SCRIPTURE CONTROVERSY.
(To the Editor of the Erening Star.)
Sib,—Tlerelation cannot be admitted against the clear e?idence ofreason. We never can receive for truth anything contrary to distinct knowledge. Reflection discovers that strong prejudice arises from weak judgment,, and that unexamined opinions are common at the present time, influencing the minds and conduct of men, creating false ideas of Deity, beauty, deformity, confusion? order and numerous cognate* subjects. , The imagiijttion of Gods led, almost naturally, to the idea of personal resemblance, and to the belief that they occupied themselves upon behalf of men, who* were created purposely for them. Born in profound ignorance they felt without knowing the cause, the innate power of movement and inclination. Preference for particular objects induced a search for final causes of action, under the impression that their discovery would remove doubt and solve the mysterious. Individual- and external nature supplied the incentive, and furnished the means. Their own physical organs appearing to be in harmony with external nature lei to the conclusion that the universe was made for men, but that, being created independent of them, a Supreme Being, or plurality of Divinities was the Author of all. Ignorance of the essenoe of such Godi originated the be* lief that they were susceptible of the dispositions and passions of humanity. As the constitution of the minds of all men differ, each offered adoration to a particular Divinity* to obtain Aw exclurive favor, and even the subversion of nature to his individual and particular needs and requirement*, -. Prejudice soon conducts to superstition,, and under its influence the ignorant think they kaow and are
capable of explaining " final causes," or rather human fictions. Thus they vainly imagined that God's thoughts and actions were similar to their own. Natural disturbances were assigned to God's wrath, and, notwithstanding the palpable evidence that natural laws operate independently, superstition confirmed prejudice in their untruthful and dishonoring belief. Error prevails to a great extent through an idle disposition to reflect, and to abandon ancient cud well established opinion. Thus th«) very truth itself is disregarded. One superstition is easilj and quickly followed by others. Phenomena—or, as it was called, " Divine judgment,"—was ' declared "incomprehensible" (not susceptible of truthful explanation—beyond the powers of man's intellect). This opinion would hare been maintained even to the present time had it not fortunately been exploded by true philoso- . pby, and other sciences. Let not my readers suppose that lam drawing upon my imagination as to tho origin of God. History—profane and sacred, —is my authority. Every d*y at the present time witnesses not only the making but the dating of Divinity.—l am, &c, Sceptic.
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Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3740, 20 December 1880, Page 2
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438SCRIPTURE CONTROVERSY. Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3740, 20 December 1880, Page 2
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