--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Plenty of kind, decent, caring people…" description: "\"Plenty of kind, decent, caring people have no religious beliefs, and they act out of the goodness of their hearts. Conversely, plenty of people who pro..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd3/john-c-danforth-28336_atheism_plenty-of-kind-decent-caring-people-have_2304756.png" --- # Plenty of kind, decent, caring people have no religious… ![“Plenty of kind, decent, caring people have no religious beliefs, and they act out of the goodness of their hearts. Conversely, plenty of people who profess to be religious, even those who worship regularly, show no particular interest in the world beyond themselves.” quote by John C. Danforth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd3/john-c-danforth-28336_atheism_plenty-of-kind-decent-caring-people-have_2304756.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd3/john-c-danforth-28336_atheism_plenty-of-kind-decent-caring-people-have_2304756.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd3/john-c-danforth-28336_atheism_plenty-of-kind-decent-caring-people-have_2304756.png) > “Plenty of kind, decent, caring people have no religious beliefs, and they act out of the goodness of their hearts. Conversely, plenty of people who profess to be religious, even those who worship regularly, show no particular interest in the world beyond themselves.” [John C. Danforth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-danforth/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He observes that moral behavior often stems from innate kindness rather than religious belief, while some religious people may be self‑centered. **In simple terms:** Goodness can be secular; religion isn’t a guarantee of kindness. Key Takeaway Cultivate empathy regardless of belief. Themes morality secular ethics religion humanism Mood inspirational thought‑provoking Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - volunteering - community service - interfaith dialogue Key Concepts intrinsic altruism faith motivation Questions to Reflect On - How do you nurture kindness in yourself? - What role does belief play in your actions? A Different Perspective Overgeneralizing can ignore many kind religious individuals. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheism/) [Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) [Caring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/caring/) [Caring People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/caring-people/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Goodness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goodness/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious/) [Religious belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious-belief/) [Religious beliefs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious-beliefs/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [Worship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worship/) ## Related quotes > [I have no problem with people's religious beliefs. I just don't happen to have any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/i-have-no-problem-with-people-s-religious-beliefs-i-just-don-t-happen/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [I get along better with Drunkards, Liars, Thieves and Drug Addictsà than most of the people I've met that profess to be Religious. à](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-victor-paskavich/i-get-along-better-with-drunkards-liars-thieves-and-drug-addicts-than/) [Stanley Victor Paskavich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-victor-paskavich/) > [Americans are squeamish about anything that seems to punish people for their religious beliefs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-fraser/americans-are-squeamish-about-anything-that-seems-to-punish-people/) [Caroline Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-fraser/) > [When somebody asks me, "Who are you?" 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In Bolivia there are indigenous religious beliefs like the rite of Pachamama…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evo-morales/in-bolivia-there-are-catholic-evangelical-methodist-baptist-churches/) [Evo Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evo-morales/) > [I believe in the separation of church and state. We all have our own religious beliefs. There are people out there who are atheists,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-ventura/i-believe-in-the-separation-of-church-and-state-we-all-have-our-own/) [Jesse Ventura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-ventura/) > [In Lincoln's day a President's religion was a very private affair. There were no public prayer meetings, no attempts to woo the Religious Right.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-herbert-donald/in-lincoln-s-day-a-president-s-religion-was-a-very-private-affair/) [David Herbert Donald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-herbert-donald/) > [If a harmonious relationship is established amongst societies and religious beliefs in today's multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-cultural world, then it will surely set a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/if-a-harmonious-relationship-is-established-amongst-societies-and/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [Our Constitution was not intended to be used by ... any group to foist its personal religious beliefs on the rest of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hepburn/our-constitution-was-not-intended-to-be-used-by-any-group-to-foist/) [Katharine Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hepburn/) > [The USA is so enormous, and so numerous are its schools, colleges and religious seminaries, many devoted to special religious beliefs ranging from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-medawar/the-usa-is-so-enormous-and-so-numerous-are-its-schools-colleges-and/) [Peter Medawar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-medawar/) ## More by John C. Danforth > [We are seekers of the truth, but we do not embody the truth. And in humility, we should recognize that the same can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-danforth/we-are-seekers-of-the-truth-but-we-do-not-embody-the-truth-and-in/) [John C. Danforth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-danforth/) > [It is concern that precedes and inspires agendas, and survives when agendas fail, and it causes us to try again, always trying our best,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-danforth/it-is-concern-that-precedes-and-inspires-agendas-and-survives-when/) [John C. Danforth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-danforth/) > [I have never seen more Senators express discontent with their jobs…I think the major cause is that, deep down in our hearts, we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-danforth/i-have-never-seen-more-senators-express-discontent-with-their-jobs-i/) [John C. 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Danforth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-danforth/) > [Japan is a great nation. It should begin to act like one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-danforth/japan-is-a-great-nation-it-should-begin-to-act-like-one/) [John C. Danforth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-danforth/) > [The old adage that polite conversation should not include talk of politics or religion is understandable because both subjects are so heavily laden with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-danforth/the-old-adage-that-polite-conversation-should-not-include-talk-of/) [John C. Danforth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-danforth/) > [The Senate is indeed a deliberative body, and that quality serves the nation well. A slow-moving government helps us maintain a stable government. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-danforth/the-senate-is-indeed-a-deliberative-body-and-that-quality-serves-the/) [John C. Danforth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-danforth/) > [We have a God-given commission, but it is not a commission to be self-righteous know-it-alls- quite the contrary. Our work in God's world begins…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-danforth/we-have-a-god-given-commission-but-it-is-not-a-commission-to-be-self/) [John C. Danforth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-danforth/) > [The loudest voices we hear are those who advocate conflict, divisiveness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-danforth/the-loudest-voices-we-hear-are-those-who-advocate-conflict/) [John C. Danforth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-danforth/) > [The starting point is the recognition that throughout history, religion has been a cause of bloodshed, and it remains so today. Because religion has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-danforth/the-starting-point-is-the-recognition-that-throughout-history/) [John C. 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Danforth quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-danforth/) ## 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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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? 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