Common enemy Quote by Sam Harris
““It is time we recognized that all reasonable men and women have a common enemy. It is an enemy so near to us, and so deceptive, that we keep its counsel even as it threatens to destroy the very possibility of human happiness. Our enemy is nothing other than faith itself.””
About This Quote
Source Speech: Interview, 2020
Faith can act as a deceptive, pervasive enemy to human happiness, even among rational people
In simple terms: Faith may undermine happiness despite rationality
Key Takeaway
Question the role of faith in life
Themes
religion
philosophy
psychology
Mood
critical
thought‑provoking
Type
essay
argumentative
When to use this quote
- public discourse
- personal belief systems
- policy making
Key Concepts
dogma
cognitive bias
social cohesion
Questions to Reflect On
- Is faith always harmful?
- Can secular values replace faith’s social functions?
A Different Perspective
Faith also provides community and comfort
![“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)
