Belief Quote by Richard Dawkins
“I do believe that nice religious people make the world safe for extremists by teaching us [...] that faith is a virtue, teaching us that there's something good about holding beliefs without any substantiating evidence. Once you buy into that, [...] then the door is opened to extremists who defend their extremism by saying, 'Oh well, it's my faith, you can't touch it, you can't criticise my faith, I don't even need to defend it because faith is faith.'”
About This Quote
Source Interview: The God Delusion, Richard Dawkins, 2006
Blind faith can shield harmful ideologies by discouraging critical examination.
In simple terms: Unquestioned belief can enable extremism.
Question beliefs and demand evidence.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- political discourse
- education
- public policy
- media analysis
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What role does faith play in your life?
- How can societies balance freedom of belief with safeguarding against extremism?
Faith can also provide community and meaning for many.