#gnosticism

The problem I want to talk to you about tonight is the problem of belief. What does it mean to believe? We use this word all the time, and I think behind it lurk some really extraordinary taboos and confusions. What I want to argue tonight is that how we talk about belief- how we fail to criticize or criticize the beliefs of others, has more importance to us personally, more consequence to us personally and to civilization than perhaps anything else that is in our power to influence. ↗

— Sam Harris

#atheism #belief #ethics #humanism #religion

The Bible has noble poetry in it... and some good morals and a wealth of obscenity, and upwards of a thousand lies. ↗

— Mark Twain

#atheism #bible #christianity #mythology #truth

Atheism and agnosticism signify the rejection of certain images and concepts of God or of truth, which are historically conditioned and therefore inadequate. Atheism is a challenge to religion to purifiy its images and concepts and come nearer to the truth of divine mystery. ↗

— Bede Griffiths

#atheism #idols #religion #religion

What we do in every other area of our lives (other than religion), is, rather than respect somebody's beliefs, we evaluate their reasons. ↗

— Sam Harris

#atheism #belief #ethics #humanism #religion

People are invariably surprised to hear me say I am both an atheist and an agnostic, as if this somehow weakens my certainty. I usually reply with a question like, “Well, are you a Republican or an American?” The two words serve different concepts and are not mutually exclusive. Agnosticism addresses knowledge; atheism addresses belief. The agnostic says, “I don't have a knowledge that God exists.” The atheist says, “I don't have a belief that God exists.” You can say both things at the same time. Some agnostics are atheistic and some are theistic. ↗

— Dan Barker

#agnosticism #atheism #atheist

Education levels are highly and negatively correlated to religious belief. In other words, ignorance is bliss. ↗

— Cesar Nascimento

#atheism #belief #rationalism #rationality #religion

As a philosopher, if I were speaking to a purely philosophic audience I should say that I ought to describe myself as an Agnostic, because I do not think that there is a conclusive argument by which one can prove that there is not a God. On the other hand, if I am to convey the right impression to the ordinary man in the street I think that I ought to say that I am an Atheist, because, when I say that I cannot prove that there is not a God, I ought to add equally that I cannot prove that there are not the Homeric gods. ↗

— Bertrand Russell

#agnosticism #atheism #atheist #philosophy #equality

Are there any religions on your list that include the slaughter of noblemen as a holy duty? ↗

— Brandon Sanderson

#humor #religion #humor

The idea that we are to be absorbed into the Deity is Gnostic in its origins and is quite antithetical to Christianity." ~R. Alan Woods [2006] ↗

— R. Alan Woods

#christianity #gnosticism #nihilism #r-alan-woods #r-alan-woods

Scientism is gnosticism wrapped in a post-modern package". ~R. Alan Woods [2009] ↗

— R. Alan Woods

#r-alan-woods #scientism #r-alan-woods