If there is one subject in this world worthy of being discussed, worthy of being understood, it is the question of intellectual liberty. Without that, we are simply painted clay. Robert Green Ingersoll More Quotes by Robert Green Ingersoll More Quotes From Robert Green Ingersoll Like an armed warrior, like a plumed knight, James G. Blaine marched down the halls of the American Congress and threw his shining lance full and fair against the brazen foreheads of the defamers of his country, and the maligners of his honor. Robert Green Ingersoll warriorknightscountry The agnostic does not simply say, "l do not know." He goes another step, and he says, with great emphasis, that you do not know. He insists that you are trading on the ignorance of others, and on the fear of others. He is not satisfied with saying that you do not know, -- he demonstrates that you do not know, and he drives you from the field of fact -- he drives you from the realm of reason -- he drives you from the light, into the darkness of conjecture -- into the world of dreams and shadows, and he compels you to say, at last, that your faith has no foundation in fact. Robert Green Ingersoll lightignorancedream Take from the church the miraculous, the supernatural, the incomprehensible, the unreasonable, the impossible, the unknowable, the absurd, and nothing but a vacuum remains. Robert Green Ingersoll if-there-is-a-godatheistreligious I know of no crime that has not been defended by the church, in one form or other. The church is not a pioneer; it accepts a new truth, last of all, and only when denial has become useless. Robert Green Ingersoll pioneerschurchreligion Laughing has always been considered by theologians as a crime. Robert Green Ingersoll crimelaughterlaughing If we are immortal, it is a fact of nature, and that fact does not depend on bibles, on Christs, priest, or creeds. Robert Green Ingersoll doefactschrist It is a splendid thing to think that the woman you really love will never grow old to you. Through the wrinkles of time, through the mask of years, if you really love her, you will always see the face you love and won. And a woman who really loves a man does not see that he grows old; he is not decrepit to her; she always sees the same gallant gentleman who won her hand and heart. Robert Green Ingersoll heartmenthinking 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 bulling the enlightened Present. Robert Green Ingersoll rocksrunningpast Suppose, however, that God did give this law to the Jews, and did tell them that whenever a man preached a heresy, or proposed to worship any other God that they should kill him; and suppose that afterward this same God took upon himself flesh, and came to this very chosen people and taught a different religion, and that thereupon the Jews crucified him; I ask you, did he not reap exactly what he had sown? What right would this god have to complain of a crucifixion suffered in accordance with his own command? Robert Green Ingersoll lawmenpeople If the people were a little more ignorant, astrology would flourish - if a little more enlightened, religion would perish. Robert Green Ingersoll astrologyignorantpeople As more people become more intelligent they care less for preachers and more for teachers. Robert Green Ingersoll atheistteacherdeath There is more real devotional feeling summoned from the temple of the mind by great music than by any sermon ever delivered. Robert Green Ingersoll realfeelingsart The Unitarian Church has done more than any other church to substitute character for creed, and to say that a man should be judged by his spirit; by the climate of his heart; by the autumn of his generosity; by the spring of his hope; that he should be judged by what he does; by the influence that he exerts, rather than by the mythology he may believe. Robert Green Ingersoll heartspringbelieve If I owe Smith ten dollars and God forgives me, that doesn't pay Smith. Robert Green Ingersoll forgivenessforgive-megod It is better to deserve without receiving than to receive without deserving Robert Green Ingersoll deservingreceivingdeserve Argument cannot be answered with insults. Kindness is strength; anger blows out the lamp of the mind. Robert Green Ingersoll blowmindkindness Upon the great questions of origin, of destiny, of immortality, of . . . other worlds, every honest man must say, 'I do not know.' Upon these questions, this is the creed of intelligence. Robert Green Ingersoll destinymendeath No man of sense in the whole world believes in devils any more than he does in mermaids, vampires, gorgons, hydras, naiads, dryads, nymphs, fairies, the Fountain of Youth, [or] the Philosopher's Stone. . . . Robert Green Ingersoll nymphsmenbelieve I have one sentiment for soldiers living and dead: cheers for the Robert Green Ingersoll memorial-daycheersoldier 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 religiouscountrychildren
