--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Religion is based, I think, primarily and…" description: "\"Religion is based, I think, primarily and mainly upon fear.\" — Bertrand Russell" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4c/bertrand-russell-69_atheism_religion-is-based-i-think-primarily-and_1021299.jpg" --- # Religion is based, I think, primarily and mainly upon fear. ![“Religion is based, I think, primarily and mainly upon fear.” quote by Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4c/bertrand-russell-69_atheism_religion-is-based-i-think-primarily-and_1021299.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4c/bertrand-russell-69_atheism_religion-is-based-i-think-primarily-and_1021299.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4c/bertrand-russell-69_atheism_religion-is-based-i-think-primarily-and_1021299.jpg) > “Religion is based, I think, primarily and mainly upon fear.” [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Religion often relies on fear to influence behavior and belief. **In simple terms:** Religion can be fear‑based. Key Takeaway Question beliefs rooted in fear. Themes religion fear psychology criticism Mood critical analytical Type philosophical skeptical When to use this quote - personal reflection - public discourse - education - policy debates Key Concepts existentialism secularism moral philosophy Questions to Reflect On - How does fear shape your values? - Can faith exist without fear? A Different Perspective Not all religious experiences are fear‑driven. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheism/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Science and religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science-and-religion/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [“Many men spend their lives living in the wrong corner of their souls, mainly out of fear of what they might find on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-gardner/many-men-spend-their-lives-living-in-the-wrong-corner-of-their-souls/) [Sally Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-gardner/) > [Fear is the parent of cruelty, and therefore it is no wonder if cruelty and religion go hand in hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/fear-is-the-parent-of-cruelty-and-therefore-it-is-no-wonder-if/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [With or without religion, you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weinberg/with-or-without-religion-you-would-have-good-people-doing-good-things/) [Steven Weinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weinberg/) > [“Religion is based primarily upon fear. It is partly the terror of the unknown and partly as the wish to feel that you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/religion-is-based-primarily-upon-fear-it-is-partly-the-terror-of-the/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Religion is based ... mainly upon fear ... fear of the mysterious, fear of defeat, fear of death. Fear is the parent of cruelty,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/religion-is-based-mainly-upon-fear-fear-of-the-mysterious-fear-of/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [There is a fundamental difference between religion, which is based on authority, and science, which is based on observation and reason. Science will win…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/there-is-a-fundamental-difference-between-religion-which-is-based-on/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [Religion is based upon blind faith supported by no evidence. Science is based upon confidence that results from evidence - and that confidence can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-randi/religion-is-based-upon-blind-faith-supported-by-no-evidence-science/) [James Randi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-randi/) > [“as collective institutions, science and religion prefer order and power over truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/as-collective-institutions-science-and-religion-prefer-order-and/) [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) > [Since science and religion provide two different perspectives on the human situation, they must ultimately be able to be reconciled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-griffith/since-science-and-religion-provide-two-different-perspectives-on-the/) [Jeremy Griffith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-griffith/) > [It was not by accident that the greatest thinkers of all ages were deeply religious souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-planck/it-was-not-by-accident-that-the-greatest-thinkers-of-all-ages-were/) [Max Planck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-planck/) > [Science and religion are not at odds. Science is simply too young to understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/science-and-religion-are-not-at-odds-science-is-simply-too-young-to/) [Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/) > [To be sure, the doctrine of a personal God interfering with natural events could never be refuted, in the real sense, by science, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/to-be-sure-the-doctrine-of-a-personal-god-interfering-with-natural/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Is this a topic whose time has truly come? The integration of science and religion? 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Amid such a world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/such-in-outline-but-even-more-purposeless-more-void-of-meaning-is-the/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Dr. Arnold . . . the admired reformer of public schools, came across some cranks who thought it a mistake to flog boys. 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Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [The inner defenses are unconscious. They consist of a kind of magic aura which the mind builds around cherished belief. Arguments which penetrate into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-inner-defenses-are-unconscious-they-consist-of-a-kind-of-magic/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [God speaks through me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/god-speaks-through-me/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [A knowledge of the existence of something we cannot penetrate, of the manifestations of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty - it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/a-knowledge-of-the-existence-of-something-we-cannot-penetrate-of-the/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [You cannot ... transmute some incoherent mixture of words into sense merely by introducing the three-letter word "God" to be its grammatical subject.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-flew/you-cannot-transmute-some-incoherent-mixture-of-words-into-sense/) [Antony Flew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-flew/) > [Many humanists have argued that happiness involves a combination of hedonism and creative moral development; that an exuberant life fuses excellence and enjoyment, meaning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kurtz/many-humanists-have-argued-that-happiness-involves-a-combination-of/) [Paul Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kurtz/) > [If, with all the time at my disposal, with all the wealth of the resources of this vast universe, to do with as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/if-with-all-the-time-at-my-disposal-with-all-the-wealth-of-the/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [Do you think that was kind? 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