#religion

There is no religion without love, and people may talk as much as they like about their religion, but if it does not teach them to be good and kind to man and beast, it is all a sham. ↗

— Anna Sewell

#anna #anna-sewell #black-beauty #kindness #love

It is clear that this essential Christian doctrine gives a new value to human nature, to human history and to human life which is not to be found in the other great oriental religions. ↗

— Christopher Dawson

#clear #doctrine #essential #found #gives

Supposing there is no life everlasting. Think what it means if death is really the end of all things. They've given up all for nothing. They've been cheated. They're dupes." Waddington reflected for a little while. "I wonder if it matters what they have aimed at is illusion. Their lives are in themselves beautiful. I have an idea that the only thing which makes it possible to regard this world we live in without disgust is the beauty which now and then men create out of the chaos. The pictures they paint, the music they compose, the books the write, and the lives they lead. Of all these the richest beauty is the beautiful life. That is the perfect work of art. ↗

— W. Somerset Maugham

#life #philosophy #religion #art

Many of us saw religion as harmless nonsense. Beliefs might lack all supporting evidence but, we thought, if people needed a crutch for consolation, where's the harm? September 11th changed all that. ↗

— Richard Dawkins

#changed #consolation #crutch #evidence #harm

I am against religion because it teaches us to be satisfied with not understanding the world. ↗

— Richard Dawkins

#am #because #i #i am #religion

A universe with a God would look quite different from a universe without one. A physics, a biology where there is a God is bound to look different. So the most basic claims of religion are scientific. Religion is a scientific theory. ↗

— Richard Dawkins

#biology #bound #claims #different #god

One of the things that is wrong with religion is that it teaches us to be satisfied with answers which are not really answers at all. ↗

— Richard Dawkins

#really #religion #satisfied #teaches #things

It would be intolerant if I advocated the banning of religion, but of course I never have. ↗

— Richard Dawkins

#banning #course #i #intolerant #never

I took religion much too seriously, however, and its overall effect was depressing. I would have really liked to discard it, but somehow I couldn't. ↗

— Jack Dee

#discard #effect #however #i #liked

It is very reasonable to worry about the harm done by organized religion, and to prefer looser and more private arrangements. ↗

— Mary Douglas

#arrangements #done #harm #looser #more