--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As long as we accept the principle that…" description: "\"“As long as we accept the principle that religious faith must be respected simply because it is religious faith, it is hard to withhold respect from th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e45/richard-dawkins-115_bin-laden_as-long-as-we-accept-the-principle-that_1274671.jpg" --- # As long as we accept the principle that religious faith… ![“As long as we accept the principle that religious faith must be respected simply because it is religious faith, it is hard to withhold respect from the faith of Osama bin Laden and the suicide bombers. The alternative, one so transparent that it should need no urging, is to abandon the principle…” quote by Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e45/richard-dawkins-115_bin-laden_as-long-as-we-accept-the-principle-that_1274671.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e45/richard-dawkins-115_bin-laden_as-long-as-we-accept-the-principle-that_1274671.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e45/richard-dawkins-115_bin-laden_as-long-as-we-accept-the-principle-that_1274671.jpg) > ““As long as we accept the principle that religious faith must be respected simply because it is religious faith, it is hard to withhold respect from the faith of Osama bin Laden and the suicide bombers. The alternative, one so transparent that it should need no urging, is to abandon the principle of automatic respect for religious faith. This is one reason why I do everything in my power to warn people against faith itself, not just against so-called ‘extremist’ faith. The teachings of ‘moderate’ religion, though not extremist in themselves, are an open invitation to extremism.”” [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Blind respect for all faiths can unintentionally legitimize extremist ideologies; critical evaluation is essential. **In simple terms:** Question faith without blanket respect to avoid endorsing extremism. Key Takeaway Critically assess beliefs, not just faith. Themes religion extremism critical thinking Mood critical analytical controversial Type philosophical political When to use this quote - policy making - education - media discourse - interfaith dialogue Key Concepts secularism ethical reasoning Questions to Reflect On - What criteria should guide respect for belief systems? - How to distinguish extremist teachings from moderate ones? A Different Perspective May dismiss sincere, non-extremist believers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religious faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious-faith/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) ## Related quotes > [As long as we accept the principle that religious faith must be respected simply because it is religious faith, it is hard to withhold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/as-long-as-we-accept-the-principle-that-religious-faith-must-be/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Moderates want their faith respected. They don't want faith itself criticized, and yet faith itself is what is bringing us all this - this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/moderates-want-their-faith-respected-they-don-t-want-faith-itself/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [“... But besides the danger of a direct mixture of Religion & civil Government , there is an evil which ought to be guarded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/but-besides-the-danger-of-a-direct-mixture-of-religion-civil/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [ \[Tibet\] is a small country based on religious principle, religious traditions. It never wanted any conquest. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/tibet-is-a-small-country-based-on-religious-principle-religious/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [The traditional Jeffersonian principle of religious freedom was so broadly democratic that it included the right to have no religion at all - it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/the-traditional-jeffersonian-principle-of-religious-freedom-was-so/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [I am open and respect everyone's religious and spiritual choices because at the end of the day, in my opinion, I hope that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yolanda-hadid/i-am-open-and-respect-everyone-s-religious-and-spiritual-choices/) [Yolanda Hadid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yolanda-hadid/) > [Religious ideas about good and evil tend to focus on how to achieve well-being in the next life, and this makes them terrible guides…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/religious-ideas-about-good-and-evil-tend-to-focus-on-how-to-achieve/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [“We each needed to respect the religious practices of others, seeing as it was up to every human being to find his or her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-walls/we-each-needed-to-respect-the-religious-practices-of-others-seeing-as/) [Jeannette Walls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-walls/) > [But I think it is also important that we pay tribute and acknowledge another great principle, and that is the principle of religious conviction.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/but-i-think-it-is-also-important-that-we-pay-tribute-and-acknowledge/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [I think it is appropriate that we pay tribute to this great constitutional principle which is enshrined in the First Amendment of the Constitution:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/i-think-it-is-appropriate-that-we-pay-tribute-to-this-great/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [Is the appointment of Chaplains to the two Houses of Congress consistent with the Constitution, and with the pure principle of religious freedom? In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/is-the-appointment-of-chaplains-to-the-two-houses-of-congress/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [Nondiscrimination is a great American principle. It's a core American principle, as is religious freedom. When you have two important American principles coming into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-haynes/nondiscrimination-is-a-great-american-principle-it-s-a-core-american/) [Charles Haynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-haynes/) > [My principles in respect of religious interest are two,--one is, that the Church shall not meddle with politics, and the government shall not meddle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lajos-kossuth/my-principles-in-respect-of-religious-interest-are-two-one-is-that/) [Lajos Kossuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lajos-kossuth/) > [All I'm arguing for really is that we should have a conversation where the best ideas really thrive, where there's no taboo against criticizing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/all-i-m-arguing-for-really-is-that-we-should-have-a-conversation/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [America is a nation that is founded on the principle of religious freedom. That is the reason this country exists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/america-is-a-nation-that-is-founded-on-the-principle-of-religious/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) ## More by Richard Dawkins > [At the deepest level, all living things that have ever been looked at have the same DNA code. And many of the same genes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/at-the-deepest-level-all-living-things-that-have-ever-been-looked-at/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [The word 'mundane' has come to mean 'boring' and 'dull', and it really shouldn't - it should mean the opposite. Because it comes from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/the-word-mundane-has-come-to-mean-boring-and-dull-and-it-really/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [We animals are the most complicated things in the known universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/we-animals-are-the-most-complicated-things-in-the-known-universe/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [“The fundamentalist Kurt Wise proclaims that all the evidence in the universe would not change his mind. The true scientist, however passionately he may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/the-fundamentalist-kurt-wise-proclaims-that-all-the-evidence-in-the/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [“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/) > [Religions do make claims about the universe--the same kinds of claims that scientists make, except they're usually false.