--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Faith is not the opposite of reason." description: "\"Faith is not the opposite of reason.\" — Richard Dawkins" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/447/richard-dawkins-115_faith_faith-is-not-the-opposite-of-reason-2779_2779941.jpg" --- # Faith is not the opposite of reason. ![“Faith is not the opposite of reason.” quote by Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/447/richard-dawkins-115_faith_faith-is-not-the-opposite-of-reason-2779_2779941.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/447/richard-dawkins-115_faith_faith-is-not-the-opposite-of-reason-2779_2779941.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/447/richard-dawkins-115_faith_faith-is-not-the-opposite-of-reason-2779_2779941.jpg) > “Faith is not the opposite of reason.” [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. Reason and faith address coexist; they address different aspects of human experience. **In simple terms:** Faith and reason can both be valid. Key Takeaway Respect both perspectives. Themes faith reason coexistence Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - interfaith dialogue - education - personal belief systems Key Concepts epistemology psychology Questions to Reflect On - Can faith be rational? - What role does reason play in belief? A Different Perspective Some view faith as contradictory to empirical evidence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Faith Opposite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith-opposite-573434/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [Opposite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opposite/) [Opposite Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opposite-reason-573435/) [Opposites](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opposites/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) ## Related quotes > [Faith is not the opposite of reason. Faith rests squarely upon reason, but with the added component of revelation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/faith-is-not-the-opposite-of-reason-faith-rests-squarely-upon-reason/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [Faith: The opposite of dogmatism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/faith-the-opposite-of-dogmatism/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) > [When two opposite points of view are expressed with equal intensity, the truth does not necessarily lie exactly half way between. It is possible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/when-two-opposite-points-of-view-are-expressed-with-equal-intensity/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Some have an idea that the reason we in this country discard things so readily is because we have so much. The facts are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-p-sloan/some-have-an-idea-that-the-reason-we-in-this-country-discard-things/) [Alfred P. Sloan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-p-sloan/) > [“that jail existed for the opposite reason from why your home existed”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/that-jail-existed-for-the-opposite-reason-from-why-your-home-existed/) [Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) > [“Emotion is not the opposite of reason. Instead, emotion provides information that reason can use. You make better decisions when you’re able to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brent-a-bradley/emotion-is-not-the-opposite-of-reason-instead-emotion-provides/) [Brent A. Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-a-bradley/) > [The Bible recognizes no faith that does not lead to obedience, nor does it recognize any obedience that does not spring from faith. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/the-bible-recognizes-no-faith-that-does-not-lead-to-obedience-nor/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [Freethinkers reject faith as a valid tool of knowledge. Faith is the opposite of reason because reason imposes very strict limits on what can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-barker/freethinkers-reject-faith-as-a-valid-tool-of-knowledge-faith-is-the/) [Dan Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-barker/) > [And the attitude of faith is the very opposite of clinging to belief, of holding on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/and-the-attitude-of-faith-is-the-very-opposite-of-clinging-to-belief/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [So let's set the record straight. Faith is not the opposite of reason. The opposite of faith is unbelief. 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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. 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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 Faith quotes > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Eternal Trinity... mystery deep as the sea, You could give me no greater gift than the gift of Yourself. For You are a fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-catherine-of-siena/eternal-trinity-mystery-deep-as-the-sea-you-could-give-me-no-greater/) [St. Catherine of Siena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-catherine-of-siena/) > [Keep the faith, and keep going strong!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doreen-virtue/keep-the-faith-and-keep-going-strong/) [Doreen Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doreen-virtue/) > [It’s so important to create in your own voice, to hold onto what makes you unique, and have faith in your vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/it-s-so-important-to-create-in-your-own-voice-to-hold-onto-what-makes/) [John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/) > [Faith gives you a certain structure and meaning to your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riffat-hassan/faith-gives-you-a-certain-structure-and-meaning-to-your-life/) [Riffat Hassan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riffat-hassan/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [“No man is prejudiced in favour of a thing, knowing it to be wrong. He is attached to it on the belief of its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/no-man-is-prejudiced-in-favour-of-a-thing-knowing-it-to-be-wrong-he/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [Holiness sincerity, and faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/holiness-sincerity-and-faith/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [“The only limitations for your life are the limiting beliefs in your mind. —Matt Morris”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-morris-1/the-only-limitations-for-your-life-are-the-limiting-beliefs-in-your/) [Matt Morris (1](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-morris-1/) > [“Just because your faith is shaken doesn’t mean the faith is shaken. 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