Quotes of All Topics . Occasions . Authors
Fanaticism and bigotry require any food but common sense and reason, which would break the charm of those spellbound fanatics.
From my early 20s on, I would waver between atheism and agnosticism, never coming close to considering that God could be real.
Religion is probably, after sex, the second oldest resource which human beings have available to them for blowing their minds.
It's the generally accepted privilege of theologians to stretch the heavens, that is the Scriptures, like tanners with a hide.
The union of church and state put the church under a political control... The church was thoroughly subordinated to the state.
It is extremely difficult for a Jew to be converted, for how can he bring himself to believe in the divinity of - another Jew?
A heathen philosopher once asked a Christian, 'Where is God'? The Christian answered, 'Let me first ask you, Where is He not?'
We are on the cusp of this time where I can say, "I speak as a citizen of the world" without others saying, "God, what a nut."
With respect to the doctrine of a future life, a North American Indian knows just as much as any ancient or modern philosopher.
Since it is obviously inconceivable that all religions can be right, the most reasonable conclusion is that they are all wrong.
That God has managed to survive the inanities of the religions that do Him homage is truly a miraculous proof of His existence.
The "terror" of the French Revolution lasted for ten years. The terror that preceded and led to it lasted for a thousand years.
Epicurus ... whose genius surpassed all humankind, extinguished the light of others, as the stars are dimmed by the rising sun.
Dr. Manton taught my youth to yawn, and prepared me to be a High-Churchman, that I might never hear him read nor read him more.
I do not know the needs of a god or of another world... I do know that women make shirts for seventy cents a dozen in this one.
As you know, a theory in physics is not useful unless it is able to predict underlined effects which we would otherwise expect.
Most true believers, when faced with evidence that contradicts their beliefs, will hold on to those beliefs even more strongly.
Precisely in proportion to our own intellectual weakness will be our credulity as to those mysterious powers assumed by others.
It is historically true that a large proportion of infidels in all ages have been persons of distinguished integrity and honor.
Gouverneur Morris had often told me that General Washington believed no more of that system (Christianity) than did he himself.
Life feeds on life... feeds on life feeds on life... this is neccesary... this is necessary life feeds on life... feeds on life
This crime called blasphemy was invented by priests for the purpose of defending doctrines not able to take care of themselves.
There is only one virtue, justice; only one duty, to be happy; only one corollary, not to overvalue life and not to fear death.
All good intellects have repeated, since Bacon's time, that there can be no real knowledge but which is based on observed facts.
I do not want to found anything on the incomprehensible. I want to know whether I can live with what I know and with that alone.
The most pernicious of absurdities is that weak, blind, stupid faith is better than the constant practice of every human virtue.
I have learned from Nature that dependence on unnatural beliefs weakens us in the struggle and shortens our breath for the race.
The most genuine and efficacious charity is that which greases the paws of the priests; such charity covers a multitude of sins.
I think what bothers me so much of the time, is they take the data and theory and distort it. They must know they're distorting.
When I was quite a boy I had a spasm of religion which lasted six weeks... But I never since have swallowed the Christian fable.
The clergy complain of the enormous spread of bold books, from the infidel tract to the latest handling of the miracle question.
Atheism was natural enough, but heresy seemed strange. For, surely, if one could believe anything, one could believe everything.
The complete irresponsibility of man for his actions and his nature is the bitterest drop which he who understands must swallow.
To explain the unknown by the known is a logical procedure; to explain the known by the unknown is a form of theological lunacy.
We are weak little Davids. But we are stronger than the Goliath of atheism, because God is on our side. The truth belongs to us.
There is no neutral ground in the universe. Every square inch, every split second is claimed by God, and counterclaimed by Satan.
When one's character begins to fall under suspicion and disfavor, how swift, then, is the work of disintegration and destruction.
To be an atheist requires an indefinitely greater measure of faith than to recieve all the great truths which atheism would deny.
I am at a loss to reconcile the expensive and glossy production values of this book with the breathtaking inanity of the content.
Why should I fear death? If I am, death is not. If death is, I am not. Why should I fear that which can only exist when I do not?
A devotion to humanity is... too easily equated with a devotion to a Cause, and Causes, as we know, are notoriously bloodthirsty.
Which is the greater merit, to enlighten the human race, which remains forever, or to save one's fatherland, which is perishable?
We have a right to know or may lawfully know any truth. And a right to know any truth whatsoever implies a right to think freely.
... the atheists, libertines, despisers of religion ... that is to say all those who usually pass under the name of Free-thinkers.
All the progress we have made in philosophy ... is the result of that methodical skepticism which is the element of human freedom.
[priests are] the pretenders to power and dominion, and to a superior sanctity of character, distinct from virtue and good morals.
[C]reationists [and] other religious enthusiasts [are], in many parts of the world ..., the most dangerous adversaries of science.
Under the rubric of religious freedom, we respect the right to worship differently much more than the right to worship not at all.
Fundamentalists of different religions have more in common with each other than they do with the moderates of their own religions.
The doctrine of the double motion of the earth about its axis and about the sun is false, and entirely contrary to Holy Scripture.