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Take love from the world, and there is nothing left worth living for. The church has treated this great, this sublime, this unspeakably holy passion, as though it polluted the heart. They have placed the love of God above the love of woman, above the love of man. Human love is generous and noble. The love of God is selfish, because man does not love God for God's sake, but for his own.

Robert G. Ingersoll#186

ReligionLoveMoralityHumanity

About this quote

What does it mean?
Human love is noble, while love for God is often selfish and prioritized wrongly by churches.
In plain terms
Love between people is better than love of God in the church.
What can you take from it?
Value human connection over divine obedience.

Where it applies

  • interpersonal conflict
  • religious critique

Putting it to work

  • prioritize relationships
  • question religious norms

Questions to consider

  • Is divine love truly selfish?
  • How should we weigh human vs divine love?

Another view

Many believers feel divine love is selfless, not selfish.

More from Robert G. Ingersoll

  1. Suppose I read the book called the Bible, and when I get through I make up my mind that it was written by men. A minister asks me, 'Did you read the Bible?' I …

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  2. Temptations are as thick as the leaves of the forest, and no one can be out of the reach of temptation unless he is dead. The great thing is to make people int…

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  3. Standing in the presence of the Unknown, all have the same right to think, and all are equally interested in the great question of origin and destiny. All I cl…

    Permalink to quote #184

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