“We have had nineteen centuries of ecclesiastical teaching and preaching, and what do we see in our midst? Tens of thousands of honest and industrious poor begging–not for bread, but for labour; thousands of malicious loafers looking evilly aslant at wealth; myriads of fallen women pacing the streets and alleys of our towns that they may degrade for temporary hire, to men more debased than themselves, those frail bodies which should be “temples of the living God.” We see millions toiling early and late for the mere necessaries of life. We see an inordinate desire for wealth and luxury, to the exclusion of duty and of pity and consideration for others. We see the wealthy and gifted too often abandoned to sensuality and frivolity.”
Tennessee Claflin
Submitted by Quonation |Category: Religion
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“While we honour religion and believe it to be a powerful factor in elevating our race, we discriminate, as we hope our readers will also do, between it and dogmatism. Dogmatism has been the bane of civilization and a curse to mankind. It has degraded our sex, stifled intelligent inquiry, and persecuted every independent reformer and every noble cause.”
Tennessee Claflin
Submitted by Quonation |Category: Religion
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“There are, undoubtedly, women who are weak and silly, and simple, and who are taken advantage of by designing men. Until we have such systems of education as will tend to prevent women from being weak, simple, and silly, it is undoubtedly right to have laws punishing seduction with the utmost severity; but we have also … ninnies among men, and ought we not, therefore, to have laws for their protection? An Act of the Legislature entitled “An Act for the Protection of Ninnies against Designing Women” would be refreshing.”
Tennessee Claflin
Submitted by Quonation |Category: Sex
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“We hope the day will soon come when every girl will be a member of a great Union of Unmarried Women, pledged to refuse an offer of marriage from any man who is not an advocate of their emancipation.”
Tennessee Claflin
Submitted by Quonation |Category: Marriage
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“… no community where more than one-half of the adults are disfranchised and otherwise incapacitated by law and custom, can be free from great vices. Purity is inconsistent with slavery.”
Tennessee Claflin
Submitted by Quonation |Category: Morality
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“… it is as true in morals as in physics that all force is imperishable; therefore the consequences of a human action never cease.”
Tennessee Claflin
Submitted by Quonation |Category: Morality
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“… men of highest genius have been too frequently of extremely shaky morals.”
Tennessee Claflin
Submitted by Quonation |Category: Morality
