--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is my firm conviction that man has…" description: "\"It is my firm conviction that man has nothing to gain, emotionally or otherwise, by adhering to a falsehood, regardless of how comfortable or sacred th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/089/george-h-smith-20207_atheism_it-is-my-firm-conviction-that-man-has-no_1486220.jpg" --- # It is my firm conviction that man has nothing to gain… ![“It is my firm conviction that man has nothing to gain, emotionally or otherwise, by adhering to a falsehood, regardless of how comfortable or sacred that falsehood may appear.” quote by George H. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/089/george-h-smith-20207_atheism_it-is-my-firm-conviction-that-man-has-no_1486220.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/089/george-h-smith-20207_atheism_it-is-my-firm-conviction-that-man-has-no_1486220.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/089/george-h-smith-20207_atheism_it-is-my-firm-conviction-that-man-has-no_1486220.jpg) > “It is my firm conviction that man has nothing to gain, emotionally or otherwise, by adhering to a falsehood, regardless of how comfortable or sacred that falsehood may appear.” [George H. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Holding false beliefs, even comforting ones, offers no emotional or practical benefit. **In simple terms:** Falsehoods give no real benefit. Key Takeaway Seek truth over comforting lies. Themes truth integrity comfort vs truth Mood critical thoughtful Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - personal decisions - political discourse - media consumption Key Concepts philosophical skepticism ethical honesty Questions to Reflect On - What comforting falsehoods do you cling to? - How can you balance truth with emotional well‑being? A Different Perspective Truth can be painful and socially costly. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheism/) [Conviction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conviction/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Falsehood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/falsehood/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Positive atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/positive-atheism/) [Sacred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacred/) ## Related quotes > [“By dying for a conviction a man proves only that he is sincere, not that he is right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-h-bainton/by-dying-for-a-conviction-a-man-proves-only-that-he-is-sincere-not/) [Roland H. Bainton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-h-bainton/) > [The one serious conviction that a man should have is that nothing should be taken too seriously](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/the-one-serious-conviction-that-a-man-should-have-is-that-nothing/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [I'm a man without conviction. I'm a man who doesn't know how to sell a contradiction. You come and go, you come and go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/culture-club/i-m-a-man-without-conviction-i-m-a-man-who-doesn-t-know-how-to-sell-a/) [Culture Club](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/culture-club/) > [It was the full conviction of this, and of what could be done, if every man were placed in the office for which he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-weishaupt/it-was-the-full-conviction-of-this-and-of-what-could-be-done-if-every/) [Adam Weishaupt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-weishaupt/) > [Mix a conviction with a man and...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-clayton-powell-jr/mix-a-conviction-with-a-man-and/) [Adam Clayton Powell, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-clayton-powell-jr/) > [I would rather be a man of conviction than a man of conformity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-would-rather-be-a-man-of-conviction-than-a-man-of-conformity/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Mix a conviction with a man and something happens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/powell-clayton/mix-a-conviction-with-a-man-and-something-happens/) Powell Clayton > [I'm a man without conviction. I'm a man who doesn't know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/culture-club/i-m-a-man-without-conviction-i-m-a-man-who-doesn-t-know/) [Culture Club](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/culture-club/) > [The one serious conviction that a man should have is that nothing is to be taken too seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/the-one-serious-conviction-that-a-man-should-have-is-that-nothing-is/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [“...a person who thinks should not try to persuade others to his belief; that is what puts him on the road to a system;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/a-person-who-thinks-should-not-try-to-persuade-others-to-his-belief/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [We can state with conviction, therefore, that a man's support for absolute government is in direct proportion to the contempt he feels for his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/we-can-state-with-conviction-therefore-that-a-man-s-support-for/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [It has always been my private conviction that any man who puts his intelligence up against a fish and loses had it coming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/it-has-always-been-my-private-conviction-that-any-man-who-puts-his/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [THE ART OF PEACE is not easy. It is a fight to the finish, the slaying of evil desires and all falsehood within. On…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morihei-ueshiba/the-art-of-peace-is-not-easy-it-is-a-fight-to-the-finish-the-slaying/) [Morihei Ueshiba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morihei-ueshiba/) > [falsehood is not more unjustifiable than unsafe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fanny-burney/falsehood-is-not-more-unjustifiable-than-unsafe/) [Fanny Burney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fanny-burney/) > [We find few historians who have been diligent enough in their search for truth; it is their common method to take on trust what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/we-find-few-historians-who-have-been-diligent-enough-in-their-search/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) ## More by George H. Smith > [I am continually amazed by the credence given to religious claims in the intellectual community; and, as a human being, i am appaulled by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-smith/i-am-continually-amazed-by-the-credence-given-to-religious-claims-in/) [George H. