About: God The Invisible King by Herbert George Wells

GOD THE INVISIBLE KING

Produced by Donald Lainson

GOD THE INVISIBLE KING

byH. G. Wells

CONTENTS

PREFACE

1. THE COSMOGONY OF MODERN RELIGION

2. HERESIES;OR THE THINGS THAT GOD IS NOT

3. THE LIKENESS OF GOD

4. THE RELIGION OF ATHEISTS

5. THE INVISIBLE KING

6. MODERN IDEAS OF SIN AND DAMNATION

7. THE IDEA OF A CHURCH

THE ENVOY

PREFACE

This book sets out as forcibly and exactly as possible the religiousbelief of the writer. That belief is not orthodox Christianity; it isnot, indeed, Christianity at all; its core nevertheless is a profoundbelief in a personal and intimate God. There is nothing in itsstatements that need shock or offend anyone who is prepared for theexpression of a faith different from and perhaps in several particularsopposed to his own. The writer will be found to be sympathetic withall sincere religious feeling.

Nevertheless it is well to prepare theprospective reader for statements that may jar harshly against deeplyrooted mental habits.

It is well to warn him at the outset that thedeparture from accepted beliefs is here no vague scepticism, but a quitesharply defined objection to dogmas very widely revered. Let the writerstate the most probable occasion of trouble forthwith. An issue uponwhich this book will be found particularly uncompromising is the dogmaof the Trinity. The writer is of opinion that the Council of Nicaea,which forcibly crystallised the controversies of two centuries andformulated the creed upon which all the existing Christian churches arebased, was one of the most disastrous and one of the least venerable ofall religious gatherings, and he holds that the Alexandrine speculationswhich were then conclusively imposed upon Christianity merit onlydisrespectful attention at the present time. There you have a chiefpossibility of offence.

He is quite unable to pretend any awe for whathe considers the spiritual monstrosities established by that undignifiedgathering. He makes no attempt to be obscure or propitiatory in thisconnection. He criticises the creeds explicitly and frankly, because hebelieves it is particularly necessary to clear them out of the way ofthose who are seeking religious consolation at this present time ofexceptional religious need. He does little to conceal his indignation atthe role played by these dogmas in obscuring, perverting, and preventingthe religious life of mankind. After this warning such readers fromamong the various Christian churches and sects as are accessibleto storms of theological fear or passion to whom the Trinity is anineffable mystery and the name of God almost unspeakably awful, read onat their own risk. This is a religious book written by a believer,but so far as their beliefs and religion go it may seem to them moresceptical and more antagonistic than blank atheism. That the writercannot tell.

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