The Humbugs of the World · Chapter
XLVII explained
This chapter continues the examination of heathen humbugs, focusing on oracles, sibyls, and auguries as side shows of heathen religion.
What happens
This chapter continues the examination of heathen humbugs, focusing on oracles, sibyls, and auguries as side shows of heathen religion. It describes the mechanics of various oracles (especially Delphi), the role of priests, the fee structure, and the ambiguous answers that allowed for multiple interpretations. The chapter also touches on augury in Rome and reflects on the universal human longing for divine guidance, which these practices exploited.
Themes in this chapter
Definition and Nature of Humbug
The chapter defines oracles, sibyls, and auguries as 'humbugs' or 'side shows' used to maintain the larger humbug of heathen religion.
Universality of Deception
Shows how oracles and auguries were widespread across cultures, exploiting human longing for knowledge of the future.
Religion and Superstition
Examines heathen religious practices as a form of superstition, contrasting them with Christian revelation.
Gullibility and Human Nature
Highlights how human nature's desire for guidance and help from higher powers made people susceptible to these deceptions.
Characters to notice
- Pyrrhus
Consulted the Delphic oracle before his campaign against the Romans and received an ambiguous prophecy that led to his defeat.
- Mr. Croesus
Received the famous ambiguous oracle about crossing the River Halys, which he misinterpreted to his own ruin.
Key passages
“This made the temple a regular shop, where the priests traded off promised benefits for real beef; coining blessings into cash on the nail; a very thorough humbug.”
The temple became a marketplace where priests exchanged spiritual promises for material goods, essentially a blatant fraud.
Barnum compares heathen temple worship to a commercial transaction, emphasizing the mercenary nature of the priesthood.
“Thus considered, these shallow humbugs teach a useful lesson, for they constitute a strong proof of man’s inborn natural recognition of some God, of some obligation to a higher power, of some disembodied existence; and so they show a natural human want of exactly what the Christian revelation supplies, and constitute a powerful evidence for Christianity.”
These deceptions reveal humanity's innate belief in a higher power and a longing for spiritual guidance, which Christianity fulfills.
Barnum argues that even false religions point to a universal human need that only true Christianity can satisfy.
“It is humiliating to reflect how long and how extensively such barefaced and monstrous humbugs as these have maintained unquestioned authority over almost the whole race of man.”
It is shameful to think how such obvious frauds have held sway over humanity for so long.
Barnum expresses dismay at the enduring power of these deceptions over human societies.