The totalitarian, to me, is the enemy - the one that's absolute, the one that wants control over the inside of your head, not just your actions and your taxes.

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.

Out here on the water, it’s a fine line between feeling in control and losing it altogether.

The hearts of the noble are the graves of confidences.

Though our feelings come and go God's love for us does not.

Nobody is more individual than you, so be confident with who you are and what you have to offer because everybody has got things to offer.

I would guess, I would surmise that some of the more spectacular bombings are done by al Qaeda suiciders.

I think this whole Billy Bush thing just pushed women over the edge because it's so visceral.

Colonialists stole not only the lands of African people and renamed them. They stole also their knowledge, so that they would know nothing about themselves

Covetousness is a sort of mental gluttony, not confined to money, but craving honor, and feeding on selfishness.

I did not set out to be a poster child for anything. I saw a mountain. I wanted to climb it.

Age does not bring wisdom... but it does give perspective... and the saddest sight of all is to see, far behind you, temptations you've resisted.