The Church hates a thinker precisely for the same reason a robber dislikes a sheriff, or a thief despises the prosecuting witness. Tyranny likes courtiers, flatterers, followers, fawners, and superstition wants believers, disciples, zealots, hypocrites, and subscribers.
Robert Green Ingersoll (1833-1899) American lawyer, freethinker, orator
Lecture (1873-12) “Individuality,” Chicago Free Religious Society
(Source)
Full title "Arraignment of the Church and a Plea for Individuality." Collected in The Gods and Other Lectures (1876).
Quotations about:
free-thinking
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CLÉANTE: These are the arguments of all your kind:
Since they can’t see, they think that no one ought;
Whoever does, is tainted with free thought;
Whoever balks at pious affectation
Fails to hold piety in veneration.
Come now, for all your talk, I’m not afraid;
Heaven sees my heart, and I know what I’ve said.[Voilà de vos pareils le discours ordinaire:
Ils veulent que chacun soit aveugle comme eux;
C’est être libertin que d’avoir de bons yeux;
Et qui n’adore pas de vaines simagrées
N’a ni respect ni foi pour les choses sacrées.
Allez, tous vos discours ne me font point de peur;
Je sais comme je parle, et le ciel voit mon cœur.]Molière (1622-1673) French playwright, actor [stage name for Jean-Baptiste Poquelin]
Tartuffe, or the Hypocrite [Le Tartuffe, ou L’Imposteur], Act 1, sc. 6 (1669) [tr. Frame (1967), 1.5]
(Source)
On being warned by Orgon that his impiety and free-thinking will get him in trouble some day.
(Source (French)). Alternate translations:This is the usual Strain of such as you. They would have every body as blind as themselves: To be clear-sighted is Libertinism, and such as don't dote on empty Grimaces, have neither Faith nor Respect to sacred things. Come, come, all this Discourse of yours frights not me; I know what I say, and Heaven sees my Heart.
[tr. Clitandre (1672)]The usual clap-trap of your set; they wish everyone to be blind like themselves. To keep one's eyes open is to be a free-thinker; and whosoever does not worship pretentious affection has neither respect for, nor faith in holy things. Go along; all your speeches do not frighten me; I know what I am saying, and Heaven sees my heart.
[tr. Van Laun (1876)]Tut! This is the usual way of talking with such as you. They want everybody to be as blind as they are: to see clearly is to be a freethinking; and not to worship empty show is to act from a want of faith and of respect for holy things. Believe me, all your denunciations do not frighten me: I know what I say, and God sees my heart.
[tr. Wall (1879)]This is the usual style of such as you. They would have every one as blind as themselves; to be clear-sighted is libertinism, and those who do not like foolish grimaces, have neither faith nor respect for holy things. All your talk does not frighten me, I know how I speak, and heaven sees my heart.
[tr. Mathew (1890)]That is the usual style of talking among your set; they want everyone to be as blind as themselves. To be clear-sighted is to be a free-thinker, and he who does not bow down to idle affectations has neither respect for nor faith in sacred things. I tell you none of your sermons frighten me: I know what I say, and Heaven sees my heart.
[tr. Waller (1903)]That is the usual strain of all your kind;
They must have every one as blind as they.
They call you atheist if you have good eyes;
And if you don't adore their vain grimaces,
You've neither faith nor care for sacred things.
No, no; such talk can't frighten me; I know
What I am saying; heaven sees my heart.
[tr. Page (1909)]I've heard that kind of talk from others like you.
They want to make the whole world blind like them.
It's irreligion just to have open eyes!
If you're not taken in by mummery,
They say you've no respect for sacred things.
You cannot scare me with that sort of language.
I know what I say, and heaven can see my heart.
[tr. Bishop (1957)]So I've been told before by dupes like you:
Being blind, you'd have all others blind as well;
The clear-eyed man you call an infidel,
And he who sees through humbug and pretense
Is charged, by you, with want of reverence.
Spare me your warnings, Brother; I have no fear
Of speaking out, for you and Heaven to hear.
[tr. Wilbur (1963), 1.5]Your kind
All talk like that -- because you're blind
You'd rather others didn't see,
You deem perceptiveness to be
A kind of sin! Let us adore
The idols that you kneel before
Or else be damned! Well listen here;
Your sermons don't fill me with fear:
I know my subject, for a start
And Heaven sees into my heart.
[tr. Bolt (2002)]People like you always say things like that. They want everyone to be as blind as they are. They think that seeing clearly is impiety, that those who refuse to worship false idols have no respect for true faith and true religion. Such talk doesn’t frighten me; I know what I’m saying, and Heaven itself knows what I think.
[tr. Steiner (2008), 1.5]That's how people like you always talk:
You want everyone else to be as blind as you are.
It's disrespectful to have a pair of functioning eyes, is it?
And anyone who doesn't love empty pretence and show and mindless drivel
Has no respect for faith or sacred things.
Come on, all your nonsense doesn't scare me at all:
Heaven sees my heart.
[tr. Campbell (2013)]


