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Positive Atheism Quotes

Browse 1875 quotes about Positive Atheism.

Positive Atheism Quotes

“As a rule, all heroism is due to a lack of reflection, and thus it is necessary to maintain a mass of imbeciles. If they once understand themselves the ruling men will be lost.”

Ifs Men Lost Atheism Mass Reflection Positive Atheism Dues Heroism Ruling Imbeciles

Author:Ernest Renan

“An argument frequently used by believers [is] to force unbelievers to soften their terms by accepting their opponents' definition; "Atheist" means without a concept of God that is logically convincing, not with proof that God does not exist.”

Mean Doe Used Force Term Accepting Concepts Argument Atheist Definitions Positive Atheism Proof Believer Opponents Convincing Unbelievers

Book:Against the Faith: Essays on Deists, Skeptics, and Atheists

Source: Against the Faith: Essays on Deists, Skeptics, and Atheists

“Between believing a thing and thinking you KNOW is only a small step and quickly taken.”

Thinking Knows Believe Steps Taken Positive Atheism Granted Small Steps

Book:Tales of Wonder

Source: Tales of Wonder

“We know now that the soul is the body, and the body the soul. They tell us they are different because they want to persuade us that we can keep our souls if we let them make slaves of our bodies.”

Ifs Knows Want Different Soul Body Atheism Slave Positive Atheism

Book:The Collected Works of George Bernard Shaw: Plays, Novels, Articles, Lectures, Letters and Essays: Pygmalion, Mrs. Warren’s Profession, Candida, Arms and The Man, Man and Superman, Caesar and Cleopatra, Androcles And The Lion, The New York Times Articles on War, Memories of Oscar Wilde and more

Source: The Collected Works of George Bernard Shaw: Plays, Novels, Articles, Lectures, Letters and Essays: Pygmalion, Mrs. Warren’s Profession, Candida, Arms and The Man, Man and Superman, Caesar and Cleopatra, Androcles And The Lion, The New York Times Articles on War, Memories of Oscar Wilde and more

“Emancipation from every kind of bondage is my principle. I go for recognition of human rights, without distinction of sect, party, sex, or color.”

Humans Kind Sex Party Principles Rights Atheism Color Human Rights Positive Atheism Recognition Distinction Bondage Emancipation Sects

Author:Ernestine Rose

“Labor is the only prayer that Nature answers.”

Prayer Answers Labor Positive Atheism Labor Day Labour Day

Book:The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll

Source: The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll

“Patriotism is an ephemeral motive that scarcely ever outlasts the particular threat to society that aroused it.”

Particular Threat Positive Atheism Motive Patriotism Patriotic Ephemeral

Book:Selected Writings

Source: Selected Writings

“When superstition is allowed to perform the task of old age in dulling the human temperament, we can say goodbye to all excellence in poetry, in painting, and in music.”

Humans Age Belief Painting Tasks Excellence Positive Atheism Old Age Birthday Goodbye Superstitions Farewell Temperament Saying Goodbye

Book:Selected Writings

Source: Selected Writings

“Superstitions are habits rather than beliefs.”

Belief Atheism Habit Positive Atheism Superstitions

Book:Marlene Dietrich's ABC: Wit, Wisdom, & Recipes

Source: Marlene Dietrich's ABC: Wit, Wisdom, & Recipes

“It is ironic that the one thing that all religions recognize as separating us from our creator, our very self-consciousness, is also the one thing that divides us from our fellow creatures. It was a bitter birthday present from evolution.”

Self Consciousness One Thing Atheism Evolution Creatures Fellows Creator Positive Atheism Bitter Birthday Divides Ironic Self Consciousness Separating

Author:Annie Dillard

“It is possible to lead astray an entire generation, to strike it blind, to drive it insane, to direct it towards a false goal. Napoleon proved this.”

Goal Generations Atheism Direct Blind Positive Atheism Strikes Insane Ideology Blindness

Author:Alexander Herzen

“I cannot follow you Christians; for you try to crawl through your life upon your knees, while I stride through mine on my feet.”

