Christianity, Its Nature and Influence on Civilisation by Charles Watts

When shall starvation die out of the land? When shall we cease to hear that in one part of the country a man lies dead of debauch on roast goose, while in another a woman perishes of sheer hunger, with her teeth locked in the flesh of her own arm? Must we wait till East London sits down to this sickening meal? Can Government, Whig or Tory, do nothing? Within two years, more than a million of human beings under its care have died of starvation alone.

Witness the fate of many of England's daughters who, amidst Christian civilisation, have either to drag out a wretched existence by continual slavery, as pictured in the \Song of the Shirt,\ or else to sink into utter ruin and hopeless degradation. It is an insult and mockery to tell such victims of a misruled world that their position is the result of their own conduct. One of the principal causes of such calamities is to be found in promulgating doctrines which destroy man's energy in worldly pursuits, rendering him a dependent, poverty-cherished suppliant.

The history of Christianity is a gloomy illustration of its influence and tendency to maintain those conditions which are unfavourable to individual progress and national greatness. Among other requisites to a civilised condition of society it is necessary to have national wealth, the cultivation of the sciences, the acquirement of knowledge, and freedom of inquiry. Without these agencies, civilisation as we understand the term cannot exist. How far then has Christianity encouraged these agencies? Now it is certain that the Religion of the New Testament is opposed to material wealth. While poverty is there magnified as a virtue, riches are denounced as a vice. If those who had wealth were to sell that which they had, and give it to the poor, as Christ commanded them, and at the same time omit to accumulate any more, individual and national bankruptcy would be the result. The influence of religion on scientific pursuits is well known to students of history. The great impediment to the progress of scientific truth in the past, has been religious bigotry. First, such sciences as geology were alleged to be untrue; every fact demonstrated by early writers was regarded as an instance of the insanity of the writer, and every fossil wonder disclosed, was referred to the limited explanation of the Noachian deluge. Finding that threats and intimidation failed to check the advance of truth, persecution and imprisonment were the weapons used by Christian hands towards those whose crime consisted in investigating the laws of nature, and making those laws known to their fellow-creatures. Dr. Ferguson ²² in his \Penalties of Greatness,\ acknowledges that theology, as embodied in the Christian church, was the first to extinguish the light of reason. But truth existed in spite of the deadly agencies which surrounded it. Not only did the church employ means to prevent the least difference of opinion on religious subjects, by the invention of the most finished instruments of torture, but science itself became the object of burning jealousy and persecution, and men were made to deny the very laws of nature. The same spirit pervades to a certain extent a portion of the Christian world at the present day. Every scientific discovery, opposed as it is to popular theology, is suspected with pious horror by orthodox Christians. The Morning Advertiser and other orthodox papers have denounced such men as Huxley, Darwin, ²³ and Sir Charles Lyell as enemies to the welfare of mankind. \Real knowledge,\ says Buckle, ²⁴ \the knowledge on which all civilisation is based, solely consists in an acquaintance with the relations which things and ideas bear to each other and to themselves; in other words, in an acquaintance with physical and mental laws.\ The history of the Christian religion proves that the object and aim of its advocates have been too frequently to discourage and prevent the acquisition and dissemination of this scientific knowledge.

Not only has Christian influence affected the acquirement of scientific knowledge, but it has also interfered with the progress of general education. Fortunately at the present time, many professed Christians are advocating a national system of education, but this advanced policy is not the result of their faith, but a proof that the Secular aspirations in man are less fettered by theological restriction, than they were in the palmy days of Christianity. It has taken the Christian world nearly eighteen hundred years to arrive at the conclusion that the people ought to have adequate means of education at their command. As recently as fifty years ago, pamphlets were written by clergymen warning the nation against the horrid democratic consequences of giving to the labouring classes education. In our time it is Freethought which has extorted, not the Church which has granted. National Education. Dr. Johnson, ²⁵the great lay pillar of the Church in the last century, had the honesty to state that he objected to education for the poor, because it would teach them politics. He might have added with equal truth, that it would teach them to think for themselves, instead of allowing the Church to do it for them. At last, the hour of victory, partial though it was, arrived. The educational Reformers had their triumph. The legislature decreed that to some extent education should be national. £20,000 were voted for that purpose. Then it was that the Church again exerted her influence. Finding she could not resist the progressive stream, she sought to pollute it and destroy its refreshing power. Failing to prevent, she endeavoured to contaminate. And what is the result? National education is but half accomplished. Thousands are growing up as monuments of imperfect education. Believing that the \wisdom of this world is foolishness with God,\ the Christian governments, in the words of Buckle,

