Interesting Quotes

This a short collection of quotes I've collected. If you have any you'd like for me to respond to, post them and I'd be glad to add them. These may seem biased, since I agree with almost (or maybe not almost) all of them, but that's sort of why I picked them. Feel free to give me quotes that aren't so biased, and I'll gladly add them along with my own input.

We can't say that all religions are the same, different religions have different views and fundamental differences. But it does not matter, as all religions are meant to help in bringing about a better world with better and happier human beings. On this level, I think that through different philosophical explanations and approaches, all religions have the same goal and the same potential. - Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama

Tenzin Gyatso is quite the magnificent man. I have many quotes of his and nearly every one I enjoy. This one sticks out to me as something I completely agree with. Every religion tries to make a better world. That doesn't mean that any of them have succeeded, and it is sad to know that these theories conflict with another in their attempts. With these conflicts, more hostilities are born, and thus in trying to create peace we are creating war.

If you have a particular faith or religion, that is good. But you can survive without it. - Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama

Once again, Tenzin Gyatso is awesome. I agree completely with this. I can live without a religion or a god to lean on, yet many who do adhere to one do not believe it possible. They haven't tried and instead stick to what they think they know, which I tell you now they don't know it. I partially disagree with the part of the quote that says it is good, because I'm not sure anyone can conclusively state whether religions are good or bad. They've created much happiness, and yet still so much pain. I see how having no religions would be a good thing, but I also see how everyone following one religion could be good. Both are far-fetched ideas and neither will ever be accomplished. If I had to vote for one, I'd vote for none. It's easier to dispute what is there than make what isn't.

A belief is not true because it is useful. - Henri-Frederic Amiel

So many adherents try to use this on me without knowing it. I understand where they are coming from, but you need to realize that usefulness isn't truth.

An Inuit hunter asked the local missionary priest: “If I did not know about God and sin, would I go to hell?” “No,” said the priest, “not if you did not know.” “Then why,” asked the Inuit earnestly, “did you tell me?” - Annie Dillard

If I could be as witty as that Inuit hunter, I'd be extremely happy. It is a good point Christians have two options for "saving" the world. Convert everyone, or tell no one.

Isn't it enough to see that a garden is beautiful without having to believe that there are fairies at the bottom of it too? - Douglas Adams

A beautiful quote in itself.

The fact that a believer is happier than a skeptic 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

It can be cheap and dangerous, I agree. But, it can also be useful for overcoming extreme troubles. That ties into Henri-Frederic Amiel's quote, though, usefulness isn't truth.

We can live without religion and meditation, but we cannot survive without human affection. - Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama

I agree wholeheartedly, assuming by survive he means thrive and not literally living. We can, it would just be miserable.

It is time that we admitted that faith is nothing more than the license religious people give one another to keep believing when reason fails. - Sam Harris

A quote from an atheist, no less. I agree, though.

We must respect the other fellow's religion, but only in the sense and to the extent that we respect his theory that his wife is beautiful and his children smart. - H. L. Mencken

Also agreed.  We don't have to believe in his theories, only respect them. It's called religious tolerance, but it seems impossible. Who can honestly say that they don't judge anyone and don't feel at least a hint of hostility against those who disagree with them on nearly everything? It also doesn't help to be tolerant of hostile beliefs, such as those that tell their believers to kill non-believers. It is a sad story.

I cannot conceive of a God who rewards and punishes his [sic] creatures, or has a will of the type of which we are conscious ourselves. - Albert Einstein

First of all, I'm not going to lie, I don't know what the [sic] thing means. Otherwise, I agree with this quote too (go figure). It is extremely difficult to conceive of a God whom has a different type of will or even different type of consciousness itself. Something we don't understand - can't? - , should we really believe it?

Everything of value that people get from religion can be had more honestly, without presuming anything on insufficient evidence. The rest is self-deception, set to music. - Sam Harris

Another Sam Harris the atheist quote. Again, I agree completely, except for the connotations of his usage of honestly, implying that religions are a form of cheating or wrongness. They may be, but I can't conclusively say that.

A myth is a religion in which no one any longer believes.’ - James Feibleman

This is simply true. Look at Greek mythology, it once was a religion that people honestly believed in, and now it is a myth.

The difficulty with pragmatic arguments for a religion is that truths do not always "work", and beliefs that "work" are by no means always true. - John Warwick Montgomery

Any sort of logical reasoning for God has had a tendency to not "work", as Mr. Montgomery states. It doubles back on itself, or creates a new version of God.

The more I study religions the more I am convinced that man never worshipped anything but himself. - Richard Francis Burton

Heh. Can I respond to a quote with another quote, this time of a poem?

"The Ethiops say that their gods are flat-nosed
and black.

While the Thracians say that theirs have blue 

eyes and red hair.

Yet if cattle or horses or lions had hands and

could draw,

And could sculpture like men, then the horses

would draw their gods,

Like horses, and cattle like cattle, and each

would then shape,

Bodies of gods in the likeness, each kind

of its own."

- Xenophanes

Man is the religious animal. He is the only religious animal. He is the only animal that has the True Religion -- several of them. He is the only animal that loves his neighbor as himself and cuts his throat, if his theology isn't straight. He has made a graveyard of the globe in trying his honest best to smooth his brother's path to happiness and heaven. - Mark Twain

Too many times has man proven this quote true. Never have I seen it put to words so eloquently.