This may be something of a "cheap" post. I found this Robert Ingersoll selection and simply wanted to share it. I thought this may be the best way to accomplish that for now.
“When the great ship containing the hopes and aspirations of the world, when the great ship freighted with mankind goes down in the night of death, chaos and disaster, I am willing to go down with the ship. I will not be guilty of the ineffable meanness of paddling away in some orthodox canoe. I will go down with the ship, with those who love me, and with those whom I have loved. If there is a God who will damn his children forever, I would rather go to hell than to go to heaven and keep the society of such an infamous tyrant. I make my choice now. I despise that doctrine. It has covered the cheeks of this world with tears. It has polluted the hearts of children, and poisoned the imaginations of men. It has been a constant pain, a perpetual terror to every good man and woman and child. It has filled the good with horror and with fear; but it has had no effect upon the infamous and base. It has wrung the hearts of the tender; it has furrowed the cheeks of the good. This doctrine never should be preached again. What right have you, sir, Mr. clergyman, you, minister of the gospel, to stand at the portals of the tomb, at the vestibule of eternity, and fill the future with horror and with fear? I do not believe this doctrine: neither do you. If you did, you could not sleep one moment. Any man who believes it, and has within his breast a decent, throbbing heart, will go insane. A man who believes that doctrine and does not go insane has the heart of a snake and the conscience of a hyena.”
-- Robert G. Ingersoll, The Liberty of Man, Woman and Child
I am forced to agree with Mr, Ingersoll. To worship, even give constant praise a deity or
super being of some sort who is as fickle, sadistic, capricious, and just plain malevolent as that described in the scriptures makes no sense to me. A being who claims to love you but demands you fear him, all the while demanding constant praise and adoration from 'his children' and threatens his "children" with hellfire and brimstone for eternity if they don't love him back? Isn't that the kind of "love" a manipulative, abusive (usually male) partner demands from his terrified spouse?
Robert Green "Bob" Ingersoll was an American writer and orator during the Golden Age of Free Thought, who campaigned in defense of agnosticism. He was nicknamed "The Great Agnostic". He was born and died long before me, but his writings have been some of the clearest inspiration for me for many years. I don't know about the 'Golden Age of Free Thought' -- I was apparently born too late for that one and too early for the one I hope is coming. We are surely not in such an age now.
When that great ship goes down, I too will stay with that ship. Or even as Billy Joel put, "I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints." The 'sinners' not only have more fun, they have more compassion and empathy for their fellow beings.
"It is a thousand times better to have common sense without education than to have education without common sense." and "Give to every human being every right that you claim for yourself." are two other of his quotes that have helped me through some rough patches in life.
“When the great ship containing the hopes and aspirations of the world, when the great ship freighted with mankind goes down in the night of death, chaos and disaster, I am willing to go down with the ship. I will not be guilty of the ineffable meanness of paddling away in some orthodox canoe. I will go down with the ship, with those who love me, and with those whom I have loved. If there is a God who will damn his children forever, I would rather go to hell than to go to heaven and keep the society of such an infamous tyrant. I make my choice now. I despise that doctrine. It has covered the cheeks of this world with tears. It has polluted the hearts of children, and poisoned the imaginations of men. It has been a constant pain, a perpetual terror to every good man and woman and child. It has filled the good with horror and with fear; but it has had no effect upon the infamous and base. It has wrung the hearts of the tender; it has furrowed the cheeks of the good. This doctrine never should be preached again. What right have you, sir, Mr. clergyman, you, minister of the gospel, to stand at the portals of the tomb, at the vestibule of eternity, and fill the future with horror and with fear? I do not believe this doctrine: neither do you. If you did, you could not sleep one moment. Any man who believes it, and has within his breast a decent, throbbing heart, will go insane. A man who believes that doctrine and does not go insane has the heart of a snake and the conscience of a hyena.”
-- Robert G. Ingersoll, The Liberty of Man, Woman and Child
I am forced to agree with Mr, Ingersoll. To worship, even give constant praise a deity or
Robert Green "Bob" Ingersoll was an American writer and orator during the Golden Age of Free Thought, who campaigned in defense of agnosticism. He was nicknamed "The Great Agnostic". He was born and died long before me, but his writings have been some of the clearest inspiration for me for many years. I don't know about the 'Golden Age of Free Thought' -- I was apparently born too late for that one and too early for the one I hope is coming. We are surely not in such an age now.
When that great ship goes down, I too will stay with that ship. Or even as Billy Joel put, "I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints." The 'sinners' not only have more fun, they have more compassion and empathy for their fellow beings.
"It is a thousand times better to have common sense without education than to have education without common sense." and "Give to every human being every right that you claim for yourself." are two other of his quotes that have helped me through some rough patches in life.
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