Robert Green Ingersoll, “The Great Agnostic”
@robertingersoll.bsky.social
An account dedicated to “Ingersollia” - political, scientific, humanist, agnostic, atheist, artistic, and poetic gems of thought from one of America’s greatest humans.
Bio: https://freethought-trail.org/profiles/profile:ingersoll-robert-green/
Bio: https://freethought-trail.org/profiles/profile:ingersoll-robert-green/
“Music was born of love. Possibly some mother looking into the eyes of her babe gave the first melody to the enraptured air.”
November 23, 2025 at 5:00 AM
“Music was born of love. Possibly some mother looking into the eyes of her babe gave the first melody to the enraptured air.”
“There must be some way for the rich and the poor to get acquainted.”
November 7, 2025 at 2:30 PM
“There must be some way for the rich and the poor to get acquainted.”
“The astronomers and chemists have forged no chains, built no dungeons. The geologists have invented no instruments of torture. The philosophers have not demonstrated the truth of their theories by burning their neighbors. The great infidels, the thinkers, have lived for the good of man.”
November 4, 2025 at 7:25 PM
“The astronomers and chemists have forged no chains, built no dungeons. The geologists have invented no instruments of torture. The philosophers have not demonstrated the truth of their theories by burning their neighbors. The great infidels, the thinkers, have lived for the good of man.”
“Happiness is the only good, Reason the only torch, Justice the only worship, Humanity the only religion, and Love the only priest.”
October 22, 2025 at 12:46 AM
“Happiness is the only good, Reason the only torch, Justice the only worship, Humanity the only religion, and Love the only priest.”
“The hands that help are holier than the lips that pray.”
August 22, 2025 at 8:38 PM
“The hands that help are holier than the lips that pray.”
“The more a man knows, the more willing he is to learn - the less a man knows, the more positive he is that he knows everything.”
July 29, 2025 at 2:14 AM
“The more a man knows, the more willing he is to learn - the less a man knows, the more positive he is that he knows everything.”
“Suppose the Church could control the world today, we would go back to chaos and old night. Philosophy would be branded as infamous; Science would again press its pale and thoughtful face against the prison bars, and round the limbs of liberty would climb the bigot's flame."
(Individuality, 1878)
(Individuality, 1878)
July 25, 2025 at 3:05 AM
“Suppose the Church could control the world today, we would go back to chaos and old night. Philosophy would be branded as infamous; Science would again press its pale and thoughtful face against the prison bars, and round the limbs of liberty would climb the bigot's flame."
(Individuality, 1878)
(Individuality, 1878)
Ingersoll passed away on this day in 1899. He’d woken up in the middle of the night with chest pain - tossed and turned the rest of the night. His last words to his family were “I am better now.” He leaned his head back and passed away.
He was 66.
He was 66.
July 22, 2025 at 2:44 AM
Ingersoll passed away on this day in 1899. He’d woken up in the middle of the night with chest pain - tossed and turned the rest of the night. His last words to his family were “I am better now.” He leaned his head back and passed away.
He was 66.
He was 66.
“The Cemetary” from Prose-Poems and Selections from the Writings and Sayings of Robert G. Ingersoll (C. P. Farrell, 1884).
July 22, 2025 at 12:42 AM
“The Cemetary” from Prose-Poems and Selections from the Writings and Sayings of Robert G. Ingersoll (C. P. Farrell, 1884).
from “The Liberty of Man, Woman, and Child”, 1878.
July 17, 2025 at 9:20 PM
from “The Liberty of Man, Woman, and Child”, 1878.
“Anger is a wind which blows out the lamp of the mind.”
Artwork by Arthur Szyck, Coronet magazine, 1946
Artwork by Arthur Szyck, Coronet magazine, 1946
July 15, 2025 at 1:05 AM
“Anger is a wind which blows out the lamp of the mind.”
