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Charlotte Perkins Gilman Quotes

Novelist

Charlotte Perkins Gilman was an American novelist, social reformer, and feminist. Her works explored the status of women in society, family, and career, and had a profound impact on women's literature and social movements.

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Famous Charlotte Perkins Gilman Quotes

“The stony-minded orthodox were right in fearing the first movement of new knowledge and free thought. It has gone on, and will go on, irresistibly, until some day we shall have no respect for an alleged "truth" which cannot stand the full blaze of knowledge, the full force of active thought.”

Firsts Force Gone Atheism Movement Goes On Positive Atheism Active Orthodox No Respect Free Thought New Knowledge

Book:The Living of Charlotte Perkins Gilman: An Autobiography

Source: The Living of Charlotte Perkins Gilman: An Autobiography

“The soaring, imaginative minds of men, constructing lofty, shimmering piles of abstract thought, and taking as their postulate a revelation from God, gaveus relgions which coule not possible maintained without belief and obedience: ... we find them most permanent and changeless among people who make the least effort to swquare their beliefs with the laws of life.”

People Men Mind Law Belief Effort Atheism Positive Atheism Obedience Permanent Abstract Revelations Soar Imaginative Lofty Laws Of Life

Author:Charlotte Perkins Gilman

“If we once admit that our life is here for the purpose of race-improvement, then we question any religion which does not improve the race, or the main force of which evaporates, as it were, directing our best efforts toward the sky.... Improvement in the human race is not accomplished by extracting any number of souls and placing them in heaven, or elsewhere. It must be established on earth, either through achievement in social service, or through better children.”

“Let us inquire what glory there was in an omnipotent being torturing forever a puny little creature who could in no way defend himself? Would it be to the glory of a man to fry ants?”

Men Way Littles Forever Atheism Creatures Glory Positive Atheism Ants Omnipotent

Author:Charlotte Perkins Gilman

“One religion after another has accepted and perpetuated man's original mistake in making a private servant of the mother of the race.”

Men Mother Race Mistake Atheism Originals Positive Atheism Accepted Servant

Book:His Religion and Hers: A Study of the Faith of Our Fathers and the Work of Our Mothers

Source: His Religion and Hers: A Study of the Faith of Our Fathers and the Work of Our Mothers

“A normal feminine influence in recasting our religious assumptions will do more than any other one thing to improve the world.”

World Religious One Thing Atheism Influence Normal Positive Atheism Assumption Feminine

Book:His Religion and Hers: A Study of the Faith of Our Fathers and the Work of Our Mothers

Source: His Religion and Hers: A Study of the Faith of Our Fathers and the Work of Our Mothers

“What would have been the effect upon religion if it had come to us through the minds of women?”

Ifs Mind Has Beens Atheism Effects Positive Atheism

Book:Herland and Related Writings

Source: Herland and Related Writings

“We grovel and "worship" and pray to God to do what we ourselves ought to have done a thousand years ago, and can do now, as soon as we choose.”

Years Done Can Do Atheism Ought Praying Thousand Worship Years Ago Positive Atheism Thousand Years Praying To God

Book:His Religion and Hers: A Study of the Faith of Our Fathers and the Work of Our Mothers

Source: His Religion and Hers: A Study of the Faith of Our Fathers and the Work of Our Mothers

“The peculiarity of all death-based religions is that their subject-matter is entirely outside of facts. Men could think and think, talk and argue, advance, deny, assert, and controversy, and write innumerable books, without being hampered at any time by any fact.”

Thinking Men Writing Book Matter Facts Atheism Subjects Deny Arguing Controversy Subject Matter

Author:Charlotte Perkins Gilman

“But we were made to believe and not allowed to think. We were told to obey, rather than to experiment and investigate.”

Thinking Believe Made Atheism Experiments

Book:His Religion and Hers: A Study of the Faith of Our Fathers and the Work of Our Mothers

Source: His Religion and Hers: A Study of the Faith of Our Fathers and the Work of Our Mothers

“There's heaven. There it is. What more do we mean? People, free to come together, and in beauty - for growth.”

People Mean Together Heaven Growth Atheism Positive Atheism Mean People

Book:The Living of Charlotte Perkins Gilman - An Autobiography

Source: The Living of Charlotte Perkins Gilman - An Autobiography