Atheism quotes
2.1K quotes on this topic — from poets, philosophers, and thinkers across history.
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"For my part, I wish, with Mr. Howells, that the literature of the past might be purged of all that is ugly and barbarous in it, although I should object as much as any one to having these great works weakened or falsified."
"And the cause of everything is that which we call God."
"A peace that was truly permanent would be the same as a permanent war."
"Faith in the supernatural is a desperate wager made by man at the lowest ebb of his fortunes."
"There are arguments for atheism, and they do not depend, and never did depend, upon science. They are arguable enough, as far as they go, upon a general survey of life; only it happens to be a superficial survey of life."
"The atheist is not interested in anything except attacks on atheism."
"I believe it's my pastoral duty to convert friends to atheism."
"I Must warn you, Iris, that I'm not a believer. And though I'm sure that the revelations of other men must be a source of infinite satisfaction to them, individually, I shouldn't for one second be so presumptuous as to make a choice among the many thousands of recorded revelations of truth, accepting one at the expense of all the others: I might so easily choose wrong and get into eternal trouble. And you must admit that the selection is wide, and dangerous to the amateur."
"Of course his dust would be absorbed in other living things and to that degree at least he would exist again, though it was plain enough that the specific combination which was he would never exist again."
"I confess that I do not see what good it does to fulminate against the English tyranny while the Roman tyranny occupies the palace of the soul."
"Nothing is so much to be feared as fear. Atheism may comparatively be popular with God himself."
"Our manners have been corrupted by communication with the saints."
"It seems to me that the bane of our country is a profession of faith either with no basis of real belief, or with no proper examination of the grounds on which the creed is supposed to rest."
"One had better put on gloves before handling the New Testament. The presence of so much filth makes it highly advisable."
"For such is man: a Theological Dogma might be refuted to him a thousand times - provided however, that he had need of it, he would again and again accept it as true. Belief is always most desired, most pressingly needed where there is a lack of will. Fanaticism is the sole "volitional strength" to which the weak and irresolute can be excited, as a sort of hypnotising of the entire sensory-intellectual system."
"Christians call it faith ... I call it the herd."
"Sins are indispensable to every society organized on an ecclesiastical basis; they are the only reliable weapons of power; the priest lives upon sins; it is necessary to him that there be sinning."
"The better the state is established, the fainter is humanity. To make the individual uncomfortable, that is my task."
"Precisely this is godliness--that there are gods, but no God."
"But let me open up my heart to you completely, my friends: if there were gods, how could I bear not being a god! Hence, there areno gods. I drew this conclusion, to be sure--but now it draws me."
