122. The more a religious opinion is ancient and general, the more it
ought to be suspected
123. Mere scepticism in religious matters, can only be the effect of
a very superficial examination
124. Revelations examined
125. Where is the proof that God ever shewed himself to Men, or ever
spoke to them?
126. There is nothing that proves miracles to have been ever performed
127. If God has spoken, is it not strange that he should have spoken
so differently to the different religious sects?
128. Obscurity and suspicious origin of oracles
129. Absurdity of all miracles
130. Refutation of the reasoning of Pascal concerning the manner in which
we must judge of miracles
131. Every new revelation is necessarily false
132. The blood of martyrs testifies _against_ the truth of miracles, and
_against_ the divine origin attributed to Christianity
133. The fanaticism of martyrs, and the interested zeal of missionaries,
by no means prove the truth of Religion
134. Theology makes its God an enemy to Reason and Common Sense
135. Faith is irreconcilable with Reason; and Reason is preferable
to Faith
136. To what absurd and ridiculous sophisms every one is reduced, who
would substitute Faith for Reason!
137. Ought a man to believe, on the assurance of another man, what is
of the greatest importance to himself
138. Faith can take root only in feeble, ignorant, or slothful minds
139. To teach, that any one Religion has greater pretensions to truth
than another, is an absurdity, and cause of tumult
140. Religion is unnecessary to Morality
141. Religion is the weakest barrier that can be opposed to the passions
142. Honour is a more salutary and powerful bond than Religion
143. Religion does not restrain the passions of kings
144. Origin of "the divine right of kings," the most absurd, ridiculous,
and odious, of usurpations
145. Religion is fatal to political ameliorations: it makes despots
licentious and wicked, and their subjects abject and miserable
146. Christianity has propagated itself by preaching implicit obedience
to despotism
147. One object of religious principles is to eternize the tyranny
of kings
148. How fatal it is to persuade kings that they are responsible for
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