Abjection Quote by Christopher Hitchens
“People are frightened of death, and the central lie of all religion is that there’s a cure for this and an exception we’ve made in your own case: an eternal life offered if you make the right propitiations and the right abjections. Well, I’m sorry. I think that it's the height of immorality to lie to people like that. That’s why [religion] survives.”
About This Quote
Source Debate: Religion and Morality, 2005
Religion offers false promises of eternal life, which Hitchens deems immoral, explaining its persistence.
In simple terms: Religion promises false eternal life.
Key Takeaway
Question belief systems critically.
Themes
ethics
religion
truth
Mood
critical
skeptical
Type
philosophical
ethical
When to use this quote
- personal reflection
- academic study
- public discourse
Key Concepts
mortality
immorality
propitiation
Questions to Reflect On
- Why do people cling to comforting lies?
- What alternatives exist for meaning?
A Different Perspective
May ignore comfort religion provides.
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