Lectures of Col. R. G. Ingersoll - LatestIngersoll, Robert Green
Religion
Lectures of Col. R. G. Ingersoll - Latest
Ingersoll, Robert Green
Free thought
Even if it is true, I do not care; I had rather live in a world full of
trouble with the woman I love than in heaven with nobody but men.
Nearly every religion accounts for all the trouble we have ever had by
the crime of woman. I recollect one book where I read an account of
what is called the creation--I am not giving the exact words, I will
give the substance of it. The supreme being thought best to make a
world and one man--never thought about making a woman at that time;
making a woman was a second thought, and I am free to admit that second
thoughts as a rule are best. He made this world and one man, and put
this man in a park, or garden, or public square, or whatever you might
call it, to dress and keep it. The man had nothing to do. He moped
around there as though he was waiting for a train. And the supreme
being noticed that he got lonesome--I am glad He did! It occurred to
Him that he would make a companion, and having made the world and one
man out of nothing, and having used up all the nothing, He had to take
a part of the man to start the woman with--I am not giving the exact
language, neither do I say this story is true. I do not know. I would
not want to deceive anybody.
So sleep fell upon this man, and they took from his side a rib--the
French would call it a cutlet. And out of that they made a woman, and
taking into consideration the amount and quality of the raw material
used, I look upon it as the most successful job ever accomplished in
this world. I am giving just a rough outline of this story. After He
got the woman done she was brought to the man--not to see how she liked
him, but to see how he liked her. He liked her and they went to
keeping house. Before she was made there was really nothing to do;
there was no news, no politics, no religion, not even civil service
reform. And as the devil had not yet put in an appearance, there was no
chance to conciliate him. They started in the housekeeping business,
and they were told they could do anything they liked except eat an
apple. Of course they ate it. I would have done it myself I know. I
am satisfied I would have had an apple off that tree, if I had been
there, in fifteen minutes. They were caught at it, and they were
turned out, and there was an extra police force put on to keep them
from coming in again. And then measles, and whooping-cough, mumps,
etc., started in the race of man, roses began to have thorns and snakes
began to have teeth, and people began to fight about religion and
politics, and they have been fighting and scratching each other's eyes
out from that day to this.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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