Chapter V
In a previous chapter I have expressed a desire to discuss my conception of God. The finite mind cannot comprehend the infinite. God is the very absolute of infinity. I try to picture Him as the Spirit of the Universe. Then all of limitless space, with infinite worlds, any one of which is millions of times bigger than our own little planet, and, probably, inhabited by intelligence much older and more advanced than ourselves, constitutes a “body” for Him, as my body is the house in which I live. In all this vast universal body there is not an atom that is not continually furnished with its ability to even exist by contact with the Great Spirit. There can be no single cell, animal, vegetable, or mineral whose very characteristic and corporal continuity does not depend upon God’s presence for its being. Pantheism in this sense is monotheism as the one God is big enough to extend to every portion of everything in infinite space. If inter-stellar space contained nothing else, it would be filled with God, for even space could not exist without his perpetual presence. God constitutes the ultimate—the absolute of intelligence. All intelligence holding characteristics in common, allows some basis for the idea that man bears the “image of God”. If we could portray an image of the universe on a postage stamp, it would be millions of times too big to carry the proportion which man’s intelligence bears to that of God’s limitless intelligence. The total of all the laws of nature, all of them immutable and eternal, and, allowing that every law of soul, mind, or spirit is included, constitutes God’s activities. Science in its completeness covers this field. It is therefore the language of God. We usually refer to science as that part of the above total which has been discovered by man; and that known part includes the knowledge that these laws are recognized by their unchangeableness. The Bible is surcharged with instances of suspension, interference, and disregard for this universal law of the immutability of all God’s laws. God could not reverse a single law of his own legislation without placing himself in a position of being forced to acknowledge His own frailty is that the law was imperfect and therefore should not apply in such case.
At first glance we might be made to wonder how any well-balanced person whose education from observation of all that his human senses enable him to contemplate, and who had had advantages in obtaining a knowledge of the simplest rules of logic, and who has attained the age of maturity, and has meditated upon the equilibrium maintained throughout all nature, could, possibly, ever claim to be an atheist. But the avowed atheist may be, at least some of them, entitled to our most sincere sympathy. He may have been so over-stuffed with the unreasonableness of what the vendors of dogmatic mythologies have fed to him, as the very Revelation of the God that is going, sometime to derive great pleasure in sentencing him to eternal torment for his inability to accept as eternal truth the fable of the Zoroastrian Magi, the God, himself, had just been born of a virgin Jewess, that, in disgust, he rejects everything that has ever been said or written concerning such God. I suspect that, even the atheist might believe in the God of the universe, who had not been created after man’s own image, and who was not designed to confirm His attention to this little earth. I have concluded, after meditative contemplation of the ancient mythologies, and what I would claim to be a careful study of the Bible for half a century, that the supreme god of the Egyptians, Re, the sun god, had a much greater justification for having been created than any of the great galaxy of deities ever heading any other popular religion. The sun is much more representative of the source of life and power than any man, whether he was reputed to be born of a virgin woman or descended from a goddess.
Many of the gods were born of virgins. Some were the progeny of stately matrons, but any good mythology would contrive to have them born at the Winter Solstice, when the sun was born again from his southernmost journey, and those who met death, but could not remain dead, should be consistent enough to burst forth from the grave at the Vernal Equinox, the glorious Eastertide, when all nature was being resurrected from the long death of winter. Great beauty was displayed in these early philosophies, the latest of which is the God of the New Testament, but how impossible to reconcile any of them with the twentieth century light. The Great Architect of the universe, whose ineffable name we do not know, but which we substitute with the sacred word of our artificial vernacular and call it God, has had no more to do in the manufacture of any of these great religions than He was in the writing of the history of China. Despite the fact that there is no consistency in retaining the God of Christendom, since the Atonement, which constituted the only valid reason for his creation, miscarries completely if there were no estrangement wrought by Adam’s fall, the record of his creation is not sound enough to justify one in accepting his deity. There are but two witnesses in all the Bible to testify concerning the first thirty years of his life, and undertake to establish his citizenship and the certainty of his Godship through his lineage. One of these was one of his chosen, and the other claims himself that he had perfect knowledge of all the question from its beginning. (Luke may have been a good physician but that does not convince me that he knew who was the father of Jesus.) The major question in determining whether he was the real god that had been expected (the one who would rehabilitate the Jewish crown) was whether or not he was the son of David. So these two witnesses in recording God’s Word to his creatures for all time, itemize every generation of his genealogy from the great-grandpa David. Matthew names every one and sums them up to be twenty-eight. Luke is very specific and also much more liberal, and enumerates forty-two generations. Matthew then proceeds to dream troublesome dreams, and hurries the family off to Africa where, in mortal fear of Herod, they remain in silence until Herod died, when they assayed to return, but heard discouraging news from Jerusalem, and detoured to the old homestead up in Nazareth, with no more tidings til the babe had grown to manhood (afraid to visit the capitol city). But Luke announces, with perfect fearlessness, that when the boy was forty days old his fond parents took him over to the temple in the city where much ado was made over the fine looking baby, and the usual sophisticated forecast was ventured that he would turn out to be a great man. All this was a great surprise to his mother. (Seems she had forgotten, so quickly, the momentous visits of the over-shadowing angel.) Luke continues to cast doubt on Matthew’s testimony by affirming that they visited Jerusalem and the temple every year and on his twelfth visit he tested out for the highest I.Q. that had ever been recorded by the learned doctors about the temple—this also was a great surprise to his parents who never seemed to comprehend that there should be anything unusual about the boy.
