“I am not even an atheist so much as I am an antitheist; I not only maintain that all religions are versions of the same untruth, but I hold that the influence of churches, and the effect of religious belief is positively harmful. Reviewing the false claims of religion, I do not wish, as some sentimental materialists affect to wish, that they were true. I do not envy believers their faith. I am relieved to think that the whole story is a sinister fairy tale; life would be miserable if what the faithful affirmed was actually the case.” IfsThinkingWholeStoriesWould BeBeliefWishChurchReligiousCasesAtheismInfluenceEffectsClaimsAtheistEnvyBelieverTalesVersionsMiserableFaithfulFairyFairy TaleSentimentalPositivelyReligious BeliefRelievedSinisterUntruth Book:Letters to a Young Contrarian Source: Letters to a Young Contrarian
“There are a large number of people who can and do manage to lead decent upright lives with no use for a belief in God as a guide. Atheists do not care whether others believe as they do. They do ask, however, for the right to believe as they wish.” PeopleBelieveUseCareAsksBeliefWishNumbersAtheismAtheistGuidesManageDecentLarge NumbersBelief In God Author:Gordon Stein
“It was apparent to me that religion was an invented thing, a wish-fulfillment thing, a fantasy thing. It was much more real, dangerous, to accept that mortality was the end for you as an individual. As an atheist, I don't believe in an afterlife, so if you're thinking of murder, if your subject is murder, then that's a physical act of absolute destruction because you're ending something, a body, that is unique. That person never existed before, will never exist again, will not be karmically recycled, will not go to heaven, therefore I take it seriously.” IfsThinkingBelievePersonsRealEndsBodyIndividualHeavenWishAcceptingFantasySubjectsDangerousUniqueDestructionMurderAbsolutesDon't BelieveAtheistFulfillmentMortalityAfterlifeRecycled Author:David Cronenberg
“The superstitious man wishes he did not believe in gods, as the atheist does not, but fears to disbelieve in them.” MenBelieveDoeWishAtheistBelieve In GodSuperstitious Author:Plutarch