Where they have not openly forbidden the free dissemination of knowledge, they have done all they could to check it. On all the implements of knowledge and on all the means by which it is diffused, such as papers, books, political journals, and the like, they have imposed duties so heavy that they could hardly have done worse if they had been the sworn advocates of popular ignorance. Indeed, looking at what they have actually accomplished, it may be emphatically said that they have taxed the human mind.

Fortunately many of these impediments have been removed, not, however, with the free consent of the Christian world. This victory was achieved by the dauntless efforts and heroic sufferings of Freethought martyrs in the face of Christian opposition and Christian persecution. Domestic loss, pecuniary ruin, and the horrors of imprisonment, were the prices paid for the removal of those hindrances to the people's educational advancement.

Doubtless the power of Christianity has been great upon the civilisation of the world. Nothing influences the human mind either for good or for evil more than the Christian's notion of supernaturalism. If a person is induced to have absolute faith in the fatherhood and sovereignty of God, he deems it his first duty to carry out that which he considers the will of that God. Hence it is, that during intellectual periods men's notions of Deity have been refined and cultivated; and, as a consequence, oppression and persecution for scepticism have been more rare. While on the other hand, when the multitude held rude ideas of divinity, the pure and chaste were sickened at the scenes of cruelty and bloodshed which were enacted in accordance with what was supposed to be the \will of God.\ If any doubt existed upon this point, it would only be necessary to study carefully Buckle's \History of Civilisation.\ In that work ample proof is given of the contracting influence of religion. Nothing tends more to limit progress than the attempt to prevent freedom of opinion, and the enforcement of penalties for the exercise of this right. \During,\ says Buckle, \almost 150 years Europe was afflicted by religious wars, religious massacres, and religious persecutions; not one of which would have arisen, if the great truth had been recognised that the state had no concern with the opinions of men, and no right to interfere, even in the slightest degree, with the form of worship which they may choose to adopt.\ The same writer goes on to show that the increase of perjury and hypocrisy has been the result of the policy of the Christian governments, arriving at the conclusion that it is folly to ascribe the civilisation of a nation to any creed.

Unfortunately Christianity appeared at a very inopportune period of history, just when there was no indication that the world would throw off supernaturalism. The old Pagan creed which Christianity supplanted, was by far the better of the two, because it contained most promise for the world. The Roman religion sat but lightly upon the Romans. It was just a body of mythological tales, which perhaps was useful in the world's infancy, but which was certainly not required in its more matured age. The grand feature of the old Pagan faith was its true tolerant spirit. Death for religious belief was unknown to the Romans. They allowed every one to worship according to his or her own conscience. Persecution for non-belief was reserved for Christianity. As soon as the disciples of Christ possessed the power, they commenced by persecuting those who did not accept their faith, and endeavoured to crush all systems that were antagonistic to their own. Instead of Christians talking so foolishly of the depravity of the ancients, it would be far better if they endeavoured to emulate Pagan Rome in their love of toleration. Even from the New Testament we learn the extreme reluctance with which the Roman Governor of Judea signed the death-warrant of Christ. The Romans were so tolerant — in other words, they were so little religious, and therefore, so ripe for becoming converts to Secularistic truth — that whenever they conquered a new territory, they at once added to their own number of Gods those whom they found to be worshipped by the inhabitants of their new conquest. Now, if Queen Victoria, ²⁶ by royal mandate, were to order to be added to the objects of English worship, all the gods worshipped by her coloured subjects, all over the world; if, whenever we achieved a new conquest, it became the duty of the Archbishops and Bishops, the Spurgeons and Cummings, ²⁷ to add a new batch of deities to the objects of worship, what would be the result? Why religion would fall rapidly into contempt, and mankind would see at once its utter folly and absurdity. This is precisely what was fast happening amongst the Romans and all through their empire, when Christianity came upon the scene, stopped the progressive spirit, and deferred the reign of human happiness.