If two witnesses should testify that way in one of our present day courts, no body of men in the jury box could accept both stories. Which is true? Does either convince you that this is the God that did all the work of creating the universe? Do not both of them jingle with the smack of an afterthought, constructed for the purpose of bolstering up an otherwise unsupported theory. This fails, woefully, to describe the God that I choose to honor and worship. If there had never been any theory of evolution, if nothing had ever been brought to life by scientific research, if the chronology of human life on earth had never disproven the chronology of the Bible, it would still be absurd to contend that the God of heaven and earth would condemn one to eternal suffering in hell for disbelief of this fabulous tale of the making of another god. But, as stated by Thomas Moore, “Faith, fanatic Faith, once wedded fast to some dear falsehood, hugs it to the last.” The antithesis of this idea was covered by Claude Bernard when he declared that “In science, the thing is to modify and change one’s ideas as science advances.” Huxley said, truly, “It is the customary fate of new truths to begin as heresies and to end as superstitions”; while De Montaigne said, “Nothing is so firmly believed as what we least know.”
It is plainly evident that all the writers of the Bible considered that the creation of earth and its inhabitants constituted the crowning work of Jehovah. That anything else, visible in the beautiful vault of the heavens, was for sidelights to earth, for signs and seasons, and that somewhere “up” there he had a great white throne around which was built the eternal city which was for the accommodation of the redeemed of the earth. The city takes all the prizes for fine architecture and internal decoration. Gold pavement, pearl gates, precious stones decorating the walls; a crystal river whose transparent waves lapped the foot of the throne, and along whose banks the cool shades of the arbor vitae would call attention to the therapeutic value of its healing leaves. Nothing that is dear the heart of man here could be omitted from the ready supplies of heaven, even to an abundant supply of medicine. Medicine being about the last thing we take in this life, it must be fresh in the memory when we would describe the scenery at the other end of the journey. Even if some overzealous orators rave over the fact that “there is no pain or sickness there”, an epidemic might break out at any time. It would be no more logical than the outbreak of war, and it is a matter of heaven-history that they had at least one war up there. Further, if one of the holy angels developed into the greatest old devil we have ever had, it might be a good idea to be prepared for the yellow fever.
I still believe in, and praise and worship God—the great universal God who will never do me the least harm. He made me and will take care of me. I am safer when I am committed to His love, and while I am striving to know Him by His perfect laws than if I try to show Him by following after man-made dogmas and mythologies.
Chapter VI
The conflict between science and the Bible, or, for that matter, between science and the dogma of every popular religion since men began to evolve from sub-human psychology, has been marked by an almost unbroken record of successful scores for the scientific side, and ultimate defeat of the dogmatic. I say ultimate defeat, for in many instances the struggle has been long and heated, and in these struggles any impartial referee would be compelled to announce that the advocates of dogma, fighting, as they claimed, the battles of Jehovah, have not waged a fair fight. I would indict the Jehovah defenders, both in the Old Testament period and in the New Testament or Christian times, on the charge of personal fouls and physical destruction of the opponent, while the tactics followed, all the time by the defenders of science have been peaceful, educational, and a wholesome appeal to reason. In olden times Jehovah was constantly in personal touch with His generals, counseling them to utterly destroy, not only non-combatant women and children, with the armies of those who would not be proselytized to their God, but sometimes to complete devastation of domestic animals and food stores. While in our Christian era God has consistently remained snugly basking in His heaven, having deputed imperial counsel and generalship to his duly elected vice regents on earth, who have so often graced the stake and the gallows, and with such vengeance wielded the Christian Sword, that the landscapes of earth’s Eastern Hemisphere have been bathed in the blood of those who would dare to think for themselves or advocate the righteousness of the untrammeled exercise of reason.
