--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think the world will be a better place…" description: "\"“I think the world will be a better place when science has swept all religion into the dustbin of history. What is religion but a shared belief in thin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b09/mary-doria-russell-3319_belief_i-think-the-world-will-be-a-better-place_309691.jpg" --- # I think the world will be a better place when science has… ![“I think the world will be a better place when science has swept all religion into the dustbin of history. What is religion but a shared belief in things that cannot be known? When we substitute concurrence for fact, fantasy quickly replaces knowledge. Why? Because knowledge is much more trouble to…” quote by Mary Doria Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b09/mary-doria-russell-3319_belief_i-think-the-world-will-be-a-better-place_309691.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b09/mary-doria-russell-3319_belief_i-think-the-world-will-be-a-better-place_309691.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b09/mary-doria-russell-3319_belief_i-think-the-world-will-be-a-better-place_309691.jpg) > ““I think the world will be a better place when science has swept all religion into the dustbin of history. What is religion but a shared belief in things that cannot be known? When we substitute concurrence for fact, fantasy quickly replaces knowledge. Why? Because knowledge is much more trouble to acquire!”” [Mary Doria Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-doria-russell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote argues that science will eventually displace religion, as religion relies on unknowable beliefs while science seeks factual knowledge, which is harder to obtain. **In simple terms:** Science will replace religion because it demands evidence, not faith. Key Takeaway Prioritize evidence‑based understanding over unverified beliefs. Themes science religion knowledge skepticism Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - education - public policy - personal belief systems - media narratives Key Concepts epistemology faith vs reason intellectual progress Questions to Reflect On - Can science address human needs that religion fulfills? - What value does faith provide that science cannot? A Different Perspective It may underestimate the cultural and emotional roles of religion beyond belief in the unknown. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) [Belief Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief-things-613395/) [Better place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-place/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religion Dustbin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion-dustbin-2941164/) [Religion Shared](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion-shared-613393/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Shared Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shared-belief-269688/) ## Related quotes > [“I think the world will be a better place when science has swept all religions into the dustbin of history. What is religion but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-doria-russell/i-think-the-world-will-be-a-better-place-when-science-has-swept-all-2/) [Mary Doria Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-doria-russell/) > [“Artists who shared (Paul) Klee's fundamental beliefs, such as (Piet) Mondrian, were searching for universal truths, often derived from nature and having "all-mighty power."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-fox-weber/artists-who-shared-paul-klee-s-fundamental-beliefs-such-as-piet/) [Nicholas Fox Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-fox-weber/) > [“And ideology is a shared belief system, usually involving a vision of utopia, that justifies unlimited violence in pursuit of unlimited good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/and-ideology-is-a-shared-belief-system-usually-involving-a-vision-of/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [Religion is a complex and often contradictory force in our world. It fosters hope and comfort but also doubt and guilt. It creates both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-arrillaga-andreessen/religion-is-a-complex-and-often-contradictory-force-in-our-world-it/) [Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-arrillaga-andreessen/) > [“I think we lost something else when we lost that crisp rhythm, some general shared belief that we could count on certain things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/i-think-we-lost-something-else-when-we-lost-that-crisp-rhythm-some/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [“Her devotion was so strong that she assumed everyone shared her belief. No one needed to be converted to Catholicism because in her mind,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/her-devotion-was-so-strong-that-she-assumed-everyone-shared-her/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“People continued to speak mutually incomprehensible languages, obey different rulers and worship distinct gods, but all believed in gold and silver and in gold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/people-continued-to-speak-mutually-incomprehensible-languages-obey/) [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) > [When Michelle and I decided that I would run for President, it was because of a shared belief in the power of community and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/when-michelle-and-i-decided-that-i-would-run-for-president-it-was/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I want to live in a Britain where there is a shared belief in freedom and democracy, and equal rights for men and women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-leadsom/i-want-to-live-in-a-britain-where-there-is-a-shared-belief-in-freedom/) [Andrea Leadsom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-leadsom/) > [When you look at belief in such things - as do you go to heaven, is there a devil - we have more in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/when-you-look-at-belief-in-such-things-as-do-you-go-to-heaven-is/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [If you have a sense of yourself, your mission, your belief system, those things will lead you to success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goldie-hawn/if-you-have-a-sense-of-yourself-your-mission-your-belief-system-those/) [Goldie Hawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goldie-hawn/) > [We seem to invest so much time and belief that those things are stable in some way - something to build towards, or something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-lopatin/we-seem-to-invest-so-much-time-and-belief-that-those-things-are/) [Daniel Lopatin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-lopatin/) > [Christianity does not involve the belief that all things were made for man. it does involve the belief that god loves man and for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/christianity-does-not-involve-the-belief-that-all-things-were-made/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Faith is a belief in things that your senses have not experienced and your mind does not understand, but you have touched them in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peace-pilgrim/faith-is-a-belief-in-things-that-your-senses-have-not-experienced-and/) [Peace Pilgrim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peace-pilgrim/) > [“I don't subscribe much to the belief that things happen for a reason, that there's some higher power at the controls, directing all of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linwood-barclay/i-don-t-subscribe-much-to-the-belief-that-things-happen-for-a-reason/) [Linwood Barclay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linwood-barclay/) ## More by Mary Doria Russell > [“The household was densely populated by a lively gang of children, homemade and Fostered, mix thoroughly and well.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-doria-russell/the-household-was-densely-populated-by-a-lively-gang-of-children/) [Mary Doria Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-doria-russell/) > [“As many as thirty or as few as ten years later, lying exhausted and still, eyes open in the dark long after the three…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-doria-russell/as-many-as-thirty-or-as-few-as-ten-years-later-lying-exhausted-and/) [Mary Doria Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-doria-russell/) > [Like so many Boomers, I saw 'Lawrence of Arabia' in 1962 when it was first released and when we were young teenagers. 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Pilers think geologically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-doria-russell/in-my-worldview-there-are-filers-and-there-are-pilers-filers-think/) [Mary Doria Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-doria-russell/) > [See that's where it falls apart for me!" Anne cried. "What sticks in my throat is that God gets the credit but never the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-doria-russell/see-that-s-where-it-falls-apart-for-me-anne-cried-what-sticks-in-my/) [Mary Doria Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-doria-russell/) > [Cleveland is really good about recognizing its artists because of the Arts Council.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-doria-russell/cleveland-is-really-good-about-recognizing-its-artists-because-of-the/) [Mary Doria Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-doria-russell/) > [You know what's the most terrifying thing about admitting that you're in love? You're just naked. You put yourself in harm's way and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-doria-russell/you-know-what-s-the-most-terrifying-thing-about-admitting-that-you-re/) [Mary Doria Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-doria-russell/) > [If we keep demanding that God yield up His answers, perhaps some day we will understand them. And then we will be something more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-doria-russell/if-we-keep-demanding-that-god-yield-up-his-answers-perhaps-some-day/) [Mary Doria Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-doria-russell/) > [“The poor you will always have with you,' Jesus said. A warning, Emilio wondered, or an indictment?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-doria-russell/the-poor-you-will-always-have-with-you-jesus-said-a-warning-emilio/) [Mary Doria Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-doria-russell/) > [“Ah, Sofia, darlin'! On my best days, I believe in Him with all my heart." 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