If we take a historical glance at countries where Christianity was professed, and at one time, to a large extent, acted upon, we shall at once recognise the influence it possessed on national progress. First, we may take Scotland. In the most comprehensive sense of the word, Scotland at no very remote period was strictly a religious nation, and what were the fruits of that religion? The most miserable and unprogressive state it is possible for a civilised people to live in. And let it be distinctly understood that Mr. Buckle in his \History of Civilisation,\ attributes this non-progressive spirit, this lack of happiness, entirely to the fatal influence of religion. And can we expect aught else? Here is a country acting, as far as a people can possibly act, upon the principles of Christianity. And what do we find?

An entire absence of all true toleration; an aversion even to innocent gaiety; a desire to limit the enjoyment of others, and a spirit of bigotry and persecution; yet in the midst of all this,

as Buckle properly observes,

there existed a gloomy and austere creed. The churches were as crowded as they were in the middle ages, and were filled with ignorant worshippers, who flocked to listen to opinions of which the middle ages alone were worthy.

What effect has such teaching had upon the Scotch mind? Has it imparted the people any progressive aspirations? If we read the history of Scotland during the seventeenth and part of the eighteenth century, we shall find that Buckle stated the truth, when he said that

Some of the noblest feelings of which our nature is capable, the feelings of love and of gratitude, were set aside, and were replaced by the dictates of a servile and ignominious fear.

