I don’t know if God exists, but it would be better for His reputation if He didn’t.
—Jules Renard (1864–1910) French Writer, Diarist
He must pull out his own eyes, and see no creature, before he can say, he sees no God; He must be no man, and quench his reasonable soul, before he can say to himself, there is no God.
—John Donne (1572–1631) English Poet, Cleric
I cannot conceive of a God who rewards and punishes his creatures, or has a will of the type of which we are conscious ourselves.
—Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born Physicist
And as for the unbelievers, their works are as a mirage in a spacious plain which the man athirst supposes to be water, till when he comes to it, he finds it is nothing; there indeed he finds God, and He pays him his account in full; (and God is swift at the reckoning).
—The Holy Quran Sacred Scripture of Islam
Few men are so obstinate in their atheism, that a pressing danger will not compel them to the acknowledgment of a divine power.
—Plato (428 BCE–347 BCE) Greek Philosopher, Mathematician, Educator
A little philosophy inclineth men’s minds to atheism; but depth in philosophy bringeth men’s minds to religion; for while the mind of man looketh upon second causes scattered, it may sometimes rest in them, and go no further.—But when it beholdeth the chain of them, confederate and linked together, it must needs fly to Providence and Deity.
—Francis Bacon (1561–1626) English Philosopher
There is no such thing as a man being too proud to fight; there is such a thing as a nation being so right that it does not need to convince others by force that it is right.
—Woodrow Wilson (1856–1924) American Head of State
The footprint of the savage in the sand is sufficient to prove the presence of man to the atheist who will not recognize God though his hand is impressed on the entire universe.
—Hugh Miller (1802–56) Scottish Geologist, Writer
Those thinkers who cannot believe in any gods often assert that the love of humanity would be in itself sufficient for them; and so, perhaps, it would, if they had it.
—G. K. Chesterton (1874–1936) English Journalist, Novelist, Essayist, Poet
In agony or danger, no nature is atheist.—The mind that knows not what to fly to, flies to God.
—Hannah More
Selfishness is the only real atheism; unselfishness the only real religion.
—Israel Zangwill (1864–1926) English Playwright, Novelist, Zionist Activist
I hope I never get so old I get religious.
—Ingmar Bergman (1918–2007) Swedish Film and Stage Director
He hoped and prayed that there wasn’t an afterlife. Then he realized there was a contradiction involved here and merely hoped that there wasn’t an afterlife.
—Douglas Adams (1952–2001) English Novelist, Scriptwriter
Theology is never any help; it is searching in a dark cellar at midnight for a black cat that isn’t there. Theologians can persuade themselves of anything.
—Robert A. Heinlein (1907–88) American Science Fiction Writer
To be an atheist requires an infinitely greater measure of faith than to receive all the great truths which atheism would deny.
—Joseph Addison (1672–1719) English Essayist, Poet, Playwright, Politician
Atheism is a disease of the soul before it becomes an error of understanding.
—Plato (428 BCE–347 BCE) Greek Philosopher, Mathematician, Educator
If there is no God, everything is permitted.
—Fyodor Dostoyevsky (1821–81) Russian Novelist, Essayist, Writer
The fact that a believer is happier than a sceptic is no more to the point than the fact that a drunken man is happier than a sober one. The happiness of credulity is a cheap and dangerous quality.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
An atheist is a man who believes himself an accident.
—Francis Thompson (1859–1907) English Poet, Ascetic
Faith, and belief without evidence in what is told by one who speaks without knowledge, of things without parallel.
—Ambrose Bierce (1842–1913) American Short-story Writer, Journalist
An atheist is a person who has no visible means of support.
—Unknown
He was an embittered atheist (the sort of atheist who does not so much disbelieve in God as personally dislike Him).
—George Orwell (1903–50) English Novelist, Journalist
In reading Chesterton, as in reading MacDonald, I did not know what I was letting myself in for. A young man who wishes to remain a sound Atheist cannot be too careful of his reading. There are traps everywhere.
—C. S. Lewis (1898–1963) Irish-British Academic, Author, Literary Scholar
Atheism, if it exists, is the result of ignorance and pride, of strong sense and feeble reason, of good eating and ill living.—It is the plague of society, the corrupter of morals, and the underminer of property.
—Jeremy Collier (1650–1726) Anglican Church Historian, Clergyman
If a man of sober habits, moderate, chaste, and just in all his dealings should assert there is no God, he would at least speak without interested motives; but such a man is not to be found.
—Jean de La Bruyere (1645–96) French Satiric Moralist, Author
People will then often say, “But surely it’s better to remain an Agnostic just in case?” This, to me, suggests such a level of silliness and muddle that I usually edge out of the conversation rather than get sucked into it. (If it turns out that I’ve been wrong all along, and there is in fact a god, and if it further turned out that this kind of legalistic, cross-your-fingers-behind-your-back, Clintonian hair-splitting impressed him, then I think I would choose not to worship him anyway.)
—Douglas Adams (1952–2001) English Novelist, Scriptwriter
I am a daylight atheist.
—Brendan Behan (1923–64) Irish Poet, Novelist, Playwright
An atheist may be simply one whose faith and love are concentrated on the impersonal aspects of God.
—Simone Weil (1909–1943) French Philosopher, Political Activist
I don’t believe in God because I don’t believe in Mother Goose.
—Clarence Darrow (1857–1938) American Civil Liberties Lawyer
An atheist is a man who looks through a telescope and tries to explain all that he can’t see.
—Unknown
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