--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The real difference is this: the…" description: "\"“The real difference is this: the Christian says that he has knowledge; the Agnostic admits that he has none; and yet the Christian accuses the Agnosti..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/403/robert-g-ingersoll-4527_agnostic_the-real-difference-is-this-the-christia_1808704.jpg" --- # The real difference is this: the Christian says that he… ![“The real difference is this: the Christian says that he has knowledge; the Agnostic admits that he has none; and yet the Christian accuses the Agnostic of arrogance, and asks him how he has the impudence to admit the limitations of his mind. To the Agnostic every fact is a torch, and by this…” quote by Robert G. Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/403/robert-g-ingersoll-4527_agnostic_the-real-difference-is-this-the-christia_1808704.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/403/robert-g-ingersoll-4527_agnostic_the-real-difference-is-this-the-christia_1808704.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/403/robert-g-ingersoll-4527_agnostic_the-real-difference-is-this-the-christia_1808704.jpg) > ““The real difference is this: the Christian says that he has knowledge; the Agnostic admits that he has none; and yet the Christian accuses the Agnostic of arrogance, and asks him how he has the impudence to admit the limitations of his mind. To the Agnostic every fact is a torch, and by this light, and this light only, he walks. The Agnostic knows that the testimony of man is not sufficient to establish what is known as the miraculous. We would not believe to-day the testimony of millions to the effect that the dead had been raised. The church itself would be the first to attack such testimony. If we cannot believe those whom we know, why should we believe witnesses who have been dead thousands of years, and about whom we know nothing? The Agnostic takes the ground that human experience is the basis of morality. Consequently, it is of no importance who wrote the gospels, or who vouched or vouches for the genuineness of the miracles. In his scheme of life these things are utterly unimportant. He is satisfied that “the miraculous” is the impossible. He knows that the witnesses were wholly incapable of examining the questions involved, that credulity had possession of their minds, that 'the miraculous' was expected, that it was their daily food.”” [Robert G. Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-g-ingersoll/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote contrasts Christian certainty with agnostic humility, arguing that agnostics rely on evidence and human experience, while Christians claim knowledge and dismiss skeptics as arrogant. **In simple terms:** Christians claim knowledge; agnostics admit uncertainty and base morality on experience. Key Takeaway Question assumptions about faith and evidence. Themes faith knowledge humility skepticism Mood thoughtful critical inquisitive Type philosophical argumentative theological When to use this quote - debates on religion - academic philosophy - personal belief evaluation - interfaith dialogue Key Concepts epistemology morality religious criticism Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance faith with evidence? - What role should human experience play in moral judgments? A Different Perspective The quote may oversimplify diverse Christian perspectives and ignore nuanced theological arguments. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accuses Agnostic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accuses-agnostic-2095724/) [Agnostic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agnostic/) [Agnostic Admits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agnostic-admits-2095726/) [Agnostic Fact](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agnostic-fact-2095725/) [Agnostic Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agnostic-knows-2095727/) [Agnosticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agnosticism/) [Arrogance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arrogance/) [Atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheism/) [Atheist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheist/) [Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) [Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Credulity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/credulity/) [Definition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/definition/) [Ethics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethics/) [Evidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evidence/) [Fact](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fact/) [Gospels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gospels/) [Human experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-experience/) [Importance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/importance/) [Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ingersoll/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Limitation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/limitation/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Miracles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miracles/) [Morality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morality/) [Proof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proof/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Superstition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/superstition/) [Testimony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/testimony/) ## Related quotes > [“\[Robert's eulogy at his brother, Ebon C. Ingersoll's grave. Even the great orator Robert Ingersoll was choked up with tears at the memory of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-g-ingersoll/robert-s-eulogy-at-his-brother-ebon-c-ingersoll-s-grave-even-the/) [Robert G. Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-g-ingersoll/) > [ “ Robert Ingersoll came to \[a small Midwest town\] to speak . . . , and after he had gone the question of the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-anderson/robert-ingersoll-came-to-a-small-midwest-town-to-speak-and-after-he/) [Sherwood Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-anderson/) > [“{ Stockton, a playwright who performed plays about Robert Ingersoll , gives the four moments in Ingersoll 's life that shaped him, first being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-f-stockton/stockton-a-playwright-who-performed-plays-about-robert-ingersoll/) [Richard F. Stockton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-f-stockton/) > [“The name of Robert G. 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His was a great and beautiful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/except-for-my-daughters-i-have-not-grieved-for-any-death-as-i-have/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“{Debbs' letter to Robert Ingersoll 's granddaughter} I was the friend of your immortal grandfather and I loved him truly… the name of Ingersoll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-victor-debs/debbs-letter-to-robert-ingersoll-s-granddaughter-i-was-the-friend-of/) [Eugene Victor Debs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-victor-debs/) > [“The future historian will rank him as one of the heroes of the nineteenth century. {Stanton's opinion of the great Robert Ingersoll }”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-cady-stanton/the-future-historian-will-rank-him-as-one-of-the-heroes-of-the/) [Elizabeth Cady Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-cady-stanton/) > [“{ Letter from Fawcett to the great Robert Ingersoll , 1894 } I do so wish, that, in all these big questions, literary men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-fawcett/letter-from-fawcett-to-the-great-robert-ingersoll-1894-i-do-so-wish/) [Edgar Fawcett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-fawcett/) > [“In the campaign of 1876, Robert G. Ingersoll came to Madison to speak. I had heard of him for years; when I was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-la-follette/in-the-campaign-of-1876-robert-g-ingersoll-came-to-madison-to-speak-i/) [Robert M. La Follette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-la-follette/) > [“The death of Robert G. Ingersoll , on July 21, 1899, was one of the most widely -- noted events of that year in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-e-kittredge/the-death-of-robert-g-ingersoll-on-july-21-1899-was-one-of-the-most/) [Herman E. Kittredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-e-kittredge/) > [“{Letter from Debbs to Eva Ingersoll, husband of Robert Ingersoll , just after the news of Robert's death} We were inexpressibly shocked to hear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-v-debs/letter-from-debbs-to-eva-ingersoll-husband-of-robert-ingersoll-just/) [Eugene V. Debs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-v-debs/) > [“ Robert G. Ingersoll was a great man. a wonderful intellect, a great soul of matchless courage, one of the great men of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/robert-g-ingersoll-was-a-great-man-a-wonderful-intellect-a-great-soul/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [“One of the bravest, grandest champions of human liberty the world has ever seen. {Darrow on the great Robert Ingersoll }”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/one-of-the-bravest-grandest-champions-of-human-liberty-the-world-has/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [“America doesn't know today how proud she ought to be of her Ingersoll .”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/america-doesn-t-know-today-how-proud-she-ought-to-be-of-her-ingersoll/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) ## More by Robert G. Ingersoll > [“So, I think that when we become civilized, great corporations will make provision for men who have given their lives to their service. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-g-ingersoll/so-i-think-that-when-we-become-civilized-great-corporations-will-make/) [Robert G. Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-g-ingersoll/) > [“With every drop of my blood I hate and execrate every form of tyranny, every form of slavery. I hate dictation. I love liberty.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-g-ingersoll/with-every-drop-of-my-blood-i-hate-and-execrate-every-form-of-tyranny/) [Robert G. Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-g-ingersoll/) > [“I have heard them preach, when I sat in the pew and my feet did not touch the floor, about the final home of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-g-ingersoll/i-have-heard-them-preach-when-i-sat-in-the-pew-and-my-feet-did-not/) [Robert G. 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Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-g-ingersoll/) > [ “He \[Alexander von Humboldt\] was to science what Shakespeare was to the drama.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-g-ingersoll/he-alexander-von-humboldt-was-to-science-what-shakespeare-was-to-the/) [Robert G. Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-g-ingersoll/) > [“From my childhood I had heard read, and read the Bible myself. Morning and evening the sacred volume was opened and prayers were said.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-g-ingersoll/from-my-childhood-i-had-heard-read-and-read-the-bible-myself-morning/) [Robert G. Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-g-ingersoll/) > [“Suppose after all that death does end all. Next to eternal joy, next to being forever with those we love and those who have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-g-ingersoll/suppose-after-all-that-death-does-end-all-next-to-eternal-joy-next-to/) [Robert G. Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-g-ingersoll/) > [“Strike, with hand of fire, O weird musician, thy harp strung with Apollo's golden hair; fill the vast cathedral aisles with symphonies sweet and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-g-ingersoll/strike-with-hand-of-fire-o-weird-musician-thy-harp-strung-with-apollo/) [Robert G. Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-g-ingersoll/) > [“The doctrine that future happiness depends upon belief is monstrous. It is the infamy of infamies. The notion that faith in Christ is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-g-ingersoll/the-doctrine-that-future-happiness-depends-upon-belief-is-monstrous/) [Robert G. Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-g-ingersoll/) > [“The liberty of man is not safe in the hands of any church. Wherever the Bible and sword are in partnership, man is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-g-ingersoll/the-liberty-of-man-is-not-safe-in-the-hands-of-any-church-wherever/) [Robert G. Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-g-ingersoll/) > [“I do not see how it is possible for a man to die worth fifty million of dollars, or ten million of dollars, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-g-ingersoll/i-do-not-see-how-it-is-possible-for-a-man-to-die-worth-fifty-million/) [Robert G. Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-g-ingersoll/) > [“Christians must show that misery fits the good for heaven, while happiness prepares the bad for hell; that the wicked get all their good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-g-ingersoll/christians-must-show-that-misery-fits-the-good-for-heaven-while/) [Robert G. Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-g-ingersoll/) > [“If the Pentateuch is inspired, the civilization of of our day is a mistake and crime. There should be no political liberty. Heresy should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-g-ingersoll/if-the-pentateuch-is-inspired-the-civilization-of-of-our-day-is-a/) [Robert G. Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-g-ingersoll/) [Explore all 109 Robert G. Ingersoll quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-g-ingersoll/) ## More Agnostic quotes > [“She herself vacillated when it came to belief. She did not particularly believe in God. Or, rather, she didn't believe in a particular God.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allegra-goodman/she-herself-vacillated-when-it-came-to-belief-she-did-not/) [Allegra Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allegra-goodman/) > [The prayer of the agnostic: "O God, if there is a God, save my soul if I have a soul."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-renan/the-prayer-of-the-agnostic-o-god-if-there-is-a-god-save-my-soul-if-i/) [Ernest Renan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-renan/) > [I'm actually, for the most part, a complete agnostic politically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-witten/i-m-actually-for-the-most-part-a-complete-agnostic-politically/) [Edward Witten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-witten/) > [Even when I was saying I was Agnostic and trying to figure out my thoughts, I felt God was allowing me to do that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfre-woodard/even-when-i-was-saying-i-was-agnostic-and-trying-to-figure-out-my/) [Alfre Woodard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfre-woodard/) > [There is, in fact, nothing about religious opinions that entitles them to any more respect than other opinions get. 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He is a man who strongly needed god but couldn't find him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/an-atheist-is-someone-who-is-disappointed-in-his-search-of-god-he-is/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [If a humanist or an atheist or an agnostic says, "We'll bake you a pie," we can go right into the kitchen and bake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madalyn-murray-o-hair/if-a-humanist-or-an-atheist-or-an-agnostic-says-we-ll-bake-you-a-pie/) [Madalyn Murray O'Hair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madalyn-murray-o-hair/) > [I'm agnostic because I went through the usual process of parents insisting you go to church, and yet they didn't. So there's me, sitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ridley-scott/i-m-agnostic-because-i-went-through-the-usual-process-of-parents/) [Ridley Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ridley-scott/) > [Intellect, at its best, can make you agnostic. 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I now believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-still-agnostic-but-in-the-words-of-elton-richards-i-m-now-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I'm agnostic. By definition, I'm unsure of what to believe in, but I'm also borderline-capable of believing in anything and everything, or nothing at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-lola/i-m-agnostic-by-definition-i-m-unsure-of-what-to-believe-in-but-i-m/) [Lauren Lola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-lola/) > [“The Agnostic is one who asserts 'what no one denies' that there are limits to the sphere of human intelligence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-stephen/the-agnostic-is-one-who-asserts-what-no-one-denies-that-there-are/) [Leslie Stephen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-stephen/) [Browse all 492 Agnostic quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agnostic/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The real difference is this: the Christian says that he has knowledge; the Agnostic admits that he has none; and yet the Christian accuses the Agnostic of arrogance, and asks him how he has the impudence to admit the limitations of his mind. To the Agnostic every fact is a torch, and by this light, and this light only, he walks. The Agnostic knows that the testimony of man is not sufficient to establish what is known as the miraculous. We would not believe to-day the testimony of millions to the effect that the dead had been raised. The church itself would be the first to attack such testimony. If we cannot believe those whom we know, why should we believe witnesses who have been dead thousands of years, and about whom we know nothing? The Agnostic takes the ground that human experience is the basis of morality. Consequently, it is of no importance who wrote the gospels, or who vouched or vouches for the genuineness of the miracles. In his scheme of life these things are utterly unimportant. He is satisfied that “the miraculous” is the impossible. 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