Ingersoll was widely known as the greatest orator of his time and could soundly thrash any challenger in a debate-especially in a debate on religion. His logic was impeccable and his mind was as sharp as a whip. Many religious beliefs have no logic in them at all and Ingersoll was a master at exposing the outright cruelty, stupidity and foolishness that religions, through their dogmatic and outdated precepts, force us to embrace. This book covers the Old Testament, worshipped and revered by Jews and Christians alike, which supports things like slavery, warfare, polygamy and the idea that women should be treated as property. He asks many pointed questions. For example: If you find slavery upheld in a book said to have been written by God, what would you expect to find in a book inspired by the devil? Also, why would God tell me how to raise my children when he had to drown his own in the flood? He also presents an interview of two men at the gates of heaven-one an honest and loving family man, the other a despicable thieving businessman. Based on their beliefs, guess who gets into heaven and who goes to hell. This book will truly make you think. It is meant to demonstrate how religion can control and affect our lives in ways that are quite contrary to our own moral fiber, modern logical reasoning and ethical conscience.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
Why does God tell me how to raise my children when he had to drown his?:
Reading Robert Ingersoll always leaves one amazed that he is not known as one of the greatest writers of his century. Criminally underrated for his views, his works, partially inspired by Voltaire's and Thomas Paine's literary attacks on the Church, are written more for the man-in-the-street, but behind his style hides a vast intellect and love for mankind. It's a tragedy that he was hated, and still is, by so many, the atheist infidel who dared cast doubts on, even mock, the unmockable. But there there's... more info
Some Mistakes of Moses:
This book is a sharp-witted, poignant and outright hilarious critique of the Old Testament. Light years ahead of his time, Ingersoll asks his readers to take the Old Testament with a large dose of salt, rather than consider it to be of divine inspiration. 'Some mistakes of Moses' is very well-written and thought provoking. Strongly recommended.
sacrilarious:
It's really interesting to think about how Ingersoll would view modern politics. On the one hand he was rabidly opposed to Biblical literalism, also known as the cement shoes around the feet of the American electorate. But his opposition to the Bible wasn't due to any of the forces that get today's Bible-thumpers foaming at the mouth. He wasn't (as far as I know) a communist, hippie, satan-worshipper, or even an atheist. He was actually a family-values kind of guy, and his problems with the Bible stemmed... more info
An incredibly BRUTAL critique!:
Wow. I thought that I knew the first 5 books of the bible fairly well, and had found most of the logical flaws that existed... but wow! Ingersoll has an incredible intellect and is quite witty as well. He goes through the first 5 books of the bible and just rips them apart. I don't see how any objective/rational person could read this and continue to believe any of it. Brilliance!
