The Three Impostors 10

The Three Impostors 10

The unfortunate dupes being delighted to find themselves adopted by

the chief of the Gods on their escape from a cruel bondage, cheerfully

put faith in Moses, and swore to obey him blindly. His authority being

confirmed, he wished to render it perpetual; and under the specious

pretext of establishing the worship of that God whose Viceregent he

said he was, he appointed at once his brother and his sons to high

authority in the Royal Palace, that is the place whence he thought

proper to give forth his oracles; this place being altogether out of

the view of the people. Lastly he practised that which is always done

at the formation of new institutions; that is, he exhibited prodigies,

miracles, whereby some were dazzled, and others confounded, but which

only excited pity in those who could see through his impostures.

 

However crafty Moses might have been, he would have had considerable

difficulty in securing obedience, without the aid of his armed

followers. An impostor without physical force rarely succeeds.

 

But in spite of the great number of dupes who submitted themselves

blindly to the will of this clever legislator, there were found people

bold enough to reproach him for bad faith; declaring that, under false

appearances of justice and equality, he had engrossed the whole--that

the sovereign authority was confined to his own family, who had no

more right to it than any other individuals--and that he was less the

father than the tyrant of his people. But on these occasions Moses,

with profound policy, put to death those daring spirits and spared

no one who disputed his authority.

 

It was by similar precautions, and by always declaring that his

punishments were instances of divine vengeance, that he reigned an

absolute despot; and to end as he had begun--that is to say, as a knave

and an impostor--he was in the habit of retiring to a cave, which he

had caused to be dug in the centre of a waste, under the pretext of

having conferences with the Divinity, that he might secure in this

way the respect and submission of his followers. His end was like that

of other similar impostors. He cast himself from a precipice which he

knew of in the remote wilderness, to the end that his body might not

be discovered, and that it might be thought the Deity had carried him

off. He was not ignorant that the memory of the patriarchs which had

preceded him was held in great veneration, although they knew their

sepulchres; but this was not enough for an ambition like his--it was

necessary that he should be revered as a god, over whom death had no

control. This is the explanation of what he said at the commencement

of his reign, when he said that God had declared that he was to be

a God unto his brother. [39] Elijah in like manner, and Romulus,

[40] and Zamolxis, and all those who have had the foolish vanity to

wish to eternalize their names, have concealed the time and manner

of their death, in order that they might be thought immortal.

 

 

 

§ 11.

 

But to return to the legislators. There have never been any who

did not assert that their laws did not emanate from some divinities

[41], and who have not attempted to persuade their followers that they

themselves were more than mortal. Numa Pompilius, after having tasted

the sweets of retirement, was with difficulty persuaded to leave them,

although it was to fill the throne of Romulus; but compelled by the

acclamations of the people, he profited by the devotedness of the

Romans, and insinuated to them that if they really wished him to

be their king, they must be prepared to obey him without enquiry,

and to observe religiously the laws and divine institutions which

had been communicated to him by the goddess Egeria. [42]

 

Alexander the Great had? no less vanity. Not content with seeing

himself master of the world, he wished to persuade mankind that he

was the son of Jupiter. Perseus pretended also to have derived his

origin from the same god and the virgin Danae. Plato also insisted

on a virgin nativity, regarding Apollo as his father. There have been

many other personages who have been guilty of the same absurdity. No

doubt all these great men believed in the opinion of the Egyptians,

who maintained that the Spirit of God was capable of having intercourse

with the female sex, and rendering them pregnant.

 

 

 

§ 12.

 

JESUS CHRIST.

 

Jesus Christ, who was acquainted with the maxims and the science of

the Egyptians, gave currency to the belief alluded to above, because

he thought it suitable to his purposes. Reflecting how Moses had become

renowned by his command of an ignorant people, he undertook to build on

this foundation, and got some few imbecile people to follow him, whom

he persuaded that the Holy Ghost was his father, and that his mother

was a virgin. These simple folks, accustomed to give themselves over

to dreams and reveries, adopted his opinions, and believed whatever he

wished: indeed, something considerably beyond this miraculous birth

would by no means have been too miraculous for them. A beautiful

dove overshadowed a virgin: there is nothing surprising in that. It

happened frequently in Lydia; and the swan of Leda is the counterpart

of the dove of Mary. [43] That a man should be born of a virgin, by the

operation of the Holy Spirit, is neither more extraordinary nor more

miraculous that that Genghis Khan should be born of a virgin, as the

Tartars assert; or that Foh, according to the Chinese belief, derived

his origin from a virgin rendered pregnant by the rays of the sun.

