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
spiritual manifestation
I have not the slightest confidence in 'spiritual manifestations.'
men religion civilized
Religion has not civilized man, man has civilized religion.
freedom-of-religion
I am not so much for the freedom of religion as I am for the religion of freedom.
mother honesty chaos
Honesty is the mother of confidence; it unites, combines and solidifies society. Dishonesty is disintegration; it destroys confidence; it brings social chaos. . . .
book brain faults
If the Bible and my brain are both the work of the same infinite God, whose fault is it that the book and my brain do not agree?
men rights justice
Infidels in all ages have battled for the rights of man, and have at all times been the fearless advocates of liberty and justice.
country struggle men
Now the struggle for life is so sharp, competition is so severe, that few men can succeed who carry a useless burden. The businessmen of our country are compelled to lead temperate lives, otherwise their credit is gone.
religion doubt atheism
Too much doubt is better than too much credulity.
mother truth ambition
Truth is the mother of joy. Truth civilizes, ennobles and purifies. The grandest ambition that can enter the soul is to know the truth.
people
To be like other people is to be unlike ourselves.
ignorant horizon honest
We can be as honest as we are ignorant. If we are, when asked what is beyond the horizon of the known, we must say that we do not know.
forgiveness god forgive-me
If I owe Smith ten dollars and God forgives me, that doesn't pay Smith.
love-yourself love-you deny
Do right, not to deny yourself but because you love yourself and because you love others.
believe hard-work enemy
I do not believe in loving enemies; I have pretty hard work to love my friends.