THE

NECESSITY

OF

ATHEISM

A close examination of the validity of the proofs offered to support any idea has always been acknowledged as the only sure way of attaining truth—the advantages of which it is unnecessary to elaborate upon. Our knowledge of the existence of a Deity God or a supreme being. is a subject of such importance that it cannot be investigated too minutely. Because of this conviction, we proceed briefly and impartially to examine the proofs that have been presented. It is necessary first to consider the nature of belief.

When a proposition is offered to the mind, it perceives the agreement or disagreement of the ideas of which it is composed. A perception of their agreement is termed belief. Many obstacles frequently prevent this perception from being immediate; the mind attempts to remove these so that the perception may be distinct. The mind is active in the investigation in order to perfect the state of perception, which is itself passive. Because the investigation is often confused with the perception, many have falsely imagined that the mind is active in belief—that belief is an act of free will, and consequently that it can be regulated by the mind. By pursuing and continuing this mistake, they have attached a degree of criminality to disbelief, of which it is by nature incapable; it is equally incapable of merit.

The strength of belief, like that of every other passion, is in proportion to the degrees of excitement.

The degrees of excitement are three:

The senses are the sources of all knowledge to the mind; consequently, their evidence claims the strongest assent.

The decision of the mind founded upon our own experience, derived from these sources, claims the next degree.

The experience of others, which addresses itself to the former one, occupies the lowest degree.

Consequently, no testimony can be admitted that is contrary to reason; reason is founded on the evidence of our senses.