--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I am a nonbeliever myself. But I think…" description: "\"I am a nonbeliever myself. But I think there's so much about religion that is not factual in nature as to why people engage with it and what it means t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a09/adam-conover-6921_evidence_i-am-a-nonbeliever-myself-but-i-think-th_2025621.jpg" --- # I am a nonbeliever myself. But I think there's so much… ![“I am a nonbeliever myself. But I think there's so much about religion that is not factual in nature as to why people engage with it and what it means to them. You can debunk why you think there's no physical evidence for God and why the story of Jesus didn't really happen that way and stuff like…” quote by Adam Conover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a09/adam-conover-6921_evidence_i-am-a-nonbeliever-myself-but-i-think-th_2025621.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a09/adam-conover-6921_evidence_i-am-a-nonbeliever-myself-but-i-think-th_2025621.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a09/adam-conover-6921_evidence_i-am-a-nonbeliever-myself-but-i-think-th_2025621.jpg) > “I am a nonbeliever myself. But I think there's so much about religion that is not factual in nature as to why people engage with it and what it means to them. You can debunk why you think there's no physical evidence for God and why the story of Jesus didn't really happen that way and stuff like that all the live-long day, and it's not going to make a difference to what role religion has in people's lives and how they feel about it and how it makes their lives better or worse.” [Adam Conover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-conover/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker acknowledges that personal belief in religion persists despite lack of empirical evidence, emphasizing its emotional and social significance over factual truth. **In simple terms:** Religion matters to people beyond proof. Key Takeaway Consider the role of belief in human experience. Themes faith psychology culture belief meaning Mood contemplative balanced Type sociological reflective When to use this quote - personal counseling - education - media analysis - public policy - interfaith dialogue Key Concepts Social identity existential comfort community cohesion Questions to Reflect On - Why do people cling to faith despite contradictory evidence? - How can societies respect belief while promoting critical thinking? A Different Perspective Debunking facts may not change deep‑seated emotional needs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Evidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evidence/) [Factual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/factual/) [Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jesus/) [Long day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-day/) [Making a difference](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-a-difference/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Nonbeliever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nonbeliever/) [Nonbeliever Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nonbeliever-think-3692952/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religion Factual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion-factual-3692953/) [Religion People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion-people/) [Think Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-religion/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I think religion for many people is some sort of moral viagra.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-dennett/i-think-religion-for-many-people-is-some-sort-of-moral-viagra/) [Daniel Dennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-dennett/) > [As far as God goes, I \_am\_ a nonbeliever. Still am. But when it comes to a devil---well, that's something else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-peter-blatty/as-far-as-god-goes-i-am-a-nonbeliever-still-am-but-when-it-comes-to-a/) [William Peter Blatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-peter-blatty/) > [Name one moral action performed by a believer that could not have been done by a nonbeliever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/name-one-moral-action-performed-by-a-believer-that-could-not-have/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“Being a believer and being a bigot are two different things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/being-a-believer-and-being-a-bigot-are-two-different-things/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > ["One becomes a deeply religious nonbeliever...". It is clear from the original that it is definitely not "I".](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/one-becomes-a-deeply-religious-nonbeliever-it-is-clear-from-the/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The new definition of the word 'nonbeliever' is a person who lives in ignorant and arrogant denial of the 'fact' of evolution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-fowler/the-new-definition-of-the-word-nonbeliever-is-a-person-who-lives-in/) [Steve Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-fowler/) > [“Objects that don't exist don't exist. If we were to imagine such a thing as an object that didn't exist, it would be that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/objects-that-don-t-exist-don-t-exist-if-we-were-to-imagine-such-a/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [I'm a strong nonbeliever in the Christmas letter where you don't really read it because it's just full of kind of meaningless information. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-a-strong-nonbeliever-in-the-christmas-letter-where-you-don-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Here is my challenge. Name one ethical statement made, or one ethical action performed, by a believer that could not have been uttered or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/here-is-my-challenge-name-one-ethical-statement-made-or-one-ethical/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [I am an anarch – not because I despise authority, but because I need it. Likewise, I am not a nonbeliever, but a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernst-junger/i-am-an-anarch-not-because-i-despise-authority-but-because-i-need-it/) [Ernst Junger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernst-junger/) > [“Whenever He answers prayers, God usually prioritizes those by people who, instead of their mouths, have prayed with their hands and/or feet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/whenever-he-answers-prayers-god-usually-prioritizes-those-by-people/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“Even a nonbeliever might find it useful to model himself after God. Very useful, in fact.