t little better than that of the brute.... Convicted of
so many errors, the papacy makes no attempt at explanation. It ignores
the whole matter. Nay, more, relying on the efficacy of audacity,
although confronted by these facts, it lays claim to infallibility."

The persecutions of Bruno, Galileo, and Copernicus, together with the
facts hitherto stated, did not impress the Martian with the
"infallibility" of the Church. The only great spiritual power that could
have interposed to prevent the outbreak of the World War was the papacy.
Pope Pius X had his Nuncio admonish the Austrian emperor, but he failed
even to get an audition from that old imbecile. The next Pope, Benedict
XV, was under the influence of a majority of pro-German cardinals. He
strove to remain neutral. He attempted to solace the Belgians with
words, but he did not reprove the murderous invaders. He protested
against the new and devilish methods of warfare but he did not condemn,
he did not excommunicate those that used them. Had the papacy lost its
much-used power of commanding kings and nations, and had it lost its
greatest threat, a threat which hitherto could have thrown the masses of
its adherents into a panic, the threat of excommunication? No, the
papacy still blessed the banners of the armies, just as it did during
the middle ages, and sent its adherents out to slaughter; but first took
great care that the minds of the devout be completely drugged with the
poison of its creed. A creed that told its followers that do what you
might, no matter how dastardly that act might be, so long as you repent
and confess your sins, life everlasting will be the reward. What is the
value of a church that has claimed the moral leadership of the world
when such things can happen?

Now that the Martian has become acquainted with the three major
religions which dominate the world, Judaism, Christianity, and
Mohammedanism, and has been amazed and shocked at the significance of
their teachings in the history of civilization, his curiosity is further
aroused, and he decides to obtain some information of the respective
personalities responsible for the amassing of devotees to these creeds,
all "infallible," and all detrimental to progress. This time his
interest leads him to ancient and contemporary sources, of a literal
rather than verbal nature; sources dealing with the three most
influential prophets in the history of mankind, Jesus, Moses, and
Mohammed.

CHA