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Share your favorite anti-religious quotes and sayings...

Don't forget to tell me who first said it if you know. However, I'd still rather see the quote without source than not at all.

From the lens Anti Religious Quotes and Sayings.

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sto gazzo Mar 26, 2012 @ 5:33 pm | delete

the belief of God is through weakness and desperation. When all fails believe in god as a last resort.

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GodlessHeathen Jan 20, 2012 @ 9:17 am | delete

The rapture? I am not worried...Santa will save me.

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Cubbysue Jan 18, 2012 @ 4:52 pm | delete

A man is accepted into a church for what he believes and he is turned out for what he knows. — Samuel Clemens

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Meir DeVilna Aug 11, 2011 @ 10:24 am | delete

Belief and Religion Meír DeVilna

Religion as we know it today, especially, organized religion, is an outcome of earlier beliefs and superstitions inherent in worldwide cultures, be they primitive or civilized.
What has been unique about humans, from time immemorial, is a need to believe in
a guiding system (for behavior) that should emanate from a super-natural source.
In Freudian terms, religion is a neurosis. In Marxian: "the opium of the masses."
Whether it be a neurosis or opium, it is, even as a palliative, not completely benign.
Just as someone under the influence of alcohol cannot think clearly, an adherence
to religious beliefs impedes free and rational thinking and behavior. Notwithstanding other motives, horrendous bloodshed has been committed in the name of religious
belief.
Religion is obviously a social/cultural phenomenon, where the individual absorbs communal values and life orientations. One is, thus, born and automatically indoctrinated into a specific religion. Initially, then, religious belief is not a free choice.
The foundation of Christianity is the neurosis of Jesus and his followers. Jesus' father Joseph was a journeyman (away from home for long periods), and apparently, Miriam/ Mary, at a very young age, conceived Jesus by someone other than Joseph. Hence, Jesus was considered to be a mamzer (born out of wedlock), which was obviously
a social stigma as he grew up. Then Joseph died, and Jesus found himself to be an orphan at a very young age. His search for a father resulted in a fabricated heavenly surrogate, but real to him, and self-serving to his new calling. The rest is history as we know it.
Closely enough, a parallel scenario took place when monotheism was introduced as
a result of Abraham's encounter with his father-figure, God, because Abraham was seemingly rebelling against his real father Terakh (who dealt in pagan idols).
Hence, Judaism evolved from Abraham's neurosis as well (Abraham was even ready to sacrifice his own son); and similarly, Islam emerged via Mohammed, who, as Jesus,
became a n orphan at a young age, and his (the same existing) god was to be called Allah.
One is hard pressed to acquiesce to the fact that humans had stooped down to such
a level of irrationality as to write a "divinely inspired" play as the Bible, with a god with human characteristics at center stage, and in a truly theatrical style. Even from
a religious point of view, it makes little sense to have a Supreme Being demean Him/Her/Itself to reach earthlings in such a manner. It is equally incomprehensible
how theologians and Biblical scholars have spent themselves, with a sense of awe at that, to find divine meaning in that literary work, which, having been primitively conceived, remains riddled with inconsistencies to the modern mind.
Well, this is a judgmental view. In analytic terms, though, man's irrational feature can be explained perhaps as follows.
There is obviously no correlation between man's evolved intellect and his pervasive irrationality. Possibly, man remains irrational because of a biologically ingrained uncertainty and fear of the unknown, and with a need to rationalize such feelings. The sublimation of this uncertainty and fear fostered the phenomenon of belief ─ supposedly, in some sort of supernatural entity ─ to allay that fear; and in turn, this disposition laid the ground for religious belief in general.
Indeed, assuming that there is an intelligence, a creator, named for convenience, God, would such a god need to actually inspire the writing of a sentimentalized drama after thousands and thousands of years of human existence? One would think that playing around with humans would be beyond divine standards, and a discredit to a god in
whom humans, presumably, are instructed to believe in.
A case in point is God's request of Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac as a test of his loyalty, only to prevent him from doing it. Furthermore, a supreme creator of the entire universe would hardly need to instill in humans the aspect of belief itself - in Him, Her, or It. Thus, the supposition or acknowledgment of a creator should have nothing to do
with the human fabrication of a religious monotheistic god, combined yet with all the already existing pagan rituals.
The Biblical God, who is the basis for Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, is childishly conceived, reflecting aspects of human qualities in toto. From an objective (or even divine) point of view, such a subjective naïve human perception of a god would constitute a degradation of, rather than reverence for, a god. Also, the recorded
Biblical drama took place in a relatively isolated desert-like region not known to the vast majority of people inhabiting the earth who was not subject to receive God's message. Why then, from the religious perspective, if God had a message, wasn't it universal? Has it been God's design to spread His word to a greater part of the world by way of the sword and missionaries?
It all points to the fact that humans have indeed projected their own characteristics and social drama on an invented god. Contrary to the Biblical account that "God created man in His image," it is man, who created God in man's image.
In the same vein, if, religiously speaking, all are "God's children," how does it make "divine" sense that a supposedly benevolent God would create or inspire a drama where all "His children" would be given free will, and then tempted and tested by sin, only to be assigned hell or heaven after the agony of living on earth? A true divine design would not encompass such game playing; neither would it encompass human innocent suffering from disease and a host of other misfortunes. The bare facts are that humans, as other creatures, are subject to the merciless forces of nature. There is no divine mercy. The only mercy that exists is the one that humans, as an advanced species, possess.
Obviously, early religious/superstitious believers worldwide couldn't have predicted the monolithic forms of religion we are witnessing today. For one thing, earlier religious beliefs and practice were mainly ritualistic, and a far cry from being doctrinaire, which is typical of monotheism.

