Page:God and His Book.djvu/149

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
137
GOD AND HIS BOOK
137

CHAPTER XX.

Biblical Self-Contradictions—Suggested Reasons for the Self-Contradictions—Biblical Obscenity—Admissions as to Biblical Obscenity—Numerical Efficiency of the Different Religions of the World.

O Lord, there is another trifle or two I should like to bring under thy notice. I do not mind thy Book being contradicted by Science; for what is Science to thee? Science often alters its tune, and I am prepared to back thee against Science any day. Let Science contradict thee as it may: that, to minds that have widely envisaged the problem of Being, is a small matter. But the worst of it is, O Lord, thou contradictest thyself, and this many times and oft. Thou beginnest thy book with self-contradictions, and, that thou mayest be consistent, thou carriest these self-contradictions right through, from Genesis to Revelation. Just by way of specimen, let us begin at the beginning. If thou hast a copy of thine own Book at hand, may I ask thee to compare the second with the first chapter of Genesis:—

Genesis—Chap. I. Genesis—Chap. II.
Water abundant (verses 2, 5[err 1], 6, 9, and 10). Water deficient (verses 5 and 6).
Vegetation, herbs, grass, trees, produced by an almighty feat (11 and 12). Vegetation does not grow, because, as yet, it had not rained upon the earth; neither was there any man to till the ground (5).
Animals created before man (20, 21, 24, and 25). Animals created after man (19).
Man and woman created same day in the image of God (26 and 27). Man created first (7). Woman created some time afterwards, from a rib taken out of the man(22).
Man to have dominion over all the earth (28). Man made to keep and dress the garden (15).
  1. [Erratum: omit verse 5.]