorities have erer been forced to in^rlare^ in all the dissentions which have arisen among Christians. Governments have always taltea in the frivoloi» disputes of priests, and foolish- ly considered them as objects of the last Impor- tance. They have ceiK^ived, that In a nsllgioa established by God himself, there could be no- thing of a trifling nature. ' Thus, princes have armed themselves against their own subjects» tvhose opinions diflS?red from their's. The way of thinliing at court has decided the creed and the faith of subjects. Opinions supported by liings and priests, have been the only true ones. Their creatures have been the guardians of or- thodoxy, and were commissioned to estermin- été all whom they chose to denominate heretics and rebels.
The prejudices of princes or their jlkise poli- icy, has caused them to look upon those of their i(iibject8. who differ from themselves in religions opinion», as bad citizens, dangerous to the state and eitaen)iies to their power. If, leaving to ^riest^ ihe business of finishing their own im- pertinent disputes, they had not assisted their iqtiarrels and persecutions, they woqid have .died.aivay of thcmsefvi?s; atid nm^crb^vediistjcn'-
m
heà iIm peace of mitions^ If tlio«e bins* ted impartially recompensed the good and ponisti- «d the bad witfaoot regard to their wcM^hip, 'deremosies, and epeimlative opinions, they voald not have made many of their eubjecta eoch enemies to that power, by which they Ibund themitelvee oppressed. Chrietiaos have always attempted to reclaim heretics by injus- tice, violence, and persecution. Oujrht not they to have perceived, that this conduct was cal- culated only to produce hypocrites and hidden «enemies, or open rebellions ?
But these rejections are not designed for princes, who, from Uieir iofancy. have been iilied with fanaticism and prejudices. They^ instead of being actuated by virtuous motives, have fbrmed obstinate attachments to frivolities and intpetuous ardor for doctrines foreign to ^he welfare of their states do a boundless wrath against all who refuse to bend to their despotic dpinlpns. Such sovereigns and it a shorter way to destroy mat)4iind than reclaim them by mild means. Their haughty despotism will not condescend to reason. Religion assures them that tyranny is lawful^ and cruelty meritorious when they are employed in the cause of heaven.
The Christian rel^ion, in fact, always makes despots and tyrants 4)fall the sovereigns by ivhom it is adopted. It represents them as Qods upon earth ; iteauses their very caprices to be «respected as the will of heaven. It deliver» man- kind into their haftds as an herd ol slaves, of whom .Ibey may dispose at their pleasure. In •return for their zeal for relijrion, all the outra- ges upon justice that they can commit are for- given, and their aubjects are commanded under
pain oftbe wftitb of the iUost High, to submit
S2
W9
%ithoiit a murmur to the sword tbat dtrikes'ii stead of protectini^ themselves. It is not, tbere^ fare, matter of surprise, tliat since the establish- ment of this religion, we see so mai\y nations groaning under devout tyrants, who, although obstinately attached to religion, have been un- just, licentious and cruel. Whatever were the oppressions and ravages of these religious or hypocritical princes, the priests have not failed to preach suhmission to their subjects. On the other hand, let us not lie surprised to see so many weak and wicked princes, support 'in their turns the interest of a religion, which their false policy judged neee^firy to the maintenance of their authority, ifhings were en lightened, just and virtuous^ and knew and practised their real duties, they would have had no need of the aid of superstition in governing nations. - But, as it is more easy to conform to rites than to acquire talents or practice virtue, this religion has, in princes, too often found support for it- self, and destruction for Us enemies.
