--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Our most holy religion is founded on…" description: "\"“Our most holy religion is founded on faith, not on reason; and it is a sure method of exposing it to put it to such a trial, as it is, by no means, fi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc4/christopher-hitchens-117_bible_our-most-holy-religion-is-founded-on-fai_473845.jpg" --- # Our most holy religion is founded on faith, not on reason… ![“Our most holy religion is founded on faith, not on reason; and it is a sure method of exposing it to put it to such a trial, as it is, by no means, fitted to endure. To make this more evident, let us examine those miracles, related in scripture; and not to lose ourselves in too wide a field, let…” quote by Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc4/christopher-hitchens-117_bible_our-most-holy-religion-is-founded-on-fai_473845.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc4/christopher-hitchens-117_bible_our-most-holy-religion-is-founded-on-fai_473845.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc4/christopher-hitchens-117_bible_our-most-holy-religion-is-founded-on-fai_473845.jpg) > ““Our most holy religion is founded on faith, not on reason; and it is a sure method of exposing it to put it to such a trial, as it is, by no means, fitted to endure. To make this more evident, let us examine those miracles, related in scripture; and not to lose ourselves in too wide a field, let us confine ourselves to such as we find in the Pentateuch, which we shall examine, according to the principles of these pretended Christians, not as the word or testimony of God himself, but as the production of a mere human writer and historian. Here then we are first to consider a book, presented to us by a barbarous and ignorant people, written in an age when they were still more barbarous, and in all probability long after the facts which it relates, corroborated by no concurring testimony, and resembling those fabulous accounts, which every nation gives of its origin. Upon reading this book, we find it full of prodigies and miracles. It gives an account of a state of the world and of human nature entirely different from the present: Of our fall from that state: Of the age of man, extended to near a thousand years: Of the destruction of the world by a deluge: Of the arbitrary choice of one people, as the favourites of heaven; and that people the countrymen of the author: Of their deliverance from bondage by prodigies the most astonishing imaginable: I desire any one to lay his hand upon his heart, and after a serious consideration declare, whether he thinks that the falsehood of such a book, supported by such a testimony, would be more extraordinary and miraculous than all the miracles it relates; which is, however, necessary to make it be received, according to the measures of probability”” [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Faith without reason leads to uncritical belief and acceptance of extraordinary claims **In simple terms:** Blind faith is risky Key Takeaway Question evidence before belief Themes skepticism faith reason Mood critical thoughtful Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - religious discourse - historical analysis - education Key Concepts philosophy critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance faith and reason? - When should tradition be challenged? A Different Perspective Faith can provide comfort despite lack of proof ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Human nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-nature/) [Miracles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miracles/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Thousand years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thousand-years/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Convulsions in nature, disorders, prodigies, miracles, though the most opposite of the plan of a wise superintendent, impress mankind with the strongest sentiments of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/convulsions-in-nature-disorders-prodigies-miracles-though-the-most/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [ “For some people the remark, “You’re just like your mother \[or father\],” is enough to pick a fight. 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In Swra of Al-Nisaa verse 15 says { And those who come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamaran-ihsan-salih/i-would-clarify-regarding-these-verses-as-god-mentioned-in-some-swras/) [Kamaran Ihsan Salih](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamaran-ihsan-salih/) > [“The Truth is true testimony of God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/the-truth-is-true-testimony-of-god/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“The devil sought to destroy me and discredit my testimony. But God wanted me where I would testify to others about his saving power.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-corder/the-devil-sought-to-destroy-me-and-discredit-my-testimony-but-god/) [Shirley Corder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-corder/) > [If you stay in the word of God then you'll get a fresh leading of new things to share. 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Here then we are first to consider a book, presented to us by a barbarous and ignorant people, written in an age when they were still more barbarous, and in all probability long after the facts which it relates, corroborated by no concurring testimony, and resembling those fabulous accounts, which every nation gives of its origin. Upon reading this book, we find it full of prodigies and miracles. It gives an account of a state of the world and of human nature entirely different from the present: Of our fall from that state: Of the age of man, extended to near a thousand years: Of the destruction of the world by a deluge: Of the arbitrary choice of one people, as the favourites of heaven; and that people the countrymen of the author: Of their deliverance from bondage by prodigies the most astonishing imaginable: I desire any one to lay his hand upon his heart, and after a serious consideration declare, whether he thinks that the falsehood of such a book, supported by such a testimony, would be more extraordinary and miraculous than all the miracles it relates; which is, however, necessary to make it be received, according to the measures of probability”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Christopher Hitchens" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/our-most-holy-religion-is-founded-on-faith-not-on-reason-and-it-is-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bible" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/our-most-holy-religion-is-founded-on-faith-not-on-reason-and-it-is-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc4/christopher-hitchens-117_bible_our-most-holy-religion-is-founded-on-fai_473845.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc4/christopher-hitchens-117_bible_our-most-holy-religion-is-founded-on-fai_473845.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc4/christopher-hitchens-117_bible_our-most-holy-religion-is-founded-on-fai_473845.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Our most holy religion is founded on faith, not on reason; and it is a sure method of exposing it to put it…” — Christopher Hitchens", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Christopher Hitchens", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Our most holy religion is founded...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/our-most-holy-religion-is-founded-on-faith-not-on-reason-and-it-is-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/our-most-holy-religion-is-founded-on-faith-not-on-reason-and-it-is-a/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```