lt the weakness of
His creatures. I appeal to the whole human race! Is there in nature a
man so cruel as to wish in cold blood to torment, I do not say his
fellow-beings, but any sentient being whatever, without fee, without
profit, without curiosity, without having anything to fear? Conclude,
then, O theologians! that according to your own principles, your God is
infinitely more wicked than the most wicked of men. You will tell me,
perhaps, that infinite offenses deserve infinite chastisements, and I
will tell you that we can not offend a God whose happiness is infinite.
I will tell you further, that offenses of finite beings can not be
infinite; that a God who does not want to be offended, can not consent
to make His creatures' offenses last for eternity; I will tell you that
a God infinitely good, can not be infinitely cruel, nor grant His
creatures infinite existence solely for the pleasure of tormenting them
forever.

It could have been but the most cruel barbarity, the most notorious
imposition, but the blindest ambition which could have created the dogma
of eternal damnation. If there exists a God who could be offended or
blasphemed, there would not be upon earth any greater blasphemers than
those who dare to say that this God is perverse enough to take pleasure
in dooming His feeble creatures to useless torments for all eternity.

LXVII.--THEOLOGY IS BUT A SERIES OF PALPABLE CONTRADICTIONS.

To pretend that God can be offended with the actions of men, is to
annihilate all the ideas that are given to us of this being. To say that
man can disturb the order of the universe, that he can grasp the
lightning from God's hand, that he can upset His projects, is to claim
that man is stronger than his God, that he is the arbiter of His will,
that it depends on him to change His goodness into cruelty. Theology
does nothing but destroy with one hand that which it builds with the
other. If all religion is founded upon a God who becomes angry, and who
is appeased, all religion is founded upon a palpable contradiction.

All religions agree in exalting the wisdom and the infinite power of the
Divinity; but as soon as they expose His conduct, we discover but
imprudence, want of foresight, weakness, and folly. God, it is said,
created the world for Himself; and so far He has not succeeded in making
Himself properly respected! God has created men in order to have in His
dominion subjects who would render Him homage; and w