Atheism is the death of hope, the suicide of the soul.
—Hugh Miller (1802–56) Scottish Geologist, Writer
The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully.
—Richard Dawkins (b.1941) British Evolutionary Biologist, Atheist
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
I’m not an athiest. How can you not believe in something that doesn’t exist? That’s way too convoluted for me.
—A. Whitney Brown (b.1952) American Comedian, TV Personality
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
Selfishness is the only real atheism; unselfishness the only real religion.
—Israel Zangwill (1864–1926) English Playwright, Novelist, Zionist Activist
An atheist is a man who has no invisible means of support.
—John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir (1875–1940) Scottish Novelist, Politician, Diplomat
I don’t believe in God because I don’t believe in Mother Goose
—Clarence Darrow (1857–1938) American Civil Liberties Lawyer
I have a great love and respect for religion, great love and respect for atheism. What I hate is agnosticism, people who do not choose.
—Orson Welles (1915–85) American Film Director, Actor
An atheist is a man who believes himself an accident.
—Francis Thompson (1859–1907) English Poet, Ascetic
If I were not an atheist, I would believe in a God who would choose to save people on the basis of the totality of their lives and not the pattern of their words. I think he would prefer an honest and righteous atheist to a TV preacher whose every word is God, God, God, and whose every deed is foul, foul, foul.
—Isaac Asimov (1920–92) Russian-born American Writer, Scientist
Atheism deprives superstition of its stand ground, and compels Theism to reason for its existence.
—George Holyoake (1817–1906) English Social Reformer, Freethinker
I hope I never get so old I get religious.
—Ingmar Bergman (1918–2007) Swedish Film and Stage Director
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