Does not this age-long war furnish sufficient grounds to conclusively show that there is a very real conflict between science and the Bible, and all the religions that are founded upon the Bible or any part of it? Science wins every battle, and after the armistice the religionists either quit stressing the text or else announce that they have discovered that it never did mean what it says. It has come to be a very flexible volume in its meaning as well as in its physical binding, The victories of science have become rapidly more numerous and momentous in the last few years. It is now no disgrace to be a scientist. It is commendable to enter into profound research in that field, as big as the universe itself, to discover more of God’s Word. Science will never stop. It may continue to be hindered by the interference furnished by those whose minds are still unable to pierce the fog of superstition, but the world is coming out of the dark ages more rapidly as science is accepted or at least condoned. Evolution is persistent and will prevail. If we could forget that gross scandal on the Real God of the Universe—the dogma of “Pardon of Sins”,--and along with that annihilate the fallacious and dangerous idea that prayers constitute any system of healing the sick or the prevention of epidemics, from that time science would have a more open field to lead our minds to real advancement in every other line of progress.
Of course, it is just as easy to say, “thy sins are all forgiven thee”, as to demonstrate healing incurable disease by touching a “bleeding” monument on the Emerald Island of Erin, or gazing wistfully on the summer snows on the slopes of one of our rugged Rocky Mountains, whose snow-retaining canyons happen to be set in the shape of a broad topped “Y” which by a little strain of one’s imagination is christened “The Holy Cross”, or still by fondly and reverently embracing a grave stone of a priest long dead, down in New England. It is a great boon to priest craft and mythic theology as well as to the great variety of divine healers and commercialized cults who cultivate in the minds of ignorant and superstitious the idea of an easier and more direct course to health and happiness than by the more or less laborious program of application of Nature’s (God’s) law of life. It cannot be expected that people will advance in the line of highest physical and mental perfection while such “beautiful” examples of instantaneous therapeutics are carefully exhibited at frequent intervals. Why should one take upon oneself the extra labor and care required to keep community sanitation up to the standards which science dictates—why have his physical examinations, immunizations, isolations—when a few words of invocation to a loving God can remove both sins and sickness? (There may be some considerable fee to a mediator, but what of that? It would cost no less to take the sensible course.) Science has within two generations doubled the average length of human life in spite of the fact that religionists and cultists have maintained an active crusade of resistance all the time. It would be the most patent inconsistency for one who undertakes to uphold the Bible as God’s Word, thoroughly furnishing all necessary information for all good works for all times, to criticize the prayer healers or miracle-workers for all we know that they can take down the old book, letting it fall open at most any page, and produce a “thus sayeth the Lord” in 100% defense of their premises. They can read that a daub of mud in the eye of the blind can instantly restore the sight to one who was blind from his birth, and you need not argue to them that a little precaution on the part of the midwife might have prevented this “blindness from birth”. They can also turn and read where some snakes made of brass were placed on totem poles an the Sinai desert and a regular pandemic of fatal copper-head venom was suddenly squelched. Any conflict between science and the Bible? I frankly wonder what otherwise intelligent people hope to gain in holding tenaciously to ancient mythologies, and at the same time being engaged in teaching their fellows the principles of logic. Yes, college professors, even, argue that science and the Bible are in perfect accord—each the hand-maiden of the other.
Just why do we, with such burning zeal, hold that the Bible is the “Very word of God”, while we try so hard to convince the Chinese, the Japanese, the Mohamadans, and Zend worshipers that their several sacred books are spurious fakes? Did they not all come about in very much the same way? Are they not all Simon pure products of the human mind? I am perfectly willing to admit that they all, or any one of them, evolved from an honest effort to establish some uniform standard for community thought and government. I admit that community morals may be enhanced by a system of conventions based upon the conclusions reached by the best minds, but why disgrace the Eternal God by attributing it to Him as His special and final revelation? If it is a reflection of man’s efforts—yes, his highest ideals—at certain periods of his progress; it may be changed as his knowledge and environments change. It may continue to evolve and serve a great purpose, but if it represents God’s last will and testament, the disturbing conflict with demonstrable scientific TRUTH must continue.
