The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1878-02-28
RELIGIOUS DISCUSSION

AN lNlEhESllNu LIZ En-.
Editor Anti-Monopolist:
1t is seldom that see reason to
find fault with anything in the col.
umns os your paper but as freethink-
er and lover of fair play l cannot pass
unnoticed your criticism on a para
graph from the Duluth Tribune.
You say that nation without religion
would be nation af prostitutes and
thieves. Now you have perfect
right to your opin, on on the subject
but you have no right to give publici
ty to an opinion the logical inference
Of which is foul SANDER on class Of
as pure highminded and noble mer
and women as live.
know that it is popular to join il
the cry that the opponents of Relig
ion are immoral and wicked and that
they rush into infidelity as system
that absolves them from all the
moral obligations and makes easy the
sway of the transgrassor; yet any fair
man viii admit that in benevolence
kindness, honesty, and in all the NOR
al relations of life, infdels are moi
the peers of the professors of religion
I use the word religion in the proper
sense, that is belief in the dogmas
of the Christian church.
The aspirations of the soul for al
that is good and noble, the earnest
endeavor to live in harmony will
natural law, searching for truth anC
acknowledging it when found. is tt
the infidel religion that commends
itself to the head as we'll as to the
heart.
have no wish to enter into relig
ious controversy; but l cannot let the
freethinkers of America lie under
the foul and false imputation of being
inimical to the best interests of the
nation. l could refer to many illu:
trious names in the history of oul
country and to many now living
among the best, bravest. and purest
Of our statesmen, patriots, phnanthro
pists, and writer's, who were, ant
are inidel to the pretensions OF Chris
.ianity.
do not deny that the church ha
done some good i'll organizing for be
neyolent objects and in restrainin:
the brutal passions Of mankind to
certain extent by preaching to then
literal, fiery hell! Burns has SAT-
that,
| The fear o. hell's the hangman's whip,
To baud the wretch in order.
| But the ethical effect of tn
whips has been more than neutral
lied by the absurd dogma of "vicari
Gus atonement" which washes tn
wretch" in the blood of an innocen
victim. and allows him with the at
cumulated crimes of one hundre
years to shirk the consequences of hi
guilt and ship into heaven by spt
cies of spiritual legerdemain that a
honest man should despise-
This plan of salvation made easy
the prolific source of more vice an
crime than all the good teachings 0
the church can counteract. 1t is tn
broken reed on which the moral
weak lean. 1t encourages the falls
hope that the laws of nature may b
violated with impunity. 1t teache
its deluded believers a lie. which the
will have to unlearn in sorrow an
bitterness in time or eternity. TIL
advocates of the christian religion
teach that unbelief in the dogmas {
their church is a mortal sin, forgetf,
of the fact that man has no NOR
control over his belief than he has o,
er the motions of the planets.
The time has gone by when til
stake. the rack, and the dungeon wei
the allies of religion for the suppre
sion of heresy; the penalty for unb
lief is milder now hut as certain as
was in the palmy days of the hol
Inauisition. social ostracism insult
loblovuy. injury To business and
thousand petty annoyances are tt
lot of the man or woman who has til
temerity to honestly allow disheli'
in the popular religion. There a
hosts of good moral men and woms
in the churches both among its teac
ers a2d society. but they would
just rs good if they were outside Il
church. they were born good. and su
rounded by good influences that ha,
never perverted their natures
think you will scarcely believe that
is only the strict discipline of Il
Iehurch and the fear Of hell that pr
vent the belieyersi in christianity fro
rushing into wild sat ,rnalia Of vie
or crime. when in6dels can live got
moral lives without either.
| Your ideal picture Of the indescri
able state Of society with church or l
Iligicn is only = speculation which ca