The ministers of religion have not had the same complaisance for princes, who refused to make a common cause with them, espouse their quarrels, and become subservient to their pas- sions. They have arisen against those who have thwarted their views, punished their ex- cesses, touched their immunities, endeavored to subject them to reason, or repress their ambi- tious designs. The priests on such occasions, cry out, Impiety f Sacrilege ! Then, they pretend that the sovereign futs his kandHo the censor, and usurps the rights granted them by Gc»d himself. Then they endeavor to excite nations to rebel- lion. They arm fanatics against sovereigns, whom they declare tyrants, for having bee»
nnra»tiii^la8objnini3fiioD totbe cûurcfi. Ueayeii js always ready to revenge any injustice done to its ministers. Ttiey are themselves submis- sive» and preach submission to others, only when fhey are permitted to share'tbe au b'>rity, or are loo feeble to resist it. This is the rensba why the apostles, in the infanry of Christianity, t»eiilg destitute of power, preached subordina» tion. No sooner had this religion gained suffl- cient strength than it preached resistance and rebellion ; dethroning some kings and assasin- atijng others
In every political body, where this religion i» established, there are two rival powers, which, by inisessant contention, convulse and woui\4 the state. The citizens divide into opposite parties, each of which fights, or thinks it fighia for God. These contests at different times ter- minate differently, but the triumphant party $is always in the right. By attentive examinatioD of such events, we shall escape the dominion of fanaticism. It is by «emulating mankind to inquiry, that they must be freed from the shack- les of superstitution. Let mankind think tUi they have thrown aside their prejudices, and they will think justly. The reign of the priest- hood will cease when men cease to be ignor- ant and credulous. Credulity is the offspring of ignorance^ apd superstition is the child pf credulity.
But most kings dread that mankind shooed be enlightened. Accomplices» with the priest- hood, they have formed a league with them to stifle reason, and persecute all who confide in its guidance. B|in«l to its interests, and tho»e of their subjects, they w'^h only to command slaves, forgetting thQse #iave)9 ai«aljvaye atij^e
1»
4lspasal of the priests. Thué we see sc^mim» neglected, and ignorance triumphant, in those countries where this religion holds the most ab- solute dominion. Arts and sciences are the ' «children oflibttrty, and separated from their pa* . rent they languish and die. Among christian nations, the lea^t «uperiittitious arethe most free, powerl'ul, anti happy. In c6uhtriei$ wt^ere spir- itual and tempérai despotism are leagued, the people grovel in the most shameAsl Jgnoraikce and lethargic inactivity. The European na* tions who boast of poirsessing the purest faith, are not «urely the most flouris^thiug and power- erful. Their kings, enslaved themselves b^' .priests, have not energy and couru ge enough to make a single strugg-le for their own wel- fare or that of their subjects. Priests, in such states, are the only order of meti who are rich ; other citizens languish in the deepest in- digence. But of what importance are the pow- «r and happiness of nations to the sectaries of u religion who seek not for happiness in this world, who believe riches injurious, preach a Ood of poverty, and recommend abasement to the soul, and mortification oV the flesh 1 It is without doubt to oblige people to practice these maxims, that the clergy in many christian states, have taken possession of most of the riches, and live in splendor, while their telfow- citizens are t^et forward in the road to heav« en, unincumbered with any burthen of earthlj wealth.
8ui'h are the advantages political BOclety de- rives from the christian religion. It forms an independent state within a «tate. It renders the ti|eo|ple slaves. Whed sovereigns are obedient
td jt, it fiv0^xit^ tyr0sxmy, Wuea tbeyar»
IS6
disobedienti it renders their sobjects fknatic anj ^ebellloov. When it accords with political power, it con mises, debases, and Jmpoverish- OS iiatioofl ; when not, it makes citizens nnso- fifsdi turbul^oç intolerant, apd matinou».
If we e](aniine in detail the precepts of this ^eJigrion, and the niatitna which fLow from its principles, we shall ilad that it interdioti» i>iTery thing, that can oiake a natioa ilouri-sh. We Jiavo already aeea the idea» pf imperfectioo that it attached to marrietge, and itae<t<^«ini of celib* «oy. These notions ara highly anfavorable to poputatipn, which ia^Jnconltrofertibly the.flràt aonrce of poiwer in a state,
Commerce is not less contradictory to tfao «pirit of a religrion/thefouhdet of which pro- noanced an anathen^a against riches, and ex- cluded them from 'his kinjETdom.. All indujBtry is interdicted to perfect cbr^tiana ; they live a provisory life oh earth, and never concern th^m-^ iSelves with the morrow^ ,
Mast it not be a irreat temerity and pin for a ehrifitian to serve ip war ? I» not the man who has never the right to. beiieye himself abaolute' iy in a state of grace, extremely raah when be exposes himself to eternal damnation? Is, not the christian, who oogbt to? have charity for all men, and love even hjs enemies,, gaiily.of ap jonocmoos crime% wlvea he kilts a man of whose disposition he is ignorant, and whom he, perr haps, precipitates at once into belt? A chris- tian soldier is à monster; unle8^s indeed, he fib Is in the cause of religion. Then, if be dies,
- he dies a blessed mar.tyr."
