--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It was apparent to me that religion was…" description: "\"It was apparent to me that religion was an invented thing, a wish-fulfillment thing, a fantasy thing. It was much more real, dangerous, to accept that ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7de/david-cronenberg-8285_absolutes_it-was-apparent-to-me-that-religion-was_2803549.jpg" --- # It was apparent to me that religion was an invented thing… ![“It was apparent to me that religion was an invented thing, a wish-fulfillment thing, a fantasy thing. It was much more real, dangerous, to accept that mortality was the end for you as an individual. As an atheist, I don't believe in an afterlife, so if you're thinking of murder, if your subject is…” quote by David Cronenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7de/david-cronenberg-8285_absolutes_it-was-apparent-to-me-that-religion-was_2803549.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7de/david-cronenberg-8285_absolutes_it-was-apparent-to-me-that-religion-was_2803549.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7de/david-cronenberg-8285_absolutes_it-was-apparent-to-me-that-religion-was_2803549.jpg) > “It was apparent to me that religion was an invented thing, a wish-fulfillment thing, a fantasy thing. It was much more real, dangerous, to accept that mortality was the end for you as an individual. As an atheist, I don't believe in an afterlife, so if you're thinking of murder, if your subject is murder, then that's a physical act of absolute destruction because you're ending something, a body, that is unique. That person never existed before, will never exist again, will not be karmically recycled, will not go to heaven, therefore I take it seriously.” [David Cronenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cronenberg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Religion is viewed as a human construct that comforts mortality, but its denial can intensify the seriousness of ending a unique life. **In simple terms:** Religion as comfort, death denial intensifies seriousness of killing. Key Takeaway Recognize the weight of ending a life. Themes mortality religion ethics violence Mood thoughtful serious Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - criminal justice - philosophical debate - personal reflection - healthcare ethics Key Concepts existentialism nihilism moral responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How does belief in an afterlife affect moral behavior? - Can secular frameworks provide similar moral guidance? A Different Perspective It may overlook cultural and psychological benefits of religious belief. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Absolutes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absolutes/) [Accepting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accepting/) [Afterlife](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afterlife/) [Afterlife Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afterlife-thinking-3467849/) [Atheist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheist/) [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Believe Afterlife](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe-afterlife/) [Body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) [Dangerous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dangerous/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Destruction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destruction/) [Don't believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/don-t-believe/) [Ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends/) [Fantasy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fantasy/) [Fulfillment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fulfillment/) [Heaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heaven/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Individual Atheist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual-atheist-3467850/) [Mortality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mortality/) [Murder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/murder/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real/) [Recycled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/recycled/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Subjects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subjects/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Unique](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unique/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) ## Related quotes > [I don't believe in an afterlife. I don't believe in a single or multiple godhead. I respect people who do, but I don't believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-judt/i-don-t-believe-in-an-afterlife-i-don-t-believe-in-a-single-or/) [Tony Judt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-judt/) > [I would like to believe in an afterlife; it makes things more palatable. But I'm not banking on it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarvis-cocker/i-would-like-to-believe-in-an-afterlife-it-makes-things-more/) [Jarvis Cocker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarvis-cocker/) > [I'm an atheist. I don't believe in the afterlife, but I do believe in ghosts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lowery/i-m-an-atheist-i-don-t-believe-in-the-afterlife-but-i-do-believe-in/) [David Lowery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lowery/) > [I do believe in an afterlife. I try to be at one with people and try to love life as much as I can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-sawalha/i-do-believe-in-an-afterlife-i-try-to-be-at-one-with-people-and-try/) [Julia Sawalha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-sawalha/) > [I don't believe in the afterlife. I believe this is it, and I believe it's the best way to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-portman/i-don-t-believe-in-the-afterlife-i-believe-this-is-it-and-i-believe/) [Natalie Portman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-portman/) > [And if someone doesn’t believe in any afterlife?” I asked. Walt gave me a sad look. “Then that’s what they experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/and-if-someone-doesn-t-believe-in-any-afterlife-i-asked-walt-gave-me/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [“Then