--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Among the more irritating consequences of…" description: "\"Among the more irritating consequences of our flagrantly religious society is the special dispensation that mainstream religions receive. We all may ta..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd7/natalie-angier-21271_atheist_among-the-more-irritating-consequences-o_1446822.png" --- # Among the more irritating consequences of our flagrantly… ![“Among the more irritating consequences of our flagrantly religious society is the special dispensation that mainstream religions receive. We all may talk about religion as a powerful social force, but unlike other similarly powerful institutions, religion is not to be questioned, criticized or…” quote by Natalie Angier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd7/natalie-angier-21271_atheist_among-the-more-irritating-consequences-o_1446822.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd7/natalie-angier-21271_atheist_among-the-more-irritating-consequences-o_1446822.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd7/natalie-angier-21271_atheist_among-the-more-irritating-consequences-o_1446822.png) > “Among the more irritating consequences of our flagrantly religious society is the special dispensation that mainstream religions receive. We all may talk about religion as a powerful social force, but unlike other similarly powerful institutions, religion is not to be questioned, criticized or mocked.” [Natalie Angier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-angier/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage criticizes the double standard that protects mainstream religions from critique, highlighting how this shields them from accountability. **In simple terms:** Mainstream religions get special protection from criticism. Key Takeaway Question and hold all institutions accountable. Themes freedom of speech religion social critique double standards Mood skeptical concerned Type critical analytical When to use this quote - public debate - academic research - policy making Key Concepts critical theory secularism media studies Questions to Reflect On - Why are some institutions exempt from critique? - How can societies ensure equal scrutiny? A Different Perspective Such protection can stifle necessary reform and perpetuate harm. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Atheist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheist/) [Consequence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consequence/) [Institutions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/institutions/) [Mainstream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mainstream/) [Positive atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/positive-atheism/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) ## Related quotes > [Religion is among the most powerful causes of enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/religion-is-among-the-most-powerful-causes-of-enthusiasm/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [“religion, the most powerful of the elements which have entered into the formation of moral feeling, having almost always been governed either by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/religion-the-most-powerful-of-the-elements-which-have-entered-into/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [Religion is the most powerful alternative to God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-holloway/religion-is-the-most-powerful-alternative-to-god/) [Richard Holloway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-holloway/) > [C.S. Lewis says that fiction is able to sneak past the watchful dragons of religion. It becomes more powerful to speak in poetry. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-foreman/c-s-lewis-says-that-fiction-is-able-to-sneak-past-the-watchful/) [Jon Foreman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-foreman/) > [“The Christian religion is a very powerful and convincing mistake, that's all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-pullman/the-christian-religion-is-a-very-powerful-and-convincing-mistake-that/) [Philip Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-pullman/) > [I believe firmly in the efficacy of religion, in its powerful influence on a person's whole life. It helps immeasurably to meet the storms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-believe-firmly-in-the-efficacy-of-religion-in-its-powerful/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Science and religion are the two most powerful forces in the world. Having them at odds... is not productive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-o-wilson/science-and-religion-are-the-two-most-powerful-forces-in-the-world/) [E. O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-o-wilson/) > [Religion has been a powerful weapon in the hands of governments, in the hands of priests, in the hands of kings who have used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/religion-has-been-a-powerful-weapon-in-the-hands-of-governments-in/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [“They are sustained by the ancient institutions of religion, which are so powerful and of such a quality that they keep their princes in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/they-are-sustained-by-the-ancient-institutions-of-religion-which-are/) [Niccolò Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [The Christian religion is a very powerful and convincing mistake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-pullman/the-christian-religion-is-a-very-powerful-and-convincing-mistake/) [Philip Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-pullman/) > [“Religion is the most powerful entity on earth. A phenomenon that has conscripted millions to give or sacrifice their lives without so much as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-sarwar/religion-is-the-most-powerful-entity-on-earth-a-phenomenon-that-has/) Cal Sarwar > [Religion is a powerful weapon that can be used because it persuades people to do things. And thus it can be used for good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/religion-is-a-powerful-weapon-that-can-be-used-because-it-persuades/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [“When two humans have lived together for many years it usually happens that each has tones of voice and expressions of face which are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/when-two-humans-have-lived-together-for-many-years-it-usually-happens/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [I know what you are known as . . . but to me, you will always be Tom Riddle. It is one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-know-what-you-are-known-as-but-to-me-you-will-always-be-tom-riddle/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The most irritating people are those without a sense of humor, amirite?