--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Homo religiosus invents religious…" description: "\"Homo religiosus invents religious symbols, which he venerates and worships to save him from facing the finality of his death and dissolution. He devise..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3b/paul-kurtz-19129_atheism_homo-religiosus-invents-religious-symbol_3161093.jpg" --- # Homo religiosus invents religious symbols, which he… ![“Homo religiosus invents religious symbols, which he venerates and worships to save him from facing the finality of his death and dissolution. He devises paradise fictions to provide succor and support... In acts of supreme self-deception, at various times and in various places he has been willing…” quote by Paul Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3b/paul-kurtz-19129_atheism_homo-religiosus-invents-religious-symbol_3161093.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3b/paul-kurtz-19129_atheism_homo-religiosus-invents-religious-symbol_3161093.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3b/paul-kurtz-19129_atheism_homo-religiosus-invents-religious-symbol_3161093.jpg) > “Homo religiosus invents religious symbols, which he venerates and worships to save him from facing the finality of his death and dissolution. He devises paradise fictions to provide succor and support... In acts of supreme self-deception, at various times and in various places he has been willing to profess belief in the most incredible myths because of what they have promised him.” [Paul Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kurtz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humans create religions and ideal worlds to avoid confronting mortality and the emptiness of death. **In simple terms:** Religion comforts us against death. Key Takeaway Recognize and face mortality directly. Themes mortality religion comfort myth deception Mood reflective somber Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - grief therapy - life coaching - philosophical discussion - creative writing Key Concepts existentialism psychology sociology Questions to Reflect On - What fears drive your belief systems? - How might confronting death change your values? A Different Perspective Religions can also suppress critical thinking and personal responsibility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheism/) [Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Deception](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deception/) [Dissolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dissolution/) [Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/) [Finality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finality/) [Myth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myth/) [Paradise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paradise/) [Positive atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/positive-atheism/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self deception](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-deception/) [Support](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/support/) [Symbols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/symbols/) [Worship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worship/) ## Related quotes > [“It is not only the weary Homo faber, who objectifies the world in the 'doing' mode, who must vacate his place on the logical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sloterdijk/it-is-not-only-the-weary-homo-faber-who-objectifies-the-world-in-the/) [Peter Sloterdijk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sloterdijk/) > [Man is homo religiosus, by 'nature' religious: as much as he needs food to eat or air to breathe, he needs a faith for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-herberg/man-is-homo-religiosus-by-nature-religious-as-much-as-he-needs-food/) [Will Herberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-herberg/) > [I grew up in the north of Chile, and this is why there are a lot of religious symbols in my pictures, because the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-jodorowsky/i-grew-up-in-the-north-of-chile-and-this-is-why-there-are-a-lot-of-2/) [Alejandro Jodorowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-jodorowsky/) > [I grew up in the north of Chile, and this is why there are a lot of religious symbols in my pictures: because the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-jodorowsky/i-grew-up-in-the-north-of-chile-and-this-is-why-there-are-a-lot-of/) [Alejandro Jodorowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-jodorowsky/) > [Removing religious symbols from public places is not neutrality. 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