The Ghosts, and Other Lectures (1876-1878)

Their wordsThe rights of men and women should be equal and sacred—marriage should be a perfect partnership—children should be governed by kindness,—every family should be a republic—every fireside a democracy.

Their wordsWhoever is held responsible for his conclusions cannot weigh the evidence with impartial scales. Fear stands at the balance, and gives to falsehood the weight of its trembling hand.

Their wordsReligion has not civilized man—man has civilized religion. God improves as man advances.

Their wordsThe science of medicine has had but one enemy—religion. Man was afraid to save his body for fear he might lose his soul.

Their wordsThere is one good—happiness. There is but one sin—selfishness. All law should be for the preservation of the one and the destruction of the other.

Their wordsA theory that is afraid of investigation is undeserving a place in the human mind.

Their wordsYou cannot change the conclusion of the brain by torture; nor by social ostracism. But I will tell you what you can do by these, and what you have done. You can make hypocrites by the million.

Their wordsHonest unbelief, honest infidelity, honest atheism, will be a perfume in heaven when pious hypocrisy, no matter how religious it may be outwardly, will be a stench.

Their wordsThis is my doctrine: Give every other human being every right you claim for yourself. Keep your mind open to the influences of nature. Receive new thoughts with hospitality.

Their wordsBy physical liberty I mean the right to do anything which does not interfere with the happiness of another. By intellectual liberty I mean the right to think right and the right to think wrong.

Their wordsIn my judgment, the woman is the equal of the man. She has all the rights I have and one more, and that is the right to be protected.

Their wordsI tell you the children have the same rights that we have, and we ought to treat them as though they were human beings. They should be reared with love, with kindness, with tenderness, and not with brutality.

Their wordsA lie is born of tyranny upon the one hand and weakness upon the other, and when you rush at a poor little boy with a club in your hand, of course he lies.

Their wordsIf there is a God who will damn his children forever, I would rather go to hell than to go to heaven and keep the society of such an infamous tyrant.

Their wordsI believe that man came up from, the lower animals. I do not say this as a fact. I simply say I believe it to be a fact.

Their wordsAs long as woman regards the bible as the charter of her rights, she will be the slave of man.

Their wordsTHE Declaration of Independence is the grandest, the bravest, and the profoundest political document that was ever signed by the representatives of a people.

Their wordsThe religion that has to be supported by law is without value, not only, but a fraud and curse. The religious argument that has to be supported by a musket, is hardly worth making.

Their wordsIt is a thousand times better to be a whole farmer than part of a mechanic. It is better to till the ground and work for yourself than to be hired by corporations.

Their wordsSilver was demonetized by fraud. It was an imposition upon every solvent man; a fraud upon every honest debtor in the United States.