“I have not come to seek place, nor to interfere with the business and calling of those men who have borne the burden since the death of Joseph. I throw myself at your feet, and wish to be one of your number, and be a mere member of the Church, and my mere asking to be baptized is an end to all pretensions to authority.” MenEndsWishChurchNumbersFeetCallingMembersAuthorityAskingMereBurdenInterferePretensionBaptized Author:Oliver Cowdery
“In a discussion of this kind our interest should be centered not on the weight of the authority but on the weight of the argument. Indeed the authority of those who set out to teach is often an impediment to those who wish to learn. They cease to use their own judgment and regard as gospel whatever is put forward by their chosen teacher.” ShouldKindUseWishInterestTeachTeacherAtheismAuthorityJudgmentArgumentWeightRegardPositive AtheismCeaseChosenDiscussionImpediments Author:Marcus Tullius Cicero
“All of the evidence highlights the implicit bargain that is offered to citizens: pose no challenge and you have nothing to worry about. Mind your own business, and support or at least tolerate what we do, and you'll be fine. Put differently, you must refrain from provoking the authority that wields surveillance powers if you wish to be deemed free of wrongdoing. This is a deal that invites passivity, obedience, and conformity. The safest course, the way to ensure being “left alone,” is to remain quiet, unthreatening, and compliant.” IfsWayMindCoursesLeftWishChallengesDealsWorrySupportFineCitizensQuietAuthorityEvidenceObedienceConformityInvitesTolerateProvokingSurveillanceBargainsRefrainOwn BusinessLeft AloneHighlightsPassivityImplicitWrongdoingMind Your Own BusinessMind Your Own Author:Glenn Greenwald
“Some sort of belief in all-powerful supernatural beings is common, if not universal. A tendency to obey authority, perhaps especially in children, a tendency to believe what you're told, a tendency to fear your own death, a tendency to wish to see your loved ones who have died, to wish to see them again, a wish to understand where you came from, where the world came from, all these psychological predispositions, under the right cultural conditions, tend to lead to people believing in things for which there is no evidence.” PeopleIfsWorldBelieveChildrenBeliefWishPowerfulCommonConditionsAuthorityEvidenceUniversalDiedTendenciesPsychologicalLoved OnesSupernatural Beings Author:Richard Dawkins
“The book, called the Bible, is filled with passages equally horrible, unjust and atrocious. This is the book to be read in schools in order to make our children loving, kind and gentle! This is the book they wish to be recognized in our Constitution as the source of all authority and justice!” KindChildrenBookSchoolOrderWishJusticeAtheismSourceAuthorityConstitutionOur ChildrenFilledPositive AtheismHorribleGentlePassagesUnjust Author:Robert Green Ingersoll
“My history of the Jesuits is not elegantly written, but is supported by unquestionable authorities, is very particular and very horrible. Their restoration is indeed "a step toward darkness," cruelty, perfidy, despotism, death and I wish we were out of danger of bigotry and Jesuitism.” WishStepsDarknessWrittenDangerParticularAuthorityHistoricalHorribleCrueltyBigotryRestorationDespotismJesuitPerfidy Author:John Adams