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/even-a-nonbeliever-might-find-it-useful-to-model-himself-after-god/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [“I too entered the Lager as a nonbeliever, and as a nonbeliever I was liberated and have lived to this day. Actually, the experience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/i-too-entered-the-lager-as-a-nonbeliever-and-as-a-nonbeliever-i-was-2/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“If a believer demands that I, as a nonbeliever, observe his taboos in the public domain, he is not asking for my respect, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flemming-rose/if-a-believer-demands-that-i-as-a-nonbeliever-observe-his-taboos-in/) [Flemming Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flemming-rose/) > [“It goes without saying that even those of us who are going to hell will get eternal life—if that territory really exists outside religious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/it-goes-without-saying-that-even-those-of-us-who-are-going-to-hell/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) ## More by Adam Conover > [Millennials are always on their phones and it's running their lives, but you know who is also on their phones? Moms and Dads and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-conover/millennials-are-always-on-their-phones-and-it-s-running-their-lives/) [Adam Conover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-conover/) > [I loved 'Beakman's World' growing up. As much as I loved 'Bill Nye,' I always preferred 'Beakman's World' because I thought it was funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-conover/i-loved-beakman-s-world-growing-up-as-much-as-i-loved-bill-nye-i/) [Adam Conover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-conover/) > [I want to do stories that are about the bits of cultural furniture that are sitting there that we're like, 'Oh yeah, that's been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-conover/i-want-to-do-stories-that-are-about-the-bits-of-cultural-furniture/) [Adam Conover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-conover/) > [Growing up as a comedian the most influential person on me was Jon Stewart. He showed that comedy could have a real tangible effect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-conover/growing-up-as-a-comedian-the-most-influential-person-on-me-was-jon/) [Adam Conover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-conover/) > [I want people to know the truth. That's what drives me. That there is truth in the world to know, and once you know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-conover/i-want-people-to-know-the-truth-that-s-what-drives-me-that-there-is/) [Adam Conover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-conover/) > [The Daily Show' was really a turning point, where people started to realize that comedy can have a true cultural impact and can have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-conover/the-daily-show-was-really-a-turning-point-where-people-started-to/) [Adam Conover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-conover/) > [Your date of birth is a security point for identity theft.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-conover/your-date-of-birth-is-a-security-point-for-identity-theft/) [Adam Conover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-conover/) > [On 'Adam Ruins Everything' we do the broadest sketch comedy possible. We do stuff where you can see it immediately and know it's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-conover/on-adam-ruins-everything-we-do-the-broadest-sketch-comedy-possible-we/) [Adam Conover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-conover/) > [I see myself as an avatar of curiosity and doubt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-conover/i-see-myself-as-an-avatar-of-curiosity-and-doubt/) [Adam Conover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-conover/) > [I think that at the end of the day correcting misinformation and questioning what we think we know as a habit of mind is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-conover/i-think-that-at-the-end-of-the-day-correcting-misinformation-and/) [Adam Conover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-conover/) > [If it weren't for the fellow union members and leaders who have my back, the barons of the TV industry would happily pay me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-conover/if-it-weren-t-for-the-fellow-union-members-and-leaders-who-have-my/) [Adam Conover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-conover/) > [I went to Bard College, which was a really interesting synthesis of a hippie school and a serious academic institution. It was really the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-conover/i-went-to-bard-college-which-was-a-really-interesting-synthesis-of-a/) [Adam Conover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-conover/) > [It's only when you get towards the top that people start throwing you down a rope. It's like a law of nature, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-conover/it-s-only-when-you-get-towards-the-top-that-people-start-throwing-you/) [Adam Conover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-conover/) > [Some people are writers and don't ever want to be on camera, some people act and not write - I like writing words for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-conover/some-people-are-writers-and-don-t-ever-want-to-be-on-camera-some/) [Adam Conover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-conover/) > [I have a lot of family in Marquette. I'm way more familiar with the U.P. than I am with the lower peninsula. I've