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The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll

Book by Robert Green Ingersoll · 50 quotes · Men, Atheism, Ifs

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The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll Quotes

“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?”

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“I love to think of the whole universe together as one eternal fact. I love to think that everything is alive; that crystallization is itself a step toward joy. I love to think that when a bud bursts into blossom: it feels a thrill. I love to have the universe full of feeling and full of joy, and not full of simple dead, inert matter, managed by an old bachelor for all eternity.”

ThinkingFeelsMatterWholeFactsFeelingsTogetherJoyUniverseSimpleStepsAliveEternalEternityThrillBudBachelorsTogether As One
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“All religious systems enslave the mind. Certain things are demanded-certain things must be believed-certain things must be done-and the man who becomes the subject or servant of this superstition must give up all idea of indivuality or hope of intellectual growth or progress.”

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“In my judgment, the Deists were all successfully answered. The god of nature is certainly as bad as the God of the Old Testament. It is only when we discard the idea of a deity, the idea of cruelty or goodness in nature, that we are able ever to bear with patience the ills of life. I feel that I am neither a favorite nor a victim. Nature neither loves nor hates me.”

FeelsIdeasAbleHateBearsGoodnessJudgmentVictimCrueltyTestamentDeitiesOld TestamentHate MeDeist
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“Of course, ministers look upon theaters as rival attractions, and most of their hatred is born of business views. They think people ought to be driven to church by having all other places closed. In my judgment the theater has done good, while the church has done harm. The drama never has insisted upon burning anybody. Persecution is not born of the stage.”

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“Every church pretends to have found the exact truth. This is the end of progress. Why pursue that which you have? Why investigate when you know? 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 bullying the enlightened Present. The ignorant are not satisfied with what can be demonstrated. Science is too slow for them, and so they invent creeds. They demand completeness. A sublime segment, a grand fragment, are of no value to them. They demand the complete circle... the entire structure.”

KnowsEndsRunningPastValuesHumanityUniverseFoundWaterChurchProgressRocksCryDemandStructureCirclesSatisfiedIgnorantPursueEnlightenedBullyingCreedsSublimeFragmentsHaltCompletenessRunning Water
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“I want no heaven for which I must give my reason; no happiness in exchange for my liberty, and no immortality that demands the surrender of my individuality. Better rot in the windowless tomb, to which there is no door but the red mouth of the pallid worm, than to wear the jeweled collar of a god.”

WantGivingReasonHeavenLibertyDoorsDemandMouthsRedIndividualitySurrenderImmortalityWormsTombsCollars
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“All laws for the purpose of making man worship God, are born of the same spirit that kindled the fires of the auto da fe, and lovingly built the dungeons of the Inquisition. All laws defining and punishing blasphemy - making it a crime to give your honest ideas about the Bible, or to laugh at the ignorance of the ancient Jews, or to enjoy yourself on the Sabbath, or to give your opinion of Jehovah, were passed by impudent bigots, and should be at once repealed by honest men. An infinite God ought to be able to protect himself, without going in partnership with State Legislatures.”

MenGivingShouldIdeasStatesAbleLawSpiritPurposeEnjoyBornOpinionLaughingFireHonestCrimeIgnoranceOughtProtectWorshipBuiltInfiniteAncientJewPartnershipDefiningLegislatureHonest ManSabbathBlasphemyJehovahWorship GodBigotsInquisitionDungeonsEnjoy YourselfState Legislatures
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“The greatest test of courage on earth is to bear defeat without losing heart.”

InspirationalHeartEarthSportsCouragePositiveFlowerBearsLosingTestsBraveryPerseveranceDefeatDefeatedHave CourageBe CourageousWinning And LosingFear And CourageFear CourageBravery And CourageCourage StrengthInspirational CourageBravery And FearVictory And DefeatConfidence And CourageWinning LosingLeadership CourageVictory DefeatCourage And LeadershipShort CourageGrace Under PressurePersonal CourageLost Heart
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“In the night of death, hope sees a star, and listening love can hear the rustle of a wing.”

NightStarsGriefEmotionalListeningSorrowSadWingsSympathyDeath Of A Loved OneBereavementGrief And HealingCondolencesHeadstoneGravestoneMy SympathyLoss Of A Loved OneGrief LossInspirational DeathWords Of SympathySympathy CondolencesSympathy For LossDeath ComfortGrief And MourningCondolences And SympathyDeath SympathyLoss Loved One InspirationalDealing With DeathCondolence MessageGrief HealingDeath CondolencesHelp With GriefWords Of CondolenceGrief And HopeInspirational CondolencesInspirational SympathyLost Loved OnesSympathy MessagesInspirational MourningMourning Loss Loved OneFuneral CondolencesFuneral SympathyDeath RemembranceLoved One DyingDeath MemorialInspirational BereavementMourning LossFamous CondolenceSympathy And LoveDeath And MourningDeath MourningHealing From LossGrief And Loss InspirationalMourning A LossMourning DeathMemorial For Loved OneHope Death
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“Life is a narrow vale between the cold and barren peaks of two eternities. We strive in vain to look beyond the heights. We cry aloud-and the only answer is the echo of our wailing cry. From the voiceless lips of the unreplying dead there comes no word. But in the night of Death Hope sees a star and listening Love can hear the rustling of a wing.”

LooksTwoLife IsNightStarsAnswersCryListeningColdEternityWingsStriveLipsVainHeightEchoesBarrenVoicelessWailing
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“If upon this earth we ever have a glimpse of heaven,it is when we pass a home in winter, at night,and through the windows, the curtains drawn aside,we see the family about the pleasant hearth; the old lady knitting; the cat playing with the yarn;the children wishing they had as many dolls or dollars or knivesor somethings, as there are sparks going out to join the roaring blast;the father reading and smoking, and the clouds rising like incense from the altar of domestic joy.I never passed such a house without feeling thatI had received a benediction.”

IfsChildrenFeelingsHomeEarthJoyNightReadingFatherHouseHeavenWishCatWindowDollarsWinterCloudsPleasantRisingSmokingSparksGoing OutGlimpseCurtainsAltarsDollsBlastOld LadyRoaringKnittingIncenseYarnBenediction
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