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/religions-do-make-claims-about-the-universe-the-same-kinds-of-claims/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [“much of the Bible is not systematically evil but just plain weird, as you would expect of a chaotically cobbled-together anthology of disjointed documents,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/much-of-the-bible-is-not-systematically-evil-but-just-plain-weird-as/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [The recurrent laryngeal nerve - which runs from the head to the voice box - goes all the way down into the chest, loops…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/the-recurrent-laryngeal-nerve-which-runs-from-the-head-to-the-voice/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [The Roman Catholic Church is an institution for whose gains the phrase "ill-gotten" might have been specially invented. And of all its money-making rip-offs,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/the-roman-catholic-church-is-an-institution-for-whose-gains-the/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Let us understand what our own selfish genes are up to because we may then at least have the chance to upset their designs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/let-us-understand-what-our-own-selfish-genes-are-up-to-because-we-may/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [What's going to happen when I die? I may be buried, or I may be cremated, I may give my body to science. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/what-s-going-to-happen-when-i-die-i-may-be-buried-or-i-may-be/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Or why it is acceptable to train fast runners and high jumpers but not to breed them. I can think of some answers, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/or-why-it-is-acceptable-to-train-fast-runners-and-high-jumpers-but/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [We have seen that living things are too improbable and too beautifully 'designed' to have come into existence by chance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/we-have-seen-that-living-things-are-too-improbable-and-too/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [“We will not go quietly away. If in the future that requires violence”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/we-will-not-go-quietly-away-if-in-the-future-that-requires-violence/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [It's a truly disgusting idea that the creator of the universe - capable of inventing the laws of physics and designing the evolutionary process…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/it-s-a-truly-disgusting-idea-that-the-creator-of-the-universe-capable/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) [Explore all 1,239 Richard Dawkins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) ## More Bin laden quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I wasn’t like, boo hoo, Bin Laden’s dead, but I wasn’t jumping. America’s a very nationalistic country, and in episodes like that of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-scahill/i-wasn-t-like-boo-hoo-bin-laden-s-dead-but-i-wasn-t-jumping-america-s/) [Jeremy Scahill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-scahill/) > [R.I.P Osama Bin Laden - World Hide And Go Seek Champion (2001 - 2011)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/r-i-p-osama-bin-laden-world-hide-and-go-seek-champion-2001-2011/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ “\[to Navy SEALs\] Quite frankly, I didn't even want to use you guys, with your dip and velcro and all your gear bullshit. I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-owen/to-navy-seals-quite-frankly-i-didn-t-even-want-to-use-you-guys-with/) [Mark Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-owen/) > [I couldn't imagine somebody like Osama bin Laden understanding the joy of Chanukah.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-couldn-t-imagine-somebody-like-osama-bin-laden-understanding-the/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [What makes me angry'is that it wasn't me who revealed that I had been with Osama Bin Laden. I originally denied being involved with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kola-boof/what-makes-me-angry-is-that-it-wasn-t-me-who-revealed-that-i-had-been/) [Kola Boof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kola-boof/) > [Taylor Gang or Die. Obviously Bin Laden didn't choose Taylor Gang.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-gang/taylor-gang-or-die-obviously-bin-laden-didn-t-choose-taylor-gang/) [Taylor Gang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-gang/) > [Osama Bin Laden is dead. Killed not by a massive troop deployment but by a commando raid carried out by a few dozen highly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/osama-bin-laden-is-dead-killed-not-by-a-massive-troop-deployment-but/) [Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/) > [“New Rule: The White House doesn't have to release the dead Bin Laden photos, but don't pretend we can't take it. We've seen pictures…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/new-rule-the-white-house-doesn-t-have-to-release-the-dead-bin-laden/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [With Benghazi, I don't see anyone saying, 'Hey look, I am overall responsible for this and therefore, I take responsibility for what happened. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jocko-willink/with-benghazi-i-don-t-see-anyone-saying-hey-look-i-am-overall/) [Jocko Willink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jocko-willink/) > [The twin causes Bin Laden invokes are Islam and Arab self-determination, and armies rise to serve him. No need to convert or dogmatize. Believers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norah-vincent/the-twin-causes-bin-laden-invokes-are-islam-and-arab-self/) [Norah Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norah-vincent/) > [Wafah Dufour bin Laden, niece of Osama bin Laden has signed a contract to star in a reality show... called Skating with the Nieces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/wafah-dufour-bin-laden-niece-of-osama-bin-laden-has-signed-a-contract/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) > [“It can certainly be misleading to take the attributes of a movement, or the anxieties and contradictions of a moment, and to personalize or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-can-certainly-be-misleading-to-take-the-attributes-of-a-movement/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [None of us, remember, knew that 9/11 was gonna happen. We didn't live in a state of anxiety and fear about Osama Bin Laden.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-lewis/none-of-us-remember-knew-that-9-11-was-gonna-happen-we-didn-t-live-in/) [Damian Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-lewis/) > [Many of us didn't believe in the image of bin Laden as a wandering Old Man of the Mountains, living on plants and insects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/many-of-us-didn-t-believe-in-the-image-of-bin-laden-as-a-wandering/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) Browse all 566 Bin laden quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“As long as we accept the principle that religious faith must be respected simply because it is religious faith, it is hard to withhold respect from the faith of Osama bin Laden and the suicide bombers. 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