Trying Christian Feet Mines Positive Atheism Knees Stride

Author:Charles Bradlaugh

“People who believe in a divine creator, trying to live their lives in obedience to his supposed wishes and in expectation of a supposed eternal reward, are victims of the greatest confidence trick of all time.”

People Trying Believe Wish Atheism Divine Eternal Expectations Victim Rewards Creator Positive Atheism Tricks All Time Obedience

Author:Barbara Smoker

“It now seems plain to me that that theory ought to be vacated in favor of a new and truer one...the Descent of Man from the Higher Animals.”

Men Seems Animal Theory Ought Higher Positive Atheism Favors Descent Ascent

Author:Mark Twain

“I do not want church groups controlling the schools of our country. They must remain free.”

Want Country School Church Groups Atheism Positive Atheism Our Country

Book:The Eleanor Roosevelt Papers: The human rights years, 1949-1952

Source: The Eleanor Roosevelt Papers: The human rights years, 1949-1952

“Agitate! Agitate! Ought to be the motto of every reformer. Agitation is the opposite of stagnation - the one is life, the other death.”

Atheism Ought Opposites Positive Atheism Motto Stagnation Reformers Agitation Agitate

Author:Ernestine Rose

“Christianity has such a contemptible opinion of human nature that it does not believe a man can tell the truth unless frightened by a belief in god. No lower opinion of the human race has ever been expressed.”

Men Believe Humans Doe Belief Race Christianity Opinion Human Nature Positive Atheism Human Race Telling The Truth Frightened Belief In God

Book:Ingersoll the Magnificent: To which Has Been Added a Special Arrangement of Some Gems from Ingersoll for Inspiration, Wisdom, and Courage

Source: Ingersoll the Magnificent: To which Has Been Added a Special Arrangement of Some Gems from Ingersoll for Inspiration, Wisdom, and Courage

“It is the natural tendency of the ignorant to believe what is not true. In order to overcome that tendency it is not sufficient to exhibit the true; it is also necessary to expose and denounce the false.”

Believe Order Natural Overcoming Positive Atheism Ignorant Tendencies Sufficient Exhibits

Author:H. L. Mencken

“This is one of the great social functions of science - to free people from superstition”

People Social Atheism Function Positive Atheism Superstitions

Author:Steven Weinberg

“The whole conception of a God is a conception derived from the ancient oriental despotisms. It is a conception quite unworthy of free men. We ought to stand up and look the world frankly in the face. We ought to make the best we can of the world, and if it is not so good as we wish, after all it will still be better than what these others have made of it in all these ages.”

Ifs Men World Looks Made Stills Whole Age Faces Wish Ought Ancient Positive Atheism Conception Unworthy Free Man Despotism

Book:Bertrand Russell's Best

Source: Bertrand Russell's Best

“Sacrificing the earth for paradise is giving up the substance for the shadow.”

Giving Earth Sacrifice Atheism Giving Up Shadow Positive Atheism Substance Paradise

Book:Les Miserables: A Novel

Source: Les Miserables: A Novel

“Is there an intelligent man or woman now in the world who believes in the Garden of Eden story? If you find any man who believes it, strike his forehead and you will hear an echo. Something is for rent.”

Ifs Men World Believe Stories Garden Intelligent Positive Atheism Strikes Echoes Foreheads Eden Garden Of Eden Intelligent Man

Book:Ingersoll the Magnificent: To which Has Been Added a Special Arrangement of Some Gems from Ingersoll for Inspiration, Wisdom, and Courage

Source: Ingersoll the Magnificent: To which Has Been Added a Special Arrangement of Some Gems from Ingersoll for Inspiration, Wisdom, and Courage

“The liberties of none are safe unless the liberties of all are protected.”

Freedom Liberty Atheism Safe Positive Atheism Protected

Author:William O. Douglas

“The triumph of the philosophy of Atheism is to free man from the nightmare of gods; it means the dissolution of the phantoms of the beyond.”

