--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As an atheist, I see nothing “wrong” in…" description: "\"“As an atheist, I see nothing “wrong” in believing in a God. I don’t think there is a God, but belief in him does no harm. If it helps you in any way, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc4/ricky-gervais-851_atheist_as-an-atheist-i-see-nothing-wrong-in-bel_596781.png" --- # As an atheist, I see nothing “wrong” in believing in a… ![“As an atheist, I see nothing “wrong” in believing in a God. I don’t think there is a God, but belief in him does no harm. If it helps you in any way, then that’s fine with me. It’s when belief starts infringing on other people’s rights when it worries me. I would never deny your right to believe…” quote by Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc4/ricky-gervais-851_atheist_as-an-atheist-i-see-nothing-wrong-in-bel_596781.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc4/ricky-gervais-851_atheist_as-an-atheist-i-see-nothing-wrong-in-bel_596781.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc4/ricky-gervais-851_atheist_as-an-atheist-i-see-nothing-wrong-in-bel_596781.png) > ““As an atheist, I see nothing “wrong” in believing in a God. I don’t think there is a God, but belief in him does no harm. If it helps you in any way, then that’s fine with me. It’s when belief starts infringing on other people’s rights when it worries me. I would never deny your right to believe in a God. I would just rather you didn’t kill people who believe in a different God, say. Or stone someone to death because your rulebook says their sexuality is immoral. It’s strange that anyone who believes that an all-powerful all-knowing, omniscient power responsible for everything that happens, would also want to judge and punish people for what they are.”” [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Belief in a deity is acceptable if it harms no one; problems arise when beliefs dictate rights or violence. **In simple terms:** Belief is fine unless it hurts others. Key Takeaway Respect freedom of belief, oppose harm justified by belief. Themes religion freedom rights violence tolerance Mood thoughtful concerned Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - public policy - interfaith dialogue - legal frameworks - personal relationships Key Concepts secularism human rights ethical relativism Questions to Reflect On - How do we protect rights without dismissing belief? - When should belief be limited? A Different Perspective Belief can be used to justify oppression, requiring vigilance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Atheist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheist/) [Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) [Believing God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believing-god/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [God Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-belief/) ## Related quotes > [If you believe in God, that's a belief. If you are an atheist, it's a belief too, because you cannot prove that God does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodrigo-cortes/if-you-believe-in-god-that-s-a-belief-if-you-are-an-atheist-it-s-a/) [Rodrigo Cortes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodrigo-cortes/) > [Atheism is not just about not believing there is a God, but on the assumption that there is one, what kind of God is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/atheism-is-not-just-about-not-believing-there-is-a-god-but-on-the/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [“Personal God To judge from the covenant between God and Abraham-note, too, the reference to a "god of Nahor" in Genesis 31:53-the ancient Hebrews…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-noah-kramer/personal-god-to-judge-from-the-covenant-between-god-and-abraham-note/) [Samuel Noah Kramer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-noah-kramer/) > [The knowledge of God, the belief in God, is what I call an a-rational process. It's not rational - it doesn't proceed by scientific…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-coyne/the-knowledge-of-god-the-belief-in-god-is-what-i-call-an-a-rational/) [George Coyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-coyne/) > [A belief in God and a belief in astrology cannot be reconciled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-falwell/a-belief-in-god-and-a-belief-in-astrology-cannot-be-reconciled/) [Jerry Falwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-falwell/) > [Religion becomes a matter of belief, and belief acts as a limitation on the mind; and the mind then is never free. But it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/religion-becomes-a-matter-of-belief-and-belief-acts-as-a-limitation-2/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [I catch myself thinking 'Thank God For This' out of habit, and then I understand what he's so concerned about. What if my parents'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/i-catch-myself-thinking-thank-god-for-this-out-of-habit-and-then-i/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“If Your Heart is Still Beating, God is With You… If Your Heart Stops Beating, Your With God… This is my Belief...