Since this is an agnostic website, I thought it would be appropriate to ask the community what their thoughts are about the "Great Agnostic" Robert Green Ingersoll. I've read quite a bit of his work and always am inspired by his words. I try to read his "Agnostic's Creed" as often as I can to lighten up my day.
So everyone, what are your thoughts? Anything in particular that you've read of his that has inspired you?
I did read and enjoy: "The Great Agnostic: Robert Ingersoll and American Freethought" by Susan Jacoby.
I enjoyed it also.
The Golden Age of Freethought:
[en.wikipedia.org]
He paid the price: [en.wikipedia.org]
Thanks for this heads-up. "Agnostic's Creed" is not mentioned in the Wiki. Is it part of one of the collections?
I'm not sure where I found it. I'll post it on here for you to see.
Maybe I shouldn't have called it the Agnostic's Creed". It would have been better to call it the Creed of Robert G. Ingersoll.
Here it is:
"To love justice, to long for the right, to love mercy, to pity the suffering, to assist the weak, to forget wrongs and remember benefits,
to love the truth, to be sincere, to utter honest words, to love liberty, to wage relentless war against slavery in all its forms,
to love wife and child and friend, to make a happy home, to love the beautiful in art, in nature, to cultivate the mind, to be familiar with the mighty thoughts that genius has expressed,
the noble deeds of all the world, to cultivate courage and cheerfulness, to make others happy, to fill life with the splendor of generous acts, the warmth of loving words,
to discard error, to destroy prejudice, to receive new truths with gladness,
to cultivate hope, to see the calm beyond the storm, the dawn beyond the night, to do the best that can be done and then to be resigned --
this is the religion of reason, the creed of science. This satisfies the heart and brain."
There is so much power in these words. Knowing a little bit about him personally through biographies about him as well as his own writings, I can see him living this creed in his life.
I have not read anything By this author. Are his works available as e-books?
He is credited with one of my all-time favorite quotes: "Why should I allow that same god to tell me how to raise my children, who had to drown his own?"
I'm not sure they are available as e-books. But like irascible said, you can find plenty of his work online and I have found it and printed it out.