---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: An honest and self-aware atheism…"
description: "\"“An honest and self-aware atheism, therefore, should proudly recognize itself as the quintessential expression of heroic irrationalism:”\" — David Bentl..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efe/david-bentley-hart-4691_atheism_an-honest-and-self-aware-atheism-therefo_2605426.png"
---

#  An honest and self-aware atheism, therefore, should…

![“An honest and self-aware atheism, therefore, should proudly recognize itself as the quintessential expression of heroic irrationalism:” quote by David Bentley Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efe/david-bentley-hart-4691_atheism_an-honest-and-self-aware-atheism-therefo_2605426.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efe/david-bentley-hart-4691_atheism_an-honest-and-self-aware-atheism-therefo_2605426.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efe/david-bentley-hart-4691_atheism_an-honest-and-self-aware-atheism-therefo_2605426.png)

> ““An honest and self-aware atheism, therefore, should proudly recognize itself as the quintessential expression of heroic irrationalism:””

[David Bentley Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bentley-hart/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A heroic form of atheism embraces irrationalism, positioning it as a noble, self‑aware stance.

**In simple terms:** Heroic atheism celebrates irrationalism.

Key Takeaway

Recognize the boldness of self‑aware irrationalism.

Themes

philosophy atheism irrationalism heroism

Mood

provocative intellectual

Type

philosophical theological

When to use this quote

- academic discourse
- personal belief
- cultural debate

Key Concepts

Existentialism faith critique

Questions to Reflect On

- What makes irrationalism “heroic”?
- How does this view affect dialogue with believers?

A Different Perspective

Irrationalism may conflict with rational inquiry.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheism/) [Atheism Proudly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheism-proudly-1980857/) [Atheist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheist/) [Aware Atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aware-atheism-1980858/) [Heroic Irrationalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heroic-irrationalism-1980856/) [Honest Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest-self-734261/)

## Related quotes

> [Once you grow accustomed to being famous, you do not realize it, but you are never quite your humble, honest self. No matter how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corra-may-harris/once-you-grow-accustomed-to-being-famous-you-do-not-realize-it-but/)

[Corra May Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corra-may-harris/)

> [ The hunger \[to success\] is the same, no matter what it is that you're doing. It's like an unquenchable thirst to learn more, or… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kobe-bryant/the-hunger-to-success-is-the-same-no-matter-what-it-is-that-you-re/)

[Kobe Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kobe-bryant/)

> [“In order to tell you a story about who I am and why I am here, I must spend a little time asking myself...questions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-simmons/in-order-to-tell-you-a-story-about-who-i-am-and-why-i-am-here-i-must/)

[Annette Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-simmons/)

> [“So, girl, you learn to deal with what gets handed down t’you. To grow up means you be honest with y’self. Face what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-brant/so-girl-you-learn-to-deal-with-what-gets-handed-down-t-you-to-grow-up/)

[Marilyn Brant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-brant/)

> [We can lie to anyone else in this world, but we cant lie to our self. Our lives improve only when we take chances,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/we-can-lie-to-anyone-else-in-this-world-but-we-cant-lie-to-our-self/)

[Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/)

> [Self analysis is; where we have to be honest with our own self, keeping others point of views and feeling in mind, situations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santanu-mishra/self-analysis-is-where-we-have-to-be-honest-with-our-own-self-keeping/)

[Santanu Mishra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santanu-mishra/)

> [The greatest gift you ever give is your honest self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-rogers/the-greatest-gift-you-ever-give-is-your-honest-self/)

[Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/)

> [Being honest to self makes the life full of satisfaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dranil-kr-sinha/being-honest-to-self-makes-the-life-full-of-satisfaction/)

[DrAnil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dranil-kr-sinha/)

> [I feel the greatest gift we can give to anybody is the gift of our honest self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-rogers/i-feel-the-greatest-gift-we-can-give-to-anybody-is-the-gift-of-our/)

[Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/)

> [An honest self-portrait is extremely rare because a man who has reached the degree of self-consciousness presupposed by the desire to paint his own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/an-honest-self-portrait-is-extremely-rare-because-a-man-who-has/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Honest self reflection opens your mind to reprogramming, change, success and freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikas-runwal/honest-self-reflection-opens-your-mind-to-reprogramming-change/)

