Blasphemy Quote by Christopher Hitchens
““Many religions now come before us with ingratiating smirks and outspread hands, like an unctuous merchant in a bazaar. They offer consolation and solidarity and uplift, competing as they do in a marketplace. But we have a right to remember how barbarically they behaved when they were strong and were making an offer that people could not refuse. And if we chance to forget what that must have been like, we have only to look at those states and societies where the clergy still has the power to dictate its own terms. The pathetic vestiges of this can still be seen, in modern societies, in the efforts made by religion to secure control over education, or to exempt itself from tax, or to pass laws forbidding people to insult its omnipotent and omniscient deity, or even his prophet.””
About This Quote
Religions often act like merchants, offering comfort while seeking power, and history shows their oppressive past.
In simple terms: Religion can be manipulative, seeking control under the guise of help.
Key Takeaway
Question authority and protect secular freedoms.
Themes
religion
power
history
society
ethics
Mood
critical
concerned
Type
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- policy debates
- education reform
- legal challenges
- public discourse
- human rights advocacy
Key Concepts
manipulation
authority
freedom
historical oppression
Questions to Reflect On
- What balance should be struck between religious influence and secular governance?
- How can societies protect both freedom of belief and freedom from coercion?
A Different Perspective
Some argue religion also provides community and moral guidance, not solely oppression.
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