the last refuge of
human savagery, is the contention of the freethinker.
The conception of the God-idea as held by society in general stands in
the same position as the vermiform appendix does to the anatomy of man.
It may have been useful in some way thousands of years ago, but today it
constitutes a detriment to the well-being of the individual without
offering any compensatory usefulness. Agree or disagree with this
contention you may, but only when you are made aware of the facts that
can be brought to the aid of this conviction. Just as the fundamental
principle of justice is outraged when a man or an institution is
condemned by jurist or popular opinion when an opportunity is not given
to present the facts on both aspects of the case, just so is no man
justified in making a decision between theism and atheism until he
becomes acquainted with both sides of the controversy. Freethought but
asks a hearing and the exercise of the unbiased reason of the man who
has not hitherto been made aware of its contentions.
In the religious revolution of this twentieth century, the battle ground
is squarely seen to be between supernaturalism and secularism. Although
the supernaturalists are well entrenched and fortified, it is well to
remember that it is the man with vision who finally prevails. The time
has passed when the freethinker could be held up to the community as an
example of a base and degraded individual. No manner of pulpit drivel
can delude even the unthinking masses to this misconception. The
freethinker is today the one who beholds the vision, and this vision
does not transcend the natural. It is a vision that is earth-bound; a
vision it may be called, since it leaps the boundary of the present and
infers for him what the future of a secular organization of the entire
constituency of humanity will bring forth. This vision is but a product
of his scientific armamentarium and is the means by which he is assured
of victory over the well-entrenched and fortified position of the
supernaturalists who are still creed-bound to use antiquated and useless
weapons. The supernaturalist's armamentarium of God, Bible, Heaven,
Hell, Soul, Immortality, Sin, The Fall and Redemption of Man, Prayer,
Creed, and Dogma, leave as much impression on the mind of intelligent
man as would an arrow against a battleship. And the comparison is apt,
the supernaturalists have made full use of force, be it in physical
warfare or in mental coe
|