But the sad effects of Christianity were not confined to Scotland. If we take England during what is known as the \dark ages,\ the brightest era of Christianity, then she had no rival: assisted by kingcraft she ruled the civilised world through a thousand years, without one ray of light, without any addition whatever to the arts and sciences, and then bequeathed to mankind a heritage of cruelty, bloodshed, and persecution. In the middle ages there was a great impetus given towards science and philosophy. Some of the most splendid intellects that ever appeared in the world, and that might, under more favourable conditions, have adorned humanity, enlightened society, and held on progress, appeared in those days. But their intellects were stifled and rendered comparatively useless by the influence of Christianity. Those were the times when Christianity was paramount, unrestrained, and untrammelled, when the blood, the genius, and the chivalry of Europe were all wasted in the mad and useless crusades, when in one expedition alone, instigated by fanatical priests, no less than 560,000 persons were sacrificed to the superstition of the cross. Do we require a proof of the legitimate effects of Christianity? Behold the history of the seven crusades, which will for ever remain a lasting monument of a blood-stained faith. For nearly 200 years did the followers of Christ lay desolate one of the finest and most romantic portions of the known world, and laid prostrate thousands of human beings. Do we wish to know the sad influence of religion? Read the history of the Christian Emperor Constantine, who with the sword in one hand and the cross in the other, pursued his slaughtering and relentless career. Go to the streets of Paris, when in the fifteenth century they flowed with the blood of defenceless Protestants, and when 10,000 innocent persons were massacred by the believers in a meek and lowly Jesus. Visit the valleys of Piedmont, which were the scene of a most inhuman butchery, when women were suffocated by hundreds in cofined [sic] caves by the bearers of the cross. Study the history of the Inquisition, to whose power three millions of lives were sacrificed in one century. Peruse the records of the actions of a King Henry the Eighth, ²⁸ a Queen Mary, ²⁹ and a Queen Elizabeth, ³⁰ in whose Christian reigns hundreds were either condemned to die at the stake, or to endure revolting cruelties in loathsome dungeons, because they differed from the prevailing faith of those times. These were the effects of religion when it had absolute power. When Christianity exercised her legitimate influence, the maxim was \Philosophy is the handmaid of Theology,\ every philosopher, therefore, who did not so philosophise as to bring up new arguments to support some one of the absurd tenets of Christianity, had either to submit to a life of seclusion and persecution, or to an immediate death. But Christianity not only interfered with the high intellects of the earth, she also influenced every relation of life. The sum of almost all history for centuries after Christ may be compressed in a few sentences. Every rascality that kings and nobles wished to perpetrate they got the bishops and priests to consecrate and make holy. Had it not been for the strong Christian notions of those sovereigns, James I. ³¹ and Charles I., ³² in all probability we should not have found such an abominably unpatriotic period succeeding the splendid era of Queen Elizabeth. And how lamentable it is to think that the noble-hearted English puritans, with men like Falkland, ³³ Cromwell, and John Milton at their head, lost all their chance of reforming the nation and establishing those ameliorations which certainly were so very necessary, through their unfortunate slavery to Christianity. Never did men exist whose minds by nature were more magnificently tolerant and truly secularistic than those of Milton and Cromwell, if the religious element had been kept apart. But unfortunately it mastered Cromwell, or perhaps to do him justice, it mastered his contemporaries, and they mastered him, and then he sickened the very country he had saved, by forcing upon them a religion they were weary of. The fate of Christianity was sealed in England the day that Cromwell died. Some writers have made it the great reproach of the reign of Charles II. ³⁴ that it was \Godless,\ yes, but its godlessness was the one redeeming trait of that \Merry Monarch's\ reign. Reckless as he was, during his reign reforms were accomplished, the results of which cannot be too highly appreciated. It was during his reign that a law was passed which deprived the bishops of the power to burn those who differed from them in theological opinion. It was during his reign that the clergy were deprived of the privilege of taxing themselves, and were compelled to submit to the ordinary mode of assessment. It was during his reign that a law was passed, forbidding bishops to administer the oath by which the church had hitherto compelled suspected persons to criminate themselves. It was during his reign that it was settled, that the taxation of the people should be decided by their own representatives, and it was during his reign that certain restrictions on the press were removed, whereby knowledge had a better opportunity of being disseminated among the masses of the people. Notwithstanding the calamities occasioned by the great Plague, ³⁵ and the Great Fire of London, ³⁶ greater improvements, says Buckle, were effected, and more progress made during this reign than had been accomplished during the twelve previous centuries of English history. The character of Charles II. as a whole was one not to be emulated; but living amidst a profligate court, venal ministers, and constant conspiracies, he was enabled to recognise two great obstacles to the nation's welfare; these obstacles were the spiritual tyranny of the priests, and the territorial oppression of the nobles. Having but little regard for theological dogmas, he was determined that such Christian evils should be swept away.

If Christianity contained any real remedy for existing evils, it would have displayed itself ere now. It has had every advantage in its favour; the influence of the priests, the patronage of kings, the alliance of the great and powerful, the use of untold wealth, the command of the armies, first place among the councillors of nations, the willing subjection of the populace, the command of their affections, and the dominancy of their fears. Science, art, education have humbled and enlisted themselves in its train. The brightest intellects of humanity have laid their treasures at its feet. The ties of domestic affection, the bonds of the social compact, the political relations of ruler and ruled, all have surrendered themselves to its influence. It has been absolute monarch of the world. Yet with all these advantages it has proved unable to keep pace with a progressive civilisation.

Footnotes

¹ Giuseppe Mazzini (1805-1872) was an Italian patriot, orator, and agitator. Described as one of the creators of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861, Mazzini could be called a liberal theist, though he was aggressively anticlerical.

² Cardinal Henry Edward Manning (1808-1892) was an English Roman Catholic cardinal. He worked with the Atheist Charles Bradlaugh to aid the British working classes.

³ Giuseppe Garibaldi (1807-1882) led the famous Expedition to Sicily in 1860 which began the liberation of Italy from feudal monarchs. Anti-clerical and republican, he was an Atheist and served as the president of the Societa Atea.