The Christian religion has ahvays declared war against science and all buoian knowlodgp, ^ese b^nvp been lopped aponaa pbstacfagi tj»
t^66p, end pray, and render themselves aod ot^ era wretched, io order to merit heaven.'
In fine, h religion whose maxims tend to ren- der mankind in g^eneral intolerant, to make kings persecutor!», and their subjects i^iavee, or rebels ; a religion, the obsrure doctrines of which gave irise to eternal disputes ; a reiigioa whfoh debases mankind, and turns them aside from their troe interests ; such a religion» I sey 18 destructive to every society.
CHAPTER XV.
Of the Christitin Chtrch^ or Prie$ikood.
There have been in all «ges, men who know bow to profit by the errors b(' mankind. Priests of all religions^ have laid the foundations'ol their jg^atnesK, power, and riches, on the fears of the vulgar. !Vo religion has, how'ever, iiad so ma- ny reas'ons as the ohri^^tian for subjecting peo- ple to the priesthood. The first prea<^hers of the gospel, the Ap<»st]es, are represented a» di- vine men, Inspired hy God, Hnd sharing hisom nipotence If oach individual among their sue^ eessors. has not enjoyed the same privileges in the opinion of all Christians, yet the body of priests, or f^hurçh^ is njever abandoned by the Holy Ghosf, but always illuminated thereby.— They collei tivel) . at all times, possess infalli- Idlity, and conacxiuently their decisions become
ppirpeinàl reveXûiiatw, eqaall^r sacred witb tbose of God bimsetf.
Such being tbe attributes of priestboocl, this body mu9t, in virtue of the preragattvep ihey hold from Christ himself havera H^ht to uncon- ftifioiial t^uhtniesion from men and nations.— The enormous power they have so Ibn^ exer- cised, is not. therefore, Hurprising*. It should he unlimited, sinee it Is founded on the authority of the /4lI mighty.. It should le despotic, because men* hwve no H/Brht to resist divine power. It must degenerate into abuse, for the priesthood', exercised by men. whom impunity always ren- ders licentious and corrupt.
In the infancy of Christinnity, the AppstJes, CO «o missioned by Jesus Christ,, preached the gospel to Jews, and Gentiles. The novelty of their doctrine, a*» we have already seen, pro- cured them many prosolytes among the vuljgar. The new Christians, iriâamed with ardor for their new opioions, formed in, every city paHic- nlar consrr^gations, under the government of men appointed by the Apostles. The latter having received the faith at first hand, retained the inspection and direction of the diâerent' , Christian societies they Irad formed. Such ap- pears to have been thf origin of Èishops ov lb- •pectors which are perpetuated in the church, to this day ;♦ an origin in which the princes bf' in idern Christianity suÉcienfly pride them-
- Saint Jerome highly «disapproved the distinctions of^
bishops and priests or curates He pretends that priests atidbmhops were, according tu St Pat«l, the same thing*,' betorti, sayiM he, by the instigation of tne devil, there were* destinations in religion At this day^. bishops who do no» thinf . enjoy great revenues : while innumerable curâtes- 'WhoIaW; are djringwith hunger.