 

This prodigy appeared at a time when the Jews, wearied with their

God as they had formerly been with their Judges, [44] were desirous

to have some visible ruler among them, as was the case with other

nations. As the number of fools is infinite, Jesus Christ in a short

time had many followers; but as his extreme poverty was an invincible

obstacle to his elevation, the Pharisees--at one time his admirers,

and at another time startled at his boldness--forwarded or thwarted

his interests, according to the inconstant humour of the populace. The

report of his divine origin was spread about; but without forces,

as he was, it was impossible that he could succeed, although some

cures which he performed, and some resurrections from the dead to

which he pretended, brought him somewhat into repute. Without money

or arms he could not fail to perish: if he had been in possession of

these, he would have been no less successful than Moses or Mahomet,

and all those who, with like advantages, have elevated themselves

above their fellow-men. If he had been more unfortunate, he would

not have been less adroit; and several traits in his history prove

that the principal defect in his policy was his carelessness in not

sufficiently providing for his own security. Otherwise, I do not find

that his plans were less skilfully devised than those of the other

two: at all events his law has become the rule of faith to people

who flatter themselves that they are the wisest in the world.

 

 

 

§ 13.

 

ON THE POLITICS OF JESUS CHRIST.

 

Can anything be more subtle than the answer of Jesus concerning

the woman taken in adultery? The Jews having demanded of him if

they should stone her, instead of answering the question directly--a

negative answer being directly contrary to the law, and an affirmative

convicting him of severity and cruelty, which would have alienated

their minds from him--instead, therefore, of replying as an ordinary

individual would have done on the occasion--"Let him," said he,

"who is without sin amongst you cast the first stone at her." [45]

A shrewd reply, and one evincing great presence of mind. On another

occasion, being shown a piece of money with the emperor's image and

superscription upon it, and asked if it were lawful to pay tribute

money unto Cæsar, he eluded the difficulty of answering: "Render

unto Cæsar the things which are Cæsar's." [46] The false position

in which they wished to place him was this: that if he denied that

it was lawful, he was guilty of high treason; and if he said that

it was, he went directly against the law of Moses, which he always

protested that he never intended to do--knowing no doubt that he was

too helpless to do so with impunity at that time. Afterwards, when he

became more celebrated, he endeavoured to abrogate it almost totally:

acting in this way not unlike those princes, who, until their power

is thoroughly established, always promise to confirm the privileges

of their subjects, but who, after that has been secured, care little

for their promises.

 

When the Pharisees asked him by what authority he taught the people

and preached to them, he penetrated their intention--which was to

convict him of falsehood; whether he answered that it was by human

authority--he not being of the order of the priesthood, who alone were

charged with the instruction of the people; or whether he preached

by the express orders of God--his own doctrine being opposed to the

law of Moses; he avoided their snare, and embarrassed themselves,

by asking them in what name John baptised. [47]

 

The Pharisees, who from political motives, rejected the baptism of

John, would have condemned themselves if they had said that it was in

the name of God; and if they had not said so, they would have exposed

themselves to the rage of the populace, who maintained the opposite

opinion. To get out of this dilemma, they answered that they could

not tell: on which Jesus Christ replied, that neither was he obliged

to tell them by what name or authority he taught the people.

 

 

 

§ 14.

 

Such was the character of the destroyer of the ancient law, and the

founder of the new religion that was built upon its ruins; in which

religion a disinterested mind can perceive nothing more divine than

in any of those which preceded it. Its founder, who was not altogether

ignorant, having witnessed extreme corruption in the Jewish republic,

judged that its end was near, and thought it a favorable opportunity

for forwarding his own designs.

 

The fear of being anticipated by men more able than himself, made

him hasten to secure his ground by means entirely opposite to those

adopted by Moses. The former began by rendering himself terrible to

other nations. Jesus Christ, on the contrary, attracted mankind to

himself by the hope of blessings in a life beyond the grave, which he

said they would obtain by believing in him. Whilst Moses only promised

temporal benefits to the observers of his law, Jesus Christ led his

followers to hope for those which would never end. The laws of the one

only regarded exterior observances; those of the other looked into

the heart, influenced the thoughts, and stood on opposite grounds

to the law of Moses. Whence it follows, that Jesus Christ believed

with Aristotle, that it is the same with religion and nations as with

individuals who are born and who die; and as there is nothing which

is not subject to dissolution, there is no law which must not in turn

give place to another. [48] But as there is difficulty in passing from

one law to another, and as the greater part of men are stubborn in

religious matters, Jesus Christ, in imitation of other innovators,

had recourse to miracles, which have at all times confounded the

ignorant, and advanced the projects of ambitious and designing men.