⁴ The ruler of France in 1868 (the time of writing) was Emperor Napoleon III (1808-1873), who reigned from 1852-1871.

⁵ Prof. Thomas Huxley (1825-1895), English physiologist, was the primary champion of Darwin's Origin of Species. In 1863 he applied the principle of evolution to man.

⁶ Frederick Denison Maurice (1805-1872), a sincere Christian, argued that Christianity was an adaptation of the best elements in older faiths.

⁷ Charles Hadden Spurgeon (1834-1892), was an English nonconformist divine who appealed through emotions to the conscience and distrusted modern Bible criticism.

⁸ The reference is to members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints — the Mormons.


⁹ Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658), was lord protector of England from 1653 to 1658. He upheld religious toleration.

¹⁰ William Cowper (1731-1800), evangelist and Calvinist poet, wanted Bible reading (undenominational) taught in government schools.

¹¹ Sir Charles Lyell (1797-1875), English geologist, prepared the way for Darwin by attacking the catastrophic theory out of science. He gave invaluable support to Darwin's Origin of Species.

¹² John Wesley (1703-1791), an English divine, was the father of the Methodist Church.

¹³ Saint Augustine (354-430) was one of the four great \fathers\ of the Latin Church.

¹⁴ Dr. Edward P. Pusey (1800-1882) held absolute beliefs in a personal god, in eternal punishment, and the verbal inspiration of the Bible.

¹⁵ John Milton (1608-1674) has been described as \the great Christian poet.\ However, in his later life he wrote of being \emancipated from the influence of authority\ and spoke of his \heterodox views on the nature of the Diety and the eternity of matter.\

¹⁶ James Watt (1736-1819), English inventor of the steam engine, and a man of letters, was a deist at most — and never attended a church.

¹⁷ John Dalton (1766-1844), English chemist and physicist, first proposed atomic theory.

¹⁸ Joseph Black (1728-1799), a Scottish chemist, studied physics of heat and laid the basis for Watt's inventions. He discovered carbonic acid.

¹⁹ Benjamin Disraeli (1804-1881), British politician and author, served as England's prime minister in 1868 and from 1874-1880.

²⁰ Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) was an American statesman.

²¹ Thomas Paine (1737-1809) was an English-born political philosopher and author. His Common Sense (1776) helped spark the American Revolution.

²² Dr. Adam Ferguson (1723-1816), Scottish philosopher and historian, was a professor at Edinburgh and an intimate friend of Hume. He was a deist.

²³ Charles Darwin (1809-1882), the father of evolution, published his shattering Origin of Species in 1859 and his Descent of Man in 1871.

²⁴ Thomas Henry Buckle (1821-1862), English historian, took fourteen years to write his comprehensive History of Civilization.

²⁵ Samuel Johnson (1709-1784) was an English man of letters.

²⁶ Alexandrina Victoria (1819-1901), queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Empress of India, reigned from 1837 to 1901.

²⁷ Dr. John Cumming, eminent Presbyterian English divine, was the author of Great Tribulation (1859) and Things Hard to be Understood (1861).

²⁸ King Henry VIII, 1491-1547 (reigned 1509-1547).

²⁹ Queen Mary (1516-1558), or \Bloody Mary,\ ruled England from 1553-1558.

³⁰ Queen Elizabeth, 1533-1603 (reigned 1558-1603).

³¹ James (1566-1625) was king of Scotland from 1567-1603 and assumed the throne of England in 1603.

³² Charles I (1600-1649), or Charles Stuart, reigned as king of Great Britain from 1625 to 1649.

³³ Lucius Gary Falkland (1610?-1643) opposed clerical encroachment in secular matters and introduced a bill into Parliament to exclude clergy form secular offices; but he also opposed abolition of the episcopy.

³⁴ Charles II (1630-1685) was the monarch during the religious wars in England and the ascendancy of Cromwell.

³⁵ The Great Plague of London occurred in 1665.

³⁶ The Great Fire of London occurred on September 2-6,1666.