Atheism Quote by Sam Harris
“While believing strongly, without evidence, is considered a mark of madness or stupidity in any other area of our lives, faith in God still holds immense prestige in our society. Religion is the one area of our discourse where it is considered noble to pretend to be certain about things no human being could possibly be certain about. It is telling that this aura of nobility extends only to those faiths that still have many subscribers. Anyone caught worshipping Poseidon, even at sea, will be thought insane.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The End of Faith, Sam Harris, 2004
Faith is praised when it claims certainty without evidence, yet other domains treat such certainty as irrational; religious belief is socially privileged.
In simple terms: Faith is praised for certainty, unlike other fields.
Key Takeaway
Question why certainty is valued differently.
Themes
faith
reason
social norms
Mood
thoughtful
critical
analytical
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- religious discourse
- public policy
- personal belief
Key Concepts
epistemology
cognitive bias
Questions to Reflect On
- How does certainty affect decision making?
- Can faith coexist with critical thinking?
A Different Perspective
Faith can lead to dogmatism and conflict.
![“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)
