The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Necessity of Atheism, by Dr. D.M. Brooks

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Title: The Necessity of Atheism

Author: Dr. D.M. Brooks

Release Date: January 2, 2007 [EBook #20248]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 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