Nothing strengthens the judgment and quickens the conscience like individual responsibility. Elizabeth Cady Stanton More Quotes by Elizabeth Cady Stanton More Quotes From Elizabeth Cady Stanton How can any woman believe that a loving and merciful God would, in one breath, command Eve to multiply and replenish the earth, and in the next, pronounce a curse upon her maternity? I do not believe that God inspired the Mosaic code, or gave out the laws about women which he is accused of doing. Elizabeth Cady Stanton atheism law believe The history of mankind is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations on the part of man toward woman. Elizabeth Cady Stanton injury mankind men When women understand that governments and religions are human inventions; that Bibles, prayer-books, catechisms, and encyclical letters are all emanations from the brains of man, they will no longer be oppressed by the injunctions that come to them with the divine authority of *Thus sayeth the Lord.* Elizabeth Cady Stanton atheist prayer book There is a solitude, which each and every one of us has always carried with him, more inaccessible than the ice-cold mountains, more profound than the midnight sea; the solitude of self. Our inner being, which we call ourself, no eye nor touch of man or angel has ever pierced. Elizabeth Cady Stanton angel eye men I do believe that half a dozen commonplace attorneys could so mystify and misconstrue the Ten Commandments, and so confuse Moses' surroundings on Mount Sinai, that the great law-giver, if he returned to this planet, would doubt his own identity, abjure every one of his deliverances, yea, even commend the very sins he so clearly forbade his people. Elizabeth Cady Stanton law believe people You who have read the history of nations, from Moses down to our last election, where have you ever seen one class looking after the interests of another? Elizabeth Cady Stanton election lasts class The Bible contains some of the most sublime passages in English literature, but is also full of contradictions, inconsistencies, and absurdities. Elizabeth Cady Stanton sublime religious bible I think all these reverend gentlemen who insist on the word 'obey' in the marriage service should be removed for a clear violation of the Thirteenth Amendment to the Federal Constitution, which says there shall be neither slavery nor involuntary servitude within the United States. Elizabeth Cady Stanton marriage gentleman thinking Surely the immutable laws of the universe can teach more impressive and exalted lessons than the holy books of all the religions on earth. Elizabeth Cady Stanton atheist motivational book We found nothing grand in the history of the Jews nor in the morals inculcated in the Pentateuch. I know of no other books that so fully teach the subjection and degradation of woman. Elizabeth Cady Stanton degradation aggravation book You may consider me presumptuous, gentlemen, but I claim to be a citizen of the United States, with all the qualifications of a voter. I can read the Constitution, I am possessed of two hundred and fifty dollars, and the last time I looked in the old family Bible I found I was over twenty-one years of age. Elizabeth Cady Stanton gentleman two years We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men and women are created equal. Elizabeth Cady Stanton women 4th-of-july inspiring The heyday of woman's life is the shady side of fifty. Elizabeth Cady Stanton heyday two-sides birthday The more complete the despotism, the more smoothly all things move on the surface. Elizabeth Cady Stanton despotism tyrants moving A woman will always be dependent until she holds a purse of her own. Elizabeth Cady Stanton purses dependent life The prolonged slavery of woman is the darkest page in human history. Elizabeth Cady Stanton slavery diversity historical Out of the doctrine of original sin grew the crimes and miseries of asceticism, celibacy and witchcraft; woman becoming the helpless victim of all these delusions. Elizabeth Cady Stanton asceticism doctrine atheism Women are afraid. It is unpopular to question the bible. They are creatures of tradition. They fear to question their position in the testament, as they feared to advocate suffrage fifty years ago. Now they are quarreling as to which were among the first to advocate it. You see they are not used to abuse as I am. In Albany, fifty years ago, when I went before the legislature to plead for a married woman's right to her own property, the women whom I met in society crossed the street rather than speak to me. Elizabeth Cady Stanton abuse atheism years The bible teaches that woman brought sin and death into the world, that she precipitated the fall of the race, that she was arraigned before the judgment seat of Heaven, tried, condemned and sentenced. Marriage for her was to be a condition of bondage, maternity a period of suffering and anguish, and in silence and subjection, she was to play the role of a dependent on man's bounty for all her material wants, and for all the information she might desire...Here is the bible position of woman briefly summed up. Elizabeth Cady Stanton race men fall The first step in the elevation of women under all systems of religion is to convince them that the great Spirit of the Universe is in no way responsible for any of these absurdities. Elizabeth Cady Stanton steps way firsts