Company Quote by Robert Green Ingersoll
“God cannot send to eternal pain a man who has done something toward improving the condition of his fellow-man. If he can, I had rather go to hell than to heaven and keep company with such a god.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Lecture on Religion, 1880s
A deity would not punish someone who improves humanity; if so, one would prefer suffering over such a god.
In simple terms: A god who harms helpers is undesirable.
Key Takeaway
Question moral character of divine justice.
Themes
ethics
theology
justice
Mood
critical
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
skeptical
When to use this quote
- social activism
- philosophical debates
- personal morality
Key Concepts
Divine justice
humanitarianism
Questions to Reflect On
- What does this say about the nature of divine reward?
A Different Perspective
If a god exists, why allow suffering?
