The suicide-bombing community is not absolutely 100 percent religious, but it is pretty nearly 100 percent religious.

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.

If we lose love and self respect for each other, this is how we finally die.

Touch the pawns before your king with only infinite delicacy.

I often traveled to Nicaragua to speak against repressive policies by the Sandinista government.

We're all simultaneously separated and connected by our devices, staring into our little screens, and also hungry for experience and community.

Always do your best because a pat on the back is real close to a kick in the pants.

Also "Catcher in the Rye", which happens to be one of my favorite books, I just found that kind of useful. It helps you get into the American accent.

Life is a series of dreams, a series of interlocking awarenesses.

The dawn speeds a man on his journey, and speeds him too in his work.

On your 60th, here's something philosophical To give the old grey matter a stir How old would you be If you didn't know how old you were?

I can believe things that are true and things that aren't true and I can believe things where nobody knows if they're true or not.