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Robert Green Ingersoll Quotes - Page 21

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Our ignorance is God; what we know is science. When we abandon the doctrine that some infinite being created matter and force, and enacted a code of laws for their government ... the real priest will then be, not the

Our ignorance is God; what we know is science. When we abandon the doctrine that some infinite being created matter and force, and enacted a code of laws for their government ... the real priest will then be, not the mouth-piece of some pretended deity, but the interpreter of nature.

Robert Green Ingersoll
God, Real, Ignorance
Robert Green Ingersoll (1873). “An Oration on the Gods”, p.31

Every church that has a standard higher than human welfare is dangerous.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Religion, Atheism, Church
Robert Green Ingersoll, Herman Eugene Kittredge (1912). “Interviews”

Temptations are as thick as the leaves of the forest, and no one can be out of the reach of temptation unless he is dead. The great thing is to make people intelligent enough and strong enough, not to keep away from temptation, but to resist it.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Strong, Intelligent, People
Robert Green Ingersoll (1920). “Ingersoll: Fifty Great Selections, Lectures, Tributes, After Dinner Speeches and Essays, Carefully Selected from the Twelve Volume Dresden Edition of Colonel Ingersoll's Complete Works”

It is grander to think and investigate for yourself than to repeat a creed.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Thinking, Creeds, Repeats
Robert Green Ingersoll (1907). “The works of Robert G. Ingersoll”, p.55, Library of Alexandria

Heresy is a cradle; orthodoxy a coffin.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Coffins, Orthodoxy, Cradle
Robert Green Ingersoll “Heretics and Heresies: From 'The Gods and Other Lectures'”, Library of Alexandria

Intelligence is the only moral guide.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Moral, Guides
Robert Green Ingersoll (1907). “The works of Robert G. Ingersoll”, p.3927, Library of Alexandria

We have at last ascertained that miracles can be perfectly understood; that there is nothing mysterious about them; that they are simply transparent falsehoods.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Miracle, Lasts, Mysterious
Robert Green Ingersoll (1900). “Miscellany”

With soap, baptism is a good thing.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Atheist, Baptism, Religion
Robert Green Ingersoll (1907). “The works of Robert G. Ingersoll”, p.2079, Library of Alexandria

Certainly the Old Testament does not teach us that there is another life, and upon that question even the New is obscure and vague. The hunger of the heart finds only a few small and scattered crumbs. There is nothing definite, solid, and satisfying. United with the idea of immortality we find the absurdity of the resurrection. A prophecy that depends for its fulfillment upon an impossibility, cannot satisfy the brain or heart.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Heart, Ideas, Brain
Robert Green Ingersoll (1909). “Miscellany”

The good part of Christmas is not always Christian -- it is generally Pagan; that is to say, human, natural.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Life, Christian, Paganism
Robert Green Ingersoll (1907). “The works of Robert G. Ingersoll”, p.2217, Library of Alexandria

Spirituality for the most part is a mask worn by idleness, arrogance and greed.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Greed, Arrogance, Spirituality
Robert Green Ingersoll (1907). “The works of Robert G. Ingersoll”, p.4311, Library of Alexandria

As far as I am concerned I wish to be out on the high seas. I wish to take my chances with wind, and wave, and star. And I had rather go down in the glory and grandeur of the storm, than rot in any orthodox harbor.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Stars, Wind, Sea
Robert Green Ingersoll (1907). “The works of Robert G. Ingersoll”, p.195, Library of Alexandria

Arguments cannot be answered by personal abuse; there is no logic in slander, and falsehood, in the long run, defeats itself.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Running, Long, Abuse

The hope of science is the perfection of the human race. The hope of theology is the salvation of a few, and the damnation of almost everybody.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Race, Perfection, Damnation
1867 The Age of Reason, Mar.

Jehovah was not a moral god. He had all the vices and he lacked all the virtues. He generally carried out all his threats, but he never faithfully kept a promise.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Promise, Vices, Jehovah
Robert Green Ingersoll (1907). “The works of Robert G. Ingersoll”, p.4351, Library of Alexandria

The hands that help are better far / Than lips that pray. / Love is the ever gleaming star / That leads the way, / That shines, not on vague worlds of bliss, / But on a paradise in this.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Stars, Love Is, Hands
Robert Green Ingersoll (1907). “Lectures.- v.5-7. Discussions.- v.8. Interviews.- v.9. Political.- v.10. Legal.- v.11.-12. Miscellany”

Joy is wealth and love is the legal tender of the soul.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Love Is, Joy, Soul
Robert Green Ingersoll (1898). “Lectures of Col. R.G. Ingersoll: Including His Letters on the Chinese God--Is Suicide a Sin?--The Right to One's Life--etc. Etc. Etc”

I do not believe that the tendency is to make men and women brave and glorious when you tell them that there are certain ideas upon certain subjects that they must never express; that they must go through life with a pretence as a shield; that their neighbors will think much more of them if they will only keep still; and that above all is a God who despises one who honestly expresses what he believes.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Believe, Men, Thinking
Robert Green Ingersoll (1907). “The works of Robert G. Ingersoll”, p.758, Library of Alexandria

All religions are inconsistent with mental freedom. Shakespeare is my bible, Burns my hymn-book.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Book, Hymns, Religion

There are treasures in books that all the money in the world cannot buy, but the poorest laborer can have for nothing.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Love, Book, Learning

Liberty a word without which all other words are vain.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Liberty, Vain
Robert Green Ingersoll (1907). “The works of Robert G. Ingersoll”, p.1162, Library of Alexandria

Not one of the orthodox ministers dare preach what he thinks if he knows a majority of his congregation think otherwise. He knows that every member of his church stands guard over his brain with a creed, like a club, in his hand. He knows that he is not expected to search after the truth, but that he is employed to defend the creed. Every pulpit is a pillory, in which stands a hired culprit, defending the justice of his own imprisonment.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Thinking, Hands, Justice
Robert Green Ingersoll (1907). “The works of Robert G. Ingersoll”, p.103, Library of Alexandria

Let us agree not to step on each other’s feet.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Feet, Steps, Agree
Robert Green Ingersoll, Clinton P. Farrell (1900). “The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll: Interviews”

Orthodox Christians have the habit of claiming all great men, all men who have held important positions, men of reputation, men of wealth. As soon as the funeral is over clergymen begin to relate imaginary conversations with the deceased, and in a very little while the great man is changed to a Christian - possibly to a saint.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Christian, Men, Funeral
Robert Green Ingersoll (1907). “The works of Robert G. Ingersoll”, p.4576, Library of Alexandria

The falling leaf that tells of autumn's death is, in a subtler sense, a prophecy of spring.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Faith, Wisdom, Spring
Robert Green Ingersoll (1907). “The works of Robert G. Ingersoll”, p.4656, Library of Alexandria

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