Bible Quote by Richard Dawkins
““The fact that it has nothing else to contribute to human wisdom is no reason to hand religion a free licence to tell us what to do. Which religion, anyway? The one in which we happen to have been brought up? To which chapter, then, of which book of the Bible should we turn—for they are far from unanimous and some of them are odious by any reasonable standards. How many literalists have read enough of the Bible to know that the death penalty is prescribed for adultery, for gathering sticks on the sabbath and for cheeking your parents? If we reject Deuteronomy and Leviticus (as all enlightened moderns do), by what criteria do we then decide which of religion's moral values to accept? Or should we pick and choose among all the world's religions until we find one whose moral teaching suits us? If so, again we must ask, by what criterion do we choose? And if we have independent criteria for choosing among religious moralities, why not cut out the middle man and go straight for the moral choice without the religion?””
About This Quote
Source Book: The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins, 2006
Religious moral authority is questioned; we should base ethics on independent reasoning, not tradition.
In simple terms: Question religion's moral guidance; rely on reason.
Key Takeaway
Use reason, not religious tradition, for moral decisions.
Themes
religion
ethics
reason
authority
morality
Mood
skeptical
critical
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
controversial
When to use this quote
- personal decision‑making
- public policy
- education
- interfaith dialogue
Key Concepts
secularism
critical thinking
ethical autonomy
Questions to Reflect On
- What independent criteria should guide moral choices?
- How can societies transition from religious to secular ethics?
A Different Perspective
Religious traditions still shape many societies, making change complex.
![“"The indictment [the Western/modern question, 'Why be moral?'] also issued from a gross underrating of the 'moral' force that was regarded within the Islamic tradition as an essential and integral part of the 'law.' At the foundation of this underrating stood the observer's ideological judgement…” quote by Wael B. Hallaq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/792/wael-b-hallaq-74030_character_the-indictment-the-western-modern-questi_520171.jpg)
