Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness.
Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by rulers as useful.
The Church says the Earth is flat. But I know that it is round. For I have seen the shadow on the Moon. And I have more faith in a shadow than in the Church.
The more I study religions the more I am convinced that man never worshipped anything but himself.
Question with boldness even the existence of a god.
Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.
With or without religion, you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion.
Man is a Religious Animal. He is the only Religious Animal. He is the only animal that has the True Religion - several of them.
For good people to do evil things, it takes religion.
I don't believe in God because I don't believe in Mother Goose.
Man would indeeded be in a poor way if he had to be restrained by fear of punishment and hope of reward after death.
I do not believe in god because I do not believe in Mother Goose.
Faith: not wanting to know what is true.
The invisible and the non-existent look very much alike.
All national institutions of churches, whether Jewish, Christian or Turkish, appear to me no other than human inventions, set up to terrify and enslave mankind, and monopolize power and profit.
A cult is a religion with no political power.
Religion is excellent stuff for keeping common people quiet.
A man's ethical behaviour should be based effectually on sympathy, education, and social ties and needs; no religious basis is necessary. Man would indeed be in a poor way if he had to be restrained by fear of punishment and hope of reward after death.
I have never seen the slightest scientific proof of the religious ideas of heaven and hell, of future life for individuals, or of a personal God.
Gods are fragile things, they may be killed by a whiff of science or a dose of common sense.
or simply:
