Faith Quote by Sam Harris
““The fact that faith has motivated many people to do good things does not suggest that faith is itself a necessary (or even a good) motivation for goodness.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Moral Landscape by Sam Harris, 2010
Faith can inspire good deeds, but it is not a necessary or reliable source of moral motivation.
In simple terms: Goodness can arise without faith.
Key Takeaway
Seek moral reasons beyond faith.
Themes
ethics
faith
motivation
Mood
thoughtful
critical
Type
philosophical
analytical
When to use this quote
- volunteering
- policy making
- personal decision making
Key Concepts
secular morality
intrinsic motivation
Questions to Reflect On
- Can morality be grounded without belief?
- What other motivations drive ethical behavior?
A Different Perspective
Faith may be divisive or justify harmful actions.
![“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)
