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A Handbook of Freethought

by W. S. Bell

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  1. 1Preface
  2. 2Creation
  3. 3The Difference Between the Two Cosmogonies as Given in the First Tw…
  4. 4Evidence of the Vast Age of the Universe
  5. 5Prophecy
  6. 6Miracles
  7. 7David Hume’s Argument on Miracles
  8. 8Some Extra Miracles
  9. 9The Great Quail Story
  10. 10A Suit of Clothes Lasting Forty Years, and Even Then Not Old
  11. 11Lot’s Wife Turned Into a Pillar of Salt
  12. 12Cattle Which Were Killed Several Times After They Were Dead
  13. 13People Get Up in the Morning Dead — Elisha Returns to Life
  14. 14Heaven
  15. 15Deluge
  16. 16The Ass and the Calf
  17. 17Jesus Christ
  18. 18When Was Jesus Born?
  19. 19Christianity Rests Upon a Dream
  20. 20The Golden Rule
  21. 21Jesus an Essene
  22. 22Jesus’ Teachings Not Up to the Moral Standard of To-day
  23. 23Jesus Exhibits an Imperfect Sense of Justice
  24. 24Jesus Teaches the Duty of Submission to Wrong
  25. 25Immoral Teachings of Jesus
  26. 26Bitter and Unreasonable Denunciations of Jesus
  27. 27Jesus a False Prophet
  28. 28Jesus Curses the Fig Tree
  29. 29Contemporaneous Historians Are Silent Concerning the Resurrection o…
  30. 30The Resurrection of Jesus
  31. 31Jesus Foretells His Resurrection
  32. 32None of the Disciples Looking for a Resurrection
  33. 33The Evidence of Paul on the Resurrection of Jesus
  34. 34Christianity Without Historical Basis
  35. 35The Canon
  36. 36The Value of Papias’ Testimony
  37. 37Ignorance and Dishonesty of the Early Fathers
  38. 38Jesus Not a Historical Character
  39. 39The Spurious Passage in Josephus
  40. 40Eusebius
  41. 41Spurious Writings of the Early Church
  42. 42The Bible Not an Inspired Revelation
  43. 43The Pentateuch
  44. 44The Bible Not Inspired
  45. 45God’s Ways Are Not Our Ways
  46. 46Self-Contradictions of the Bible Theological Doctrines · God Is Dis…
  47. 47God Dwells Not in Temples · God Dwells in Light — God Dwells in Dar…
  48. 48God Is Seen and Heard
  49. 49God Is Invisible and Cannot Be Heard
  50. 50God Is Tired and Rests
  51. 51God Is Never Tired and Never Rests
  52. 52God Is Omnipresent, Sees and Knows All Things
  53. 53God Is Not Omnipresent, Neither Sees nor Knows All Things
  54. 54God Knows the Hearts of Men
  55. 55God Tries Men to Find Out What Is in Their Hearts
  56. 56God Is All-Powerful
  57. 57God Is Not All-Powerful
  58. 58God Is Unchangeable
  59. 59God Is Changeable
  60. 60God Is Just and Impartial
  61. 61God Is Unjust and Partial
  62. 62God Is Not the Author of Evil
  63. 63God Is the Author of Evil
  64. 64God Gives Freely to Those Who Ask
  65. 65God Withholds His Blessings and Prevents Their Reception
  66. 66God Is to Be Found by Those Who Seek Him
  67. 67God Is Not to Be Found by Those Who Seek Him
  68. 68God Is Peaceful — God Is Warlike
  69. 69God Is Kind, Merciful, and Good
  70. 70God Is Cruel, Unmerciful, Destructive, and Ferocious
  71. 71God’s Anger Is Slow, and Endures but for a Moment
  72. 72God’s Anger Is Fierce, Frequent, and Endures Long
  73. 73God Commands, Approves of, and Delights in Burnt Offerings, Sacrifi…
  74. 74God Disapproves of, and Has No Pleasure in, Burnt Offerings, Sacrif…
  75. 75God Forbids Human Sacrifice
  76. 76God Commands and Accepts Human Sacrifices
  77. 77God Tempts No Man
  78. 78God Does Tempt Men
  79. 79God Cannot Lie — God Lies; He Sends Forth Lying Spirits to Deceive
  80. 80Because of Man’s Wickedness God Destroys Him
  81. 81Because of Man’s Wickedness God Will Not Destroy Him
  82. 82God’s Attributes Are Revealed in His Works
  83. 83God’s Attributes Cannot Be Discovered
  84. 84There Is a Plurality of Gods
  85. 85Moral Precepts
  86. 86Robbery Forbidden — Lying Commanded, Approved, and Sanctioned
  87. 87Lying Forbidden
  88. 88Killing Commanded and Sanctioned
  89. 89Killing Forbidden — The Blood-Shedder Must Die
  90. 90The Blood-Shedder Must Not Die — The Making of Images Forbidden