I think about how you went out, and I think… you know, it doesn’t balance out. One selfless deed, after all the shit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wildbow/then-i-think-about-how-you-went-out-and-i-think-you-know-it-doesn-t/) [wildbow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wildbow/) > [I believe that everybody, whether you believe in the afterlife or the chance of a near-death experience and you come back and you see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-eastwood/i-believe-that-everybody-whether-you-believe-in-the-afterlife-or-the/) [Clint Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-eastwood/) > [I don't believe there's an afterlife - but I don't believe there's an end to life. Consciousness goes beyond the bounds of your body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-cole/i-don-t-believe-there-s-an-afterlife-but-i-don-t-believe-there-s-an/) [Lily Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-cole/) > [“Do you believe in an afterlife? Do your personal beliefs include a life after death?—no matter how they phrase their snotty test, do the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/do-you-believe-in-an-afterlife-do-your-personal-beliefs-include-a/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [I don't believe in an afterlife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-sher/i-don-t-believe-in-an-afterlife/) [Antony Sher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-sher/) > [I don't believe in an afterlife. You live on in the people you influence during your lifetime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viv-albertine/i-don-t-believe-in-an-afterlife-you-live-on-in-the-people-you/) [Viv Albertine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viv-albertine/) > [I don't think we're capable of knowledge, but I like to keep an open mind. So if you ask me whether I believe in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/i-don-t-think-we-re-capable-of-knowledge-but-i-like-to-keep-an-open/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [I think I do believe in the afterlife; I have heard stories from people who I can completely trust that have seen ghosts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saoirse-ronan/i-think-i-do-believe-in-the-afterlife-i-have-heard-stories-from/) [Saoirse Ronan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saoirse-ronan/) > [My dad has dementia, so I monitor my own memory in a way that other people may not. As an atheist, I don't believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-baddiel/my-dad-has-dementia-so-i-monitor-my-own-memory-in-a-way-that-other/) [David Baddiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-baddiel/) ## More by David Cronenberg > [When I am creating art, I have absolutely no social responsibility. It's like dreaming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cronenberg/when-i-am-creating-art-i-have-absolutely-no-social-responsibility-it/) [David Cronenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cronenberg/) > [I don't mind writing so I didn't find that difficult, it's just a question of finding the time to do it. I kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cronenberg/i-don-t-mind-writing-so-i-didn-t-find-that-difficult-it-s-just-a/) [David Cronenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cronenberg/) > [It's impossible to make a movie out of 'Naked Lunch.' A literal translation just wouldn't work. It would cost $400 million to make and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cronenberg/it-s-impossible-to-make-a-movie-out-of-naked-lunch-a-literal/) [David Cronenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cronenberg/) > [I'm not very well organized unless I'm plugged into a structure like the opera or a movie. When I'm doing that, I have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cronenberg/i-m-not-very-well-organized-unless-i-m-plugged-into-a-structure-like/) [David Cronenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cronenberg/) > [We are at a major epoch in human history, which is that we don't need sex to recreate the race. You can have babies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cronenberg/we-are-at-a-major-epoch-in-human-history-which-is-that-we-don-t-need/) [David Cronenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cronenberg/) > [“As a citizen, of course. As a parent, of course. But as an artist, that's where the paradox is - your responsibility is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cronenberg/as-a-citizen-of-course-as-a-parent-of-course-but-as-an-artist-that-s/) [David Cronenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cronenberg/) > [Well I don't think sex and violence have ever stopped a movie from being mainstream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cronenberg/well-i-don-t-think-sex-and-violence-have-ever-stopped-a-movie-from/) [David Cronenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cronenberg/) > [Even Hitchcock liked to think of himself as a puppeteer who was manipulating the strings of his audience and making them jump. He liked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cronenberg/even-hitchcock-liked-to-think-of-himself-as-a-puppeteer-who-was/) [David Cronenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cronenberg/) > [“Well, yes,when you no longer have any desire, you are dead. Even desire for a product, a consumer item, is better than no desire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cronenberg/well-yes-when-you-no-longer-have-any-desire-you-are-dead-even-desire/) [David Cronenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cronenberg/) > [You're seeing me develop, not only as a filmmaker if you've seen my earlier films, but you're seeing me kind of learn how to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cronenberg/you-re-seeing-me-develop-not-only-as-a-filmmaker-if-you-ve-seen-my/) [David Cronenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cronenberg/) > [I work with my dreams or nightmares.