(No. II, 8)
If it is not so--that all we mean by being "Christians" is a
delusion--that all this machinery, with a State Church and thousands
of spiritual-worldly councillors of chancery, etc., is a stupendous
delusion which will not be of the least help to us in the life
everlasting but, on the contrary, will be turned into an accusation
against us--if this is not so; for if it is, then let us, for the
sake of life everlasting, get rid of it, the sooner the better--
If it is not so, and if what we understand by being a Christian really
is to be a Christian: then what is God in Heaven?
He is the most ridiculous being that ever existed, His Word is
the most ridiculous book which has ever appeared; for to move
heaven and earth, as He does in his Word, and to threaten with
hell and everlasting damnation--in order to obtain as His result
what we understand by being Christians (and our assumption was
that we are true Christians)--well, now, has anything so ridiculous
ever been seen before? Imagine that a fellow with a loaded pistol
in his hand held up a person and said to him, "I shall shoot you";
or imagine, what is still more terrible, that he said, "I shall
seize you and torture you to death in the most horrible manner,
if"--now watch, here's the point--"if you do not render your
life here on earth as profitable and as enjoyable as you can":
would not that be utterly ridiculous? For to obtain that effect
it certainly is not necessary to threaten one with a loaded
pistol and the most painful torture; in fact, it is possible
that neither the loaded pistol nor the most painful torture
would be able to deter him from making his life as comfortable
as he can. And the same is true when, by fear of eternal punishment
(terrible threat!), and by hope of eternal salvation, He wishes
to bring about--well, to make us what we are (for what we call
Christian is, as we have seen, really being Christian), to make
us--well, to make us what we are; that is, make men live as
they please; for to abstain from committing crimes is nothing
but common prudence!
The most terrible blasphemy is the one of which "Christianity"
is guilty, which is, to transform the God of the Spirit into--a
ridiculous piece of nonsense. And the stupidest kind of worship,
more stupid than any idolatry ever was among the heathen, and
more stupid than to worship as a god some stone, or an ox, or
an insect--more stupid than anything, is to adore as god--a fool!