The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll, Vol. 07 (of 12): Dresden Edition—DiscussionsIngersoll, Robert Green
Religion
The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll, Vol. 07 (of 12): Dresden Edition—Discussions
Ingersoll, Robert Green
Free thought
Now, when I say that that is superstition, Dr. Plumb charges me with
being a burglar--a coarse, blasphemous burglar--who wishes to rob
somebody of some great blessing. Dr. Plumb would not hesitate to tell a
Mohammedan that Mohammed was an impostor. He would tell a Mormon in
Utah that Joseph Smith was a vulgar liar and that Brigham Young was
no better. In other words, if in Turkey, he would be a coarse and
blasphemous burglar, and he would follow the same profession in Utah. So
probably he would tell the Chinese that Confucius was an ignorant
wretch and that their religion was idiotic, and the Chinese priest would
denounce Dr. Plumb as a very coarse and blasphemous burglar, and Dr.
Plumb would be perfectly astonished that a priest could be so low, so
impudent and malicious.
Of course my wonder is not excited. I have become used to it.
If Dr. Plumb would think, if he would exercise his imagination a
little and put himself in the place of others, he would think, in all
probability, better things of his opponents. I do not know Dr. Plumb,
and yet I have no doubt that he is a good and sincere man; a little
superstitious, superficial, and possibly, mingled with his many virtues,
there may be a little righteous malice.
The Rev. Mr. Mills used to believe as Dr. Plumb does now, and I suppose
he has changed for reasons that were sufficient for him. So I believe
him to be an honest, conscientious man, and so far as I am concerned, I
have no objection to Mr. Mills doing what little he can to get all the
churches to act together. He may never succeed, but I am not responsible
for that.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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