Men Mean Philosophy Atheism Positive Atheism Triumph Nightmare Free Man Phantoms Dissolution

Book:Mother Earth Bulletin

Source: Mother Earth Bulletin

“It is our nature to conform; it is a force which not many can successfully resist. What is its seat? The inborn requirement of self-approval.”

Self Force Society Positive Atheism Seats Approval Requirements Conform Self Approval

Book:The Jumping Frog: And 18 Other Stories

Source: The Jumping Frog: And 18 Other Stories

“Reason and Ignorance, the opposites of each other, influence the great bulk of mankind. If either of these can be rendered sufficiently extensive in a country, the machinery of Government goes easily on. Reason obeys itself; and Ignorance submits to whatever is dictated to it.”

Ifs Country Reason Government Influence Mankind Ignorance Opposites Positive Atheism Submit Machinery

Book:Rights of Man: Being an Answer to Mr. Burke's Attack on the French Revolution

Source: Rights of Man: Being an Answer to Mr. Burke's Attack on the French Revolution

“Assure a man that he has a soul and then frighten him with old wives' tales as to what is to become of him afterward, and you have hooked a fish, a mental slave.”

Men Soul Wife Atheism Slave Fishes Scary Positive Atheism Tales Hooked Old Wives Tales

Book:Theodore Dreiser; His Autobiography

Source: Theodore Dreiser; His Autobiography

“Science and Technology revolutionize our lives, but memory, tradition and myth frame our response. Expelled from individual consciousness by the rush of change, history finds its revenge by stamping the collective unconscious with habits, values, expectations, dreams. The dialectic between past and future will continue to form our lives.”

“Religious conflict can be the bloodiest and cruelest conflicts that turn people into fanatics.”

People Turns Religious Atheism Conflict Positive Atheism Fanatics Religious Conflict

Author:William J. Brennan

“As for the accusation of intellectual pride, surely the boot is on the other foot. Atheists don't claim to know anything with certainty -- it's the believers who know it all.”

Knows Feet Atheism Pride Intellectual Claims Atheist Positive Atheism Believer Certainty Boots Accusation Know It All Intellectual Pride

Author:Barbara Smoker

“The method of science is tried and true. It is not perfect, it's just the best we have. And to abandon it, with its skeptical protocols, is the pathway to a dark age.”

Age Science Dark Perfect Atheism Method Positive Atheism Abandon Skeptical Pathways Dark Ages Not Perfect Scientific Method Protocol

Author:Carl Sagan

“I am in a very peculiar business: I travel all over the world telling people what they should already know.”

People Knows World Should Atheism Positive Atheism Peculiar

Author:James Randi

“There's no reason to bring religion into it. I think we ought to have as great a regard for religion as we can, so as to keep it out of as many things as possible.”

Thinking Reason Atheism Ought Dignity Regard Positive Atheism No Reason

Author:Sean O'Casey

“The most gifted members of the human species are at their creative best when they cannot have their way, and must compensate for what they miss by realizing and cultivating their capacities and talents.”

Way Humans Realizing Creative Talent Missing Members Capacity Species Positive Atheism Gifted Constraints Cultivating Human Species

Book:Between the Devil and the Dragon: The Best Essays and Aphorisms of Eric Hoffer

Source: Between the Devil and the Dragon: The Best Essays and Aphorisms of Eric Hoffer

“Customs do not concern themselves with right or wrong or reason. But they have to be obeyed; one reasons all around them until he is tired, but he must not transgress them, it is sternly forbidden.”

Reason Concern Tired Positive Atheism Customs Forbidden

Author:Mark Twain

“The acting that one sees upon the stage does not show how human beings comport themselves in crises, but how actors think they ought to. It is thus, like poetry and religion, a device for gladdening the heart with what is palpably not true.”

Thinking Humans Heart Doe Shows Actors Human Beings Acting Stage Ought Crisis Positive Atheism Devices Agnostic

Author:H. L. Mencken

“The principle itself of dogmatic religion, dogmatic morality, dogmatic philosophy, is what requires to be booted out; not any particular manifestation of that principle.”

