rant, unreasoning followers.
A Reasonable Analysis of the
Sermon on the Mount
According to religious authorities, the principle teachings of Christ are contained in the Sermon on the Mount. The language of the sermon is childish, in keeping with the mental condition of the people, and the educational capabilities of Matthew who reported it.
Christ said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit." Just what is meant by spirit is not understood by practical men.
"Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted." When or why they should be comforted is not known, millions have mourned and millions mourning now, without comfort, many as the result of wars and many, especially during the Inquisition days, for their relatives killed as the result of Christian persecution.
"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." But only the warlike races and those who have had the courage to fight to protect their liberties have inherited the earth. All others have become slaves, either politically or economically, to the aggressive races.
"Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled." But here again the aggressors, the tyrants, the selfish elements of all countries, and the conquerors seem to have control of the earth and righteousness has not come to them. Apparently these "Beatitudes" were promises which are far from being fulfilled. What fulfillment has come is as a result of the actions of liberty-loving men who haven't been followers of the doctrines of Christ or the Christian Church.
"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy." But that is seldom so, the kindest people are often the most imposed upon. Being merciful does not guarantee that mercy will be returned.
"Blessed are the pure in heart; for they shall see God." None sees God, at least none who tells about it; so there must be no pure in heart, whatever that is.
"Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God." But the Christian church with its long history of religious wars, persecution of Protestants and Freethinkers, burning of witches, crusades against infidels, the Inquisition, has not been a peacemaker. Calling the real peacemakers "the children of God" has not been of any benefit in bringing about peace, for there has been no peace; wars are more frequent destructive and bitter than ever. "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake." This blessing, without practical value, would include blessings on the millions of people who have been persecuted by the Christian church for standing for the righteousness of freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom from oppression and religious persecution, freedom from slavery, the things, the Christian church has fought for ages.
"Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you; falsely, for my sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for your reward is great in heaven; for so persecuted they the prophets before you."
But here again we have many different prophets, and sects and churches and branches of them, all saying the others are wrong, all reviling the others and all claiming they do it in Christ's name; in fact, all their prayers are asked in Christ's name, including the prayers the Allied Nations made against the Axis forces, and the prayers of the Axis against the allied, all finished, "In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask." Both sides thought they were blessed, both sides thought they were doing things for Christ's sake, each side reviled the other.
"Ye, (his disciples) are the light of the world," but the truth is that his followers, with his morbid philosophy, by persecution, sword, faggot and fire, intolerance and hatred, brought on the Dark Ages, and it was only when liberalism emerged that the darkness of a thousand years began to grow less.
Then Christ reminds us of the commandment not to kill. But later on tells his followers that he came to bring "not peace but a sword," and to set father against brother and daughter against mother. He also s