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Meír DeVilna Aug 9, 2011 @ 7:31 pm | delete

Knowledge is a light that enlightens; faith is a light that blinds.

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Meír DeVilna Aug 9, 2011 @ 7:27 pm | delete

Reason unifies; belief separates

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Meír DeVilna Aug 9, 2011 @ 7:21 pm | delete

Belief is a human affliction

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copperdragon Jul 14, 2011 @ 1:03 pm | delete

Gods are fragile things; they can be killed by a whiff of science or a dose of common sense.

animals do not have gods - they are smrter than that.

Just because you dont understand how the natural world works, doesnt mean a big invisible being had to be part of it.

Belief in God is personal. Belief in religion is social.

What can be asserted without proof can be dismissed without proof.

Philosophy is "questions that may never be answered." Religion is "answers that may never be questioned."

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Anti-Theist Apr 8, 2011 @ 12:49 pm | delete

Who are we to say god is real and evolution doesn't exist, where its so easy to believe and proven that evolution is the cause of all things we know. God was just an ordinary man that wanted to be remembered, and to this day hes known as the man who created everything, or to me the man who formed the worlds longest lasting and most full of shit cult.

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Rachel Feb 5, 2011 @ 6:42 am | delete

Organized religions are the very teeth of the devil, and the leaders wear the golden crowns. How I long to see the devil with a toothless grin, never to tear at my soul again. - R. S.

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adhd-bipolar-depression Jan 22, 2011 @ 8:50 pm | delete

I love all of your 'quotes' lenses.