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-brown/if-your-heart-is-still-beating-god-is-with-you-if-your-heart-stops/) Guy Brown > [Religion has the same relation to man's heavenly condition that mathematics has to his earthly one: both the one and the other are merely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/religion-has-the-same-relation-to-man-s-heavenly-condition-that/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [“Belief is the sense organ of faith, as your eyes are the sense organ of sight. With sight you see the world, with faith…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-lawhead/belief-is-the-sense-organ-of-faith-as-your-eyes-are-the-sense-organ/) [Stephen R. Lawhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-lawhead/) > [God exist whether or not men may choose to believe in Him. The reason why many people do not believe in God is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-alexander-crookston-laidlaw/god-exist-whether-or-not-men-may-choose-to-believe-in-him-the-reason/) Robert Alexander Crookston Laidlaw > [It depends on your specific conception of God, because belief can equally well leave you with this constant sense that you're coming up short…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-achenbach/it-depends-on-your-specific-conception-of-god-because-belief-can/) [Joel Achenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-achenbach/) > [The highest power is the human mind. That's where God came from and my belief in God is my belief in myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-freeman/the-highest-power-is-the-human-mind-that-s-where-god-came-from-and-my/) [Morgan Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-freeman/) > [“God is about belief and faith. It is not about proving there is a God, for there is no proof. What proof can there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-savage/god-is-about-belief-and-faith-it-is-not-about-proving-there-is-a-god/) [Michael Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-savage/) > [Having one king, one god, one belief, they can act single-mindedly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/having-one-king-one-god-one-belief-they-can-act-single-mindedly/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) ## More by Ricky Gervais > [I was David Bowie-thin up to about 28, and then I discovered food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/i-was-david-bowie-thin-up-to-about-28-and-then-i-discovered-food/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [I don't like it when I see a racist comedian go up and say, 'What are we gonna do about all these immigrants?' and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/i-don-t-like-it-when-i-see-a-racist-comedian-go-up-and-say-what-are/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [The truth doesn't hurt. Whatever it is, it doesn't hurt. It's better to know the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/the-truth-doesn-t-hurt-whatever-it-is-it-doesn-t-hurt-it-s-better-to/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [If all the Atheists & Agnostics left America, they'd lose 93% of The National Academy of Sciences & less than 1% of the prison population.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/if-all-the-atheists-agnostics-left-america-they-d-lose-93-of-the/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [There are so many films now where you know the story is a supporting role to the visual effects.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/there-are-so-many-films-now-where-you-know-the-story-is-a-supporting/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [When I was about to be famous, I feared it on a few levels. I feared it because I didn't want people to lump…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/when-i-was-about-to-be-famous-i-feared-it-on-a-few-levels-i-feared-it/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [It will be great to play a short, fat sweaty loser for a change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/it-will-be-great-to-play-a-short-fat-sweaty-loser-for-a-change/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [I went to university with no money. I can't understand a society that wouldn't give a poor person the same opportunity as a rich…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/i-went-to-university-with-no-money-i-can-t-understand-a-society-that/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [I'm a failed pop star. I always sneak a song into everything I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/i-m-a-failed-pop-star-i-always-sneak-a-song-into-everything-i-do/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [The grass isn't always greener on the other side!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/the-grass-isn-t-always-greener-on-the-other-side/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [I am myself sometimes, and I do state my opinions, but not in a comedy routine and not in my character. There always has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/i-am-myself-sometimes-and-i-do-state-my-opinions-but-not-in-a-comedy/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [Wearing cosmetics that were tested on animals makes you ugly on the inside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/wearing-cosmetics-that-were-tested-on-animals-makes-you-ugly-on-the/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [There's a difference between a job and a career - if you're the boss you don't stop at six o'clock, you have to worry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/there-s-a-difference-between-a-job-and-a-career-if-you-re-the-boss/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [Stupidity without malice isn't horrible; some people can't help it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/stupidity-without-malice-isn-t-horrible-some-people-can-t-help-it/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [It's interesting that music in this country... we sort of sold something to America with The Beatles and they sold something back. And we've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/it-s-interesting-that-music-in-this-country-we-sort-of-sold-something/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) [Explore all 351 Ricky Gervais quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) ## More