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Charles Bradlaugh

Born

in Hoxton, London, England

September 26, 1833

Died

January 30, 1891

Genre

Nonfiction, Secularism, Politics

Influences

Robert Ingersoll, Charles Knowlton, Chapman Cohen, George William Foot ...more

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A passionate non-believer, Bradlaugh loved to debate the merits of the Bible with fervent, often well-known, believers. He was a courageous and stirring orator and crowds flocked to hear his verbal duels. Some of the public debates were so lengthy they were conducted over several consecutive evenings. Others became heated, and sometimes the authorities tried to stop him speaking. Opponents to secular speakers sometimes tried to trick them into saying something that would be regarded as blasphemous. Some secularist speakers even went to prison for blasphemy. Bradlaugh, however, was ingenious in outwitting his opponents; in the coastal town of Devonport in 1859 he addressed a meeting from a barge just a few feet off-shore so that he would be A passionate non-believer, Bradlaugh loved to debate the merits of the Bible with fervent, often well-known, believers. He was a courageous and stirring orator and crowds flocked to hear his verbal duels. Some of the public debates were so lengthy they were conducted over several consecutive evenings. Others became heated, and sometimes the authorities tried to stop him speaking. Opponents to secular speakers sometimes tried to trick them into saying something that would be regarded as blasphemous. Some secularist speakers even went to prison for blasphemy. Bradlaugh, however, was ingenious in outwitting his opponents; in the coastal town of Devonport in 1859 he addressed a meeting from a barge just a few feet off-shore so that he would be speaking outside the jurisdiction of the town’s police.

Bradlaugh’s oratory was later put to good use in his parliamentary career. He was elected as an MP for Northampton , but was not allowed to take the oath to take his seat in Parliament. A by-election was called, and he was elected again – this process recurred several times until a new Speaker of the House of Commons conceded that he should be allowed to take his seat after making a non-religious affirmation. Legal oaths are also required, for example, in courts and in connection with some legal documents. In 1888 Bradlaugh’s Oaths Act enabled non-religious affirmations to be accepted as an alternative to religious oaths.

Before the advent of broadcasting, books and magazines were much widely read than today. So, to spread the word about “secularism”, Bradlaugh wrote books and pamphlets, including A Plea for Atheism (1877), and founded an influential magazine called the National Reformer.

Bradlaugh will be best remembered however for having founded the National Secular Society, which he did in 1866, and his pioneering work to make artificial contraception widely available to those of all classes. In 1877 he was tried, with his friend, feminist and socialist, Annie Besant, for publishing a pamphlet supporting birth control. He was sentenced to six months imprisonment and a large fine, but the verdict was overturned on appeal. Without artificial contraception, women frequently bore five or more children, and many were miserable and poverty-stricken because of this. The churches, however, rigorously opposed artificial contraception. The Church of England abandoned this policy in 1930, but the Roman Catholic Church still retains it. ...more

Combine Editions
Charles Bradlaugh’s books

Average rating: 3.67 · 103 ratings · 13 reviews · 246 distinct works

	The Bible: what it is 3.68 avg rating — 25 ratings — published 2011 — 29 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Heresy: Its Utility And Morality A Plea And A Justification 4.63 avg rating — 8 ratings — published 2011 — 14 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Ancient and Modern Celebrated Freethinkers Reprinted From an English Work, Entitled Half-Hours With The Freethinkers."" 3.33 avg rating — 9 ratings — 29 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	A Few Words About the Devil And Other Biographical Sketches and Essays 4.50 avg rating — 4 ratings — published 2011 — 24 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Some Objections To Socialism From "The Atheistic Platform", Twelve Lectures 3.40 avg rating — 5 ratings — published 2011 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Theological Essays 3.75 avg rating — 4 ratings — published 2012 — 31 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	A Plea for Atheism 3.67 avg rating — 3 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	When Were Our Gospels Written? 3.33 avg rating — 3 ratings — published 2011 — 27 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Doubts In Dialogue liked it 3.00 avg rating — 2 ratings — published 1909	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Ancient and Modern Freethinkers it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Quotes by Charles Bradlaugh (?)

“I cannot follow you Christians; for you try to crawl through your life upon your knees, while I stride through mine on my feet.”
― Charles Bradlaugh

66 likes

“Without free speech no search for truth is possible... no discovery of truth is useful... Better a thousandfold abuse of free speech than denial of free speech. The abuse dies in a day, but the denial slays the life of the people, and entombs the hope of the race.”
― Charles Bradlaugh

tags: liberty

23 likes

“Atheism is without God. It does not assert no God. The atheist does not say that there is no God, but he says 'I know not what you mean by God. I am without the idea of God. The word God to me is a sound conveying no clear or distinct affirmation. I do not deny God, because I cannot deny that of which I have no conception, and the conception of which by its affirmer is so imperfect that he is unable to define it for me.”
― Charles Bradlaugh, The Freethinker's Text-Book: Man: Whence and How? Religion: What and Why?

tags: atheism, atheist, belief, clarity, definition, knowlege

12 likes

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