Faith Quote by Sam Harris
““For anyone with eyes to see, there can be no doubt that religious faith remains a perpetual source of human conflict. Religion persuades otherwise intelligent men and women to not think, or to think badly, about questions of civilizational importance. And yet it remains taboo to criticize religious faith in our society, or to even observe that some religions are less compassionate and less tolerant than others. What is worst in us (outright delusion) has been elevated beyond the reach of criticism, while what is best (reason and intellectual honesty) must remain hidden, for fear of giving offense.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: Religion and Conflict, Sam Harris
Faith can drive intelligent people toward irrationality, creating conflict; questioning faith is taboo, while reason is suppressed to avoid offense.
In simple terms: Faith can cause conflict; questioning it is discouraged.
Key Takeaway
Encourage open critique of belief systems.
Themes
religion
conflict
reason
social taboo
Mood
critical
thought‑provoking
Type
philosophical
analytical
When to use this quote
- public discourse
- education
- policy making
- interfaith dialogue
Key Concepts
critical thinking
intellectual honesty
social dynamics
Questions to Reflect On
- What role does faith play in personal identity?
- How can societies discuss belief without offense?
A Different Perspective
The argument may overlook positive aspects of faith and community.
![“Moderates in every faith are obliged to loosely interpret (or simply ignore) much of their canons in the interests of living in the modern world. [...] The first thing to observe about the moderate’s retreat from scriptural literalism is that it draws its inspiration not from scripture but from…” quote by Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b44/sam-harris-457_bible_moderates-in-every-faith-are-obliged-to_6967.jpg)
