Quote by Robert G. Ingersoll

I have the right to do my own thinking. I am going to do it. I have never met any minister that I thought had brain enough to think for himself and for me too. I do my own. I have no reverence for barbarism, no matter how ancient it may be, and no reverence for the savagery of the Old Testament; no reverence for the malice of the New. And let me tell you here tonight that the Old Testament is a thousand times better than the New. The Old Testament threatened no vengeance beyond the grave. God was satisfied when his enemy was dead. It was reserved for the New Testament-it was reserved for universal benevolence - to rend the veil between time and eternity and fix the horrified gaze of man upon the abyss of hell. The New Testament is just as much worse than the Old, as hell is worse than sleep. And yet it is the fashion to say that the Old Testament is bad and that the New Testament is good.I have no reverence for any book that teaches a doctrine contrary to my reason; no reverence for any book that teaches a doctrine contrary to my heart; and, no matter how old it is, no matter how many have believed it, no matter how many have died on account of it, no matter how many live for it, I have no reverence for that book, and I am glad of it.From a collection of quotes at http://www.humanistsofutah.org/quotes.html

I have the right to do my own thinking. I am going to do it.

Summary

In this quote, the speaker emphasizes the importance of thinking independently and rejecting religious doctrines that contradict one's reasoning and values. They express their skepticism towards ministers and demonstrate a lack of respect for the Bible, comparing the harsh consequences mentioned in the New Testament to the more barbaric actions of the Old Testament. The speaker rejects the commonly accepted notion that the Old Testament is bad while the New Testament is good, asserting that any book that teaches doctrines contrary to reason and the heart should not be revered, regardless of its age, popularity, or the devotion it inspires in its followers.

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By Robert G. Ingersoll

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