Atheism Quote by N.D. Wilson
““Atheism is an idea. Most often (thank God), it is an idea lived and told with blunt jumbo-crayon clumsiness. Some child of Christianity or Judaism dons an unbelieving Zorro costume and preens about the living room. Behold, a dangerous thinker of thinks! A believer in free-from-any-and-all-goodness! Fear my brainy blade! Put candy in their bucket. Act scared. Don't tell them that they're adorable. Atheism is not an idea we want fleshed out. Atheism incarnate does happen in this reality narrative. But it doesn't rant about Islam's treatment of women as did the (often courageous) atheist Christopher Hitchens. It doesn't thunder words like evil and mean it (as Hitch so often did) when talking about oppressive communist regimes. His costume slipped all the time—and in many of his best moments. Atheism incarnate is nihilism from follicle to toenail. It is morality merely as evolved herd survival instinct (non-bindng, of course, and as easy for us to outgrow as our feathers were). When Hitchens thundered, he stood in the boots of forefathers who knew that all thunder comes from on high.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Lost Gospel of Judas Iscariot by N.D. Wilson, 2022
The quote satirically critiques how atheism is sometimes presented as a blunt, caricatured stance, contrasting it with more nuanced critiques of religion and morality.
In simple terms: It mocks simplistic portrayals of atheism and warns against reducing morality to mere survival instinct.
Key Takeaway
Question depth over caricature.
Themes
skepticism
religion
morality
culture
humor
Mood
ironic
critical
thought‑provoking
Type
philosophical
satirical
commentary
When to use this quote
- debates on belief
- public speaking
- media commentary
- educational curricula
- personal worldview development
Key Concepts
philosophy
critique
satire
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we discuss atheism without resorting to stereotypes?
- What role does humor play in serious philosophical discourse?
A Different Perspective
It may overgeneralize atheism and ignore sincere, thoughtful non-believers.
![“It was a very funny conference. I knew [Christopher Hitchens] before that. He had always been a good angel to me. He once stole a phrase from me that came out of his mouth on television. I saw his eyes move sideways. I thought, It's alright, you can have it! The conference was light on women…” quote by Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/8d6/hilary-mantel-440_alright_it-was-a-very-funny-conference-i-knew-ch_980010.jpg)
![“One evening, at the time of the Six-Day War, I [Christopher Hitchens] had my wicked way with a lovely lady, who had earlier intimated that she did not perhaps find me entirely repulsive. We procured a decent room, as I remember, at the Cadogan Hotel. Perhaps a little flown with wine, I asked her…” quote by Craig Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/cfd/craig-brown-10015_christopher-hitchens_one-evening-at-the-time-of-the-six-day-w_469479.jpg)