  91. 91The Making of Images Commanded
  92. 92Slavery and Oppression Ordained
  93. 93Slavery and Oppression Forbidden
  94. 94Improvidence Enjoined
  95. 95Improvidence Condemned
  96. 96Anger Approved
  97. 97Anger Disapproved
  98. 98Good Works to Be Seen of Men · Good Works Not to Be Seen of Men · J…
  99. 99Jesus Taught Non-Resistance
  100. 100Jesus Taught and Practiced Physical Resistance
  101. 101Jesus Himself Avoided the Jews for Fear of Being Killed
  102. 102Public Prayer Sanctioned
  103. 103Public Prayer Disapproved
  104. 104Importunity in Prayer Commended
  105. 105Importunity in Prayer Condemned
  106. 106The Wearing of Long Hair by Men Sanctioned
  107. 107The Wearing of Long Hair by Men Condemned
  108. 108Circumcision Instituted
  109. 109Circumcision Condemned · The Sabbath Instituted — The Sabbath Repud…
  110. 110The Sabbath Instituted Because God Rested the Seventh Day
  111. 111The Sabbath Instituted for a Very Different Reason
  112. 112No Work to Be Done on the Sabbath Under Penalty of Death
  113. 113Jesus Broke the Sabbath and Justified the Act
  114. 114Baptism Commanded — Baptism Not Commanded
  115. 115Every Kind of Animal Allowed for Food
  116. 116Certain Kinds of Animals Prohibited for Food
  117. 117The Taking of Oaths Sanctioned
  118. 118The Taking of Oaths Forbidden
  119. 119Marriage Approved and Sanctioned
  120. 120Marriage Disapproved
  121. 121Freedom of Divorce Permitted
  122. 122Divorce Restricted — Adultery Sanctioned
  123. 123Adultery Forbidden — Marriage or Cohabitation With a Sister Denounced
  124. 124Abraham Married His Sister, and God Blessed the Union
  125. 125A Man May Marry His Brother’s Widow
  126. 126A Man May Not Marry His Brother’s Widow — Hatred to Kindred Enjoined
  127. 127Hatred to Kindred Condemned
  128. 128Intoxicating Beverages Recommended
  129. 129Intoxicating Beverages Discountenanced
  130. 130It Is Our Duty to Obey Rulers, Who Are God’s Ministers and Punish E…
  131. 131It Is Not Our Duty Always to Obey Rulers, Who Sometimes Punish the…
  132. 132Woman’s Rights Denied
  133. 133Woman’s Rights Affirmed
  134. 134Obedience to Masters Enjoined
  135. 135Obedience Due to God Only
  136. 136There Is an Unpardonable Sin · There Is No Unpardonable Sin — Histo…
  137. 137Man Was Created Before the Other Animals
  138. 138Noah, by God’s Command, Took Into the Ark Clean Beasts by Sevens
  139. 139Noah, by God’s Command, Took Into the Ark Clean Beasts by Twos
  140. 140Seed Time and Harvest Were Never to Cease — Seed Time and Harvest D…
  141. 141God Hardened Pharaoh’s Heart
  142. 142Pharaoh Hardened His Own Heart — All the Cattle and Horses in Egypt…
  143. 143All the Horses of Egypt Did Not Die
  144. 144John the Baptist Recognized Jesus as the Messiah
  145. 145John the Baptist Did Not Recognize Jesus as the Messiah
  146. 146John the Baptist Was Elias · John the Baptist Was Not Elias · The F…
  147. 147The Infant Jesus Was Not Taken Into Egypt
  148. 148Jesus Was Tempted in the Wilderness
  149. 149Jesus Was Not Tempted in the Wilderness
  150. 150Jesus Preached His First Sermon Sitting on the Mount
  151. 151He Preached His First Sermon Standing in the Plain
  152. 152John Was in Prison When Jesus Went Into Galilee
  153. 153John Was Not in Prison When Jesus Went Into Galilee
  154. 154The Disciples Were Commanded to Take a Staff and Sandals
  155. 155They Were Commanded to Take Neither Staves nor Sandals
  156. 156Two Blind Men Besought Jesus
  157. 157Only One Blind Man Besought Him
  158. 158A Centurion Besought Jesus to Heal His Servant
  159. 159Not the Centurion, but His Messengers, Besought Jesus
  160. 160Jesus Was Crucified at the Third Hour — He Was Not Crucified Until…
  161. 161The Two Thieves Reviled Jesus
  162. 162Only One of the Thieves Reviled Him
  163. 163Vinegar Mingled With Gall Was Offered Jesus · Wine Mingled With Myr…
  164. 164Judas Returned the Pieces of Silver · Judas Did Not Return the Piec…
  165. 165Three Women Came to the Sepulcher
  166. 166More Than Three Women Came to the Sepulcher
