I. THE MORAL AND RELIGIOUS ERRORS OF CHRIST.
In "The World's Sixteen Crucified Saviors" we have, under the above heading, shown (1) that Christ possessed a very ardent religious nature; (2) that he was unenlightened by scientific culture, (3) and that consequently he often indulged in the most extravagant views of the duties of life; (4) that he inculcated a moral and religious system carried to such extremes as to render its obligations utterly impossible to be reduced to practice; (5) that his injunction, "Take no thought for to-morrow," is of impracticable application, and never has been lived up to by any of his disciples in that age or since; (6) that, if reduced to practice, it would starve the world to death in less than twelve months; (7) that his injunction, "Lay not up treasures on earth" (Matt. vi. 19), has been ignored and trampled under foot by the whole Christian world; (8) that his injunction to his disciples to part with all their property (Matt. xix. 21) would soon fill the world with paupers; (9) that his promise to supply all the necessaries of life to those who shall "seek first the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. vi. 33) has never been fulfilled; (10) that his injunctions, "Resist not evil," (11) when smitten on one cheek, turn the other also, are virtual invitations to personal abuse; (12) that his mandate, "Love not the world;" (13) also, "to hate father and mother, brother and sister," &c. (Luke xiv. 26); (14) also, to give up voluntarily our garments when attacked by a robber (Matt. v. 40); (15) also, to make no defense of our lives when they are sought by murderers (Luke xvii. 33), are all extravagant, unnatural, and unreasonable moral obligations; (16) that his declaration to his disciples, that they would be "hated by all men" (Matt. x. 22). (17) and his injunction to shake off the dust of their feet against their skeptical hearers, (18) and "go and teach all nations," (19) and "take nothing for your journey" (Mark. vi. 8), are all indications of a mind run wild with religious fanaticism; (20) as is also the declaration, "He that believeth not shall be damned;" (21) and "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved" is equally unreasonable; (22) that all things asked for in prayer believing has never been realized by any person; (23) that it sets aside all natural laws. (24) It is calculated to encourage idleness and sloth, (25) and thus bring on misery and starvation. (26) The commands to "call no man 'father;'" (27) also, "Call no man 'a fool;'" (28) also, to "pray without ceasing;" (29) also, to forgive our enemies four hundred and ninety times ("seventy times seven"); (30) also, to "love your enemies" (Matt. v. 46); (31) also, to pluck out our eyes and cut off our hands if they offend us; (32) and, also, to become eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake, are utterances which bespeak a mind devoid of a knowledge of either natural or moral philosophy; (33) as does also the injunction to become perfect as (God) our Father in heaven (Matt. v. 48). (34) His belief in an angry God; (35) his injunction to fear God (Matt. x. 28); (36) his advice to his followers to live like the lilies of the field (Matt. vi. 26); (37) his statement that "the meek should inherit the earth," (38) that his disciples would be hated by all men; (39) his reasons for forbidding them to swear; (40) his blessing on the poor; (41) his denunciation of the rich; (42) his parable of Dives; (43) his encouragement to mourn; (44) his blessing on the pure in heart, (45) and on the hungry and thirsty; (46) his choosing the ignorant for companions; (47) his setting the mother against the daughter (Matt. x. 36); (48) his getting angry (Matt, xxi. 12); (49) his treatment of his mother, (50) also of the money-changers, (51) and of the Pharisees; (52) his usurpation of property (Matt. xxi. 2); (53) his calling men "fools and hypocrites," (54) also "vipers," (55) and "children of the Devil" (John viii. "); (56) his enjoining his disciples to shake off the dust of their feet against them, (57) and to call no man "rabbi," (58) and no man "master;" (59) his falsehood about going to Jerusalem (John vii. 8); (60) his substituting water for wine; (61) his strong sectarianism (John x. 1); (62) his treatment of the Gentiles (Matt. x. 5); (63) his threat toward Jerusalem; (64) his calling honest men "robbers" (John x. 8); (65) his denunciation of Sodom and Gomorrah, (66) and Chorazin and Bethsaida (Matt, xi. 21), (67) and Capernaum; (68) his answer to the woman of Samaria, (69) and his calling Peter "Satan;" (70) his hatred of the world, (71) and contempt of life,—all these precepts and practices, when critically examined, are found to be at variance with the laws of moral science as taught in this enlightened age, which establishes the fact that Christ was no moral philosopher.