atheist quotes

[bozo]

A quote by one of my heroes, the English poet Shelley. Shortly before he died in 1822, Shelley's reply as to why he was an atheist was this:-

" I took up the word, as a knight takes up a gauntlet, in defiance of an injustice. The delusions of Christianity are fatal to genius and originality, they limit thought. "

Wish I was a genius with words!!

[RodneyEpicurus]

This is a quote in Spanish but I will translate it for you:

"Los seres humanos pueden vivir sin dioses pero los dioses le deben la vida a los seres humanos, es decir, son una extensión imaginaria de la realidad, el resultado de una insatisfacción."

"Human beings can live without gods but gods are born by human beings, in other words, they are an imaginary extension of reality, the result of an unsatisfaction"

It's not the best translation, but you can get the meaning.

[Oldandeasilyconfused]

"Human beings: a quite unexceptional species of mammal with delusions of grandeur" ( Tarquin St John Shagnasty)

[Samson]

William Clifford's quote is probably one of my favorites;

"If a man, holding a belief which he was taught in childhood or persuaded of afterwards, keeps down and pushes away any doubts which arise about it in his mind, purposely avoids the reading of books and the company of men that call in question or discuss it, and regards as impious those questions which cannot easily be asked without disturbing it -- the life of that man is one long sin against mankind."

[Minimalist]

What is the function that a clergyman performs in the world? Answer: he gets his living by assuring idiots that he can save them from an imaginary hell.
-- H L Mencken

[Thor]

One of my favorite quotes is this:

"Religion is a pox on humanity. For without it, good people would still do good things and evil people would still do evil things. But to get good people to do evil things, that takes religion."

Unfortunately, I can't recall who said it.

[Samson]

Thor, that was Steven Wienberg.....

I agree on a lot of what he says, but not everything....However, that quote was truly a great one....

Another favorite of mine is;

We must respect the other fellow's religion, but only in the sense and to the extent that we respect his theory that his wife is beautiful and his children smart.

H.L. Mencken....

[Thor]

Thor, that was Steven Wienberg.....

I agree on a lot of what he says, but not everything....However, that quote was truly a great one....

Another favorite of mine is;

We must respect the other fellow's religion, but only in the sense and to the extent that we respect his theory that his wife is beautiful and his children smart.

H.L. Mencken....

Thanks! Now I know who to credit when I use that quote. The Mencken quote is a good one also. I have to remember it!

Another one I like to use is this;

"Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities" - Voltaire

[Minimalist]

My favorite Mencken comment.

God is the immemorial refuge of the incompetent, the helpless, the miserable. They find not only sanctuary in His arms, but also a kind of superiority, soothing to their macerated egos: He will set them above their betters.

-- H L Mencken

[Samson]

Min, that is truly a good one...

Thor, I had to re-look this one back up on Voltaire....I loved one of the bio's they had on him.. (The last part of this was hilarious)..

In February 1778, Voltaire returned for the first time in 20 years to Paris, among other reasons to see the opening of his latest tragedy, Irene. The 5-day journey was too much for the 83-year old, and he believed he was about to die on February 28, writing "I die adoring God, loving my friends, not hating my enemies, and detesting superstition." However, he recovered, and in March saw a performance of Irene where he was treated by the audience as a returning hero. However, he soon became ill again and died on May 30, 1778. When asked on his deathbed by a priest to renounce the devil and turn to God, he is alleged to have replied, "For God's sake, let me die in peace."

lolol