  167. 167It Was at Sunrise When They Came to the Sepulcher
  168. 168It Was Some Time Before Sunrise When They Came
  169. 169Two Angels Were Seen at the Sepulcher, Standing Up
  170. 170But One Angel Was Seen, and He Was Sitting Down
  171. 171Two Angels Were Seen Within the Sepulcher — But One Angel Was Seen…
  172. 172The One Angel Seen Was Without the Sepulcher — The Women Went and T…
  173. 173The Women Did Not Go and Tell the Disciples
  174. 174The Angels Appeared After Peter and John Visited the Sepulcher
  175. 175The Angels Appeared Before Peter Alone Visited the Sepulcher
  176. 176Jesus Appeared First to Mary Magdalene Only
  177. 177Jesus Appeared First to the Two Marys
  178. 178He Appeared to Neither of the Marys — Jesus Was to Be Three Days an…
  179. 179He Was but Two Days and Two Nights in the Grave
  180. 180The Holy Ghost Was Bestowed at Pentecost
  181. 181The Holy Ghost Was Bestowed Before Pentecost — The Disciples Were C…
  182. 182They Were Commanded Immediately After the Resurrection to Tarry at…
  183. 183Jesus First Appeared to the Eleven Disciples in a Room at Jerusalem
  184. 184He First Appeared to Them on a Mountain in Galilee
  185. 185Jesus Ascended From Mount Olivet
  186. 186He Ascended From Bethany
  187. 187Did He Ascend From Either Place?
  188. 188Paul’s Attendants Heard the Voice, and Stood Speechless — His Atten…
  189. 189Abraham Departed to Go Into Canaan
  190. 190Abraham Went Not Knowing Where
  191. 191Abraham Had Two Sons · Abraham Had but One Son · Keturah Was Abraha…
  192. 192Abraham Begat Six Children More After He Was a Hundred Years Old, W…
  193. 193Jacob Bought a Sepulcher of the Sons of Hamor
  194. 194Abraham Bought It of the Sons of Emmor
  195. 195God Promised the Land of Canaan to Abraham and His Seed
  196. 196Abraham and His Seed Never Received the Promised Land
  197. 197Baasha Died in the Twenty-sixth Year of Asa
  198. 198Baasha Did Not Die in the Twenty-sixth Year of Asa
  199. 199Ahaziah Was the Youngest Son of Jehoram
  200. 200Ahaziah Was Not the Youngest Son of Jehoram
  201. 201Ahaziah Was Twenty-two Years Old When He Began to Reign, Being Eigh…
  202. 202Ahaziah Was Forty-two Years Old When He Began to Reign, Being Two Y…
  203. 203Michal Had No Child · Michal Had Five Children — David Was Tempted…
  204. 204There Were 800,000 Warriors of Israel and 500,000 of Judah
  205. 205There Were 1,100,000 of Israel and 470,000 of Judah
  206. 206David Sinned in Numbering the People
  207. 207David Never Sinned Except in the Matter of Uriah
  208. 208David Slew 700 Syrian Charioteers and 40,000 Horsemen · David Slew…
  209. 209Goliath Was Slain by Elhanan — Speculative Doctrines
  210. 210Christ Is Not Equal With God
  211. 211Christ Judged Men — Christ Judged No Man
  212. 212Jesus Was All Powerful
  213. 213Jesus Was Not All Powerful
  214. 214The Law Was Superceded by the Christian Dispensation
  215. 215The Law Was Not Superceded by the Christian Dispensation
  216. 216Christ’s Mission Was Peace
  217. 217Christ’s Mission Was Not Peace
  218. 218Christ Received Not Testimony From Man · Christ Did Receive Testimo…
  219. 219It Was Not Lawful for the Jews to Put Him to Death
  220. 220Children Are Punished for the Sins of Their Parents
  221. 221Children Are Not Punished for the Sins of Their Parents
  222. 222Man Is Justified by Faith Alone
  223. 223Man Is Not Justified by Faith Alone
  224. 224It Is Impossible to Fall From Grace
  225. 225It Is Possible to Fall From Grace
  226. 226No Man Is Without Sin
  227. 227Christians Are Sinless
  228. 228There Is to Be a Resurrection of the Dead
  229. 229There Is to Be No Resurrection of the Dead
  230. 230Reward and Punishment to Be Bestowed in the Next World
  231. 231Annihilation the Portion of All Mankind
  232. 232Endless Misery the Portion of a Part of Mankind
  233. 233The Earth Is to Be Destroyed
  234. 234The Earth Is Never to Be Destroyed
  235. 235No Evil Shall Happen to the Godly
  236. 236Evil Does Happen to the Godly
