#religion

Since then your sere Majesty and your Lordships seek a simple answer, I will give it in this manner, neither horned nor toothed. Unless I am convinced by the testimony of the Scriptures or by clear reason (for I do not trust either in the pope or in councils alone, since it is well known that they have often erred and contradicted themselves), I am bound by the Scriptures I have quoted and my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything, since it is neither safe nor right to go against conscience. May God help me. Amen." (Reply to the Diet of Worms, April 18, 1521) ↗

— Martin Luther

#christian #conscience #freedom-of-religion #freedom-of-thought #organized-religion

I'm a student of world religion, so to me, it's hugely important to have knowledge and to understand what people are doing. ↗

— Will Smith

#hugely #i #important #knowledge #me

If you want to move people, you look for a point of sensitivity, and in Egypt nothing moves people as much as religion. ↗

— Naguib Mahfouz

#look #move #moves #much #nothing

We have enough religion to make us hate, but not enough to make us love one another. ↗

— Jonathan Swift

#enough #hate #love #make #religion

Give yourself entirely to God, enter and hide in the hidden ground of your soul. ↗

— Johannes Tauler

#enter #entirely #give #god #ground

We acquire both the language and religious concepts from our immediate culture – at the same time. A child cannot discriminate between useful survival information and the emotional and psychological manipulations of religion. Once infected, these ideas are deeply embedded and almost impossible to change. ↗

— Darrel Ray

#religion #change

There are many of us that are willing to do great things for the Lord, but few of us are willing to do little things. ↗

— Dwight L. Moody

#few #great #great things #little #little things

Government needs to stay out of the religion business altogether. ↗

— Michael Newdow

#business #government #needs #out #religion

As long as a population can be induced to believe in a supernatural hereafter, it can be oppressed and controlled. People will put up with all sorts of tyranny, poverty, and painful treatment if they're convinced that they'll eventually escape to some resort in the sky where lifeguards are superfluous and the pool never closes. Moreover, the faithful are usually willing to risk their skins in whatever military adventure their government may currently be promoting. ↗

— Tom Robbins

#heaven #military #religion #tyranny #war

If we submit everything to reason our religion will be left with nothing mysterious or supernatural. If we offend the principles of reason our religion will be absurd and ridiculous . . . There are two equally dangerous extremes: to exclude reason, to admit nothing but reason. ↗

— Blaise Pascal

#reason #religion #equality