--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The problem is that religion tends to…" description: "\"The problem is that religion tends to give people bad reasons to be good.\" — Sam Harris" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3f/sam-harris-457_bad_the-problem-is-that-religion-tends-to-gi_57169.jpg" --- # The problem is that religion tends to give people bad… ![“The problem is that religion tends to give people bad reasons to be good.” quote by Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3f/sam-harris-457_bad_the-problem-is-that-religion-tends-to-gi_57169.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3f/sam-harris-457_bad_the-problem-is-that-religion-tends-to-gi_57169.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3f/sam-harris-457_bad_the-problem-is-that-religion-tends-to-gi_57169.jpg) > “The problem is that religion tends to give people bad reasons to be good.” [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Religion often provides moral motivation based on external doctrines rather than intrinsic ethical reasoning, leading to actions justified by faith rather than rational moral principles. **In simple terms:** Religion can motivate morality for non-rational reasons. Key Takeaway Moral behavior may stem from belief, not reason. Themes morality religion motivation rationality ethics Mood thoughtful critical reflective Type philosophical critical observational When to use this quote - ethical decision-making in religious contexts - debates on secular morality - personal moral development - interfaith dialogues - philosophical discussions on ethics Key Concepts intrinsic vs extrinsic motivation faith vs reason Practical Applications - designing secular ethics curricula - informing policy on religious influence Questions to Reflect On - How does belief shape moral choices? - Can morality be fully independent of religious doctrine? A Different Perspective Some argue that religious frameworks can foster deep, community-supported virtues that secular systems struggle to replicate. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad/) [Bad Reasons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-reasons-790386/) [Be good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/be-good/) [Give](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/give/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Bad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-bad-310174/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Problem Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem-religion-545561/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Reasons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reasons/) [Reasons Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reasons-good-434751/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religion Tends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion-tends-790385/) [Tends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tends/) ## Related quotes > [“ONE OF THE most pernicious effects of religion is that it tends to divorce morality from the reality of human and animal suffering.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/one-of-the-most-pernicious-effects-of-religion-is-that-it-tends-to/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [“One of the most pernicious effects of religion is that it tends to divorce morality from the reality of human and animal suffering. Religion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/one-of-the-most-pernicious-effects-of-religion-is-that-it-tends-to-2/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [“The problem with religion is that it blends this truth so thoroughly with the venom of unreason.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/the-problem-with-religion-is-that-it-blends-this-truth-so-thoroughly/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [The problem is not that religious people are stupid. It's not that religious fundamentalists are stupid. I happen to think that you can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/the-problem-is-not-that-religious-people-are-stupid-it-s-not-that/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [“Finding ourselves in a universe that seems bent on destroying us, we quickly discover, both as individuals and as societies, that it is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/finding-ourselves-in-a-universe-that-seems-bent-on-destroying-us-we/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [The problem with religion, because it's been sheltered from criticism, is that it allows people to believe en masse what only idiots or lunatics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/the-problem-with-religion-because-it-s-been-sheltered-from-criticism/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [A union of government and religion tends to destroy government and to degrade religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugo-black/a-union-of-government-and-religion-tends-to-destroy-government-and-to/) [Hugo Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugo-black/) > [I'm very anti-religious because religion tends to disembody you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cronenberg/i-m-very-anti-religious-because-religion-tends-to-disembody-you/) [David Cronenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cronenberg/) > [Metaphysics is the finding of bad reasons for what we believe on instinct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-h-bradley/metaphysics-is-the-finding-of-bad-reasons-for-what-we-believe-on/) [F. H. Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-h-bradley/) > [Through all the bad guys that I've played, they're justifiably bad - they have their reasons. It's been important to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cam-gigandet/through-all-the-bad-guys-that-i-ve-played-they-re-justifiably-bad/) [Cam Gigandet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cam-gigandet/) > [You never know how things will work out. After all the bad reasons in the world, some good came out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/you-never-know-how-things-will-work-out-after-all-the-bad-reasons-in/) [John Lydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lydon/) > [It has been said that metaphysics is the finding of bad reasons for what we believe upon instinct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/it-has-been-said-that-metaphysics-is-the-finding-of-bad-reasons-for/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [Finding bad reasons for what one believes for other bad reasons - that's philosophy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/finding-bad-reasons-for-what-one-believes-for-other-bad-reasons-that/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [I won't be able to do a film just for bad reasons, for money or for - I just can't. If I have one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-besson/i-won-t-be-able-to-do-a-film-just-for-bad-reasons-for-money-or-for-i/) [Luc Besson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-besson/) > [We have good reasons and bad reasons in life ,it's up for us on how we can handle it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-alapan/we-have-good-reasons-and-bad-reasons-in-life-it-s-up-for-us-on-how-we/) [Mitch Alapan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-alapan/) ## More by Sam Harris > [“Moderates in every faith are obliged to loosely interpret (or simply ignore) much of their canons in the interests of living in the modern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/moderates-in-every-faith-are-obliged-to-loosely-interpret-or-simply/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [There is no question but that nominally religious scientists like Francis Collins and Kenneth R. 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