--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Richard Dawkins says he can't be sure God…" description: "\"Richard Dawkins says he can't be sure God doesn't exist. Well, you know what I do when I'm not sure about something? I go on a big crusade about it and..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e8/frank-j-fleming-56851_against-religion_richard-dawkins-says-he-can-t-be-sure-go_657588.jpg" --- # Richard Dawkins says he can't be sure God doesn't exist… ![“Richard Dawkins says he can't be sure God doesn't exist. Well, you know what I do when I'm not sure about something? I go on a big crusade about it and write a bunch of books on the subject. No, wait, that sounds more like what someone with a mental disorder would do. That's one of the crazy…” quote by Frank J. Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e8/frank-j-fleming-56851_against-religion_richard-dawkins-says-he-can-t-be-sure-go_657588.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e8/frank-j-fleming-56851_against-religion_richard-dawkins-says-he-can-t-be-sure-go_657588.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e8/frank-j-fleming-56851_against-religion_richard-dawkins-says-he-can-t-be-sure-go_657588.jpg) > “Richard Dawkins says he can't be sure God doesn't exist. Well, you know what I do when I'm not sure about something? I go on a big crusade about it and write a bunch of books on the subject. No, wait, that sounds more like what someone with a mental disorder would do. That's one of the crazy things about lots of atheists: They're whole movement is supposed to be about being logical and reasonable, yet they tend to rail against religion is a very mindless way that doesn't seem to serve any more purpose than a tantrum. Perhaps I just don't understand their strong faith in not having faith.” [Frank J. Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-j-fleming/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Some atheists aggressively oppose religion despite claiming rationality, revealing a paradox in their approach. **In simple terms:** Atheist activism can be paradoxically dogmatic. Key Takeaway Balance critique with humility. Themes atheism activism logic paradox Mood critical analytical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - debates - online forums - public lectures Key Concepts cognitive bias identity politics public discourse Questions to Reflect On - Why do some rational movements become dogmatic? - How can constructive dialogue be fostered? A Different Perspective Aggressive tactics may alienate potential allies. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Against religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/against-religion/) [Atheist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheist/) [Atheists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheists/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Crusades](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crusades/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Having faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/having-faith/) [Mental disorder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mental-disorder/) [Mindless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mindless/) [Movement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movement/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Sound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sound/) [Strong faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strong-faith/) [Tantrums](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tantrums/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“Richard Dawkins regards faith as an evil to be eliminated; he takes all religious faith to be blind faith. (Dawkins says) ‘Scientific belief is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennox/richard-dawkins-regards-faith-as-an-evil-to-be-eliminated-he-takes/) [John Lennox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennox/) > [If Goddess religion is not to become mindless idiocy, we must win clear of tendency of magic to become supertition. Magic - and among…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/starhawk/if-goddess-religion-is-not-to-become-mindless-idiocy-we-must-win/) [Starhawk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/starhawk/) > [“Namely, that for every once that Dawkins says that genes are not purposive, he says a hundred things (many of which I have quoted)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-c-stove/namely-that-for-every-once-that-dawkins-says-that-genes-are-not/) [David C. Stove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-c-stove/) > [I am an intransigent atheist, though not a militant one. This means that I am not fighting against religion - I am fighting for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/i-am-an-intransigent-atheist-though-not-a-militant-one-this-means/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [The Bible is not my book nor Christianity my profession. I could never give assent to the long, complicated statements of Christian dogma.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/the-bible-is-not-my-book-nor-christianity-my-profession-i-could-never/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I don't believe in heaven and hell. I don't know if I believe in God. All I know is that as an individual, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/i-don-t-believe-in-heaven-and-hell-i-don-t-know-if-i-believe-in-god/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [If you are asking me if my more global purpose is a battle against religion, it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/if-you-are-asking-me-if-my-more-global-purpose-is-a-battle-against/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [We were convinced that the people need and require this faith. We have therefore undertaken the fight against the atheistic movement, and that not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/we-were-convinced-that-the-people-need-and-require-this-faith-we-have/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [Religious controversies are always productive of more acrimony and irreconcilable hatreds than those which spring from any other cause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/religious-controversies-are-always-productive-of-more-acrimony-and/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [ The rebellious mood of the country during those \[60th\] years allowed me to plug right back into my old hatreds. I could scream and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/the-rebellious-mood-of-the-country-during-those-60th-years-allowed-me/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [What I have against religion is that they start you when you are so defenseless. I mean, I was three when they started pumping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/what-i-have-against-religion-is-that-they-start-you-when-you-are-so/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [I am for religion, against religions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/i-am-for-religion-against-religions/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Ridicule is the only weapon which can be used against unintelligible propositions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/ridicule-is-the-only-weapon-which-can-be-used-against-unintelligible/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [y feelings as a Christian points me to my Lord and Savior as a fighter. It points me to the man who once in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/y-feelings-as-a-christian-points-me-to-my-lord-and-savior-as-a/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [The day will come when the mystical generation of Jesus, by the Supreme Being as his father, in the womb of a virgin, will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-day-will-come-when-the-mystical-generation-of-jesus-by-the/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) ## More by Frank J. Fleming > [Congratulations to Obama! He's now increased the debt more in three years than George W. Bush did his entire eight year presidency. But all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-j-fleming/congratulations-to-obama-he-s-now-increased-the-debt-more-in-three/) [Frank J. Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-j-fleming/) > [Obama recently warned some college graduates against being all worried about government tyranny, and Obama has good reason to warn you against that because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-j-fleming/obama-recently-warned-some-college-graduates-against-being-all/) [Frank J. Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-j-fleming/) > [So are we still trying to end racial politics or are there just too many advantages to some political parties for that?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-j-fleming/so-are-we-still-trying-to-end-racial-politics-or-are-there-just-too/) [Frank J. Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-j-fleming/) > [“Oh, but Barack Obama was no mere man. He was a paragon of intelligence and civilized society. A savior to the world’s depressed. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-j-fleming/oh-but-barack-obama-was-no-mere-man-he-was-a-paragon-of-intelligence/) [Frank J. Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-j-fleming/) > [If one is okay with police having guns - whoever is designated as having authority - but panicked at the thought of their fellow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-j-fleming/if-one-is-okay-with-police-having-guns-whoever-is-designated-as/) [Frank J. Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-j-fleming/) [Explore all 6 Frank J. Fleming quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-j-fleming/) ## More Against religion quotes > [We were convinced that the people need and require this faith. We have therefore undertaken the fight against the atheistic movement, and that not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/we-were-convinced-that-the-people-need-and-require-this-faith-we-have/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [What I have against religion is that they start you when you are so defenseless. I mean, I was three when they started pumping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/what-i-have-against-religion-is-that-they-start-you-when-you-are-so/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [I am an intransigent atheist, though not a militant one. This means that I am not fighting against religion - I am fighting for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/i-am-an-intransigent-atheist-though-not-a-militant-one-this-means/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [y feelings as a Christian points me to my Lord and Savior as a fighter. It points me to the man who once in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/y-feelings-as-a-christian-points-me-to-my-lord-and-savior-as-a/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [Ridicule is the only weapon which can be used against unintelligible propositions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/ridicule-is-the-only-weapon-which-can-be-used-against-unintelligible/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [I am for religion, against religions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/i-am-for-religion-against-religions/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [The day will come when the mystical generation of Jesus, by the Supreme Being as his father, in the womb of a virgin, will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-day-will-come-when-the-mystical-generation-of-jesus-by-the/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [ The rebellious mood of the country during those \[60th\] years allowed me to plug right back into my old hatreds. I could scream and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/the-rebellious-mood-of-the-country-during-those-60th-years-allowed-me/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [Religious controversies are always productive of more acrimony and irreconcilable hatreds than those which spring from any other cause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/religious-controversies-are-always-productive-of-more-acrimony-and/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [If you are asking me if my more global purpose is a battle against religion, it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/if-you-are-asking-me-if-my-more-global-purpose-is-a-battle-against/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [I don't believe in heaven and hell. I don't know if I believe in God. All I know is that as an individual, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/i-don-t-believe-in-heaven-and-hell-i-don-t-know-if-i-believe-in-god/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [The Bible is not my book nor Christianity my profession. I could never give assent to the long, complicated statements of Christian dogma.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/the-bible-is-not-my-book-nor-christianity-my-profession-i-could-never/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Of all the animosities which have existed among mankind, those which are caused by a difference of sentiments in religion appear to be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/of-all-the-animosities-which-have-existed-among-mankind-those-which/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [This determined bias against religion, especially Christianity, is clearly evident when viewed against the religious heritage of American culture as revealed in the Church…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mathew-staver/this-determined-bias-against-religion-especially-christianity-is/) [Mathew Staver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mathew-staver/) > [It is too late in the day for men of sincerity to pretend they believe in the Platonic mysticisms that three are one, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/it-is-too-late-in-the-day-for-men-of-sincerity-to-pretend-they/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) [Browse all 43 Against religion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/against-religion/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Richard Dawkins says he can't be sure God doesn't exist. Well, you know what I do when I'm not sure about something? I go on a big crusade about it and write a bunch of books on the subject. No, wait, that sounds more like what someone with a mental disorder would do. That's one of the crazy things about lots of atheists: They're whole movement is supposed to be about being logical and reasonable, yet they tend to rail against religion is a very mindless way that doesn't seem to serve any more purpose than a tantrum. Perhaps I just don't understand their strong faith in not having faith.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Frank J. Fleming" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-j-fleming/richard-dawkins-says-he-can-t-be-sure-god-doesn-t-exist-well-you-know/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Against religion" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-j-fleming/richard-dawkins-says-he-can-t-be-sure-god-doesn-t-exist-well-you-know/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e8/frank-j-fleming-56851_against-religion_richard-dawkins-says-he-can-t-be-sure-go_657588.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e8/frank-j-fleming-56851_against-religion_richard-dawkins-says-he-can-t-be-sure-go_657588.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e8/frank-j-fleming-56851_against-religion_richard-dawkins-says-he-can-t-be-sure-go_657588.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Richard Dawkins says he can't be sure God doesn't exist. Well, you know what I do when I'm not sure about…” — Frank J. Fleming", "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": "Frank J. Fleming", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-j-fleming/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Richard Dawkins says he can't be...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-j-fleming/richard-dawkins-says-he-can-t-be-sure-god-doesn-t-exist-well-you-know/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-j-fleming/richard-dawkins-says-he-can-t-be-sure-god-doesn-t-exist-well-you-know/#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 } } ] } ```