“I wanted to know how much of conversion was forced - that is, forced in the sense that the Inquisition forced people to choose - forced Jews, let's say, and Muslims to choose conversion to Christianity or death. I wanted to see how much of conversion historically was forced in that way and how much of it was really a kind of persuasion.” PeopleKnowsWayKindWantedChristianityKnow HowJewConversionPersuasionInquisition Author:Susan Jacoby
“One of the reasons there are largely Catholic and largely Protestant regions of Germany today is that people did sort themselves out geographically.” PeopleReasonTodayCatholicGermanyRegionsProtestants Author:Susan Jacoby
“I think very few people realize how much the separation of church and state has to do with the fact that Americans are not only more religious than a lot of other people in the world but that conversions are much more common here.” PeopleThinkingWorldStatesFactsRealizingChurchReligiousCommonSeparationConversionChurch And StateSeparation Of Church And State Author:Susan Jacoby
“People think that, that conversion to Judaism is just a modern phenomenon. But there was an era in the late Roman Empire Judaism was not a proselytizing religion. It didn't go out looking for converts, but it accepted converts.” PeopleThinkingModernLateAcceptedConversionErasEmpiresPhenomenonJudaismRoman EmpireProselytizing Author:Susan Jacoby
“I'd be the last person in the world to deny that there are many people for whom faith is - can be a great sustaining force.” PeopleWorldPersonsLastsForceDenySustaining Author:Susan Jacoby
“I don't deny that religion is very healthful to a lot of people. And as long as they don't try to convert me, I have, you know, nothing - and to interfere with the rights of people to believe other religions or to not believe in any religion at all - as long as they mind their own religion - perfectly all right with me...” PeopleKnowsTryingMindBelieveLongRightsDenyInterfere Author:Susan Jacoby
“I completely can't understand people of different faiths who say that their children will choose when they grow up. I think that if you believe in a religion, most people believe that it's right.” PeopleIfsThinkingBelieveChildrenDifferentGrowsGrowing UpIf You BelieveDifferent Faiths Author:Susan Jacoby
“I think people who love each other and live together and have children together need to agree on the things that are most important in life.” PeopleThinkingNeedsChildrenImportantTogetherAgreeLove Each Other Author:Susan Jacoby
“It's something fundamental to me, human rights that people are equal under law simply because they are human beings. And I can no more imagine falling in love with someone who believed, for instance, as Orthodox Jews do, that women are unclean during their menstrual periods.” PeopleHumansI CanLawFallHuman BeingsRightsImaginePeriodsEqualFundamentalsFalling In LoveHuman RightsJewInstanceOrthodox Author:Susan Jacoby
“My atheism doesn't define my day-to-day life at all. But I realize - and maybe it is because, unlike people who sort of stay comfortably in a religion, I had to do a lot of thinking and reading before I realized that I was an atheist.” PeopleThinkingReadingRealizingAtheismAtheistI RealizedDay To DayDay LifeDay To Day Life Author:Susan Jacoby
“I'm not saying that I think atheists are better than other people. God, no. What I am saying is I do feel that this an integral part of who I am. And it's not something that I could comfortably think of not sharing with the person I loved most in the world.” PeopleThinkingWorldFeelsPersonsAtheistWho I Am Author:Susan Jacoby
“I have received many touching letters and emails from people who live in the most religious parts of the country, in places like rural Texas, saying it is so good to see someone be able to say I am an atheist without shame.” PeopleCountryAbleReligiousLettersShameAtheistTexasTouchingEmail Author:Susan Jacoby
“If enough money is involved and enough people believe that two plus two equals five the media will report the story with a straight face always adding a qualifying paragraph noting that mathematicians however say that two plus two still equals four.” PeopleIfsBelieveStillsTwoEnoughStoriesFacesFiveFourMediaInvolvedReportsPlusMathematicianParagraphQualifyingStraight Face Author:Susan Jacoby