  237. 237Worldly Good and Prosperity the Lot of the Godly
  238. 238Worldly Misery and Destitution the Lot of the Godly
  239. 239Worldly Prosperity a Blessing and a Reward of Righteousness
  240. 240Worldly Prosperity a Curse and a Bar to Future Reward
  241. 241The Christian Yoke Is Easy
  242. 242The Christian Yoke Is Not Easy
  243. 243The Fruit of God’s Spirit Is Vengeance and Fury
  244. 244Prosperity and Longevity Enjoyed by the Wicked
  245. 245Prosperity and Longevity Denied to the Wicked
  246. 246Poverty Is a Blessing
  247. 247Riches a Blessing
  248. 248Neither Poverty nor Riches a Blessing
  249. 249Wisdom a Source of Enjoyment — Wisdom a Source of Vexation, Grief,…
  250. 250A Good Name a Blessing
  251. 251A Good Name Is a Curse — Laughter Commended
  252. 252Laughter Condemned
  253. 253The Rod of Correction a Remedy for Foolishness
  254. 254There Is No Remedy for Foolishness · Temptation to Be Desired · Tem…
  255. 255Prophecy Is Not Sure
  256. 256Man’s Life Is but Seventy Years — Miracles a Proof of Divine Mission
  257. 257Miracles Not a Proof of Divine Mission
  258. 258Moses Was a Very Meek Man — Moses Was a Very Cruel Man
  259. 259Elijah Went Up to Heaven · None but Christ Ever Ascended Into Heave…
  260. 260The Devil
  261. 261Soul Farrago
  262. 262Immortality
  263. 263Is This Life the “Be-all and End-all?”
  264. 264Materialism — Prof. Tyndall
  265. 265The Origin of Belief in the Soul
  266. 266“When a Man Dies What Becomes of His Soul?”
  267. 267Some Soul Questions
  268. 268Design Argument
  269. 269Providence
  270. 270First Cause
  271. 271The Sunday Question
  272. 272The Days of the Week
  273. 273One Day in Seven?
  274. 274The Edict of Constantine
  275. 275Sabbath Engenders Cruelty
  276. 276The Puritans
  277. 277Sunday Should Be Regarded as a Day of Rest and Recreation
  278. 278Unconstitutionality of Sunday Laws
  279. 279Ben. Franklin on Connecticut Sundays
  280. 280A Common Sense View of the Sunday Question
  281. 281Everybody’s Sunday
  282. 282What Is Civilization?
  283. 283Industrial Influences
  284. 284Skepticism
  285. 285Science
  286. 286Metaphysical Method
  287. 287Recapitulation
  288. 288Some Things Christianity Has Not Done
  289. 289The Conflict Between Christianity and Civilization
  290. 290The Bible Sanctions Great Crimes
  291. 291Wars of Extermination
  292. 292Polygamy
  293. 293The Subjection of Woman
  294. 294Divorce
  295. 295The New Testament as Well as the Old, Holds Woman in Servile Bondage
  296. 296The Bible Sanctions Slavery
  297. 297The New Testament Sanctions Slavery
  298. 298The American Church Was the Bulwark of American Slavery
  299. 299The Reformation
  300. 300Christianity Teaches Immorality
  301. 301Prayer Is Immoral
  302. 302Faith in Prayer
  303. 303A Specimen Prayer
  304. 304The Boston Man’s Prayer
  305. 305Prayer an Echo
  306. 306Other Worldliness
  307. 307Christianity Is Intolerant
  308. 308Hell, Hades, Gehenna, Sheol
  309. 309Pictures of Hell
  310. 310The Church Opposed to Progress
  311. 311Protestant Persecutions
  312. 312The Puritans Intolerant
  313. 313Galileo
  314. 314Bruno
  315. 315Torture
  316. 316The New Testament Teaches Intolerance
  317. 317The Inquisition in Spain, 1568
  318. 318The Inquisition
  319. 319The Church Opposed to Liberty
  320. 320The Bible Opposed to Liberty
  321. 321Secularism
  322. 322Popular Questions and Objections
  323. 323Orthodoxy and Liberalism Compared
  324. 324Infidelity
  325. 325The Objects of Orthodoxy and Liberalism
  326. 326Christianity and Materialism Compared
  327. 327“Safest to Believe”
  328. 328The “Safe Side”
  329. 329Popular Objections to Infidelity Answered, Showing Some Mistakes of…
  330. 330“All Owing to the Bible”
  331. 331The Bible on Temperance
  332. 332The Inconsistency of Agnosticism
  333. 333God Responsible for the Ills Man Suffers
  334. 334The Idea of God Must Go
  335. 335Atheism
  336. 336Jehovah a Failure
  337. 337Atonement
  338. 338A Minority Not a Sect

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