Yet, if Christianity were abolished altogether, this kind of person who would enjoy the ornery nature of being an atheist would, instead, rail against the nobility and the government. Two people who genuinely had decided, after reflection, to be atheists were prosecuted for blasphemy, and a system of prosecution in the name of orthodoxy is likely to become very oppressive. On the side of abolition is “liberty of conscience,” which after all is a Protestant thing as well. He says his purpose is to argue in favor of "nominal Christianity." Yet, in all fairness, he will examine both sides of the argument, the arguments both for and against abolishing the religion. He assures his readers that he is not advocating for true, original Christianity, as this would be counter to all modern institutions. Today, however, Christianity is out of fashion. Not that long ago, the fashion was to be arguing the opposite, defending Christianity, as this author is doing now. The full title of “An Argument Against the Abolishing of Christianity” is “An Argument to Prove That the Abolishing of Christianity in England May, As Things Now Stand, Be Attended With Some Inconveniences, and Perhaps Not Produce Those Many Good Effects Proposed Thereby.” The author begins with the idea that while it is dangerous to take up a religious topic, especially when it is against the established leadership, he is resisting those who want to abolish Christianity.
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