Able Quote by Christopher Hitchens
“Religion has run out of justifications. Thanks to the telescope and the microscope, it no longer offers an explanation of anything important. Where once it used to able, by its total command of a worldview, to prevent the emergence of rivals, it can now only impede and retard-or try to turn back-the measureable advances that we have made.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: God Is Not Great, Christopher Hitchens, 2007
Religion loses authority when science explains phenomena it once claimed, reducing its power to shape worldviews.
In simple terms: Science challenges religious explanations.
Key Takeaway
Recognize limits of faith in modern knowledge.
Themes
science
religion
authority
worldview
Mood
skeptical
critical
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
analytical
When to use this quote
- academic debate
- public policy
- education
- personal belief
Key Concepts
secularism
epistemology
knowledge
progress
Questions to Reflect On
- How should societies balance scientific understanding with spiritual needs?
- Can religion evolve to complement rather than oppose science?
A Different Perspective
Religion can still provide community and moral guidance beyond empirical claims.
![“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)