El
^tiHiI aria* were, throaicb a ioojf «Qccef»So»4ir Bgeêt stronirer than Ibe temporal onms of his op- poni«nt9. Nations haH the stupidity to obey JiJm, and thedistribotioD ofCVowos wasia bis power. To seeur<'<«^bis dominion over princes, he sowed divisions among them ; and bid em- '.pire wonid still retaio its extent »nd vigor. H'% l^radanl increase of knowledge, had not, in spite of religious opposition, made its way a- mong mankitid, and kings, acting inconsistently with their relifirion, listened to ambition rattier than daty Iftbe ministers of the Charc-h have received their power from Christ bimseli; to resist these bis repref>entattves, i»* in fact to re- yfoii against him. Kings as well as sutjecCs, cannot throw olTuHegianee to God, without a crime. The spiritual authority pro<^eeding froia Ood, must of right, have jurifcidit -tien 4»ver tem- poral authority proceeding from man. A prince who is a true OhriHtian. munt t»ecomt» a servant ^f the/)hurch, and at best, ttie first slave of the .clergy.
Let ^s not then, be sttrpri8ed, that, in the •agCH of ignorance, priests, being mont rea<tily obeyed by people, iijore Hftnc^hed to heavenly 4haa earthly Interests, were mure powerful than king». Atnong super<<titi<ius nations, the pre- ten-U'd v.'>ii-e of God ami his intertat>«. iu mote iisten'^'d to, thnn UihI or «iuty, ju8tii*<, and rea- son A troo<* Chritatiau piously submisïiive to the Church, must be blind, and un* eHc««»n>«ble, •whenever (he chuich ramm-inds him (o be so. The pow4*rthat has a right to render u» abwurd has the right to render us criminal.
Besides, those that derive their power from God, can be subject to no other power. Thus, «he independence of thé Christian clergy, is
liMiiid^d upoD tbe principles of their reli^loiL Of lilià rir<^ufn«lan^e, they have taken care to ptttttt, and imprestfferl with this idea they, after beiii^ eiirich«Hl by tlie |sr<'neroflity of kings and people, have altvays proved un^rratefui to the true eoun'^es «vf f h<>ir own opolenc^e and pHvi- leflfes. VV'hat had been gfiven this body, throirg^h 6in*prise^or im;vudenf?e. it was found trnpof^sible to recover from their hands.' They ^iresaw, that, l^ture ^nneratioiis breakinj? toose ftom the fitters of f>rejudtce, fiiisfhi tear from them the c}o>riattons they h^td gained by the extortions of terror, ami the frUs of Imposture. They tl^i*©- fore, ix^rjoiadv^d mnnkfntl. thut they held fr&m Ooil n\i^ne, what hafd been iprNen them by their fellow- nt/)t-tH Is ; and hy^ a m^rarle of creduHty, Ihey Wei^ehMieved onthefrvvord. ' Thtisthe interest» of tlie clergy, became sep- «rratel frrfm I ho*e of society, filen devoted to Ood. Hnd.oho^en to be his ministers, were no lonjg^er confounded with the profane. Ixuws and crvil tribuoats renounced aW power over th-^m. They cotrtd be judged only by members of their own body. Hence the greatest excesses were oAen <S<immitted by them with impunity ; iand their persons, at the disposal of God aione, were sacrol >ind inviolable. Their possessions, although, they contribqted nothing to public charges, or^t least no niore than thry pleased, niverc defended and enlarged by fanatic sover- eigns, who hoped théi*eby, to conciliate the fa ^ iror of Heaven. Tti tkèt, those reverend wohres in Piiepar<t*« cirtthfng urtdet* pretence 6f feeding with 'instruction, dêvoiii^ed With avarice, and «eciire Yn their dtSgaîse, fsfttenèd ir>n the blood of fbelr flocksj dnpitnlfehed and nitsuspedfedi PfOtti their Itistii^ctldnrfbr êîi*hteett hundred year^ 'R0 - • ' '•
