Life and Existence

Where knowledge ends, religion begins.

Religion is the impotence of the human mind to deal with occurrences it cannot understand.

Religion is the impotence of the human mind to deal with occurrences it cannot understand.

The main object of religion is not to get a man into heaven, but to get heaven into him.

To die for a religion is easier than to live it absolutely.

To die for a religion is easier than to live it absolutely.

Science can purify religion from error and superstition. Religion can purify science from idolatry and false absolutes.

I do not know how to teach philosophy without becoming a disturber of established religion.

A tyrant must put on the appearance of uncommon devotion to religion. Subjects are less apprehensive of illegal treatment from a ruler whom they consider god-fearing and pious. On the other hand, they do less easily move against him, believing that he has the gods on his side.

The idea of a good society is something you do not need a religion and eternal punishment to buttress; you need a religion if you are terrified of death.

The idea of a good society is something you do not need a religion and eternal punishment to buttress; you need a religion if you are terrified of death.

Religion is the masterpiece of the art of animal training, for it trains people as to how they shall think.

Whenever a taboo is broken, something good happens, something vitalizing. Taboos after all are only hangovers, the product of diseased minds, you might say, of fearsome people who hadn't the courage to live and who under the guise of morality and religion have imposed these things upon us.

When superstition goes, religion remains.

Just in terms of allocation of time resources, religion is not very efficient. There's a lot more I could be doing on a Sunday morning.

Man is the religious animal. He is the only religious animal. He is the only animal that has the True Religion –- several of them. He is the only animal that loves his neighbor as himself and cuts his throat, if his theology isn't straight.

Men despise religion. They hate it and are afraid it may be true.

There is no surer sign of decay in a country than to see the rites of religion held in contempt.

Religion is the last refuge of human savagery.

Sceptical scrutiny is the means, in both science and religion, by which deep insights can be winnowed from deep nonsense.

Nothing is so fatal to religion as indifference.

A one sentence definition of mythology? "Mythology" is what we call someone else's religion.

The Americans combine the notions of religion and liberty so intimately in their minds that it is impossible to make them conceive of one without the other.

In the course of history many more people have died for their drink and their dope than have died for their religion or their country.