Philosophy Principles Atheism Particular Morality Positive Atheism Manifestation Dogma Dogmatic

Author:John Stuart Mill

“Man became free when he recognized that he was subject to law.”

Men Law Liberty Atheism Subjects Positive Atheism

Book:The Life of Greece: The Story of Civilization

Source: The Life of Greece: The Story of Civilization

“In all the ages, three-fourths of the support of the great charities has been conscience money.”

Has Beens Age Three Support Conscience Charity Positive Atheism

Book:The $30,000 Bequest and Other Stories

Source: The $30,000 Bequest and Other Stories

“The language and concepts contained herein are guaranteed not to cause eternal torment in the place where the guy with the horns and pointed stick conducts his business”

Guy Language Causes Business Eternal Concepts Sticks Positive Atheism Torment Horns

Author:Frank Zappa

“The whole foundation of Christianity is based on the idea that intellectualism is the work of the Devil. Remember the apple on the tree? Okay, it was the Tree of Knowledge. You eat this apple, you're going to be as smart as God. We can't have that.”

Ideas Whole Remember Christianity Tree Atheism Smart Devil Okay Foundation Positive Atheism Apples Intellectualism Tree Of Knowledge

Author:Frank Zappa

“I think we Americans tend to put too high a price on unanimity, as if there were something dangerous and illegitimate about honest differences of opinion honestly expressed by honest men.”

Ifs Thinking Men Differences Opinion Atheism Honest Dangerous Positive Atheism Honestly Honest Man Differences Of Opinion Unanimity Illegitimate Child

Author:J. William Fulbright

“The circumstances of the world are continually changing, and the opinions of men change also; and as government is for the living, and not for the dead, it is the living only that has any right in it. That which may be thought right and found convenient in one age, may be thought wrong and found inconvenient in another. In such cases, who is to decide, the living, or the dead?”

Men World May Government Age Found Opinion Cases Circumstances Positive Atheism Convenient Inconvenient

Book:The Rights of Man: With a Brief Historical Preface

Source: The Rights of Man: With a Brief Historical Preface

“When an objection cannot be made formidable, there is some policy in trying to make it frightful; and to substitute the yell and the war-whoop, in the place of reason, argument and good order.”

Trying Made War Reason Religion Order Atheism Policy Argument Positive Atheism Substitutes Objections Formidable

Book:The Complete Writings of Thomas Paine

Source: The Complete Writings of Thomas Paine

“Koranic teaching still insists that the sun moves around the earth. How can we advance when they teach things like that?”

Stills Earth Moving Teach Sun Atheism Teaching Positive Atheism

Author:Taslima Nasrin

“It has never mattered to me that thirty million people might think I'm wrong. The number of people who thought Hitler was right did not make him right... Why do you necessarily have to be wrong just because a few million people think you are?”

People Thinking Might Numbers Millions Positive Atheism Thirty

Author:Frank Zappa

“That's all religion is -- some principle you believe in . . . man has accomplished far more miracles than the God he invented. What a tragedy it is to invent a God and then suffer to keep him King.”

Men Believe Suffering Principles Atheism Kings Miracle Tragedy Positive Atheism Accomplished

Author:Rod Steiger

“In matters of religion, it is very easy to deceive a man and very hard to undeceive him.”

Men Matter Hard Easy Atheism Positive Atheism Deceiving

Author:Pierre Bayle

“The American constitutions were to liberty, what a grammar is to language: they define its parts of speech, and practically construct them into syntax”

America Language Liberty Speech Constitution Positive Atheism Constructs Grammar Syntax American Constitution Parts Of Speech

Author:Thomas Paine

“When men are brought face to face with their opponents, forced to listen and learn and mend their ideas, they cease to be children and savages and begin to live like civilized men. Then only is freedom a reality, when men may voice their opinions because they must examine their opinions.”

Men May Children Ideas Reality Faces Voice Opinion Atheism Civilization Congress Positive Atheism Cease Opponents Civilized Savages Face To Face

Book:The Essential Lippmann: A Political Philosophy for Liberal Democracy

Source: The Essential Lippmann: A Political Philosophy for Liberal Democracy