The diet book is one of those fool-and-money separation devices that seems, like roulette or slot machines, never to lose its power.

If religious instruction were not allowed until the child had attained the age of reason, we would be living in a quite different world.

Islamophobia: a word created by fascists, and used by cowards, to manipulate morons.

Religion is poison because it asks us to give up our most precious faculty, which is that of reason, and to believe things without evidence. It then asks us to respect this, which it calls faith.

Never be a spectator of unfairness or stupidity. Seek out argument and disputation for their own sake; the grave will supply plenty of time for silence.

Human beings are pattern-seeking animals who will prefer even a bad theory or a conspiracy theory to no theory at all.

I learned that very often the most intolerant and narrow-minded people are the ones who congratulate themselves on their tolerance and open-mindedness.

High moral character is not a precondition for great moral accomplishments.

What can be asserted without evidence can be dismissed without evidence.

Why do humans exist? A major part of the answer: because Pikaia Gracilens survived the Burgess decimation.

The only real radicalism in our time will come as it always has—from people who insist on thinking for themselves and who reject party-mindedness.

The greatest happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved -- loved for ourselves, or rather, loved in spite of ourselves.

The problem with that analysis is that it is incorrect.

They constantly try to escapeFrom the darkness outside and withinBy dreaming of systems so perfect that no one will need to be good.But the man that is shall shadowThe man that pretends to be.

Deep darkness enhances the brightness and beauty of a little lamp.

There is something in me that makes me see things through.

Peel your own image from the mirror. Sit. Feast on your life.

I wish I could fly. Or speak fluent Chinese. Both I think are equally impossible.

I'm parodied as being some right-wing fundamentalist extremist, it just isn't true. The parody doesn't reflect reality.

The biggest risk a person can take is to do nothing.

I am fond of saying that reading the Bible turned me into an atheist.