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podt, wl&at ttdvaptage» hnv« oaUocs depived ? Have these infaliitiie men foood il passible' u> aj^ree amon^. themselves, on the most «^sseotisl points afreii^icui, revealed b> God hiinseU'?'— Strange indeed, is thnt revelation, which ueeda contintial commentaries, and interprftatiooa. What must bethought of theiie divine writini^a ^vhioh every vevt uuderstan^is ««o difierently Î Those who are im^ssantty fed with ih-^> i^Atspel» do not understand these n»att£»rs better, nor ar» they more virtuous thanothersr / They axe .com- manded to obey the Church,^^ .anii the Church Ja never at accord with itself. She i^eternaily ^busied in reformi4)g, explainin/p^ puihni? down, and building up her noly doctrines. Uer minis- ters have, at will, created new doctrines uo- l^nown to Christ and ihs Apnstlea. Every ag;e has brought for4h new mysteries, new eeremo- nies, and new articles of faith Notwitbsiand* lag the inspirations of the Holy Ghosn, this re- ligion has never attained lo IhHi -.teiwaess. sinV' plicity, and consistency, wbicb are the oidy ia* dubitable proofs of a good system. Neither _ coxmcih nof catums, nor the mass of derree*». and law» which form the <^ode of the Church, bava^ ever yet been able to ûjl the phje ts of hei bo-
Were a sensible heathen desirous of embrac- ing Christianity, lie would be, at the first step, thrown into perpexity, at the sight of the na- meroos variety of sects, each of which pr^tet^rlip to conform precisely to the w<»rd of God, a^a travel io the only sure road to salvalion. Whe» iie finds, that these diff<?rent sects regard each other with horrar ; that tJey «^11 deal out dam- nation t » all, whose opinions «lifiêr from theur own, that they all unite their efforts to banisU peace frotn society ; that, always when pox^tv
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i» in tMr haods^tbey iMuweciMa and mfliet tàe moet fefined crrnelties an ea«h -other< for v^lxMk whM be determiiie ? For, tet im not bettecetv» ed— ^^^i—Cbrislifiiofh not' satisfted with enforelnip hy yiolaace, an exterior «utHn^sjtHHi to the ' cm*- emobio» ofth^ir rpligtonv, have iiiv#nted a&aH imkn^vwn to heathen superstitions, that of Xbt- meotm^ the conscience, and exereimag a tyran* ny over the mind itselC The zeal of the min- isters of the Church, is not limited to exteriors; they steal into the folding's of the heart, and^ iOr soient iy violate the most secret siinetuariea of thought. — (Spoken oftbe Romish clergy.) A,nd for this sacrilege, their jus^iffcHtion is a Rre- tended iutcrest' in the salvation of souls.
Such are the efiTects, which neôessnrily result from the princ^les of a religion, which teachea mankind, that involuntary error is a crime that merits the wrath of God. ft is in consequence of such ideas, that in certain countries', priests, with the permission of the civil governmentSi pretf>nd to a co^lmi^sion for niaintaining the faith i'» its poriry. Ju^lges in their own cause, they condemn to the flames ail whose opinions appear to them dangerous.* Served by inntt*
•Civil tnbnnnls, when they are'ju'st, have a maxim io look for every thin^that cim eootribato to the tiefenee of the aceaoed. fa the laquisilioa, «> method direotty oi^o* site ha^jB beea adopted^ I'itc fujciised i» neither toldtlie cause of his detention, nor confronted with his nccustr. He rs iflrnorânt of his crime, y«l'he is commandeU to coû- 'ié9B. Sui'h are the maxima <>f Christfan priests. Thé lii- ^atsition, however, condetrtnd flgbody to die. Friests cannot themselves shed bloo^i. 'I'hat function is reserved ibr the ^eeular arm ; «ad they fiave even the effrontery- Io intercede for crimiaills, sar'e^ howe^wr, of «e%.-heiB|ir heard. Indeed, it is probable, they woufd make no smalt clamor, «hotild the magistrale take them at their word,
1M
merable spies, ibey watch the iiiiiiiile«l aetioci ■eV the people, bimI inhomaoiy sacrifice ail that havf thetnif*li»rtuoe tu i^iire them the eiiiHiéest un»hi*flj|pe. To eoccirr Mi8pi4$ioé9 in thetrminde, ialornah u^ien ifiev itable ileetrtit^tiotr. Saeh are the T>lew«in|C8 which the H:>ly fnc|ui«iMoii, all milcl and gentle, pouvs upr>u taaakind.