[Vikas Runwal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikas-runwal/)

> [The life become much more easier when you be honest with others &amp; with your self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spido/the-life-become-much-more-easier-when-you-be-honest-with-others-with/)

[Spido](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spido/)

> [A beautiful life does not happen by chance. It is built by remaining honest to cause, by remaining honest to self, humility, sacrifice and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-anil-kr-sinha/a-beautiful-life-does-not-happen-by-chance-it-is-built-by-remaining/)

[Dr Anil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-anil-kr-sinha/)

> [“The fact is, taking your honest self to God, even with all its raw emotion and blinding grief, is exactly the place you need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-page/the-fact-is-taking-your-honest-self-to-god-even-with-all-its-raw/)

[Frank Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-page/)

> [Being honest to Self is the biggest blessing one can bestow on himself.It is self catch prize. Try never to miss it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dranil-kr-sinha/being-honest-to-self-is-the-biggest-blessing-one-can-bestow-on/)

[DrAnil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dranil-kr-sinha/)

## More by David Bentley Hart

> [“What makes today’s popular atheism so depressing is neither its conceptual boorishness nor its self-righteousness but simply its cultural inevitability. It is the final,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bentley-hart/what-makes-today-s-popular-atheism-so-depressing-is-neither-its/)

[David Bentley Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bentley-hart/)

> [“The claim that there cannot be an infinite regress of contingent ontological causes raises a truly difficult challenge to pure materialism; but to imagine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bentley-hart/the-claim-that-there-cannot-be-an-infinite-regress-of-contingent/)

[David Bentley Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bentley-hart/)

> [“The very notion of nature as a closed system entirely sufficient to itself is plainly one that cannot be verified, deductively or empirically, from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bentley-hart/the-very-notion-of-nature-as-a-closed-system-entirely-sufficient-to/)

[David Bentley Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bentley-hart/)

> [“naturalism, alone among all considered philosophical attempts to describe the shape of reality, is radically insufficient in its explanatory range.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bentley-hart/naturalism-alone-among-all-considered-philosophical-attempts-to/)

[David Bentley Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bentley-hart/)

> [Christianity has from its beginning portrayed itself as a gospel of peace, a way of reconciliation (with God, with other creatures), and a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bentley-hart/christianity-has-from-its-beginning-portrayed-itself-as-a-gospel-of/)

[David Bentley Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bentley-hart/)

> [“clarity is a precious thing, to the degree it can be achieved, if only because it can spare us the effort of needless boring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bentley-hart/clarity-is-a-precious-thing-to-the-degree-it-can-be-achieved-if-only/)

[David Bentley Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bentley-hart/)

> [Empiricism in the sciences is a method; naturalism in philosophy is a metaphysics; and the latter neither follows from nor underlies the former.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bentley-hart/empiricism-in-the-sciences-is-a-method-naturalism-in-philosophy-is-a/)

[David Bentley Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bentley-hart/)

> [“We trust, that is to say, that there is no substantial criterion by which to judge our choices that stands higher than the unquestioned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bentley-hart/we-trust-that-is-to-say-that-there-is-no-substantial-criterion-by/)

[David Bentley Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bentley-hart/)

> [For, after all, if it is from Christ that we are to learn how God relates himself to sin, suffering, evil, and death, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bentley-hart/for-after-all-if-it-is-from-christ-that-we-are-to-learn-how-god/)

[David Bentley Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bentley-hart/)

> [“All things are subject to time, moreover: they possess no complete identity in themselves, but are always in the process of becoming something else,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bentley-hart/all-things-are-subject-to-time-moreover-they-possess-no-complete/)

[David Bentley Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bentley-hart/)

> [true philosophical atheism must be regarded as a superstition, often nurtured by an infantile wish to live in a world proportionate to one's own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bentley-hart/true-philosophical-atheism-must-be-regarded-as-a-superstition-often/)

[David Bentley Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bentley-hart/)

> [“It goes without saying that one generally should not try to dissolve disparate creeds into one another, much less into some vague, syncretistic, doctrinally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bentley-hart/it-goes-without-saying-that-one-generally-should-not-try-to-dissolve/)

[David Bentley Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bentley-hart/)