Artwork by Arthur Szyck, Coronet magazine, 1946
Artwork by Arthur Szyck, Coronet magazine, 1946
“I am in favor of the taxation of all church property. If that property belongs to God, he is able to pay the tax. If we exempt anything, let us exempt the home of the widow and orphan.“
- Orthodoxy, 1885
- Orthodoxy, 1885
July 13, 2025 at 1:49 PM
“I am in favor of the taxation of all church property. If that property belongs to God, he is able to pay the tax. If we exempt anything, let us exempt the home of the widow and orphan.“
- Orthodoxy, 1885
- Orthodoxy, 1885
Reposted by Robert Green Ingersoll, “The Great Agnostic”
(Love and Freedom in a Cabin)
“I would rather go to the forest far away and build me a little cabin - build it myself and daub it with mud, and live there with my wife and family - and…
“I would rather go to the forest far away and build me a little cabin - build it myself and daub it with mud, and live there with my wife and family - and…
July 11, 2025 at 1:45 AM
(Love and Freedom in a Cabin)
“I would rather go to the forest far away and build me a little cabin - build it myself and daub it with mud, and live there with my wife and family - and…
“I would rather go to the forest far away and build me a little cabin - build it myself and daub it with mud, and live there with my wife and family - and…
“When I became convinced that the Universe is natural-that all the ghosts and gods are myths, there entered into my brain, into my soul, into every drop of my blood, the sense, the feeling, the joy of freedom. For the first time, I was free.
I stood erect and fearlessly,
joyously, faced all worlds.”
I stood erect and fearlessly,
joyously, faced all worlds.”
July 10, 2025 at 1:14 AM
“When I became convinced that the Universe is natural-that all the ghosts and gods are myths, there entered into my brain, into my soul, into every drop of my blood, the sense, the feeling, the joy of freedom. For the first time, I was free.
I stood erect and fearlessly,
joyously, faced all worlds.”
I stood erect and fearlessly,
joyously, faced all worlds.”
“[Women] have ceased to be the prisoners of society - the satisfied serfs of husbands or the echoes of priests. They have lacked - not mind - but opportunity.”
Part of Ingersoll’s introduction to Helen H Gardener’s “Men, Women, and Gods, and Other Lectures” (The Truth Seeker Company, 1885).
Part of Ingersoll’s introduction to Helen H Gardener’s “Men, Women, and Gods, and Other Lectures” (The Truth Seeker Company, 1885).
July 9, 2025 at 12:42 AM
“[Women] have ceased to be the prisoners of society - the satisfied serfs of husbands or the echoes of priests. They have lacked - not mind - but opportunity.”
Part of Ingersoll’s introduction to Helen H Gardener’s “Men, Women, and Gods, and Other Lectures” (The Truth Seeker Company, 1885).
Part of Ingersoll’s introduction to Helen H Gardener’s “Men, Women, and Gods, and Other Lectures” (The Truth Seeker Company, 1885).
“Give me the storm and tempest of thought and action, rather than the dead calm of ignorance and faith. Banish me from Eden when you will, but first let me eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge.”
July 8, 2025 at 1:01 AM
“Give me the storm and tempest of thought and action, rather than the dead calm of ignorance and faith. Banish me from Eden when you will, but first let me eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge.”
“Words to Live By” aka “Ingersoll’s Creed”. Quotation printed in “The Little Book of Humanism: Universal Lessons on Finding Purpose, Meaning and Joy” (2020, Piatkus) by @andrewcopson.bsky.social and @profaliceroberts.bsky.social
July 6, 2025 at 10:11 PM
“Words to Live By” aka “Ingersoll’s Creed”. Quotation printed in “The Little Book of Humanism: Universal Lessons on Finding Purpose, Meaning and Joy” (2020, Piatkus) by @andrewcopson.bsky.social and @profaliceroberts.bsky.social
Ingersoll’s ode to Liberty (Myth and Miracle, 1897):
“O Liberty, thou art the god of my idolatry! Thou art the only deity that hateth bended knees. In thy vast and unwalled temple, beneath the roofless dome, star gemmed and luminous with suns, thy worshipers stand erect!
“O Liberty, thou art the god of my idolatry! Thou art the only deity that hateth bended knees. In thy vast and unwalled temple, beneath the roofless dome, star gemmed and luminous with suns, thy worshipers stand erect!
July 6, 2025 at 3:03 AM
Ingersoll’s ode to Liberty (Myth and Miracle, 1897):
“O Liberty, thou art the god of my idolatry! Thou art the only deity that hateth bended knees. In thy vast and unwalled temple, beneath the roofless dome, star gemmed and luminous with suns, thy worshipers stand erect!
“O Liberty, thou art the god of my idolatry! Thou art the only deity that hateth bended knees. In thy vast and unwalled temple, beneath the roofless dome, star gemmed and luminous with suns, thy worshipers stand erect!
Reposted by Robert Green Ingersoll, “The Great Agnostic”
“We rise by lifting others.”
- Robert Green Ingersoll
- Robert Green Ingersoll
July 2, 2025 at 3:21 PM
“We rise by lifting others.”
- Robert Green Ingersoll
- Robert Green Ingersoll