Atheist quotes > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [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/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [That the world is in a bad shape is undeniable, but there is not the faintest reason in history to suppose that Christianity offers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/that-the-world-is-in-a-bad-shape-is-undeniable-but-there-is-not-the/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“I felt like praying or something, when I was in bed, but I couldn't do it. I can't always pray when I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-felt-like-praying-or-something-when-i-was-in-bed-but-i-couldn-t-do/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [Atheist’s denial of God’s existence needs just as much substantiation as does the theist’s claim; the atheist must give plausible reasons for rejecting God’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-copan/atheist-s-denial-of-god-s-existence-needs-just-as-much-substantiation/) [Paul Copan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-copan/) > [“The atheist joined his hands. It wasn't against the Gods. He smiled, with his hands folded, saw his daughter's in-laws approaching near.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhavik-sarkhedi/the-atheist-joined-his-hands-it-wasn-t-against-the-gods-he-smiled/) [Bhavik Sarkhedi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhavik-sarkhedi/) > [I am surprised that anyone can profess to be an atheist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-comfort/i-am-surprised-that-anyone-can-profess-to-be-an-atheist/) [Ray Comfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-comfort/) > [“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/) > [An Atheist wandering down a road where he meets up a four road junction , he asks a passer by hey !, where does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/an-atheist-wandering-down-a-road-where-he-meets-up-a-four-road/) [Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/) > [Good churches are not built by bad men; at least, there must be probity and enthusiasm somewhere in the society. These minsters were neither…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/good-churches-are-not-built-by-bad-men-at-least-there-must-be-probity/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [An ineffably holy God, who has the utmost abhorrence of sin, was never invented by any of Adam's descendents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-w-pink/an-ineffably-holy-god-who-has-the-utmost-abhorrence-of-sin-was-never/) [Arthur W. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-w-pink/) > [If all the Atheists & Agnostics left America, they'd lose 93% of The National Academy of Sciences & less than 1% of the prison population.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/if-all-the-atheists-agnostics-left-america-they-d-lose-93-of-the/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [I am an atheist. I don't think there's anything divine. Beautiful, impressive, awe-inspiring - sure, but not divine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nomy-arpaly/i-am-an-atheist-i-don-t-think-there-s-anything-divine-beautiful/) [Nomy Arpaly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nomy-arpaly/) > [I am like all other atheists only in that I do not believe there are any gods. Beyond that, I may differ dramatically in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-carrier/i-am-like-all-other-atheists-only-in-that-i-do-not-believe-there-are/) [Richard Carrier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-carrier/) [Browse all 2,434 Atheist quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheist/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“As an atheist, I see nothing “wrong” in believing in a God. I don’t think there is a God, but belief in him does no harm. If it helps you in any way, then that’s fine with me. It’s when belief starts infringing on other people’s rights when it worries me. I would never deny your right to believe in a God. I would just rather you didn’t kill people who believe in a different God, say. Or stone someone to death because your rulebook says their sexuality is immoral. It’s strange that anyone who believes that an all-powerful all-knowing, omniscient power responsible for everything that happens, would also want to judge and punish people for what they are.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ricky Gervais" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/as-an-atheist-i-see-nothing-wrong-in-believing-in-a-god-i-don-t-think/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Atheist" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/as-an-atheist-i-see-nothing-wrong-in-believing-in-a-god-i-don-t-think/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc4/ricky-gervais-851_atheist_as-an-atheist-i-see-nothing-wrong-in-bel_596781.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc4/ricky-gervais-851_atheist_as-an-atheist-i-see-nothing-wrong-in-bel_596781.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc4/ricky-gervais-851_atheist_as-an-atheist-i-see-nothing-wrong-in-bel_596781.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“As an atheist, I see nothing “wrong” in believing in a God. I don’t think there is a God, but belief in him…” — Ricky Gervais", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ricky Gervais", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“As an atheist, I see nothing...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/as-an-atheist-i-see-nothing-wrong-in-believing-in-a-god-i-don-t-think/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/as-an-atheist-i-see-nothing-wrong-in-believing-in-a-god-i-don-t-think/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```