The Necessity of Atheism

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  THE NECESSITY OF ATHEISM

  By

  DR. D. M. BROOKS


  FREETHOUGHT PRESS ASSOCIATION
  NEW YORK

  _Copyright, 1933_
  BY FREETHOUGHT PRESS ASSOCIATION




_Dedicated to_

JOSEPH LEWIS IN AMERICA

AND

CHAPMAN COHEN IN ENGLAND

OF WHOM
IT MAY BE SAID:

_"How often it has happened that one man, standing at the right point of
view, has descried the truth, and, after having been denounced and
persecuted by all others, they have eventually been constrained to adopt
his declarations!"_--(DRAPER.)

_For the old Gods came to an end long ago. And verily it was a good and
joyful end of Gods!

They did not die lingering in the twilight--although that lie is told!
On the contrary, they once upon a time laughed themselves to death!

That came to pass when, by a God himself, the most ungodly word was
uttered, the word: "There is but one God! Thou shalt have no other Gods
before me."

An old grim beard of a God, a jealous one, forgot himself thus.

And then all Gods laughed and shook on their chairs and cried: "Is
Godliness not just that there are Gods, but no God?"

Whoever hath ears let him hear._

  _"Thus Spake Zarathrustra"_--FRIEDRICH NIETZSCHE




CONTENTS

                                                                    PAGE

  PREFACE                                                             ix

      I. THE EVOLUTION OF RELIGIOUS BELIEFS                           21

     II. THE KORAN, THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS                        31

    III. THE PROPHETS MOHAMMED, JESUS,
         AND MOSES CHARLATANS OR VICTIMS
         OF MENTAL AND PHYSICAL DISEASE                               65

     IV. SOUNDNESS OF A FOUNDATION FOR A
         BELIEF IN A DEITY                                            94

      V. THE PERSISTENCE OF RELIGION                                 115

     VI. RELIGION AND SCIENCE                                        120

    VII. RELIGION AND MEDICINE                                       126

   VIII. RELIGION AND ASTRONOMY                                      148

     IX. RELIGION AND GEOGRAPHY                                      151

      X. RELIGION AND CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS                          154

     XI. RELIGION AND GEOLOGY, PHILOLOGY,
         AND EVOLUTION                                               157

    XII. RELIGION AND WITCHCRAFT                                     163

   XIII. RELIGION AND MORALITY                                       193

    XIV. CHRISTIANITY AND WAR                                        211

     XV. CHRISTIANITY AND SLAVERY                                    214

    XVI. CHRISTIANITY AND LABOR                                      224

   XVII. RELIGION AND WOMAN                                          242

  XVIII. THE PHILOSOPHERS AND THE GREAT
         ILLUSION                                                    251
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