visited…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-conover/i-have-a-lot-of-family-in-marquette-i-m-way-more-familiar-with-the-u/) [Adam Conover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-conover/) [Explore all 95 Adam Conover quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-conover/) ## More Evidence quotes > [The truth is, of course, that the curtness of the Ten Commandments is an evidence, not of the gloom and narrowness of a religion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-truth-is-of-course-that-the-curtness-of-the-ten-commandments-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [Be neither too early in the fashion, nor too long out of it, nor too precisely in it; what custom hath civilized is become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/be-neither-too-early-in-the-fashion-nor-too-long-out-of-it-nor-too/) [Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/) > [“What you owe your critics are your RESULTS not explanations not defence just RESULTS.Evidence terminates Arguments.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fela-durotoye/what-you-owe-your-critics-are-your-results-not-explanations-not/) [Fela Durotoye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fela-durotoye/) > [“Dogmatism compensates for evidence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-wallace/dogmatism-compensates-for-evidence/) [Dana Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-wallace/) > [“Cops aren't really your friends, they are trying to be your friends but they are not… - They are searching evidence to PIN YOU.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deyth-banger/cops-aren-t-really-your-friends-they-are-trying-to-be-your-friends/) [Deyth Banger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deyth-banger/) > [There's overwhelming evidence... circumstantial and otherwise, to suggest a connection between Iraq and al Qaeda.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/there-s-overwhelming-evidence-circumstantial-and-otherwise-to-suggest/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [Miracles are like candles lit up until the sun rises, and then blown out. Therefore, I am amused when I hear sects and churches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/miracles-are-like-candles-lit-up-until-the-sun-rises-and-then-blown/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [“Human unhappiness is evidence of our immortality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rodriguez/human-unhappiness-is-evidence-of-our-immortality/) [Richard Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rodriguez/) > [The state is in danger of falling into disrepute due to the evidence of its inadequate resources.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jurgen-habermas/the-state-is-in-danger-of-falling-into-disrepute-due-to-the-evidence/) [Jurgen Habermas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jurgen-habermas/) > [You are innocent until proven guilty. And if folks have come forward, whether it is judge Roy Moore or whether it is anyone else,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-rosendale/you-are-innocent-until-proven-guilty-and-if-folks-have-come-forward/) [Matt Rosendale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-rosendale/) > [There is still zero empirical evidence that anthropogenic production of CO2 is making any measurable contribution to the world's present warming trend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-cockburn/there-is-still-zero-empirical-evidence-that-anthropogenic-production/) [Alexander Cockburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-cockburn/) > [“‎If you regard evidence as a constraint and seek to free yourself, you sell yourself into the chains of your whims. For you cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/if-you-regard-evidence-as-a-constraint-and-seek-to-free-yourself-you/) [Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) > [ We have reached a situation where a theory has been accepted as fact by some, and possible contrary evidence is shunted aside. \[This is\]… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-shapiro/we-have-reached-a-situation-where-a-theory-has-been-accepted-as-fact/) [Robert Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-shapiro/) [Browse all 3,643 Evidence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evidence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I am a nonbeliever myself. But I think there's so much about religion that is not factual in nature as to why people engage with it and what it means to them. You can debunk why you think there's no physical evidence for God and why the story of Jesus didn't really happen that way and stuff like that all the live-long day, and it's not going to make a difference to what role religion has in people's lives and how they feel about it and how it makes their lives better or worse.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Adam Conover" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-conover/i-am-a-nonbeliever-myself-but-i-think-there-s-so-much-about-religion/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Evidence" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-conover/i-am-a-nonbeliever-myself-but-i-think-there-s-so-much-about-religion/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a09/adam-conover-6921_evidence_i-am-a-nonbeliever-myself-but-i-think-th_2025621.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a09/adam-conover-6921_evidence_i-am-a-nonbeliever-myself-but-i-think-th_2025621.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a09/adam-conover-6921_evidence_i-am-a-nonbeliever-myself-but-i-think-th_2025621.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I am a nonbeliever myself. But I think there's so much about religion that is not factual in nature as to…” — Adam Conover", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Adam Conover", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-conover/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I am a nonbeliever myself. But...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-conover/i-am-a-nonbeliever-myself-but-i-think-there-s-so-much-about-religion/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-conover/i-am-a-nonbeliever-myself-but-i-think-there-s-so-much-about-religion/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```