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Robert Green Ingersoll Quotes - Page 5

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Christianity did not come with tidings of great joy, but with a message of eternal grief. It came with the threat of everlasting torture on its lips. It meant war on earth and perdition hereafter.

Christianity did not come with tidings of great joy, but with a message of eternal grief. It came with the threat of everlasting torture on its lips. It meant war on earth and perdition hereafter.

Robert Green Ingersoll
War, Grief, Joy
Robert Green Ingersoll (1907). “The works of Robert G. Ingersoll”, p.2217, Library of Alexandria

The few took advantage of the ignorant many. They pretended to have received messages from the Unknown. They stood between the helpless multitude and the gods. They were the carriers of flags of truce. At the court of heaven they presented the cause of man, and upon the labor of the deceived they lived.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Men, Heaven, Ignorant
Robert Green Ingersoll (1907). “The works of Robert G. Ingersoll”, p.4144, Library of Alexandria

The few have said, Think! The many have said, Believe! The first doubt was the womb and cradle of progress, and from the first doubt, man has continued to advance.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Believe, Men, Thinking
Robert Green Ingersoll (1907). “The works of Robert G. Ingersoll”, p.51, Library of Alexandria

According to the celestial multiplication table, once one is three, and three times one is one, and according to heavenly subtraction if we take two from three, three are left. The addition is equally peculiar, if we add two to one we have but one. Each one is equal to himself and the other two.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Two, Religion, Peculiar
"The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll: Lectures".

Religion supports nobody. It has to be supported. It produces no wheat, no corn; it ploughs no land; it fells no forests. It is a perpetual mendicant. It lives on the labors of others, and then has the arrogance to pretend that it supports the giver.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Land, Support, Arrogance
Robert Green Ingersoll (1907). “The works of Robert G. Ingersoll”, p.2253, Library of Alexandria

Labor is the only prayer that Nature answers.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Prayer, Labor Day, Answers
Robert Green Ingersoll (1907). “The works of Robert G. Ingersoll”, p.4036, Library of Alexandria

I will follow my logic, no matter where it goes, after it has consulted with my heart. If you ever come to a conclusion without calling the heart in, you will come to a bad conclusion.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Life, Heart, Calling
Robert Green Ingersoll (1902). “Political”

Man must learn to rely upon himself. Reading bibles will not protect him from the blasts of winter, but houses, fires. and clothing will. To prevent famine, one plow is worth a million sermons, and even patent medicines will cure more diseases than all the prayers uttered since the beginning of the world.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Prayer, Reading, Winter
Robert Green Ingersoll (1873). “An Oration on the Gods”, p.34

The clergy know that I know that they know that they do not know.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Atheist, Clergy, Positive Atheism
Robert Green Ingersoll (1907). “The works of Robert G. Ingersoll”, p.479, Library of Alexandria

Theology is not what we know about God, but what we do not know about Nature.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Theology, Knows
Robert Green Ingersoll (1907). “The works of Robert G. Ingersoll”, p.322, Library of Alexandria

The superior man is the providence of the inferior. He is eyes for the blind, strength for the weak, and a shield for the defenseless. He stands erect by bending above the fallen. He rises by lifting others.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Eye, Men, Bending
Robert Green Ingersoll (1888). “Prose-poems and Selections from the Writings and Sayings of Robert G. Ingersoll”

As more people become more intelligent they care less for preachers and more for teachers.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Death, Teacher, Atheist

I would not for my life destroy one star of human hope, but I want it so that when a poor woman rocks the cradle and sings a lullaby to the dimpled darling, she will not be compelled to believe that ninety-nine chances in a hundred she is raising kindling wood for hell.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Stars, Believe, Ninety Nine
Robert Green Ingersoll (1907). “The works of Robert G. Ingersoll”, p.290, Library of Alexandria

Who can estimate the misery that has been caused by this infamous doctrine of eternal punishment? Think of the lives it has blighted-of the tears it has caused-of the agony it has produced. Think of the millions who have been driven to insanity by this most terrible of dogmas. This doctrine renters God the basest and most cruel being in the universe. ... There is nothing more degrading than to worship such a god.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Religious, Thinking, Punishment

Whenever a man believes that he has the exact truth from God, there is in that man no spirit of compromise. He has not the modesty born of the imperfections of human nature; he has the arrogance of theological certainty and the tyranny born of ignorant assurance. Believing himself to be the slave of God, he imitates his master, and of all tyrants the worst is a slave in power.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Believe, Men, Tyrants
Robert Green Ingersoll (1907). “The works of Robert G. Ingersoll”, p.444, Library of Alexandria

It seems to me that if there is some infinite being who wants us to think alike he would have made us alike.

Robert Green Ingersoll
God, Thinking, Want
Robert Green Ingersoll (1907). “The works of Robert G. Ingersoll”, p.3989, Library of Alexandria

No man with a sense of humor ever founded a religion.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Work, Men, Sense Of Humor

The glory of science is, that it is freeing the soul, breaking the mental manacles, getting the brain out of bondage, giving courage to thought, filling the world with mercy, justice, and joy.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Science, Engineering, Giving
Robert Green Ingersoll (1907). “The works of Robert G. Ingersoll”, p.67, Library of Alexandria

On every hand there seems to be design to defeat design. If God created man - if he is the father of us all, why did he make the criminals, the insane, the deformed and idiotic? Should the mother, who clasps to her breast an idiot child, thank God?

Robert Green Ingersoll
Mother, Children, Father
Robert Green Ingersoll (1907). “The works of Robert G. Ingersoll”, p.925, Library of Alexandria

So, ministers say that they teach charity. This is natural. They live on alms. All beggars teach that others should give.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Giving, Charity, Natural
Robert Green Ingersoll (1907). “The works of Robert G. Ingersoll”, p.947, Library of Alexandria

It seems to me impossible for a civilized man to love or worship, or respect the God of the Old Testament. A really civilized man, a really civilized woman, must hold such a God in abhorrence and contempt.

Robert Green Ingersoll
God, Religious, Men
Robert Green Ingersoll (1907). “The works of Robert G. Ingersoll”, p.902, Library of Alexandria

If the people were a little more ignorant, astrology would flourish - if a little more enlightened, religion would perish.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Astrology, People, Ignorant
Robert Green Ingersoll (1907). “The works of Robert G. Ingersoll”, p.308, Library of Alexandria

The intelligent and good man holds in his affections the good and true of every land -- the boundaries of countries are not the limitations of his sympathies. Caring nothing for race, or color, he loves those who speak other languages and worship other gods. Between him and those who suffer, there is no impassable gulf. He salutes the world, and extends the hand of friendship to the human race. He does not bow before a provincial and patriotic god -- one who protects his tribe or nation, and abhors the rest of mankind.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Love, Country, Patriotic
Robert Green Ingersoll (1901). “Miscellany”

The man who accepts opinions because they have been entertained by distinguished people, is a mental snob.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Men, People, Opinion
Robert Green Ingersoll (1900). “The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll ...”

For myself, I have but little confidence in any business, or enterprise, or investment, that promises dividends only after the death of the stockholders.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Atheist, Promise, Littles
"Lectures: Including His Letters on The Chinese God. Is Suicide a Sin? The Right to One's Life. Etc., Etc., Etc".

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