XXVII.--REMARKABLE CONTRADICTIONS OF THEOLOGY.

Religion puts men on their knees before a being without extension, and
who, notwithstanding, is infinite, and fills all space with his
immensity; before an almighty being, who never executes that which he
desires; before a being supremely good, and who causes but displeasure;
before a being, the friend of order, and in whose government everything
is in disorder. After all this, let us conjecture what this God of
theology is.




XXVIII.--TO ADORE GOD IS TO ADORE A FICTION.

In order to avoid all embarrassment, they tell us that it is not
necessary to know what God is; that we must adore without knowing; that
it is not permitted us to turn an eye of temerity upon His attributes.
But if we must adore a God without knowing Him, should we not be assured
that He exists? Moreover, how be assured that He exists without having
examined whether it is possible that the diverse qualities claimed for
Him, meet in Him? In truth, to adore God is to adore nothing but
fictions of one's own brain, or rather, it is to adore nothing.




XXIX.--THE INFINITY OF GOD AND THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF KNOWING THE DIVINE
ESSENCE, OCCASIONS AND JUSTIFIES ATHEISM.