Robert Green Ingersoll
Robert Green Ingersoll
Robert Green "Bob" Ingersollwas an American lawyer, a Civil War veteran, political leader, and orator of the United States during the Golden Age of Free Thought, noted for his broad range of culture and his defense of agnosticism. He was nicknamed "The Great Agnostic"...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionLawyer
Date of Birth11 August 1833
CountryUnited States of America
religion atheism church
Every church that has a standard higher than human welfare is dangerous.
prayer spring thinking
It may be that ministers really think that their prayers do good, and it may be that frogs imagine that their croaking brings spring.
air eyes liberty light love lungs soul
What light is to the eyes -- what air is to the lungs -- what love is to the heart, liberty is to the soul of man.
beacon great man torch
A great man is a torch in the darkness, a beacon in superstition's night, an inspiration and a prophecy.
despicable
Nothing is more despicable than to reach fame by crawling, position by cringing.
crowned fair husband king love men regard rights seated wife women
I regard the rights of men and women equal. In Love's fair realm, husband and wife are king and queen, sceptered and crowned alike, and seated on the self-same throne.
discharge fellow god men
If there is any God, there is only one way to please him, and that is by a conscientious discharge of your obligations to your fellow men.
bribe fear gold love men thousand
Fear, prejudice, malice, and the love of approbation bribe a thousand men where gold bribes one.
bitterness generally hide hides neutrality stands unusual
Neutrality is generally used as a mask to hide unusual bitterness. Sometimes it hides what it is - nothing. It always stands for hollowness of head or bitterness of heart, sometimes for both.
barred custom keeping keys locked
Custom is a prison, locked and barred by those who long ago were dust, the keys of which are in the keeping of the dead.
believes education freedom salvation
Freedom believes in education - the salvation of slavery is ignorance.
happiness
Happiness is the legal-tender of the soul. Joy is wealth.
mighty poor voiceless
How poor this world would be without its graves, without the memories of its mighty dead. Only the voiceless speak forever.
cannon carry forgiveness knives love ought shot
A prayer that must have a cannon behind it better never be uttered. Forgiveness ought not to go in partnership with shot and shell. Love need not carry knives and revolvers.