--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Therefore, since we may say, after such…" description: "\"Therefore, since we may say, after such long experience, that religion does not imply exact honesty, we are authorized by the same reasons to think tha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a3/julien-offray-de-la-mettrie-34_atheism_therefore-since-we-may-say-after-such-lo_1821112.png" --- # Therefore, since we may say, after such long experience… ![“Therefore, since we may say, after such long experience, that religion does not imply exact honesty, we are authorized by the same reasons to think that atheism does not exclude it.” quote by Julien Offray de La Mettrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a3/julien-offray-de-la-mettrie-34_atheism_therefore-since-we-may-say-after-such-lo_1821112.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a3/julien-offray-de-la-mettrie-34_atheism_therefore-since-we-may-say-after-such-lo_1821112.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a3/julien-offray-de-la-mettrie-34_atheism_therefore-since-we-may-say-after-such-lo_1821112.png) > “Therefore, since we may say, after such long experience, that religion does not imply exact honesty, we are authorized by the same reasons to think that atheism does not exclude it.” [Julien Offray de La Mettrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julien-offray-de-la-mettrie/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Religion and atheism are not inherently linked to moral honesty; both can encompass ethical or unethical behavior. **In simple terms:** Morality is independent of belief. Key Takeaway Judge actions, not beliefs. Themes ethics belief morality Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - personal relationships - legal judgments - public policy - interfaith dialogue Key Concepts secularism moral philosophy Questions to Reflect On - Does belief influence your moral choices? - Can ethical behavior exist without religious guidance? A Different Perspective Some argue that cultural contexts shape moral norms more than belief systems. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheism/) [Honesty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honesty/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [It's unbelievable that so many religious people think 'atheism is just another religion', but it explains why they can't stop attacking atheists!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-fowler/it-s-unbelievable-that-so-many-religious-people-think-atheism-is-just/) [Steve Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-fowler/) > [“On Atheism – If people continue to think of atheism as a kind of religion, then I demand all the perks that real religions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marsha-hinds/on-atheism-if-people-continue-to-think-of-atheism-as-a-kind-of/) [Marsha Hinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marsha-hinds/) > [It's astonishiing that so many religious people are ignorant enough to think atheism is 'just another religion'. But at least it explains why they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-fowler/it-s-astonishiing-that-so-many-religious-people-are-ignorant-enough/) [Steve Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-fowler/) > [I don't think atheism means one does not believe in a spiritual life. I think it means one does not follow the tenets of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-donohoe/i-don-t-think-atheism-means-one-does-not-believe-in-a-spiritual-life/) [Amanda Donohoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-donohoe/) > [ I think that \[Jay\] Gould's separate compartments was a purely political ploy to win middle-of-the-road religious people to the science camp. But it's a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/i-think-that-jay-gould-s-separate-compartments-was-a-purely-political/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [This is what self-centered religion does to us: it allows us to use it to further our own ends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/this-is-what-self-centered-religion-does-to-us-it-allows-us-to-use-it/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Religion is not the place where the problem of man’s egotism is automatically solved. Rather, it is there that the ultimate battle between human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-j-keller/religion-is-not-the-place-where-the-problem-of-man-s-egotism-is/) [Timothy J. Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-j-keller/) > [Let us here observe, that a religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things, never has power sufficient to produce the faith…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-us-here-observe-that-a-religion-that-does-not-require-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Because art does for me what religion does-- it organizes a seemingly chaotic world. Because it is my way of making sense of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-t-jones/because-art-does-for-me-what-religion-does-it-organizes-a-seemingly/) [Bill T. Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-t-jones/) > [“The world of fundamental religion does not recognize even the slightest variation in meaning should this meaning fall outside its own definition of truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-griffin/the-world-of-fundamental-religion-does-not-recognize-even-the/) [Susan Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-griffin/) > [If religion does not make us better people, it will make us very much worse. And of all the bad men who have lived,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/if-religion-does-not-make-us-better-people-it-will-make-us-very-much/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Religion does not blithely promise some sort of no-trouble, no-problem, no-poverty world; but rather a spirit, a power, an enthusiasm that endows everyone with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/religion-does-not-blithely-promise-some-sort-of-no-trouble-no-problem/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [“The teachings of a religion should influence the personality and daily conduct of each believer. Thus, each person's conduct will normally be a reflection,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-teachings-of-a-religion-should-influence-the-personality-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It is less hurtful to compel a man to marry someone whom he does not love than to follow a religion in which he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-williams/it-is-less-hurtful-to-compel-a-man-to-marry-someone-whom-he-does-not/) [Roger Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-williams/) > [In my opinion, most organized religion does neither agentic service nor relational nurturance very well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/in-my-opinion-most-organized-religion-does-neither-agentic-service/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) ## More by Julien Offray de La Mettrie > [The English, who eat their meat red and bloody, show the savagery that goes with such food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julien-offray-de-la-mettrie/the-english-who-eat-their-meat-red-and-bloody-show-the-savagery-that/) [Julien Offray de La Mettrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julien-offray-de-la-mettrie/) > [Let us then submit to an invincible ignorance on which our happiness depends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julien-offray-de-la-mettrie/let-us-then-submit-to-an-invincible-ignorance-on-which-our-happiness/) [Julien Offray de La Mettrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julien-offray-de-la-mettrie/) > [Nothing is absolutely unjust. There is no real equity, no total grandeur, no pure vice, no absolute crime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julien-offray-de-la-mettrie/nothing-is-absolutely-unjust-there-is-no-real-equity-no-total/) [Julien Offray de La Mettrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julien-offray-de-la-mettrie/) > [Everyone is born with psychic abilities. It's just a matter of knowing how to tap into it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julien-offray-de-la-mettrie/everyone-is-born-with-psychic-abilities-it-s-just-a-matter-of-knowing/) [Julien Offray de La Mettrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julien-offray-de-la-mettrie/) > [Man is a machine and in the whole universe there is but a single substance, matter, variously modified.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julien-offray-de-la-mettrie/man-is-a-machine-and-in-the-whole-universe-there-is-but-a-single/) [Julien Offray de La Mettrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julien-offray-de-la-mettrie/) > [It is convention and arbitrary rewards which make all the merit and demerit of what we call vice and virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julien-offray-de-la-mettrie/it-is-convention-and-arbitrary-rewards-which-make-all-the-merit-and/) [Julien Offray de La Mettrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julien-offray-de-la-mettrie/) > [“Ihmisruumis on kone, joka vetää itse itsensä; se on alituisen liikkeen elävä kuva.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julien-offray-de-la-mettrie/ihmisruumis-on-kone-joka-vet-itse-itsens-se-on-alituisen-liikkeen-el/) [Julien Offray de La Mettrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julien-offray-de-la-mettrie/) > [“Man is so complicated a machine that it is impossible to get a clear idea of the machine beforehand, and hence impossible to define…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julien-offray-de-la-mettrie/man-is-so-complicated-a-machine-that-it-is-impossible-to-get-a-clear/) [Julien Offray de La Mettrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julien-offray-de-la-mettrie/) > [The brain has muscles for thinking as the legs have muscles for walking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julien-offray-de-la-mettrie/the-brain-has-muscles-for-thinking-as-the-legs-have-muscles-for/) [Julien Offray de La Mettrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julien-offray-de-la-mettrie/) > [There is a special bond between twin soul mates - unconditional love, respect for each other, bringing out the best in each other, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julien-offray-de-la-mettrie/there-is-a-special-bond-between-twin-soul-mates-unconditional-love/) [Julien Offray de La Mettrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julien-offray-de-la-mettrie/) > [The human body is a machine that winds up its own springs: it is a living image of the perpetual motion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julien-offray-de-la-mettrie/the-human-body-is-a-machine-that-winds-up-its-own-springs-it-is-a/) [Julien Offray de La Mettrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julien-offray-de-la-mettrie/) > [Who lives as a citizen, may write as a philosopher - but write as a philosopher, it is to teach materialism!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julien-offray-de-la-mettrie/who-lives-as-a-citizen-may-write-as-a-philosopher-but-write-as-a/) [Julien Offray de La Mettrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julien-offray-de-la-mettrie/) [Explore all 13 Julien Offray de La Mettrie quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julien-offray-de-la-mettrie/) ## 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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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? 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