--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We are well aware that religion is not as…" description: "\"We are well aware that religion is not as bad an influence as it was a short time ago, as history is counted. But it is a sufficiently bad influence ev..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/098/e-haldeman-julius-24178_atheism_we-are-well-aware-that-religion-is-not-a_2117122.png" --- # We are well aware that religion is not as bad an influence… ![“We are well aware that religion is not as bad an influence as it was a short time ago, as history is counted. But it is a sufficiently bad influence even in modern times, and its reduced viciousness (in practice) is due plainly enough to its reduced power.” quote by E. Haldeman-Julius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/098/e-haldeman-julius-24178_atheism_we-are-well-aware-that-religion-is-not-a_2117122.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/098/e-haldeman-julius-24178_atheism_we-are-well-aware-that-religion-is-not-a_2117122.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/098/e-haldeman-julius-24178_atheism_we-are-well-aware-that-religion-is-not-a_2117122.png) > “We are well aware that religion is not as bad an influence as it was a short time ago, as history is counted. But it is a sufficiently bad influence even in modern times, and its reduced viciousness (in practice) is due plainly enough to its reduced power.” [E. Haldeman-Julius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-haldeman-julius/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Religion’s impact has lessened compared to the past, yet it remains a harmful force today because its power has been curtailed. **In simple terms:** Religion still harms, though less than before. Key Takeaway Recognize and address lingering negative effects. Themes religion societal impact history morality Mood critical reflective Type analytical commentary When to use this quote - public policy debates - education curricula - community leadership - media analysis Key Concepts power dynamics cultural influence ethical decline Questions to Reflect On - How does reduced religious power affect moral standards? - Can secular institutions replace its social role? A Different Perspective Its influence varies across cultures, sometimes providing social cohesion. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheism/) [Bad Influence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-influence/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Influence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/influence/) [Modern times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modern-times/) [Practice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practice/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [I think religion is bad and drugs are good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/i-think-religion-is-bad-and-drugs-are-good/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [Religion is bad, drugs are good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/religion-is-bad-drugs-are-good/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [Yeah, I mean, having been raised like a Catholic, I have a sort of sympathy for religion, in that I think that religion's religion.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-mckenna/yeah-i-mean-having-been-raised-like-a-catholic-i-have-a-sort-of/) [Declan McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-mckenna/) > [“Madison and others reserved their harshest criticism for state religions obsessed with earthly wealth and power. Their argument was two-pronged: State religion was bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/madison-and-others-reserved-their-harshest-criticism-for-state/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [No religion is bad, people are](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritesh/no-religion-is-bad-people-are/) [Ritesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritesh/) > [I'm still very much an atheist, except that I don't necessarily see religion as being a bad thing. So, that's a weird thing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patton-oswalt/i-m-still-very-much-an-atheist-except-that-i-don-t-necessarily-see/) [Patton Oswalt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patton-oswalt/) > [I couldn't run for any office. I think that religion is bad, weed is good, and babies are disgusting; who would vote for me?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/i-couldn-t-run-for-any-office-i-think-that-religion-is-bad-weed-is/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [There must be a realm of truth beyond political competence, that's why there must be a separation of churches, but if religion is bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/there-must-be-a-realm-of-truth-beyond-political-competence-that-s-why/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [I know why people join a religion... because if any bad happens they can blame it on their god/s](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mrawesome/i-know-why-people-join-a-religion-because-if-any-bad-happens-they-can/) MrAwesome > [There are some forms of religion that are bad, just as there's bad cooking or bad art or bad sex, you have bad religion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/there-are-some-forms-of-religion-that-are-bad-just-as-there-s-bad/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [Religion is not so bad, unless you believe it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-eller/religion-is-not-so-bad-unless-you-believe-it/) [David Eller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-eller/) > [“Religion is nothing more than bad concepts held in place of good ones for all time. It is denial - at once full of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/religion-is-nothing-more-than-bad-concepts-held-in-place-of-good-ones/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [Religion is bad and drugs are good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/religion-is-bad-and-drugs-are-good/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [the worship of beauty is to me a religion. Nothing bad was ever truly beautiful; nothing good is ever really ugly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-l-barclay/the-worship-of-beauty-is-to-me-a-religion-nothing-bad-was-ever-truly/) [Florence L. Barclay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-l-barclay/) > [“The truth is, there is good and bad in everybody, in every nation, in every race, and in every religion. To hear someone say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/the-truth-is-there-is-good-and-bad-in-everybody-in-every-nation-in/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) ## More by E. Haldeman-Julius > [“We advocate the atheistic philosophy because it is the only clear, consistent position which seems possible to us. As atheists, we simply deny the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-haldeman-julius/we-advocate-the-atheistic-philosophy-because-it-is-the-only-clear/) [E. Haldeman-Julius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-haldeman-julius/) > [Why should the residence of a preacher be untaxed? Useful citizens must pay taxes on their homes. Yet the Preacher - actually and notoriously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-haldeman-julius/why-should-the-residence-of-a-preacher-be-untaxed-useful-citizens/) [E. Haldeman-Julius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-haldeman-julius/) > [It is natural that people should differ most, and most violently, about the unknowable . . . There is all the room in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-haldeman-julius/it-is-natural-that-people-should-differ-most-and-most-violently-about/) [E. Haldeman-Julius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-haldeman-julius/) > [Theism tells men that they are the slaves of a God. Atheism assures men that they are the investigators and users of nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-haldeman-julius/theism-tells-men-that-they-are-the-slaves-of-a-god-atheism-assures/) [E. Haldeman-Julius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-haldeman-julius/) > [It is pretty well settled that the city is the Negro's great contribution to civilization, for it was in Africa where the first cities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-haldeman-julius/it-is-pretty-well-settled-that-the-city-is-the-negro-s-great/) [E. 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Haldeman-Julius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-haldeman-julius/) > [A good title is a work of a genius!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-haldeman-julius/a-good-title-is-a-work-of-a-genius/) [E. Haldeman-Julius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-haldeman-julius/) > [Fortunately, there are old terrors and powers that religion no longer can exercise so effectively as it did only a few score years ago.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-haldeman-julius/fortunately-there-are-old-terrors-and-powers-that-religion-no-longer/) [E. Haldeman-Julius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-haldeman-julius/) > [The influences that have lifted the race to a higher moral level are education, freedom, leisure, the humanizing tendency of a better-supplied and more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-haldeman-julius/the-influences-that-have-lifted-the-race-to-a-higher-moral-level-are/) [E. Haldeman-Julius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-haldeman-julius/) > [It is an absurd fiction that the churches are useful. They are nothing more than propaganda centers for superstitious faiths and doctrines. Church members…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-haldeman-julius/it-is-an-absurd-fiction-that-the-churches-are-useful-they-are-nothing/) [E. Haldeman-Julius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-haldeman-julius/) [Explore all 25 E. Haldeman-Julius quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-haldeman-julius/) ## 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. 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