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cronenberg/i-work-with-my-dreams-or-nightmares/) [David Cronenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cronenberg/) > [I never thought I was doing the same thing as directors like John Carpenter, George Romero, and sometimes even Hitchcock, even though I've been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cronenberg/i-never-thought-i-was-doing-the-same-thing-as-directors-like-john/) [David Cronenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cronenberg/) > [“As an artist you look into yourself to understand the human potential to be all kinds of things that are not necessarily pleasant but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cronenberg/as-an-artist-you-look-into-yourself-to-understand-the-human-potential/) [David Cronenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cronenberg/) > [Let's put it this way, when I was casting, I cast Viggo first and then found someone who could play his wife, rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cronenberg/let-s-put-it-this-way-when-i-was-casting-i-cast-viggo-first-and-then/) [David Cronenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cronenberg/) > [The desire to be loved is really death when it comes to art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cronenberg/the-desire-to-be-loved-is-really-death-when-it-comes-to-art/) [David Cronenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cronenberg/) [Explore all 82 David Cronenberg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cronenberg/) ## More Absolutes quotes > [At the centre of the human heart is the longing for an absolute good, a longing which is always there and is never appeased…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/at-the-centre-of-the-human-heart-is-the-longing-for-an-absolute-good/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [There is no perfect justice, just as there is no absolute in ethics. But there is perfect injustice, and we know it when we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-dershowitz/there-is-no-perfect-justice-just-as-there-is-no-absolute-in-ethics/) [Alan Dershowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-dershowitz/) > [If you live in a material universe where acquiring things is very important to you, then family is an absolute deterrent to maintaining that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-taylor-gatto/if-you-live-in-a-material-universe-where-acquiring-things-is-very/) [John Taylor Gatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-taylor-gatto/) > [ Their \[the U.S.’s\] defense budget in absolute figures is almost 25 times bigger than Russia’s. This is what in defense is referred to as… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/their-the-u-s-s-defense-budget-in-absolute-figures-is-almost-25-times/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [This separation was absolute in our original Republic. But the sky-godders do not give up easily. In the 1950s they actually got the phrase…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/this-separation-was-absolute-in-our-original-republic-but-the-sky/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Conservative political opinion in America cleaves to the tradition of the judge as passive interpreter, believing that his absolute loyalty to authoritative law is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/learned-hand/conservative-political-opinion-in-america-cleaves-to-the-tradition-of/) [Learned Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/learned-hand/) > [So many times we come to Jesus in worship and ask Him for things that He already IS and has already done... What a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christy-nockels/so-many-times-we-come-to-jesus-in-worship-and-ask-him-for-things-that/) [Christy Nockels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christy-nockels/) > [Those are decisions only the Lord will make. I believe the love of God is absolute. He said he gave his son for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/those-are-decisions-only-the-lord-will-make-i-believe-the-love-of-god/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [“The Gods know what it is to be eternal, and they love to toy with mortals who use absolutes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/the-gods-know-what-it-is-to-be-eternal-and-they-love-to-toy-with/) [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) > [Anarchy is the stepping stone to absolute power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/anarchy-is-the-stepping-stone-to-absolute-power/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [I was asked the other day if I would be interested in the Nobel Prize, but I think that for me it would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/i-was-asked-the-other-day-if-i-would-be-interested-in-the-nobel-prize/) [Gabriel Garcia Marquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) > [The only "definitive truth" for Buddhism is the absolute negation of any one truth as the Definitive Truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/the-only-definitive-truth-for-buddhism-is-the-absolute-negation-of/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [The nature of the Absolute is neither perceptible nor imperceptible; and with phenomena it is just the same. But to one who has discovered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huangbo-xiyun/the-nature-of-the-absolute-is-neither-perceptible-nor-imperceptible/) [Huangbo Xiyun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huangbo-xiyun/) > [Joining a company is an act that calls for absolute loyalty in big matters and little ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-watson/joining-a-company-is-an-act-that-calls-for-absolute-loyalty-in-big/) [Thomas Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-watson/) > [In fine, a life of good or evil, the hope of Heaven or the despair of Hell, Faustus stands as a reminder that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-fine-a-life-of-good-or-evil-the-hope-of-heaven-or-the-despair-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 2,016 Absolutes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absolutes/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It was apparent to me that religion was an invented thing, a wish-fulfillment thing, a fantasy thing. 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