I ask now in all seriousness, can anyone possessing a reasonable amount of understanding really believe that a God, such as Jews and Christians would make us believe that Jehova is, could behave in the manner recited in the history of the judges? It is a poor god that cannot restrain his people from committing crimes and depredations, restraining their brutal instincts and passions, keeping them in order, at peace among themselves and with others.
These intestine quarrels began in Moses’s time, at the formation and organization of the Jews as a nation, and ceased only with their destruction.
The church which was called into life by Moses was firmly established during this period with all the priestly paraphernalia of an Egyptian temple. Aaron may rightly be considered as the first pope of the church, and the Levites the priestly tribe.
“And these are the garments which they shall make; a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat, a miter, and a girdle, and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office. And they shall take gold, and blue, and purple, and scarlet and fine linen” ([Ex. xxviii, 4, 5]). These theatrical garments we have to this day in the Christian churches. Some additions have been made, corresponding and harmonizing with the events that have occurred since.
We must not for one moment suppose that the Hebrews were the only people that were active and struggled for existence—which existence in their case this Jehova Christendom still looks upon as most miraculous.
As a nation the Jews never invented anything. Jehova is the only thing humanity at large has inherited, and he has been a cause of quarrel and discord ever since. Joshua dies 1443 and Saul is made king 1095. Other nations during this period advance more rapidly in civilization without God, without Jehova, than the Hebrews do with his assistance. Dardanus, king of Troy, is busy building cities 1480 B.C. Danmoni invades Ireland 1463 B.C. Perseus establishes the kingdom of Mycene 1457 B.C. Crockery is made by the Greeks 1490 B.C. All kinds of tools and weapons are being made. At 1453 Olympic games are celebrated in Greece. Hercules makes his appearance and arrives in Phrygia 1225 B.C. The Trojan war begins 1194 and Helen elopes with Paris 1204 B.C. Latinus in 1239 reigns in Italy. In 1141 the temple of Ephesus is burnt by the Amazons. Many nations may be cited using dancing music. Singing had already developed. I cite these few items to show that the world was doing bravely without Jehova or God. In 1115 the Chinese not only knew of the mariner’s compass, but were compiling a standard dictionary containing forty thousand characters—which is said to have been completed by Pa-aut-she 1100 B.C.
These brief statements, these few historical facts—and there are any number of them—I recite for the purpose of showing that other nations developed, other kingdoms existed, other peoples had already made considerable advances in art, science, lawmaking, government, priestcraft, without God, without Jehova, without the ark. These other nations had their oracles, their ceremonies, their customs. And what is more, they still exist as nations. They no doubt had their wonders, their miracles, their spirits, their souls, their ghosts, their holy of holies, their sanctums, their angels, and their divinities, and whatever else has from time to time been invented to control and deceive the masses and to satisfy the priests.
What everybody should understand is that these Hebrews during the theocratic form of government were no better than, and in fact not so good as, other nations, or any of their neighbors.
The stage of civilization has never yet advanced beyond the natural capacity and capability of the people at any time. Whatever stage has been reached in the world’s progress in the past, it was in harmony and corresponded with the degree of nervous culture that had been attained.
And just in proportion as the senses were developed, intelligence and understanding advanced. The senses are the sole originators of ideas. The collective experience and training of these senses becomes the standard by which we may judge the height of knowledge any class of people may have reached.