ISuch are the princ pies of this ^tknsc^tinary tii- .bunal' whitih perpetuates the Ignorance end ht' ttitliation of the people wherever ttn» fiilsc- poli- cy of ^vernments pcrrtilts its horrors to '«e ex- •erctsed
'The cUsputcs between Christian priests have been sources of animosity*, hatred and heresy. We find these to have existed from the infua- cy oi the chureh. A religrion founded on won- ders. fttbietîj and obs»ure oracles, could »>nly be ■a fruitful source of quarrels. Priests allehded to ridiculous doctrines instead of useful kiiowl- edgpe; and %vben they should l^ave studied true morality, and taught mankind their real duties, they only strove to gnin adherents. They bu- ried themselves in useless speculations in a bar- barous and enigmaticid science, which under the pompous title of the »4*ience of 0*>d, or the olo^y, excited in the vulgrnr, a revere ntiala we. They Invented a system, hijroted, presumptou», ridiculous, and as incomprehensible as the God whoni they affi*cted to worship Hence arof>e d'Spuies on disputes, concern i a^. paer tie eubtil^ ties, odiCMis questions, and arbltrM>y opraioBa, Tvhich far from being useful, only served to poi- son the peace of society. In these bicherings we find protound geniuses busied ; and. we are
This conâaet beeooMM mea in whoa Âlmigbty interest st^ iles haaianity, tiaoerity and modo^.
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Ibrcad tp reject the prostitiiUoo of talents wor« thy a better caose. The valvar ever food of rioi, entered into qaarrels they couid not under- stand. Prhiceti undertook the defence of the priests they wished to favor, and orthodoxy was ftecided by the longest sword. Their as- sistance the church never hetiitated to receive in lime of «ianger ; for on such occasions the cburch reli^ rather on human assistance, than the promise ol God, who declared that the scep- tre of the wiclieii should not rest upon (hé lot of' the righteous. The heroes, found in the annals of tb«> church, have beeu obstinate fanatics, fac- tious rebels, or furious persecutors. They were monsters of madness, faction and cruelty. The world in the days of our ancestors, was depop- Qiated ID defence bf ex tk*av agences which ex* c|te laughter in a posterity, not indeed, much wiser than they were.
tu almost al) ages complaints have been made of abuses in the church, and reformation has beeu tallied o1 ISot withstanding this pretend- ed retbrrn. in the head and in the memberê of tho church, it has always been corrupted* Avari- cious, turhul nt, and seditious priests have made nations utonn under the weight of their vice», while p^inres were too weak to reclaim them lo reason. The divitiions and quarrels which took place among those ecclesiastical tyrants did iii<leed at length diminish the weight of the yone they had imposed on kings and na- tions. Theem;)ire of the Roman pontiff* which endui'ed many ag<^s, was at last shaken by irri- tated entbusiatitN and rebellious subjects who presumed to examine the rights of this formi- dable despot. Some princes, weary of tbeil^ slavery and poverty, ceadilsr eoibraced opiok^
ionu whicb would authorise thêm to enHefi themselves with the spoils of the clergy. Tha» the unity of the church was destroyed, sects were multiplied, and each Ibugtit for the defence of it«i own (system.
