My friend Julian Haydon has created a website dedicated to the great agnostic, Robert G. Ingersoll. The site is set out like a newspaper and is a labour of love. Please check it out – the link is below. To give respect to both men, I will be posting some Ingersoll delights once a month to acquaint people with his genius.
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Robert G. Ingersoll (1833-1899)
(He didn’t.)
BY THIS TIME WE SHOULD KNOW THAT THE REAL BIBLE HAS NOT BEEN WRITTEN.
THE REAL BIBLE IS NOT THE WORK OF INSPIRED MEN, OR PROPHETS, OR APOSTLES, OR EVANGELISTS, OR OF CHRISTS.
EVERY MAN WHO FINDS A FACT, ADDS, AS IT WERE, A WORD TO THIS GREAT BOOK.
IT IS NOT ATTESTED BY PROPHECY, BY MIRACLES, OR SIGNS.
IT MAKES NO APPEAL TO FAITH, TO IGNORANCE, TO CREDULITY OR FEAR.
IT HAS NO PUNISHMENT FOR UNBELIEF, AND NO REWARD FOR HYPOCRISY.
IT APPEALS TO MAN IN THE NAME OF DEMONSTRATION.
IT HAS NOTHING TO CONCEAL.
IT HAS NO FEAR OF BEING READ, OF BEING CONTRADICTED, OF BEING INVESTIGATED AND UNDERSTOOD.
IT DOES NOT PRETEND TO BE HOLY, OR SACRED; IT SIMPLY CLAIMS TO BE TRUE.
IT CHALLENGES THE SCRUTINY OF ALL, AND IMPLORES EVERY READER TO VERIFY EVERY LINE FOR HIMSELF.
IT IS INCAPABLE OF BEING BLASPHEMED.
THIS BOOK APPEALS TO ALL THE SURROUNDINGS OF MAN.
EACH THING THAT EXISTS TESTIFIES TO ITS PERFECTION.
THE EARTH, WITH ITS HEART OF FIRE AND CROWNS OF SNOW;
WITH ITS FORESTS AND PLAINS, ITS ROCKS AND SEAS;
WITH ITS EVERY WAVE AND CLOUD; WITH ITS EVERY LEAF AND BUD AND FLOWER,
CONFIRMS ITS EVERY WORD,
AND THE SOLEMN STARS, SHINING IN THE INFINITE ABYSSES,
ARE THE ETERNAL WITNESSES OF ITS TRUTH.