Lectures of Col. Robert Green Ingersoll

1. Gods Reflect Their Creators: Humanizing the Divine

An Honest God is the Noblest Work of Man.

Mirrored Deities. Ingersoll argues that gods are not divine entities but rather reflections of the societies that create them. Each culture fashions its deities in its own image, attributing to them the same values, prejudices, and limitations that it possesses. This humanization of the divine reveals more about the creators than any supposed higher power.

• Gods are patriotic, favoring their own nations.
• They demand praise, flattery, and worship.
• They are often pleased with sacrifice and bloodshed.
• They are ignorant of basic scientific facts.

Grotesque Creations. The variety of gods across cultures, with their bizarre forms and behaviors, underscores their human origin. Some have multiple heads or arms, others transform into animals, and many are depicted as vengeful, lustful, and ignorant. This diversity highlights the absurdity of attributing divine qualities to these manufactured deities.

Partiality and Ignorance. These gods are not only flawed but also partial, favoring their creators and often assisting them in acts of violence and oppression. They are depicted as ignorant of basic scientific facts, such as the shape of the earth, and demand obedience based on fear rather than reason. This portrayal challenges the notion of a perfect, all-knowing deity.

2. The Bible: A Human, Not Divine, Creation

The book, called the Bible, is filled with passages equally horrible, unjust and atrocious.

Human Invention. Ingersoll asserts that the Bible is a purely human creation, filled with barbarities, injustices, and contradictions. He argues that there is no evidence to prove its divine inspiration, and that its contents are inconsistent with the idea of an infinitely wise, good, and pure author.

• The Bible contains laws of war that are "perfectly infamous."
• It demands the butchery of unbelievers.
• It is filled with passages that are "horrible, unjust and atrocious."

Mental Slavery. The belief in the Bible's infallibility leads to mental slavery, preventing people from using their reason and intelligence. Ingersoll argues that it is absurd to suppose that a god would make it a crime to use the very intelligence he gave to understand his communication.

Civilization's Source. He contends that the civilization of the 19th century is not the child of faith but of unbelief, the result of free thought. He urges readers to approach the Bible as they would any other book, without reverence or fear, to see its true nature.

3. Devils: Often More Humane Than Gods

In nearly all the theologies, mythologies and religions, the devils have been much more humane and merciful than the gods.

Fallen Gods. Devils are often portrayed as disgraced and fallen gods, sometimes rebels against the established order. Interestingly, they are frequently depicted as more compassionate and merciful than the gods themselves.

• Devils never order the killing of children or the ripping open of pregnant women.
• They are not charged with sending pestilences or famines.
• They often sympathize with humanity.

The Serpent as a Hero. Ingersoll reinterprets the serpent in Genesis as a hero, the first schoolmaster, the first advocate of learning, and the first enemy of ignorance. He argues that the serpent's promise was fulfilled, as Adam and Eve did not die and became as gods, knowing good and evil.

God's Cruelty. He contrasts the actions of devils with those attributed to gods, such as drowning the world or ordering the slaughter of entire populations. These acts of cruelty, often attributed to the "good" gods, highlight the absurdity of worshiping such beings.

4. The Absurdity of Divine Intervention and Miracles

No miracle ever was performed, and no sane man ever thought he had performed one.

Violation of Nature. Miracles, by definition, are violations of the laws of nature, and therefore, falsehoods. Ingersoll argues that no one has ever substantiated a truth with a miracle, and that truth scorns the assistance of such events.

• Miracles are used to establish claims to divine origin.
• They are a certificate of divinity.
• They are necessary for the credulity of the savage.

Special Providence. The idea of special providence, where a deity interferes in the affairs of the world, is also challenged. Ingersoll points out the absurdity of a god who would stop the sun, turn sticks into snakes, or cause water to stand up like a wall.

Chain of Cause and Effect. He emphasizes the unbroken chain of cause and effect, arguing that this chain proves the absence of any power superior to nature. He states that the only way to demonstrate the existence of such a power is to break this continuity, which has never been done.

5. Reason and Science: The Path to Progress

The civilization of this century is not the child of faith, but of unbelief—the result of free thought.

Mental Freedom. Ingersoll asserts that mental freedom is essential for progress. He argues that as long as people believe the Bible to be infallible, that book is their master. He contends that civilization is the result of free thought, not faith.

• The church has always been the enemy of science.
• Faith has been a hater of demonstration.
• Hypocrisy has been sincere only in its dread of truth.

Science as a Lever. He emphasizes that science is the only lever capable of raising mankind. He contrasts the world before and after the dawn of science, highlighting the improvements in agriculture, commerce, and the understanding of the universe.

The Power of Investigation. He argues that the intellectual advancement of man depends on how often he can exchange an old superstition for a new truth. He celebrates the courage of thinkers, doubters, and investigators who have braved the fury of superstition for the sake of truth.

6. The Futility of Prayer and the Power of Self-Reliance

Man should cease to expect aid from on high. By this time he should know that heaven has no ear to hear, and no hand to help.

Ineffective Supplication. Ingersoll argues that prayer is based on the false idea that some power can and will change the order of the universe. He points out the absurdity of praying for things that can be achieved through human effort, such as health, food, or protection from the elements.

• Prayer rests on the idea that some power will change the order of the universe.
• It is a vain effort to please an imaginary being.
• It is inconsistent with personal effort.

Self-Reliance. He emphasizes the importance of self-reliance, stating that man must learn to depend on himself. He argues that if abuses are to be destroyed, man must destroy them; if slaves are to be freed, man must free them; and if new truths are to be discovered, man must discover them.