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Chadrew Jan 8, 2011 @ 1:29 am | delete

Here's one of my favorites:

“I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours.” - Stephen Roberts

Well said! :)

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KeenanSteel Jan 6, 2011 @ 11:56 pm | delete

I'd have to say that most of these are more pro-reason than they are anti-religious, but I guess the distinction is largely academic :)
"The moment you shift the conversation to God ... you can pretend to know things you absolutely and obviously cannot know." -Sam Harris

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manic maniact Oct 20, 2010 @ 5:35 pm | delete

god created santan as an angel but santan rebell against god and try to become more powerful than god santa fell dwn the underworld because of this and now rules earth and hell and god rules heaven this is why we need to pray for god to deliver us from evil god gave him someone to compete with him to see who is the better leader to give us the chance to chose between the two ,by the way im the same person who posted as ramdom person shearching for an awser to beter under stand myself i thought that name might be to lon g i use this one from now on ok

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ramdom person sherching for answer to help find myself Oct 16, 2010 @ 6:40 pm | delete

religion was made by man for man its all about us cause were shelfish but having a relation ship with god is tottally diffrent ibelive that god gave his only son to take the blame for our sins so that we may go to heaven for that i clasifiy me as a christiian i go to church help with the little awanna groupes and go to sunday school not because i have to but because i want to but trueful i love god and hate relgion whats that called and what the sign for it

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Kayla Jo Sep 2, 2010 @ 9:31 pm | delete

Everyone who does not believe in religion or is unsure.... watch "zeitgeist the movie" its about two hours long and the first part talks about how religion really came to be. it really helped me out when i was trying to figure out what i believed. especially growing up in a very religious family. i do not believe in religion. i will not try to make a believer change their beliefs.... if you want to believe in a purple dinosaur as your god.... that is fine with me... just do not try to push your beliefs onto me or we will have the "never ending argument" that many people seem to debate.

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Gi-Ryan Sep 5, 2010 @ 7:22 pm | delete

You are right, more often that not religious people get into arguments with non-believers because, because of what? I think the view of "religious people" is that they believe that every one else is drowning - and that they have the life preserver. That is why they want people like you to grab a hold of the preserver (and until you are saved, really you don't know that you are drowning).
p.s. Keep an open mind, man. People who create the movie that you mention leave out the other evidence - half the story - for God. (besides the fact that religion goes farther back than the movie people can prove it comes from)

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pat Aug 6, 2010 @ 2:27 am | delete

religion existed just to divide men, there is no real church. face reality. praying and going to your churches is just a waste of time. THERE IS ONE GOD

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Ryan Neall Aug 8, 2010 @ 5:53 pm | delete

Well, you can believe that if you want to, but if your wrong and I'm right (that there is a God) I win. Additionally, my life is so great right now believing in God that I would not ever want to give it up - the things of the world aren't worth true peace and happiness that Christianity offers.
But you are right about one thing - religion does divide men; but that only happens because there is a devil, and he is the one dividing people.

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Tommy Aug 17, 2010 @ 10:32 am | delete

It is widly believed that God is an all seeing, all powerful being. Why would "god" leave an evil being in this world (satan, devil)? Thats because there is no such thing, its a scape goat that was created by man to rationalize why bad things happen to good people. Ever gone to a church that wasnt selling something or asking for your money? Once you look at it for what it is, and stop considering the Bible to be a factual book. Youll see its just the longest running means of controling people to do someone elses will. When i was young and dumb, i was told there was a boogy man under my bed. Now im to believe theres one in the clouds?

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Ryan Neall Aug 18, 2010 @ 3:42 pm | delete

I'm not a pastor or anything, but maybe I can clear up something for you, if you don't mind. Your first thought, which is widely held by many people, that it doesn't make sense for God to leave an evil being over us, makes sense when viewed in a different light. You see, when Satan started getting rebelious against God, God could not just kill him. Then all the angels would think that Satan was right about God being unfair. No, instead God had to let Satan test out his theories to see who really was the fair one. So, this planet really is a test, a test to see who is better - God, or Satan. And this battle includes you and me, will you show Satan to be a better ruler than God by letting the devil control your life?
email me at <rneall@earthlink.net> and check out /www.bibleprophecytruth.com/prophecy-resources/bible-study-guides/bible-study-guide-list/study-guide-viewer.aspx?IID=2-2&LNG=en&TL=Did-God-Create-the-Devil>