THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. I. Col. Ingersoll's Opening Paper-Statement of the Fundamental Truths of Christianity-Reasons for Thinking that Portions of the Old Testament are the Product of a Barbarous People-Passages upholding Slavery, Polygamy, War, and Religious Persecution not Evidences of Inspiration-If the Words are not Inspired, What Is ?— Commands of Jehovah compared with the Precepts of Pagans and Stoics-Epictetus, Cicero, Zeno, Seneca, Brahma-II. The New Testament-Why were Four Gospels Necessary?-Salvation by Belief-The Doctrine of the Atonement-The Jewish System Culminating in the Sacrifice of Christ-Except for the Crucifixion of her Son, the Virgin Mary would be among the Lost-What Christ must have Known would Follow the Acceptance of His Teachings-The_Wars of Sects, the Inquisition, the Fields of Death-Why did he not Forbid it All? The Little that he Revealed-The Dogma of Eternal Punishment-Upon Love's Breast the Church has Placed the Eternal AspIII. The "Inspired" Writers-Why did not God furnish Every Nation with a Bible? 3-28 II. Judge Black's Reply-His Duty that of a Policeman-The Church not in Danger-Classes who Break out into Articulate Blasphemy-The Sciolist-Personal Remarks about Col. Ingersoll-ChiefJustice Gibson of Pennsylvania Quoted-We have no Jurisdiction or Capacity to Rejudge the Justice of God-The Moral Code of the Bible Civil Government of the Jews-No Standard of Justice without Belief in a God-Punishments for Blasphemy and Idolatry Defended— Wars of Conquest-Allusion to Col. Ingersoll's War Record-Slavery among the Jews-Polygamy Discouraged by the Mosaic Constitution-Jesus of Nazareth and the Establishment of his ReligionAcceptance of Christianity and Adjudication upon its Divinity-The Evangelists and their Depositions-The Fundamental Truths of Christianity-Persecution and Triumph of the Church-Ingersoll's Propositions Compressed and the Compressions Answered-Salvation as a Reward of Belief-Punishment of Unbelief-The Second Birth, Atonement, Redemption, Non-resistance, Excessive Punishment of Sinners, Christ and Persecution, Christianity and Freedom of Thought, Sufficiency of the Gospel, Miracles, Moral Effect of Christianity, 29-59 III. Col. Ingersoll's Rejoinder-How this Discussion Came About -Natural Law-The Design Argument-The Right to Rejudge the Justice even of a God-Violation of the Commandments by Jehovah VOL. VI. -Religious Intolerance of the Old Testament-Judge Black's Justification of Wars of Extermination-His Defense of Slavery-Polygamy not "Discouraged" by the Old Testament-Position of Woman under the Jewish System and under that of the Ancients-a "Policeman's" View of God-Slavery under Jehovah and in Egypt-The Admission that Jehovah gave no Commandment against Polygamy -The Learned and Wise Crawl back in Cribs-Alleged Harmony of Old and New Testaments-On the Assertion that the Spread of Christianity Proves the Supernatural Origin of the Gospel-The Argument applicable to All Religions-Communications from Angels and Gods-Authenticity of the Statements of the Evangelists-Three Important Manuscripts-Rise of Mormonism-Ascension of ChristThe Great Public Events alleged as Fundamental Truths of Christianity-Judge Black's System of "Compression"-"A Metaphysical Question"-Right and Wrong-Justice-Christianity and Freedom of Thought-Heaven and Hell-Production of God and the DevilInspiration of the Bible dependent on the Credulity of the ReaderDoubt of Miracles-The World before Christ's Advent-Respect for the Man Christ-The Dark Ages-Institutions of Mercy-Civil Law60-117 THE FIELD-INGERSOLL DISCUSSION. (1887.) 121-142 An Open Letter to Robert G. Ingersoll-Superstitions--Basis of Religion-Napoleon's Question about the Stars-The Idea of GodCrushing out Hope-Atonement, Regeneration, and Future Retribution-Socrates and Jesus-The Language of Col. Ingersoll characterized as too Sweeping-The Sabbath-But a Step from Sneering at Religion to Sneering at Morality, Field, D. D.-Honest 'Differences stition and Religion-The Presbyterian God an Infinite Torquemado of Opinion-Charles Darwin-Dr. Field's Distinction between Super-Napoleon's Sensitiveness to the Divine Influence-The Preference God is not what he is Thought to Be-Self-preservation the Fibre of of Agassiz-The Mysterious as an Explanation-The Certainty that -To a Mother at the Grave of Her Son-Theological Teaching of God's Judgments?—Immortality-Hope and the Presbyterian Creed Society-Did the Assassination of Lincoln Illustrate the Justice of Forgiveness-On Eternal Retribution-Jesus and MohammedAttacking the Religion of Others-Ananias and Sapphira-The Pilgrims and Freedom to Worship-The Orthodox Sabbath-Natural Restraints on Conduct-Religion and Morality-The_Efficacy of Prayer-Respect for Belief of Father and Mother-The "Power behind Nature"-Survival of the Fittest-The Saddest Fact-"Sober Second Thought," 143-182 A Last Word to Robert G. Ingersoll, by Dr. Field-God not a Presbyterian Why Col. Ingersoll's Attacks on Religion are Resented God is more Merciful than Man-Theories about the Future LifeRetribution a Necessary Part of the Divine Law-The Case of RobinSon Crusoe-Irresistible Proof of Design-Col. Ingersoll's View of Immortality-An Almighty Friend, VOL. VL 183-198 |