No writer of distinction has been able, publicly, to show that
Christianity has been a powerful factor for good in the civilization
of the world. The definitions of civilization necessarily exclude
superstition. We have seen that civilization is not an "entity" but
a progressive movement produced by favorable conditions, for example,
temperate climate, good soil, abundance of lakes, rivers, and mineral
resources. Human activities upon a large scale have evolved still
higher and better conditions for parts of the race. We have shown
how war, commerce, agriculture, inventions, crusades, discoveries,
literature, art, skepticism, government, languages, science, and
philosophy have added to the sum of human well-being in one way
and another.
The revival of learning did not spring from the church, but from
Pagan literature, and Mohammedan schools. And it requires no great
research to learn that the church has never been favorably inclined
toward true learning, that is, toward science. It has insisted upon
teaching an ignorant world the unknown and unknowable. "Carnal reason"
and "blasphemous science" were never pet lessons for its subjects. It
chose rather the motto, "Ignorance is the mother of devotion."
Some things Christianity has Not Done.
It has professed to offer the world a revelation of the will of
God. And what has this book, the Bible, revealed? What information
does it give man of the nature of this earth, of geology, geography,
or of the millions of stars seen and unseen; of agriculture? Is
it not true that he who invented the plow was a greater man than
Moses? What does the Bible teach about government, agriculture,
mining, inventions, discoveries, arts, printing, morals, liberty,
and all other branches of useful learning? It contains no instructions
upon the most important and useful subjects. And of itself, the Bible
makes no claim to be an inspired revelation from God. The church,
with all its assumptions and presumptions, is not the teacher of the
world, as it has nothing but superstition to teach.
The Conflict between Christianity and Civilization.
Christianity is conservative, and, like the bourbon, never gets a new
idea or forgets an old one, and it is in its very nature, therefore,
non-progressive. The advancement of humanity has been achieved
not by and through Christianity, but in conflict with and triumph
over it. Christianity itself has been subject to modification and
progress from forces without, rather than virtues within itself. The
savage doctrine "believe or be damned," is no longer a popular pulpit
theme. Eternal torment has ceased to torment or terrify the living,
election and reprobation are no longer a commodity greatly in demand,
and the divine right of kings is rapidly fading out of mind. Infant
damnation is not mentioned--babes do not go to hell in these days--they
all crowd into Abraham's capacious bosom. The Devil is not so black
as he used to be--it was reported lately that he is dead. Taking it
all in all, there has been a great improvement in the doctrines of
the church. It should never be forgotten, however, that it professes
to save the world, while the truth is just the opposite, that is,
the world saves the church. Common sense has taught the church the
foolishness and wickedness of these absurd and cruel doctrines,
and has saved it from immediate decay by forcing it to give them
up. The church makes progress because it must, not because it seeks
to do so. The sanity of man is saving him from the insanity of
religion. The world moves and Christianity, though it hangs back,
must nevertheless move with it. The progressive element is in man,
and when he is outside of the church he advances in knowledge and
morality; but within its walls he is sure to be conservative and
non-progressive. For why should he seek to make any progress? Has he
not the revealed will of God--a complete guide to duty here and to
destiny hereafter? Surely he needs no books to supersede the Bible
or other virtues than those awakened by the grace of God.
The Bible Sanctions Great Crimes.
We come now to look at the crimes perpetrated by the people of God,
to show how the Bible and Christianity lie as insuperable obstructions
in the pathway of progress.
Wars of Extermination.
And when thou comest nigh unto a city to fight against it, and
it shall be, if it make the answer of peace, and open unto thee,
then it shall be, that all the people that is found therein shall
be tributaries unto thee and shall serve thee. And if it will
make no peace with thee, but will make war against thee (that is,
by defending their wives and children) then thou shalt besiege it.
And when the Lord God hath delivered it into thine hands, thou
shalt smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword; but the
women and the little ones, and the cattle, and all that is in the
city, even all the spoil thereof, shalt thou take unto thyself,
and thou shalt eat of the spoil of thine enemies, which the Lord
thy God hath given thee. Thus shalt thou do unto all the cities
which are very far off from thee, which are not of the cities of
these nations. But of the cities of these people, which the Lord
thy God doth give thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive
nothing that breatheth. (Deut. 20 : 10-17.)
So Joshua smote all the country of the hills, and of the south,
and of the vale, and of the springs and all their kings; he left
none remaining, but utterly destroyed all that breathed as the
Lord God of Israel had commanded. (Joshua 10 : 40.)
Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I remember that which Amelek did
to Israel (some three hundred years previous), how he laid wait
for him in the way when he came up from Egypt. Now go and smite
Amelek, and utterly destroy all that they have and spare them not,
but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep,
camel and ass. (1 Sam. 15 : 2, 3.)
Now, therefore, kill every male among the little ones, and kill
every woman that hath known man by lying with him.
But all the women children that have not known a man by lying
with him, keep alive for yourselves. (Numbers 31 : 17, 18.)
To believe these bloody massacres to have been done by the express
command of the supreme ruler of the universe, made man brutal and
despotic. And it is for this very reason that we have had so many wars
among Christian nations. The Old Testament is a record of cruelty
and blood; and if we fall back in time on this side of the cross of
Christ, we shall find the same spirit, and the same bloody deeds
perpetrated upon all those who were not numbered as the peculiar
people of God. Constantine established Christianity in the Roman
empire by the sword; and his holy successors have maintained it by
the same power ever since.
Polygamy.
Although Christians now condemn polygamy, they uphold a Bible that
not only approves it, but also shows distinctly that God instituted it.
Solomon had seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines, and was
not condemned for his polygamy or concubinage, but was condemned for
going after other Gods:
And the Lord was angry with Solomon because his heart was turned
away from the Lord. (1 Kings 11 : 9.)
There is nowhere any condemnation of Solomon for his polygamy to be
found in the Bible. On the contrary, he is extolled to the highest
degree. God is represented as saying: "I have found David, a man after
mine own heart." (Acts 13 : 22.) "Yet among many nations was there no
king like unto him (Solomon) who was beloved of God." (Neh. 13 : 26.)
David, although he was a man after God's own heart, was not so highly
esteemed as Solomon who was blest with a thousand wives. David did not
have quite as many wives, and consequently did not achieve the royal
grandeur of his son Solomon. The Lord gave David a number of wives:
"And Abigail hasted and arose, and rode upon an ass with five damsels
of her's that went with her; and she went after the messengers of
David and became his wife. David also took Ahinoam, of Jezreel,
and they were also, both of them, his wives. (1 Sam. 25 : 42, 43.)