Atheism Quote by Christopher Hitchens
![“I have met some highly intelligent believers, but history has no record to say that [s]he knew or understood the mind of god. Yet this is precisely the qualification which the godly must claim—so modestly and so humbly—to possess. It is time to withdraw our 'respect' from such fantastic claims…” quote by Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b21/christopher-hitchens-117_atheism_i-have-met-some-highly-intelligent-belie_3215841.jpg)
“I have met some highly intelligent believers, but history has no record to say that [s]he knew or understood the mind of god. Yet this is precisely the qualification which the godly must claim—so modestly and so humbly—to possess. It is time to withdraw our 'respect' from such fantastic claims, all of them aimed at the exertion of power over other humans in the real and material world.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: God Is Not Great, Christopher Hitchens, 2007
Intelligent believers may claim divine insight, but no evidence shows they truly grasp God’s mind; such claims serve power over others.
In simple terms: Claims of divine understanding lack proof and often empower.
Key Takeaway
Question such claims and their power motives.
Themes
religion
humility
power
knowledge
authority
Mood
skeptical
critical
concerned
Type
analytical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- education policy
- religious leadership
- political discourse
- community dynamics
Key Concepts
theology
epistemology
social control
Questions to Reflect On
- How do we differentiate genuine humility from strategic modesty?
- What are the societal impacts of unverified divine claims?
A Different Perspective
Such claims can be deeply entrenched and resistant to critique.
![“It's [Los Angeles] mostly full of nonsense and delusion and egomania. They think they'll be young and beautiful forever, even though most of them aren't even young and beautiful now.” quote by Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a86/christopher-hitchens-117_beautiful_it-s-los-angeles-mostly-full-of-nonsense_10462.jpg)
![“[Religion] attacks us in our deepest integrity - the core of our self-respect. Religion says that we would not know right from wrong, we would not know an evil, wicked act from a decent human act without divine permission, without divine authority or without, even worse, either the fear of a…” quote by Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ab6/christopher-hitchens-117_action_religion-attacks-us-in-our-deepest-integ_23299.jpg)
