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
cannot create determines government money paid prospect
The government, in my judgment, cannot create money; the government can give its note, like an individual, and the prospect of its being paid determines its value.
government officers servants simply
Many Americans do not understand that the officers of the government are simply the servants of the people.
entirely government kept purely religious views
Our government should be entirely and purely secular. The religious views of a candidate should be kept entirely out of sight.
collect earth government money taxes
If the government can make money, what on earth does it collect taxes for you and me for? Why don't it make what money it wants, take the taxes out, and give the balance to us?
destroy family good government perfectly tends unit
Every good government is made up of good families. The unit of good government is the family, and anything that tends to destroy the family is perfectly devilish and infamous.
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.
mean rights government
The emblem of equal rights. It means free hands, free lips, self- government, and the sovereignty of the individual.
honesty equality government
There is something wrong in a government where they who do the most have the least. There is something wrong when honesty wears a rag, and rascality a robe; when the loving, the tender, east a crust, while the infamous sit at banquets.
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.
birthday courage blessed
It is a blessed thing that in every age some one has had the individuality enough and courage enough to stand by his own convictions.
men heaven ignorant
The few took advantage of the ignorant many. They pretended to have received messages from the Unknown. They stood between the helpless multitude and the gods. They were the carriers of flags of truce. At the court of heaven they presented the cause of man, and upon the labor of the deceived they lived.
applause enemies gain multitude passions power prejudices
They who gain applause and power by pandering to the mistakes, the prejudices and passions of the multitude are the enemies of liberty.
destroy devise fought genius gift mind time voltaire weapon wonderful
Voltaire made up his mind to destroy the superstition of his time. He fought with every weapon that genius could devise or use. He was the greatest of all caricaturists, and he used this wonderful gift without mercy.
against good matter rascals stand testimony
A good character, like a Gibraltar, will stand against the testimony of all the rascals in the universe, no matter how they assail it. It will stand, and it will stand firmer and grander the more it is assaulted.