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Robert Green Ingersoll Quotes - Page 9

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Commerce makes friends, religion makes enemies; the one enriches, and the other impoverishes; the one thrives best where the truth is told, the other where falsehoods are believed.

Commerce makes friends, religion makes enemies; the one enriches, and the other impoverishes; the one thrives best where the truth is told, the other where falsehoods are believed.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Enemy, Truth Is, Thrive
Robert Green Ingersoll (1907). “The works of Robert G. Ingersoll”, p.4093, Library of Alexandria

I do not see how it is possible for an intelligent human being to conclude that the Song of Solomon is the work of God, and that the tragedy of Lear was the work of an uninspired man.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Song, Intelligent, Men
Robert Green Ingersoll (1907). “The works of Robert G. Ingersoll”, p.4159, Library of Alexandria

We do not need the forgiveness of God, but of each other and of ourselves.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Needs
Robert Green Ingersoll (1907). “The works of Robert G. Ingersoll”, p.288, Library of Alexandria

The careful reader of the New Testament will find three Christs described: - One who wished to preserve Judaism - one who wished to reform it, and one who built a system of his own

Robert Green Ingersoll
Reading, Reform, Three
Robert Green Ingersoll (1907). “The works of Robert G. Ingersoll”, p.248, Library of Alexandria

We are not accountable for the sins of "Adam".

Robert Green Ingersoll
Fear, Atheism, Sin
Robert Green Ingersoll (1907). “The works of Robert G. Ingersoll”, p.554, Library of Alexandria

Any doctrine that will not bear investigation is not a fit tenant for the mind of an honest man.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Men, Mind, Doctrine
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”

If a man wishes to have God recognized in the constitution of our country, let him read the history of the Inquisition, and let him remember that hundreds of millions of men, women, and children have been sacrificed to placate the wrath, or win the approbation of this god.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Country, Religious, Children
Robert Green Ingersoll (1902). “The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll: Miscellany”

Every human being should be taught that his first duty is to take care of himself, and that to be self-respecting he must be self-supporting. To live on the labor of others, either by force which enslaves, or by cunning which robs, or by borrowing or begging, is wholly dishonorable. Every man should be taught some useful art.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Art, Work, Men
Robert Green Ingersoll (1907). “The works of Robert G. Ingersoll”, p.4081, 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... In the New Testament, death is not the end, but the beginning of punishment that has no end. In the New Testament the malice of God is infinite and the hunger of his revenge eternal... This frightful dogma, this infinite lie, made me the implacable enemy of Christianity. The truth is that this belief in eternal pain has been the real persecutor.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Pain, Revenge, Real

A miracle is the badge and brand of fraud. ... No intelligent, honest man ever pretended to perform a miracle, and never will.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Intelligent, Men, Miracle
Robert Green Ingersoll (1907). “The works of Robert G. Ingersoll”, p.875, Library of Alexandria

Anger is a wind which blows out the lamp of the mind.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Inspirational, Revenge, Anger

When the will defies fear, when duty throws the gauntlet down to fate, when honor scorns to compromise with death - that is heroism.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Death, Fate, Honor
Robert Green Ingersoll (1906). “Famous Speeches, Complete ...”

Not only are we here to protect the public from vicious criminals in the street but also to protect the public from harmful ideas.

Robert Green Ingersoll
War, Ideas, Drug

An infinite God ought to be able to protect himself, without going in partnership with State Legislatures. Certainly he ought not so to act that laws become necessary to keep him from being laughed at. No one thinks of protecting Shakespeare from ridicule, by the threat of fine and imprisonment.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Thinking, Law, Able
Robert Green Ingersoll (1907). “The works of Robert G. Ingersoll”, p.312, Library of Alexandria

The old lady who said there must be a devil, else how could they make pictures that looked exactly like him, reasoned like a trained theologian - like a doctor of divinity.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Doctors, Atheism, Devil
Robert Green Ingersoll (1907). “The works of Robert G. Ingersoll”, p.1078, Library of Alexandria

At the bottom of religious persecution is the doctrine of self-defence; that is to say, the defence of the soul. If the founder of Christianity had plainly said: 'It is not necessary to believe in order to be saved; it is only necessary to do, and he who really loves his fellow-men, who is kind, honest, just and charitable, is to be forever blest' - if he had only said that, there would probably have been but little persecution.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Religious, Believe, Men

If the Bible is true, it needs no inspiration, and - if not true, inspiration can do it no good.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Bible, Inspiration, Needs
Robert Green Ingersoll (1907). “The works of Robert G. Ingersoll”, p.4140, Library of Alexandria

The more liberty you give away the more you will have.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Giving, Liberty
Robert Green Ingersoll (1907). “The works of Robert G. Ingersoll”, p.289, Library of Alexandria

Every church pretends to have found the exact truth. This is the end of progress. Why pursue that which you have? Why investigate when you know? Every creed is a rock in running water: humanity sweeps by it. Every creed cries to the universe, "Halt!" A creed is the ignorant Past bullying the enlightened Present. The ignorant are not satisfied with what can be demonstrated. Science is too slow for them, and so they invent creeds. They demand completeness. A sublime segment, a grand fragment, are of no value to them. They demand the complete circle... the entire structure.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Running, Bullying, Past
Robert Green Ingersoll (1907). “The works of Robert G. Ingersoll”, p.90, Library of Alexandria

Do right, not to deny yourself but because you love yourself and because you love others.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Love You, Love Yourself, Deny
Robert Green Ingersoll (1907). “The works of Robert G. Ingersoll”, p.1015, Library of Alexandria

He who dishonors himself [by lying about his opinions] for the sake of being honored by others will find that two mistakes have been made - one by himself, and the other, by the people.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Mistake, Lying, Two

Nothing could add to the horror of hell, except the presence of its creator, God. While I have life, as long as I draw breath, I shall deny with all my strength, and hate with every drop of my blood, this infinite lie.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Lying, Hate, Blood
Robert Green Ingersoll (2004). “Superstition and Other Essays”

No one can control his own opinion or his own belief. My belief was forced upon me by my surroundings. I am the product of all circumstances that have in any way touched me.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Way, Opinion, Belief
Robert Green Ingersoll (1909). “Interviews”

In the search for truth - that everything in nature seems to hide - man needs the assistance of all his faculties. All the senses should be awake.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Men, Needs, Should
Robert Green Ingersoll (1907). “The works of Robert G. Ingersoll”, p.1832, Library of Alexandria

To the wise man, to the wise nation, the mistakes of the past are the torches of the present.

Robert Green Ingersoll
Life, Wise, Mistake
Robert Green Ingersoll (1907). “The works of Robert G. Ingersoll”, p.3259, Library of Alexandria

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