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the word: "There is but one God! Thou shalt have no other Gods before me."
An old grim beard of a God, a jealous one, forgot himself thus.
And then all Gods laughed and shook on their chairs and cried: "Is Godliness not just that there are Gods, but no God?"
Whoever hath ears let him hear.
"Thus Spake Zarathrustra"--FRIEDRICH NIETZSCHE
CONTENTS
PAGE
PREFACE ix
I. THE EVOLUTION OF RELIGIOUS BELIEFS 21
II. THE KORAN, THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS 31
III. THE PROPHETS MOHAMMED, JESUS, AND MOSES CHARLATANS OR VICTIMS OF MENTAL AND PHYSICAL DISEASE 65
IV. SOUNDNESS OF A FOUNDATION FOR A BELIEF IN A DEITY 94
V. THE PERSISTENCE OF RELIGION 115
VI. RELIGION AND SCIENCE 120
VII. RELIGION AND MEDICINE 126
VIII. RELIGION AND ASTRONOMY 148
IX. RELIGION AND GEOGRAPHY 151
X. RELIGION AND CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS 154
XI. RELIGION AND GEOLOGY, PHILOLOGY, AND EVOLUTION 157
XII. RELIGION AND WITCHCRAFT 163
XIII. RELIGION AND MORALITY 193
XIV. CHRISTIANITY AND WAR 211
XV. CHRISTIANITY AND SLAVERY 214
XVI. CHRISTIANITY AND LABOR 224
XVII. RELIGION AND WOMAN 242
XVIII. THE PHILOSOPHERS AND THE GREAT ILLUSION 251
XIX. THE DOOM OF RELIGION; THE NECESSITY OF ATHEISM 269
XX. CONTEMPORARY OPINION 309
PREFACE
Plain speaking is necessary in any discussion of religion, for if the freethinker attacks the religious dogmas with hesitation, the orthodox believer assumes that it is with regret that the freethinker would remove the crutch that supports the orthodox. And all religious beliefs are "crutches" hindering the free locomotive efforts of an advancing humanity. There are no problems related to human progress and happiness in this age which any theology can solve, and which the teachings of freethought cannot do better and without the aid of encumbrances.
Havelock Ellis has stated that, "Th