There are many serious-minded, good and loyal citizens who will be deeply offended at much that I have written. They will not try to disprove what I have said. They will not even meditate on the possibility of the truth of my conclusions. They will just take offense. Some dear souls will offer a prayer for my salvation and then raise their voices in singing, “Twas good enough for mother, and it’s good enough for me”. Another semi-logician will agree that there may be a lot of truth to my contentions, but why agitate the question? Why not let every body believe this or that if there is consolation and happiness in such faith? Briefly the answer is that human progress is inhibited in ways that I have already mentioned. I would ask why not let people continue to believe that the earth is flat, and if it should revolve on its axis, the oceans would spill out? Why not continue to let them believe that epidemics of small pox, yellow fever, cholera, and many other pestilential diseases are special providences from God? Why interfere with soothsaying and witchcraft? These things are supported by the Bible Word of God and by the practice of the saints. The standards of humanity can be best elevated and maintained by educating all the people. There may be offense now, but if we are not satisfied with elevating a few, and take the Education Crusade boldly to all, many years may be lopped off these dark ages. Offense to some may bring them no profit, while it will stimulate many others to investigate and the result of honest investigation is always wholesome. It is the fellow who is wholly satisfied with the status quo that is hopeless as to further progress. The fellow who is content to hearken to the dolesome sound from the tomb, will never scale the heights of Nature’s beautiful evolution. But I am optimistic enough to believe and support the hope that humanity will break the shackles that hold it fettered to the dead past, frightened like children at the threats embodied in a perfectly ridiculous theology, and that a brand new theology will evolve, in which the Supreme Intelligence of the Universe will speak to us continually through his immutable laws which constitute Science. Then there will be no prayers through which he is importuned to change his law so some poor sinner may get advantage of some other poor sinner. The gods will cease to assume human form, and pure selfishness will no longer characterize their activities. Miracles will take their rightful places among the discarded relics of superstition, and the poor will understand that the infractions of Nature’s laws constitute sin, and there is no pardon, but that nature collects from the last farthing, every debt which her laws assess. No sinner because Adam fell from a state of perfection (since there was no fall); no pardon because of a dying god’s purchased at-one-ment (since there was never an estrangement); no God demanding blood, whose savory odors were required to appease his wrath when things went wrong. No gaunt, hungry bears to eat up little children. No fallen angel—converted into the old devil—who paraded up and down and to and fro in the earth, seeking, as a roaring lion, whom he might devour. No, none of these, but a glorious renaissance when science is invoked to seek more light from God’s fixed Word. And to contribute to man’s education and upward advancement without hindrance from the powers of darkness.
The philosophy of Zoroaster in which the activities on earth were depicted as a moral struggle between Light and Darkness seem to possess considerable elements of prophetic vision. His Light and Darkness are clearly comprehended as Intelligence and Ignorance. That warfare will continue throughout ceaseless cycles of time until, with the light of God’s limitless intelligence, every nook and cranny of the universe shall be illumined. Every aspiration of our souls should inspire a craving for more of that Light. Superstition, that incorrigible offspring of ignorance, can not exist in that light. Whatever consolation and happiness that have been born of pathos surrounding the cruel murder of the gods of any or all mythologies will be displaced by the supreme happiness of an intelligent consciousness of the righteousness of scientifically right living. The perorations of eloquence engendered by the expectation of heavenly sanctification wrought by a sanguinary bath in the blood of the crucified God, will give way to the musical rhythm of unselfish service to our fellow men, which will continue the highest possible services of God—worship, pure and undefiled. There will be no occasion for an angelic glee club to awaken sleepy shepherds to broadcast the news item that another god is born to add another scintillating star to the already overcrowded galaxy of mythological deities, for one God, the Eternal, unchangeable, Omnipotent Spirit of nature’s universe, who has never ordained burnt offerings, nor human crucifixions, will reign supreme in the hearts of men who will honor and worship Him by yielding loyally to the supreme laws of nature. Ghost stories, whether emanating from the Cave of Endor, or from the Sabbath dinner at Emmaus, will be forgotten in the pursuit of scientific clarification. The ghost of a dead god is no more staggering to the analytical mind than are the noisy ghosts of the haunted house in a lonesome and dreary old graveyard. The Bible is long on ghosts of varying styles, but the ghost of a dead god is holy, and is credited with such rapid evolution that soon after its recognition it became an undivided and an indivisible one-third of God Himself. It was a great stroke in god-making that evolved the Holy Ghost concept. Hitherto the gods had been, necessarily, limited in their appearances on the human stage, No record had assumed the boldness to assert that any of the multitude of gods had ever made, or attempted to make, appearances at two or more places simultaneously. As the human comprehension of the necessary attributes of “One God” expanded, it was necessary to incorporate a Spirit God. This was, indeed, an evidence of much improvement, and approached a near scientific and logical deduction, but most of our Bible has been compiled before this stage of theological evolution was reached. If so many changes have been accepted already, why should it be judged unpardonable heresy to suggest, as I am doing, still another mutation in our theology. Some of the patent anomalies in this Holy Ghost God are shown in the inability of His creators to be content without corporal manifestations. All the gods have possessed “body, parts, and passions”; so this fraction of God was seen, now as a dove in the air or perched upon a human head, now as forked tongues, like the tongues of snakes, except that they were veritable blazes of fire, which were enormous in size, even filling a large room in which there was a vast congregation, composed of people from every country in the world.
This earth has groped through four thousand years without God, and without hope in the world, but for the last two millenniums our theologians have access to this one-third God who has been christened the “comforter”, and who is capable, as any very useful and powerful God should be, of appearances anywhere and everywhere at the same time.