'Has the atheist an equal opportunity with you? Is it generous in you to taunt him with lack of evidence, when you are prepared to punish its production?'
'The reason is that your principles are so horrible; as Robert Hall has said, 'Atheism is a bloody and ferocious system.'
'Permit me, sir, to return that gentle speech—to tell you that your principles are horrible, and that Christianity is a bloody and ferocious system.'
'Really I am shocked to hear you speak so dreadfully of Christianity.'
'Why should you be shocked to hear what you are not shocked to say?'
'But atheism is so revolting.' 'But Christianity is so revolting.'
'How dangerous is it for atheism to corrupt the minds of children.' 'How pernicious is it for Christian doctrines to corrupt the thoughts of infancy.'
'But you are only asserting.'
'Are you doing otherwise? I sometimes think that Christians would be more respectful in their speech if the same language could be applied to them with impunity which they apply to others.'
'But, my dear sir, the language of the atheist is so shocking to Christian feeling.'