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-most-irritating-people-are-those-without-a-sense-of-humor-amirite/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Natalie Angier > [What is wrong with looking muscular? Muscles are beautiful. Strength is beautiful. Muscle tissue is beautiful. It is metabolically, medically, and philosophically beautiful. Muscles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-angier/what-is-wrong-with-looking-muscular-muscles-are-beautiful-strength-is/) [Natalie Angier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-angier/) > [Science is not a body of facts. Science is a state of mind. It is a way of viewing the world, of facing reality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-angier/science-is-not-a-body-of-facts-science-is-a-state-of-mind-it-is-a-way/) [Natalie Angier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-angier/) > [“Giving a girl the impression that girlhood is an extended bounce on Barney's knee is like prepping a young gazelle for life on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-angier/giving-a-girl-the-impression-that-girlhood-is-an-extended-bounce-on/) [Natalie Angier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-angier/) > [ \[On women:\] We are all yeses. We are worthy enough, we passed inspection, we survived the great fetal oocyte extinctions. In that sense, at… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-angier/on-women-we-are-all-yeses-we-are-worthy-enough-we-passed-inspection/) [Natalie Angier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-angier/) > [The beauty of the natural world lies in the details.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-angier/the-beauty-of-the-natural-world-lies-in-the-details/) [Natalie Angier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-angier/) > [Eternal love is a myth, but we make our myths, and we love them to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-angier/eternal-love-is-a-myth-but-we-make-our-myths-and-we-love-them-to-death/) [Natalie Angier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-angier/) > [Scientists have discovered that the small brave act of cooperating with another person, of choosing trust over cynicism, generosity over selfishness, makes the brain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-angier/scientists-have-discovered-that-the-small-brave-act-of-cooperating/) [Natalie Angier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-angier/) > [ As \[The Nation columnist Katha\] Pollitt points out, when one starts looking beneath the surface of things and adding together the out-front atheists with… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-angier/as-the-nation-columnist-katha-pollitt-points-out-when-one-starts/) [Natalie Angier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-angier/) > [Nature is a tenacious recycler, every dung heap and fallen redwood tree a bustling community of saprophytes wresting life from the dead and discarded,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-angier/nature-is-a-tenacious-recycler-every-dung-heap-and-fallen-redwood/) [Natalie Angier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-angier/) > [“Nobody knows what the whales may have to click and clack about, but it could be a form of voting-time to stop here and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-angier/nobody-knows-what-the-whales-may-have-to-click-and-clack-about-but-it/) [Natalie Angier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-angier/) > [“The clitoris not only applauds when a women flaunts her mastery; it will give a standing ovation. In the multiple orgasm, we see the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-angier/the-clitoris-not-only-applauds-when-a-women-flaunts-her-mastery-it/) [Natalie Angier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-angier/) > [“The brain is an organ of aggression, and there are many roads to this Rome of imagined conquests — so many that mental disorders,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-angier/the-brain-is-an-organ-of-aggression-and-there-are-many-roads-to-this/) [Natalie Angier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-angier/) > [Astronomers are pure of heart and appealingly puerile. They look into the midnight sky and ask big questions, just as we did when we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-angier/astronomers-are-pure-of-heart-and-appealingly-puerile-they-look-into/) [Natalie Angier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-angier/) > [“I'm an Atheist. I don't believe in God, Gods, Godlets or any sort of higher power beyond the universe itself, which seems quite high…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-angier/i-m-an-atheist-i-don-t-believe-in-god-gods-godlets-or-any-sort-of/) [Natalie Angier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-angier/) > [Perhaps eggs are like neurons, which also are not replenished in adulthood: they know too much. Eggs must plan the party. Sperm need only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-angier/perhaps-eggs-are-like-neurons-which-also-are-not-replenished-in/) [Natalie Angier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-angier/) [Explore all 29 Natalie Angier quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-angier/) ## More Atheist 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/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. 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He smiled, with his hands folded, saw his daughter's in-laws approaching near.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhavik-sarkhedi/the-atheist-joined-his-hands-it-wasn-t-against-the-gods-he-smiled/) [Bhavik Sarkhedi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhavik-sarkhedi/) > [I am surprised that anyone can profess to be an atheist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-comfort/i-am-surprised-that-anyone-can-profess-to-be-an-atheist/) [Ray Comfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-comfort/) > [“I have found it an amusing strategy, when asked whether I am an atheist, to point out that the questioner is also an atheist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/i-have-found-it-an-amusing-strategy-when-asked-whether-i-am-an/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [An Atheist wandering down a road where he meets up a four road junction , he asks a passer by hey !, where does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/an-atheist-wandering-down-a-road-where-he-meets-up-a-four-road/) [Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/) > [Good churches are not built by bad men; at least, there must be probity and enthusiasm somewhere in the society. 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Beautiful, impressive, awe-inspiring - sure, but not divine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nomy-arpaly/i-am-an-atheist-i-don-t-think-there-s-anything-divine-beautiful/) [Nomy Arpaly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nomy-arpaly/) > [I am like all other atheists only in that I do not believe there are any gods. Beyond that, I may differ dramatically in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-carrier/i-am-like-all-other-atheists-only-in-that-i-do-not-believe-there-are/) [Richard Carrier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-carrier/) [Browse all 2,434 Atheist quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheist/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Among the more irritating consequences of our flagrantly religious society is the special dispensation that mainstream religions receive. 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