“I had rather be an infidel, and take my chances, than accept the blasphemous nonsense that many people believe about God. I cannot believe that an infinitely all-wise God could be guilty of the mistakes attributed to Him, or that a God of love and tender compassion could be propitiated, and delighted with blood from the slaughter of innocent animals, or the blood of men, or as they call it, ‘the blood of the Son of God.’” The little man was greatly excited, and would have interrupted me, but I kept on.
After a pause, he said, “Our belief is founded on the Bible as the inspired word of God; don’t you believe that?”
“Yes,” I replied, “as the production of men, some of it the grandest truth ever given to mankind, and other not fit to be put in the same book.
“First, as to the authenticity of the Bible. The authors were men, not differing from other men, with limited faculties, fallible as all men are, and liable to mistakes. They may have been honest, with the best of intentions, yet this is no warrant that they could not be mistaken. It is evident that they were affected by the times in which they lived, were influenced by their surroundings, and directed by their education, though very meager. It is well authenticated that the writers never wrote all that is attributed to them; that many things were interpolated by others, several centuries later, to make up a creed for the church to suit themselves. It is not known just when the Bible was written, nor the authors of the different parts, or whether any one part was written wholly by the one to whom it is ascribed, or afterward compiled from various sources. It is well known that there were many writings, and that those now composing the Bible are selections from them all. If any were inspired, why not all? If all were from God, why should some be chosen and others rejected? It was a daring, sacrilegious thing to do, men becoming the judges of the revelations of God, that is, if they believed they were from God. There must have been doubts about the authenticity of them. If there were doubts about some, why not about others, about all? If men in ancient times, no better or worse than we are, could have their doubts and make their choice of what they supposed to be the word of God, why should we not have the same right to use our judgments? In fact, the knowledge of every kind that the world has acquired, the distance from the events recorded, uninfluenced by the prejudices and associations affecting the writers of the books of the Bible and those making the selections, make men of modern times more capable of considering what is truth and what might be considered the word of God. Scientists of all kinds do not accept all the ancient theories, not because they are indisposed to do so, but for the indisputable reason that these theories or dogmas do not harmonize with the truth or demonstrated facts.
“If any beings higher than men had composed the writings and made the selections then all questions of mankind would be idle. Or if the writers and selectors were proved to have been of a superior class, above the weakness and limitation of ordinary men, then there might be great hesitation about expressing any doubt, and no desire to investigate or criticise. But as they all were only men, sinful, weak men, all of them, why should any one hesitate to think or act for himself as to what they wrote? They have given no authority or proof of any superiority, or power delegated to them to dominate the beliefs and actions of mankind. God is our God, just as much as he was the God of the Jews, and He is just as near to us as He was to them, and we cannot admit that He is not as willing to reveal Himself unto us as He would do to them, nor can we allow that He selected a certain number of men, several thousand years ago, from an obscure and inferior race, and made them the depositories of all His truth and laws to suffice for all the rest of the world, for all ages, and that He then retired from the spiritual vision of mankind. This is so inconsistent with His constant watchful care over every other interest of the world that such a thought cannot be entertained for a moment.
“If one supernatural revelation, why not another, and many? Or why restrict it to one people, or to one period of the world’s history?
“The conclusion is, mine at least, that the writers of the Bible, and those who selected it and interpolated the different parts, were men, and did the best they could, according to their ability and the light they had, and being only men, they and their works are to be estimated and judged by men, as all other things are judged. We read the works of ancient or modern authors, we criticise the style, admire the knowledge and truth, expose the errors, and value the books for what they are worth according to our best honest judgments. Why then should we not pursue the same course with the books of the Bible, written also by men?
“I know that it is claimed that the writers of the Bible were inspired. How do we know this? There is not a particle of proof of this except their own say so; that God favored them any more than other men, or that they had any more knowledge of the secret councils or purposes of God than other seekers after truth and lovers of righteousness. All truth is hidden for our search, as are the precious things of earth, of science, art, philosophy, and those who seek most diligently attain their rewards in finding the best things that God has provided for those who strive and search.
“You asked me questions and I have given you my best answers. They are my sincere convictions and honest beliefs.”
“Well, I must go,” he said very sadly. “I think you are an honest man, but badly deceived, and hope you will pray for light on these great subjects.”