Robert G. Ingersoll quotes - page 19

They did not regard men as slaves to be ruled by torture, by lash and chain, nor as children to be cheated with illusions, rocked in the cradle of an idiot creed and soothed by a lullaby of lies. (Robert G. Ingersoll)
The theologian says that what we call evil is for our benefit-that we are placed in this world of sin and sorrow to develop character. If this is true I ask why the infant dies? View quote
Robert G. Ingersoll
The scientists never persecuted, never imprisoned their fellow-men. View quote
Robert G. Ingersoll
But it can all be summed up in this: The average man regards the common as natural, the uncommon as supernatural. The educated man-and by that I mean the developed man-is satisfied that all phenomena are natural, and that the supernatural does not and can not exist. View quote
Robert G. Ingersoll
If you say six periods, instead of six days, what becomes of your Sabbath? View quote
Robert G. Ingersoll
Is it the result of impotent rage? Is it because there is being written upon every orthodox brain a certificate of intellectual inferiority? View quote
Robert G. Ingersoll
They say the religion of your fathers is good enough. Why should a father object to your inventing a better plow than he had? They say to me, do you know more than all the theologians dead? Being a perfectly modest man I say I think I do. View quote
Robert G. Ingersoll
There is a law higher than men can make. The facts as they exist in this poor world -- the absolute consequences of certain acts -- they are above all. And this higher law is the breath of progress, the very outstretched wings of civilization, under which we enjoy the freedom we have. View quote
Robert G. Ingersoll
Love is the only bow on Life's dark cloud. It is the morning and the evening star. It shines upon the babe, and sheds its radiance on the quiet tomb. It is the mother of art, inspirer of poet, patriot and philosopher. It is the air and light of every heart - builder of every home, kindler of every fire on every hearth. View quote
Robert G. Ingersoll
Did they explain any of the phenomena of nature? View quote
Robert G. Ingersoll
All these religions are inconsistent with intellectual liberty. They are the enemies of thought, of investigation, of mental honesty. They destroy the manliness of man. They promise eternal rewards for belief, for credulity, for what they call faith. This is not only absurd, but it is immoral. (Robert G. Ingersoll)
What is holy, what is sacred? I reply that human happiness is holy, human rights are holy. The body and soul of man - these are sacred. The liberty of man is of far more importance than any book; the rights of man, more sacred than any religion - than any Scriptures, whether inspired or not. View quote
Robert G. Ingersoll
Each thing that exists testifies of its perfection. The earth, with its heart of fire and crowns of snow; with its forests and plains, its rocks and seas; with its every wave and cloud; with its every leaf and bud and flower, confirms its every word, and the solemn stars, shining in the infinite abysses, are the eternal witnesses of its truth. View quote
Robert G. Ingersoll
They believe in the miracles of the past, and deny the demonstrations of the present. View quote
Robert G. Ingersoll
Standing in the presence of the Unknown, all have the same right to think, and all are equally interested in the great questions of origin and destiny. All I claim, all I plead for, is liberty of thought and expression. That is all. I do not pretend to tell what is absolutely true, but what I think is true. I do not pretend to tell all the truth. View quote
Robert G. Ingersoll
One can hardly imagine how perfect a constitution it took a few years ago to stand the assault of a doctor. View quote
Robert G. Ingersoll
This chronology is infinitely absurd, and I do not believe that there is an intelligent, well-educated Christian in the world, having examined the subject, who will say that the Christian chronology is correct. View quote
Robert G. Ingersoll
We know that men can be, have been, and are just as wicked with it as without it. View quote
Robert G. Ingersoll
They are all equally powerful and equally useless. View quote
Robert G. Ingersoll
Justice is the only worship. Love is the only priest. Ignorance is the only slavery. Happiness is the only good. The time to be happy is now, The place to be happy is here, The way to be happy is to make others so. Wisdom is the science of happiness. View quote
Robert G. Ingersoll
This is my doctrine: Give every other human being every right you claim for yourself. Keep your mind open to the influences of nature. Receive new thoughts with hospitality. Let us advance. (Robert G. Ingersoll)
I have read somewhere of a sermon preached by one of these in the Cathedral of Notre Dame. This old priest, among other things, said that the soul of a beggar was as dear to God as the soul of the richest of his people, and that Jesus Christ died as much for a beggar as for a prince. One French peasant, rough with labor, cried out: "I propose three cheers for Jesus Christ.”. View quote
Robert G. Ingersoll
The Declaration of Independence announces the sublime truth, that all power comes from the people. This was a denial, and the first denial of a nation, of the infamous dogma that God confers the right upon one man to govern others. View quote
Robert G. Ingersoll
Let us be honest. Did all the priests of Rome increase the mental wealth of man as much as Bruno? Did all the priests of France do as great a work for the civilization of the world as Diderot and Voltaire? Did all the ministers of Scotland add as much to the sum of human knowledge as David Hume? Have all the clergymen, monks, friars, ministers, priests, bishops, cardinals and popes, from the day of Pentecost to the last election, done as much for human liberty as Thomas Paine? View quote
Robert G. Ingersoll
Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholic faith. View quote
Robert G. Ingersoll