The«e founders of these new sects were treat- ' ed by theRodian pontifl*^^ iitnovatois, heretics, and blassphemerw. They,li is true^ renounced some of their old 0[>inions ; but content with having made n few >tep» towards teason, they dared not to shake off entirely the yoke ot su- perstition. They continued to respect the ml- credwnt of the Christian, which they still look- ed upon as the only faithful ^uidc. Upon them they pretended to found all their opinions. In fine, these books, in which every man mt^y find what he pleases, as they became more^Htvimoa from time to time, pi-oduced new sects. Mea were lost in a dark labyrinth, where each oo6 grope^J bis way in error, and yet jud^i^ed aM but himself to be wrong. The leaders of these eectts, the prrtended reformers of the churchy gained but a glimpse at the truth, and attended to n^iithin^ l>uf minutiee They eontinued tr re- spect the sacred oracles of the Ch'istiHns. and believe in their cruel «ind capricious Go*l.' They admitted their extravagant mytholo^ry and most of their unreasonable doctrines. In fine, although they rejected some mysteries that were incomi»rehensible, fhey admitted others not less so Let us not be ««urprihed, therefore^ that notwithstanding these reforms, fanaticism, controversy, persecoti->n and war, continued to rage throughout Europe. The reveries of in- novators only served to plunge nations into new misfortunes. Blood continued to stream, and ptKvple grew neither more reasonable nor mûre»
bappy. Priests of all Meeia have ever wisIlecL to j^overa mankind, and impose on them Iheir decisions as infallible and sacred. They wero alwiiys persecutors when in power, involved nations in their hiry, h net shook the worid by their fatal O|)iiiions. The spirit of intolerance and perciecuiion will ever be the oifenee of eve- ry sert founded on the bible. A mild and humane reH^ion can. never belonfiT to a par- tial and God cruel, whom the opinions of men can fill with wrath. Wherever Christian seota exist, priests will exercise a power which may prove fatal to the state, and bodies of fanatical enthusiasts will be formed, always, ready to rash to slaufchtér, when their spiritual guides cry, the church or the cause of Qod is in dan- ger
. Thus in Christian eoun tries we see the tern» poral power servilely submissive to the clergy» executing their commands, exterminating their enemies, and supporting their rights, riches, and immunities. In almost all nations where the church prevails, the most idle, useless, sedi< tious and dangerous men are rAost liberally honored an rewarded. Superstition think» she can never do enough for the ministers of her gods. These sent iments are the same in all sects (except the Quakers.) Priests every where endeavor to instil t4iem into kings, and make policy bend to religion, in <lping which ibety o(\en oppose the best institutions. They in all places aim at the superintendence of ed- acation, and they fill their adhereots with their Hital prejudices from their infancy.
It is, however, in places that remained sub* jeet to the Roman ponttiTthat the clergy have wnUowediQ the greatest profusion of riobes
1»
and power. Credality has even enlîMed ItiUfs among tfa<^ir subjectfl. and debased tbein into mere execationers of their will. They Were in readiness to anf>heath the sword whenever the priest commanded it. The monarehs of the Roman seots. blinder than all others, had an unbounded confi<ienee in the H^r^ry of their charrh that flfenerally rendered thetn mere tOi>ls of tbat body. This sect by means of furious in- toleration and atrocious persecutions, ber-ame more numerous than any other one: and their turbulent and cruel temper ba^ justly rendered tfaeni o lions to the mo^t reasonable, that is to say, least Christian nations.
The llomisib system tvas, in fact, invented to throw all the power into the hati'U of the cler- gy, its priests have had the address to iden- tify themselves with God. Th ^ir cause was al- ways bis; their giory became the g\or$ of God. Their decisions were divine oracles ; their pos- sessions appertained to the kingdom of heaven. Their pride, avarice and cruelty, were rendered lawful, becausof virtue
shame, otonempt, tand punishment the compan- ions of vice, and the wage» qfsin.
If error be an evil, to it let truth be opposed. If enthusiasm produce disorders in society, let it be suppressed. Let us leave to i|.sia a relig^- ion begotten by .the ardent imaginations of the- Orientals. Let our milder «climates be more reasonable, more free, and more happy. Let us make them the residence of honesty, activi- ty, industry, social affections and exalted minds -*-— May not rgaaoir be . p e t m ined, to hope, that she shall one day réassume the power so lonir usurped from her by error, illusion, and deceit ? Wb^n will nations renounce chimerical hopea, to'contemplate their true interests ? Will they ever shaka off the yokes of those hypocritical tyrants, who are interested only in the errors of ^naqkittd ? Let us hope It,. Truth most at last .triumph over falsehood .^-r-r-Mankind fatii^ed, xsrith their own credulity, will retutn to her arms.-:-ReasoQ will break theirchains.— R«aton, which WÇUS created to reign, with undlyblcd en^rpire, over all intelligent beings.
