Adopting Quote by H. L. Mencken
“The time must come inevitably when mankind shall surmount the imbecility of religion, as it has surmounted the imbecility of religion's ally, magic. It is impossible to imagine this world being really civilized so long as so much nonsense survives. In even its highest forms religion embraces concepts that run counter to all common sense. It can be defended only by making assumptions and adopting rules of logic that are never heard of in any other field of human thinking.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: “The Religion of the Future,” 1925
Religion’s irrationality will be overcome like magic, but its persistence hinders civilization.
In simple terms: Religion is seen as irrational and obstructive to progress.
Key Takeaway
Question and challenge irrational beliefs.
Themes
religion
rationality
civilization
Mood
critical
skeptical
Type
philosophical
analytical
When to use this quote
- education
- public discourse
- policy making
Key Concepts
philosophy of belief
critical thinking
Questions to Reflect On
- What alternatives replace religious frameworks?
- Can rationalism address existential needs?
A Different Perspective
Some may find comfort and meaning in religion despite its flaws.
![“By profession a biologist, [Thomas Henry Huxley] covered in fact the whole field of the exact sciences, and then bulged through its four fences. Absolutely nothing was uninteresting to him. His curiosity ranged from music to theology and from philosophy to history. He didn't simply know something…” quote by H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f46/h-l-mencken-245_absolutely-nothing_by-profession-a-biologist-thomas-henry-h_5368.jpg)
