Home / Quotes / Quote by A. J. Jacobs

Quote by A. J. Jacobs

“I thought religion would eventually wither away and we'd all be worshiping at the altar of science.”

Quote by A. J. Jacobs

Author

A. J. Jacobs is an American journalist and author recognized for his innovative approach to storytelling through self-experimentation. His work often intersects with popular culture, philosophy, and personal growth. Born on March 20, 1968, Jacobs has contributed to various publications and is known for his first book, 'The Know-It-All', which chronicles his year-long quest to read the entire Encyclopaedia Britannica. His books, such as 'The Year of Living Biblically' and 'Drop Dead Healthy', have been critically acclaimed and have reached a wide audience. more

You May Also Like

“When I was with the serpent-handlers in Tennessee, it was the most bizarre method of worship I could think of. Yet when you sit with these people, you can kind of see how it makes sense.”

People Thinking Kind Worship Method Make Sense Bizarre Serpent Tennessee

Author:A. J. Jacobs

“When I went to Israel, it was a little disorienting, because there are so many people who look crazy and were dressed like me. There, I was just one of the apocalyptic crowd.”

People Looks Littles Crazy Crowds Israel Like Me Just One Apocalyptic

Author:A. J. Jacobs

“The Bible talks a lot about thankfulness, and I'm more thankful than I ever was. I try to concentrate on the hundreds of things that go right in a day, instead of the three or four that go wrong.”

Trying Three Four Thankfulness

Author:A. J. Jacobs

“It's hard to be in a bad mood when you're walking around looking like you're about to play the semifinals at Wimbledon.”

Hard Play Like You Walking Mood Bad Mood Wimbledon

Author:A. J. Jacobs

“There's a lot of food restriction in the Bible, but it does say you're allowed to eat crickets, grasshoppers, and locusts. I decided to take advantage of that and eat a cricket. It was chocolate-covered, and I'm not sure that's the way they were served in Moses' time. But this was a rule that seemed crazy on the outside, then actually turned out to be pragmatic and compassionate.”

Way Doe Crazy Advantage Decided Not Sure Chocolate Covered Compassionate Cricket Restriction Moses Pragmatic Grasshoppers

Author:A. J. Jacobs

“After a while, if you're committed, you start to believe in the things in which you're praying. It's just cognitive dissonance. You can't live a completely religious life and not start to have it sink in.”

Ifs Believe Religious Praying Committed Cognitive Dissonance Religious Life Cognitive Dissonance

Author:A. J. Jacobs

“I don't believe that prayers actually change God's mind - if there is a God - but I liked praying for people in need. It was like moral weightlifting. I tend to be self-obsessed, and it was nice to get out of my brain once in a while.”

People Ifs Needs Mind Believe Self Prayer Brain Moral Nice Praying Don't Believe Obsessed If There Is A God Self Obsessed Change God Weightlifting

Author:A. J. Jacobs

“The Bible improved my ethical IQ. I started to act like a good person. I tried not to gossip, and lie, and covet, and just by pretending I was a good person, I think I actually became a little bit better of a person. I'm not Gandhi or Angelina Jolie, but it was a baby step.”

Thinking Littles Persons Lying Bits Steps Baby Little Bit Gossip Ethical Pretending Good Person Baby Steps

Author:A. J. Jacobs

“I write pretty fast, probably faster than most people. But I might think about something for six hours, then write it in 20 minutes. So did I write for six hours and 20 minutes, or just 20 minutes? I used to write absolutely every day, except for days when I had to travel or something.”

People Thinking Writing Might Used Hours Minutes Six Faster

Author:Chuck Klosterman

“If somebody asked for the first draft of something I'd written, it'd probably be pretty close to whatever got published. I get enjoyment out of writing, but I get absolutely no enjoyment out of rewriting, so I don't do much of it. The more you work on something, certainly, the better it gets. But there's also a pretty clear law of diminishing returns.”

Ifs Writing Firsts Law Clear Written Return Enjoyment Rewriting Diminishing Returns

Author:Chuck Klosterman