The illusion of purpose and design is perhaps the most pervasive illusion about nature that science has to confront on a daily basis.

The lack of understanding of something is not evidence for God. It's evidence of a lack of understanding.

The purpose of education is not to validate ignorance but to overcome it.

I like to say that while antimatter may seem strange, it is strange in the sense that Belgians are strange. They are not really strange; it is just that one rarely meets them.

Without science, everything is a miracle.

As a scientist, I don't believe anything. Science shouldn't use the word belief. There are things more likely and less likely. Science can say nothing with absolute certainty.

[The writers of the holy books] did not even know the earth revolves around the sun. Why are we listening?

Forget Jesus. The stars died so that you could be here today.

Keeping religion immune from criticism is both unwarranted and dangerous.

Whatever the evolutionary basis of religion, the xenophobia it now generates is clearly maladaptive.

It is a shame when nonsense can substitute for fact with impunity.

Outer beauty you see with your eyes, but inner beauty you only see with your heart.

God is waiting for you to bear fruits

Extreme programming is an emotional experience.

I think a lot of the criticism had to do with disliking the characters - which, again, I take as something of a compliment.

I love what I do. I was given the most incredible gift that can be given to anyone. I could never imagine a world without music, and I feel grateful that I've been given the ability to share that.

At the Muddy Waters thing, I played the first song by myself on an acoustic guitar. I thought that was great that y'all did that tribute to Muddy Waters. I had a real good time

We eat and sleep and shuffle through the fog, walking a marathon with no finish line, no medals, no cheering.

I grew up in a sad, depressed place. I got out. Poetry saved my life.

The only prudence in life is concentration.

I come from a coal-mining, working-class background. My father was a coal miner.