Indictment for blasphemy: That ... the prisoner had…
““Indictment for blasphemy: That ... the prisoner had repeatedly maintained, in conversation, that theology was a rhapsody of ill-invented nonsense, patched up partly of the moral doctrines of philosophers, and partly of poetical fictions and extravagant chimeras: That he ridiculed the holy scriptures, calling the Old Testament Ezra's fables, in profane allusion to Esop's Fables; That he railed on Christ, saying, he had learned magick in Egypt, which enabled him to perform those pranks which were called miracles: That he called the New Testament the history of the imposter Christ; That he said Moses was the better artist and the better politician; and he preferred Muhammad to Christ: That the Holy Scriptures were stuffed with such madness, nonsense, and contradictions, that he admired the stupidity of the world in being so long deluded by them: That he rejected the mystery of the Trinity as unworthy of refutation; and scoffed at the incarnation of Christ.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Blasphemy trial mocked scripture, comparing it to fables and chimeras.
In simple terms: He ridiculed holy texts as nonsense.
Key Takeaway
Question religious authority.
Themes
religion
blasphemy
critique
myth
philosophy
Mood
provocative
critical
Type
bible:1
blasphemy:1
communication:0
execution:0
freethought:1
holy scriptures:1
new testament:1
old testament:1
truth:0
blasphemy prisoner:0
indictment blasphemy:0
imposter christ:0
ridiculed holy:0
When to use this quote
- academic study
- theological debate
- public discourse
Key Concepts
skepticism
freethought
historical law
Questions to Reflect On
- How does satire affect belief?
- What limits exist on religious critique?
A Different Perspective
Modern context differs.