Man as the Highest Intelligence. He asserts that man is the highest intelligence, and that nature, without passion or intention, forms, transforms, and retransforms forever. He concludes that only through man does nature take cognizance of the good, the true, and the beautiful.

7. The Church: A History of Oppression and Intolerance

During that frightful period known as the "Dark Ages," Faith reigned, with scarcely a rebellious subject.

Enemy of Progress. Ingersoll portrays the church as a relentless enemy of progress, liberty, and justice. He argues that it has always sought to suppress thought, persecute dissenters, and maintain its power through fear and ignorance.

• The church has built cathedrals for God and dungeons for men.
• It has peopled the clouds with angels and the earth with slaves.
• It has invented instruments of torture and persecuted those who dared to think.

Persecution of Heretics. He details the horrific persecution of heretics throughout history, including the use of torture, burning, and other forms of violence. He emphasizes that the church has always been more concerned with maintaining its power than with promoting truth or justice.

Mental Slavery. He argues that the church has always sought to enslave the human mind, preventing people from thinking for themselves and forcing them to accept its dogmas without question. He contends that the church has been the great robber, rifling not only the pockets but the brains of the world.

8. Humboldt: Champion of Law and Reason

The Universe is Governed by Law.

Scientific Discoverer. Ingersoll celebrates Humboldt as a great scientific discoverer and demonstrator of the truth that the universe is governed by law. He emphasizes that Humboldt's fame rests not so much on his discoveries as on his vast and splendid generalizations.

• Humboldt dedicated his life to demonstrating that the universe is governed by law.
• He believed that the source of man's unhappiness is his ignorance of nature.
• He sought to comprehend the phenomena of physical objects in their general connection.

Rejection of Superstition. Humboldt's work was a direct challenge to superstition and the idea of special providence. He sought to establish the fact that all phenomena, whether insignificant or grand, exist in accordance with inexorable law.

Influence of His Time. Ingersoll notes that Humboldt was a product of his time, surrounded by great thinkers and philosophers who shared his belief in the power of reason and the importance of scientific investigation. He was a companion of Schiller, Goethe, Kant, and many others.

9. Thomas Paine: Architect of Liberty and Reason

With his Name Left Out, the History of Liberty cannot be Written.

Champion of Independence. Ingersoll hails Thomas Paine as a champion of liberty and a key figure in the American Revolution. He credits Paine's "Common Sense" with being the first argument for separation from Great Britain and the first blow for a republic.

• Paine was the first to perceive the destiny of the New World.
• He was the best political writer that ever lived.
• He gave every energy of his soul to keep the spirit of independence alive.

Advocate for Human Rights. Paine's "Rights of Man" is praised as a work of political wisdom, filled with unanswerable logic and a deep understanding of human nature. Ingersoll highlights Paine's courage in voting against the death of the king, even at the risk of his own life.

Attacks on Superstition. Ingersoll also acknowledges Paine's attacks on the church in "The Age of Reason," which led to his vilification by the religious world. He argues that Paine's work did more to undermine the power of the Protestant Church than any other book of its time.

10. Individuality: The Foundation of Progress

His Soul was like a Star and Dwelt Apart.

Disobedience as Progress. Ingersoll argues that disobedience is one of the conditions of progress, and that the world has advanced in defiance of advice. He celebrates those who have had the courage to stand by their own convictions and follow where their reason leads.

• Universal obedience is universal stagnation.
• The church hates a thinker.
• The spirit of worship is the spirit of tyranny.

Mental Freedom. He emphasizes the importance of mental freedom, stating that every mind should be true to itself and should think, investigate, and conclude for itself. He argues that mental slavery is mental death, and that every man who has given up his intellectual freedom is the living coffin of his dead soul.

Rejection of Conformity. He urges people to reject servile imitation and to be true to their own individuality. He argues that the poorest bargain a human being can make is to give up his individuality for what is called respectability.

11. Heresy: The Seed of Truth and Freedom

Liberty, a Word without which all other Words are Vain.

Minority Beliefs. Ingersoll defines heresy as what the minority believes, the name given by the powerful to the doctrine of the weak. He argues that heresy is essential for progress, as it challenges the status quo and forces people to think for themselves.

• Without heresy there could have been no progress.
• The church has always persecuted heretics to the extent of its power.
• Toleration has increased only when and where the power of the church has diminished.

The Church's Intolerance. He details the history of the church's persecution of heretics, including the use of torture, burning, and other forms of violence. He emphasizes that the church has always been more concerned with maintaining its power than with promoting truth or justice.

Castalio's Courage. He celebrates Castalio as the first of the reformers to declare the innocence of honest error, and contrasts his noble spirit with the cruelty and intolerance of John Calvin. He argues that every assertion of individual independence has been a step toward infidelity.

12. Ghosts: The Phantoms of Fear and Superstition

Let them cover their eyeless sockets with their fleshless hands and fade forever from the imagination of men.

Supernatural Explanations. Ingersoll describes how, for ages, people have attributed all phenomena to the actions of ghosts, both good and bad. He argues that this belief was born of cowardice and malignity, and that it has led to countless horrors and injustices.

• Ghosts were believed to control all aspects of life.
• They were thought to be appeased by sacrifices, prayer, and other rituals.
• They were the source of all knowledge and authority.

The Power of Fear. He emphasizes that fear paralyzes the brain, while courage is the foundation of progress. He argues that fear believes in witchcraft, devils, and ghosts, while courage is the foundation of science.

The Triumph of Reason. He celebrates the progress that has been made through science and reason, which have gradually dispelled the power of superstition and the fear of ghosts. He urges people to rely on themselves and to reject the tyranny of the supernatural.

Last updated: January 17, 2025