CHRISTIAN HUMBUGS.

NZ Truth, Issue 579, 22 July 1916, Page 3

CHRISTIAN HUMBUGS.

Dear *-rruth,"—When turning over tbo filo of Truth" I saw a letter headed Is Christianity a Failure?" A very ridiculous question. Of course. It la a failure, moreover. It la a farce. Behold men blessing each oth«r In the namo of tho Prince of Peace, and praying that they may murder each other bo that the will of Ood may "be done on earth oa it Is m Heaven!" Can farce so further? Sony) time ago tho Government of Japan »ent out a commUusion to Hpy the land* of the tfentllefl and r«port on Chiihtlnnlty a» to whether It was HulUtblo to adopt ujb a national million. Tho commiwslonera returned wlsor and sadder mem. A study of the Christian method* of converting during the cru«adt>« jjivea ono an Insight r#K*irdlng the contempt and acorn and disgust that tho Mahometan hag for Uii» CbrJalian. The* Christian monjory 1* Hko the meraory of the politician— short. The Mahometan memory l« lons, nursed on trudltlon, handed down from father to «jon, from mother to tfnuK'tner. Poualonat© m halo as In love, yet, «howln>? rnoro practical dally application of tho teaching of Jesus, the Prophet, than the atrlctast of modern PharUK**, liintory teem* with llluglrntlonx of Mahometan toleration, und Christian bigotry. Until roc«ju years m Catholic ooqgcrl— and quite lately la Bpala— -

Protestants were not allowed to worship In public We know how Protestants In Protestant^ countries treated Catholics, and "heretic" Protestants. Compare them with the Turkish Government Ever since the days when misguided, religious lunatics and licentious adventurers started out on a crusade to the Holy Land, the Mahometan has allowed the Christian infidel to worship his god after his own fashion. Compare Saladin with any reputed Christian king I The Christian pales to Insignificance and is an object of scorn; Arnold, Lord of Cracha, had thought proper, during the truce between the Christians and the Saracens, to fall upon the caravan of travellers going to Mecca from Egypt, whom he cruelly pillaged and thrust into dungeons, and when they appealed to the Truce for better usage, replied with scorn: Let yoor Mahomet deliver you! More than four score years before Saladln's time, the crusaders, when they took Jerusalem, murdered every Mahometan they found there! When Saladin took Jerusalem he had at first meditated putting all the Christians to the sword m retaliation for what had been done there by these first crusaders. However he was persuaded to change his mind. He spared them; nay, he did more. After be had turned their churches, but one, Into mosques, he left them that one In which they had toleration to worship m their own way. Compare this with the taking of Ptolemals by the crusaders. Some difference arising between them and Saladin about tho terms of capitulation, the crusader* led the captive Mahometans out of tho city into a plain and there, m cold blood, murdered three thousand! The same spirit of Intolerance exists today. Savage persecution, bigotry, ignorance and want of toleration are the outstanding features of Christianity. Who tried to prohibit "Truth" In New Zealand? Christians. Who are clamoring for curtailing sports, | rational amusements and the social . habits of the people? Christiana. Who torn their own daughters from the home-door when the girls love too well but not wisely? Christians. Who demand the last ounce of flesh and the last drop of blood that compose their "pound of flesh?" Christians. Who support a large army of men and women, who do not productlvo work? Christians! Every person can pray for himself and his neighbors. The State can marry us; tho sanitary inspector will Bee that we oro uot a nuiaanco after are dead. Our State educational system Is humanly perfect We are a clean -living, moral, wholesome people. What do theso foolH wont Interfering, thrusting their selfimposed "missions" on v«? Uy what authority do they act? HI choouo I can form a "church," found a "sect," and cause no end of division, diversion and discontent amongst others, and much orauaemonl for myself. Wntu'a tho uae of carrying a Joke 100 far? Gladstone was greatly puxziod. ami confc&aed that ho could not explain why It was that the 1«m» control tho churches had over tho people and the lens people profoiwcd Christianity tho higher the moral Btnudard of the people! Am 1 " Chriiitian? No, thank Uod, 1 am nothing-— Youra, etc., JSHMAKL ROBBIE. Wellington.