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
account against hold hypocrisy men people persist power religious
As long as the people persist in voting for or against men on account of their religious views, just so long will hypocrisy hold place and power.
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.
burdens carried faults frailties george looked
George Eliot tenderly carried in her heart the burdens of our race. She looked through pity's tears upon the faults and frailties of mankind.
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.
hope life
I hope there is another life, for I would like to see how things come out in this world when I am dead.
certain eats idleness man obligation
I think the man who eats the bread of idleness is under a certain obligation to speak well of labor.
age books governing opposed works
In every age in which books have been produced, the governing class, the respectable, have been opposed to the works of real genius.
born buried deeds grave hold men passions prejudices scales weighed
In the grave should be buried the prejudices and passions born of conflict. Charity should hold the scales in which are weighed the deeds of men.
forever form great impossible produce
It always has been and forever will be impossible for slavery or any kind or form of injustice to produce a great poet.
church exactly fathers founded government religion rights secular
Our fathers founded the first secular government that was ever founded in this world. Recollect that. The first secular government - the first government that said every church has exactly the same rights and no more; every religion has the same rights, and no more.
agency call civilized free glory god great mind moral occupied question saved
This great question of predestination and free will, of free moral agency and accountability, and being saved by the grace of God, and damned for the glory of God, have occupied the mind of what we call the civilized world for many centuries.
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.