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-smith/) > [When the atheist is told that God is unknowable, he may interpret this claim in one of two ways. He may suppose, first, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-smith/when-the-atheist-is-told-that-god-is-unknowable-he-may-interpret-this/) [George H. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-smith/) > [“It is my firm conviction that man has nothing to gain, emotionally or otherwise, by adhering to a falsehood, regardless of how comfortable or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-smith/it-is-my-firm-conviction-that-man-has-nothing-to-gain-emotionally-or/) [George H. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-smith/) > [ The negative way \[of describing God\] is a cardboard prop of Christianity to conceal its unknowable God. When this prop collapses, theistic agnosticism emerges,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-smith/the-negative-way-of-describing-god-is-a-cardboard-prop-of/) [George H. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-smith/) > [The theist must present an intelligible description of god. Until he does so, god makes no more sense than unie; both are cognitively empty,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-smith/the-theist-must-present-an-intelligible-description-of-god-until-he/) [George H. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-smith/) > [It cannot be emphasized too strongly that Christianity has a vested interest in human misery. Christianity, perhaps more than any religion before or since,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-smith/it-cannot-be-emphasized-too-strongly-that-christianity-has-a-vested/) [George H. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-smith/) > [As for Christianity's alleged concern with truth, Christian faith is to free inquiry what the Mafia is to free enterprise. Christianity may be represented…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-smith/as-for-christianity-s-alleged-concern-with-truth-christian-faith-is/) [George H. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-smith/) > [If acorns start growing into theologians, or if women begin turning into pillars of salt, then we may wish to hypothesize about a supernatural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-smith/if-acorns-start-growing-into-theologians-or-if-women-begin-turning/) [George H. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-smith/) > [“Religion has had the disastrous effect of placing vitally important concepts, such as morality, happiness and love, in a supernatural realm inaccessible to man’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-smith/religion-has-had-the-disastrous-effect-of-placing-vitally-important/) [George H. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-smith/) > [I am arguing that faith as such, faith as an alleged method of acquiring knowledge, is totally invalid and as a consequence, all propositions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-smith/i-am-arguing-that-faith-as-such-faith-as-an-alleged-method-of/) [George H. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-smith/) > [Atheism is the absence of a belief in a god, nothing more. If the theist wishes to draw monumental implications from this lack of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-smith/atheism-is-the-absence-of-a-belief-in-a-god-nothing-more-if-the/) [George H. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-smith/) > [The leap of faith is a strategic impasse that confronts every Christian in search of converts; and, as he sees the matter, there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-smith/the-leap-of-faith-is-a-strategic-impasse-that-confronts-every/) [George H. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-smith/) > [One can be committed to conformity or one can be committed to truth, but not both.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-smith/one-can-be-committed-to-conformity-or-one-can-be-committed-to-truth/) [George H. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-smith/) > [Christianity has nothing to offer a happy man living in a natural, intelligible universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-smith/christianity-has-nothing-to-offer-a-happy-man-living-in-a-natural/) [George H. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-smith/) > [Christianity cannot erase man's need for pleasure, nor can it eradicate the various sources of pleasure. What it can do, however, and what it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-smith/christianity-cannot-erase-man-s-need-for-pleasure-nor-can-it/) [George H. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-smith/) [Explore all 31 George H. Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-smith/) ## 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": "It is my firm conviction that man has nothing to gain, emotionally or otherwise, by adhering to a falsehood, regardless of how comfortable or sacred that falsehood may appear.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George H. 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