I say the whole earth and all the stars in the sky are for religion’s sake.
Religion Quotes
Religion is a page where believers and unbelievers share space. Shakespeare and Milton lead, but Robert Ingersoll and the biologist Jerry Coyne are close behind, and the sourced favourites lean sceptical: Bertrand Russell in Sceptical Essays (1928) on moralists and Hell, Bierce in 1911 calling religion a daughter of Hope and Fear.
Three entries are flagged. “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep” is credited to the missionary Jim Elliot, and the notes call it a paraphrase of the English clergyman Philip Henry (1631–1696). Newton’s remark that he could calculate the motions of heavenly bodies but not the madness of the people is disputed, and it is usually tied to the South Sea stock bubble. A line about Earth and Heaven credited to David Hare is flagged misattributed.
Originally, ethics has no existence apart from religion, which holds it in solution.
Religions are manipulated in order to serve those who govern society and not the other way around.
Most kings and priests have been despotic, and all religions have been riddled with superstition.
Religion in life is either an amusement and a soporific, or a sham and a swindle.
We may think all religions beneficial, and believe of one alone that it is true.
A totalitarian political religion is incompatible with free investigation.
If they believe it, they go back to scoff at the religion of their parents.
Superstition is the only religion of which base souls are capable.