> [God's pleasure--the beauty creation possesses in his regard--underlies the distinct being of creation, and so beauty is the first and truest word concerning all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bentley-hart/god-s-pleasure-the-beauty-creation-possesses-in-his-regard-underlies/)

[David Bentley Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bentley-hart/)

> [“The general argument from the contingent to the absolute, or from the conditioned to the unconditioned, is a powerful and cogent one. No attempt,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bentley-hart/the-general-argument-from-the-contingent-to-the-absolute-or-from-the/)

[David Bentley Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bentley-hart/)

> [“Simply said, one is contingent through and through, partaking of being rather than generating it out of some source within oneself; and the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bentley-hart/simply-said-one-is-contingent-through-and-through-partaking-of-being/)

[David Bentley Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bentley-hart/)

[Explore all 107 David Bentley Hart quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bentley-hart/)

## More Atheism quotes

> [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/)

[Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/)

> [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/)

[Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/)

> [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/)

[Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/)

> [No philosophy, no religion, has ever brought so glad a message to the world as this good news of Atheism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-besant/no-philosophy-no-religion-has-ever-brought-so-glad-a-message-to-the/)

[Annie Besant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-besant/)

> [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/)

[John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/)

> [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/)

[Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/)

> [The inner defenses are unconscious. They consist of a kind of magic aura which the mind builds around cherished belief. Arguments which penetrate into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-inner-defenses-are-unconscious-they-consist-of-a-kind-of-magic/)

[Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/)

> [God speaks through me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/god-speaks-through-me/)

[George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/)

> [A knowledge of the existence of something we cannot penetrate, of the manifestations of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty - it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/a-knowledge-of-the-existence-of-something-we-cannot-penetrate-of-the/)

[Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/)

> [You cannot ... transmute some incoherent mixture of words into sense merely by introducing the three-letter word "God" to be its grammatical subject.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-flew/you-cannot-transmute-some-incoherent-mixture-of-words-into-sense/)

[Antony Flew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-flew/)

> [Many humanists have argued that happiness involves a combination of hedonism and creative moral development; that an exuberant life fuses excellence and enjoyment, meaning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kurtz/many-humanists-have-argued-that-happiness-involves-a-combination-of/)

[Paul Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kurtz/)

> [If, with all the time at my disposal, with all the wealth of the resources of this vast universe, to do with as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/if-with-all-the-time-at-my-disposal-with-all-the-wealth-of-the/)

[Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/)

> [Do you think that was kind? Do you think it was godlike? What would you think of a physician, if a woman came to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-h-gardener/do-you-think-that-was-kind-do-you-think-it-was-godlike-what-would-you/)

[Helen H. Gardener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-h-gardener/)

> [Science can destroy religion by ignoring it as well as by disproving its tenets. No one ever demonstrated, so far as I am aware,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/science-can-destroy-religion-by-ignoring-it-as-well-as-by-disproving/)

[Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/)

> [Honest investigation is utterly impossible within the pale of any church, for the reason, that if you think the church is right you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/honest-investigation-is-utterly-impossible-within-the-pale-of-any/)

[Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/)

[Browse all 4,769 Atheism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheism/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“An honest and self-aware atheism, therefore, should proudly recognize itself as the quintessential expression of heroic irrationalism:”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "David Bentley Hart"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bentley-hart/an-honest-and-self-aware-atheism-therefore-should-proudly-recognize/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Atheism"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bentley-hart/an-honest-and-self-aware-atheism-therefore-should-proudly-recognize/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efe/david-bentley-hart-4691_atheism_an-honest-and-self-aware-atheism-therefo_2605426.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efe/david-bentley-hart-4691_atheism_an-honest-and-self-aware-atheism-therefo_2605426.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efe/david-bentley-hart-4691_atheism_an-honest-and-self-aware-atheism-therefo_2605426.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“An honest and self-aware atheism, therefore, should proudly recognize itself as the quintessential…” — David Bentley Hart",
                "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": "David Bentley Hart",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bentley-hart/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“An honest and self-aware atheism, therefore,...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bentley-hart/an-honest-and-self-aware-atheism-therefore-should-proudly-recognize/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bentley-hart/an-honest-and-self-aware-atheism-therefore-should-proudly-recognize/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
