Ben hur author atheist celebrities

Lew Wallace published the book Ben Hur: A Tale of the Christ in 1880. He was a Union General in the Civil War, a lawyer, politician and author.

The reason Wallace wrote the book involves a conversation with Robert Ingersoll, the leading atheist of his time who travelled the country giving popular speeches against God, Jesus Christ, the Bible, heaven and hell.

One evening General Wallace was on a train going from Crawfordsville, Indiana to Indianapolis when he heard someone call out his name.

Ingersoll had been a colonel with the 11th Illinois Cavalry and had served under General Wallace. He invited the General into his compartment to talk.

Ben hur author atheist celebrities

Ingersoll challenged Wallace’s religious beliefs. When he departed the train, Wallace decided to look into what he did and did not believe. In his Autobiography Wallace describes the scene on the train:

“Ingersoll was in prime mood; and beginning, his ideas turned to speech, slowing like a heated river.

His manner of putting thing