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"In conclusion, there is a marvellous anecdote from the occasion of Russell's ninetieth birthday that best serves to summarize his attitude toward God and religion. A London lady sat next to him at this party, and over the soup she suggested to him that he was not only the world's most famous atheist but, by this time, very probably the world's oldest atheist. "What will you do, Bertie, if it turns out you're wrong?" she asked. "I mean, what if -- uh -- when the time comes, you should meet Him? What will you say?" Russell was delighted with the question. His bright, birdlike eyes grew even brighter as he contemplated this possible future dialogue, and then he pointed a finger upward and cried, "Why, I should say, 'God, you gave us insufficient evidence.'"
(Al Seckel, in Preface to Bertrand Russell on God and Religion)



"Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by rulers as useful."
(Seneca the Younger / circa 4 BC - 65 AD)



Quotes of George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950), Irish playwright



"I'm one of those cliff-hanging Catholics. I don't believe in God, but I do believe that Mary was his mother"
(Martin Sheen, Actor / born in 1940)



Quotes of Benedict (Baruch] de Spinoza (1632-1677), Dutch philosopher



"Like my parents, I have never been a regular church member or churchgoer. It doesn't seem plausible to me that there is the kind of God who watches over human affairs, listens to prayers, and tries to guide people to follow His precepts -- there is just too much misery and cruelty for that. On the other hand, I respect and envy the people who get inspiration from their religions."
(Benjamin Spock / 1903-1998)



"The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing."
(Socrates / 470-399 BEC)



"Religions are founded on the fear of the many and the cleverness of the few."
(Stendhal / 1783-1842)



"It is impossible that anything so natural, so necessary, and so universal as death, should ever have been devised by Providence as an evil to mankind."
(Jonathan Swift / 1667-1745)



"There may be Gods, but they care not what men do."
(Henry David Thoreau, writer and philosopher /1817-1862)



Quotes of Mark Twain (1835-1910), author and humorist, USA



"I'ma born-again atheist."
(Gore Vidal / born 1925)



Quotes of "Voltaire", François-Marie Arouet, (1694-1778), French philosopher



"It is the final proof of God's omnipotence that he need not exist in order to save us."
(Peter De Vries, American, author and journalist / 1910-1993)



"Religion is an insult to human dignity. With or without it, you'd have good people doing good things and evil people doing bad things, but for good people to do bad things, it takes religion."
(Steven Weinberg / born un 1933 / Nobel Laureate in physics)



"Whatever the natural cause, sin is the true cause of all earthquakes."
(John Wesley, English evangelist / 1703-1791)



"I think that God in creating Man somewhat overestimated his ability."
(Oscar Wilde / 1854-1900)

"A bishop keeps on saying at the age of eighty what he was told to say at the age of eighteen."
(Oscar Wilde / 1854-1900)

"When I think of all the harm the Bible has done, I despair of ever writing anything to equal it."
(Oscar Wilde / 1854-1900)



"I believe in God, only I spell it Nature."
(Frank Lloyd Wright, American architect / 1869-1959)



"Did science promise happiness? I do not believe it. It promised truth, and the question is to know if we will ever make happiness with truth."
(Emile Zola / 1840-1902)

"Passion is still what helps the best to live."
(Emile Zola / 1840-1902)


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