it is interesting to find that people of faith now seek defensively to say that they are no worse than fascists or Nazis or Stalinists

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.

You are knowledgeable when you know yourself.

The power of the mind is the strength of being.

In your darkest times, never be afraid. The Lord's presence is always with you.

Besides, I'm not jealous. I'm just so in love with you that there isn't anything else.

Respect me. Be proud, and if you love me, a little afraid, because love so often looks like fear. We are alike. We are alike.

Education will not come of itself; it will never come unless you seek it; it will not come unless you take the first steps which lead to it; but, taking these steps, every man can acquire it.

Doom comes about because of neglecting to evaluate one's self and because of just following one's whims.

We believed ourselves indestructable... watching only the madmen outside our frontiers, and we remained defenseless against our own madmen.

We can constitutionally extirpate slavery at this time.

I went through puberty in a theme park. I'm grateful. That place was a landscape to me. I had adventures every day.