Atheism Quote by Baron D'Holbach
““. . . In all parts of our globe, fanatics have cut each other's throats, publicly burnt each other, committed without a scruple and even as a duty, the greatest crimes, and shed torrents of blood . . . Savage and furious nations, perpetually at war, adore, under divers names, some God, conformable to their ideas, that is to say, cruel, carnivorous, selfish, blood-thirsty. We find, in all the religions, 'a God of armies,' a 'jealous God,' an 'avenging God,' a 'destroying God,' a 'God,' who is pleased with carnage, and whom his worshippers consider it a duty to serve. Lambs, bulls, children, men, and women, are sacrificed to him. Zealous servants of this barbarous God think themselves obliged even to offer up themselves as a sacrifice to him. Madmen may everywhere be seen, who, after meditating upon their terrible God, imagine that to please him they must inflict on themselves, the most exquisite torments. The gloomy ideas formed of the deity, far from consoling them, have every where disquieted their minds, and prejudiced follies destructive to happiness.””
About This Quote
Source Treatise: System of Nature, by Baron d'Holbach, 1770
The passage critiques religions that portray God as violent, arguing such images foster cruelty and conflict.
In simple terms: Religions depicting a violent deity can incite aggression.
Key Takeaway
Question the moral impact of violent divine images.
Themes
religion
violence
myth
human nature
ethics
Mood
critical
thought‑provoking
Type
philosophical
ethical
When to use this quote
- debating religious doctrine
- examining moral narratives
- addressing extremist ideologies
Key Concepts
theology
psychology
social influence
Questions to Reflect On
- What effects do violent deity images have on societies?
- Can faith be reinterpreted without violence?
A Different Perspective
Not all believers interpret divine violence literally.
