The Bible and Rationalism, Or, Answer to Difficulties (Volume 1); Answer to Difficulties in the Books of Moses. Or, Answer to Difficulties - Softcover

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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1900. Excerpt: ... by the exercise of his reason that man came so generally to believe that the superior powers, whatever they were, would be pleased by the violent death of one or more of their creatures. Altogether, the theory to which the facts appear on the whole to point is the existence of the primitive religion, communicated to man from without, whereof monotheism and expiatory sacrifice were parts, and the gradual clouding of this primitive revelation everywhere, unless it were among the Hebrews" (G. Rawlinson, "Ancient Religion," p. 175). CHAPTER IX THE PROBABILITY OF THE FACTS RELATED IN THE LAST FOUR BOOKS OF THE PENTATEUCH A Part of the events related in Exodus and Numbers are miraculous and supernatural. On this account negative criticism rejects them a priori and before all examination. Other events of this epoch do not offer the same character, but Rationalists also refuse to admit them, in order to be better able to deny the prodigies themselves and rob Moses of the composition of the Pentateuch. That which, in their eyes, is sufficient to do away with all belief in the accounts of the sacred historian, is their improbability. Before entering into the detail of refutation, it is necessary to say a few words about the principles themselves. In the first place, we must remember that probability or improbability is, in history, a bad criterion. It is bad because it depends too much upon the personal impression of the one who judges, and especially because there are improbable things which are nevertheless true. Hence, when there are no other means of determining, this rule cannot enable us to discover with certitude either the reality or the falsity of an event. This proceeding is first too subjective; that which appears credible to one appears incredible to an...

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