--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: [ From a New York Times biography from…" description: "\"“[ From a New York Times biography from May 27, 2010 entitled Introduction to Simone de Beauvoir's 'The Second Sex' ] Beauvoir herself was as devout an..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a8/simone-de-beauvoir-407_atheism_from-a-new-york-times-biography-from-may_955735.jpg" --- # \[ From a New York Times biography from May 27, 2010… ![“[ From a New York Times biography from May 27, 2010 entitled Introduction to Simone de Beauvoir's 'The Second Sex' ] Beauvoir herself was as devout an atheist as she had once been a Catholic, and she dismisses religions — even when they worship a goddess — as the inventions of men to perpetuate…” quote by Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a8/simone-de-beauvoir-407_atheism_from-a-new-york-times-biography-from-may_955735.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a8/simone-de-beauvoir-407_atheism_from-a-new-york-times-biography-from-may_955735.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a8/simone-de-beauvoir-407_atheism_from-a-new-york-times-biography-from-may_955735.jpg) > ““\[ From a New York Times biography from May 27, 2010 entitled Introduction to Simone de Beauvoir's 'The Second Sex' \] Beauvoir herself was as devout an atheist as she had once been a Catholic, and she dismisses religions — even when they worship a goddess — as the inventions of men to perpetuate their dominion.”” [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Beauvoir argues that religion is a human-made tool for power, and she identifies herself as a staunch atheist despite a Catholic past. **In simple terms:** Religion is seen as a tool for domination; she is an atheist. Key Takeaway Question the power structures behind belief systems. Themes atheism power gender philosophy Mood critical analytical Type philosophical critical When to use this quote - academic debate - personal reflection - social activism Key Concepts existentialism feminism secularism Questions to Reflect On - How does belief shape identity? - Can secular frameworks replace religious ones? A Different Perspective Religious belief can also provide community and meaning for many. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheism/) [Atheist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheist/) [Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) [Deceit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deceit/) [Domination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/domination/) [Goddess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goddess/) [Invention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invention/) [Lies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lies/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [York Times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/york-times/) ## Related quotes > [“When I was writing Green Girl,I was reading Simone de Beauvoir’s The Second Sex, and she’s very dismissive of the young girl. She writes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-zambreno/when-i-was-writing-green-girl-i-was-reading-simone-de-beauvoir-s-the/) [Kate Zambreno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-zambreno/) > [There was a French activist and writer, Simone de Beauvoir, who said, 'You are not born woman. You become one' ... Words I live by.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-jenner/there-was-a-french-activist-and-writer-simone-de-beauvoir-who-said/) [Bruce Jenner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-jenner/) > [“Life is about more than just maintaining oneself, it is about extending oneself. Otherwise living is only not dying - SIMONE DE BEAUVOIR (1908-1986)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lin-pardey/life-is-about-more-than-just-maintaining-oneself-it-is-about/) [Lin Pardey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lin-pardey/) > [“For a woman to be taken as seriously as a man she must be three times as effective. Happily, this is not difficult.--Simone de…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gale-martin/for-a-woman-to-be-taken-as-seriously-as-a-man-she-must-be-three-times/) Gale Martin > [I am not a great French woman. George Sand, Marguerite Duras and Simone de Beauvoir are great French women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliette-binoche/i-am-not-a-great-french-woman-george-sand-marguerite-duras-and-simone/) [Juliette Binoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliette-binoche/) > [“Simone de Beauvoir believed adolescence is when girls realize that men have the power and that their only power comes from consenting to become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-pipher/simone-de-beauvoir-believed-adolescence-is-when-girls-realize-that/) [Mary Pipher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-pipher/) > [“One is not born a woman, one becomes one. —Simone de Beauvoir, A WOMAN’S JOURNAL”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-anderson/one-is-not-born-a-woman-one-becomes-one-simone-de-beauvoir-a-woman-s/) [Joan Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-anderson/) > [“But I’ve been reading A Very Easy Death, about Simone de Beauvoir’s mother dying of cancer – it’s just brilliant. It really helped me.’…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-garner/but-i-ve-been-reading-a-very-easy-death-about-simone-de-beauvoir-s/) [Helen Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-garner/) > [I think that The Second Sex will seem an old, dated book, after a while. But nonetheless, a book which will have made its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/i-think-that-the-second-sex-will-seem-an-old-dated-book-after-a-while/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [I happen to be a devout atheist. I don't believe in God. I still go to church -- I'm not a heathen. I go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-poundstone/i-happen-to-be-a-devout-atheist-i-don-t-believe-in-god-i-still-go-to/) [Paula Poundstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-poundstone/) > [I'm an atheist, a devout atheist, but I find religion fascinating. Primarily because of cultural references, as in: This is what we grew up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabih-alameddine/i-m-an-atheist-a-devout-atheist-but-i-find-religion-fascinating/) [Rabih Alameddine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabih-alameddine/) > [“The power of food is only second to sex.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-o-reilly/the-power-of-food-is-only-second-to-sex/) [Brian O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-o-reilly/) > [ I always remind myself that \[ Jean-Paul\] Sartre and \[Simone\] de Beauvoir didn't have children. And when you don't have children, it might be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/i-always-remind-myself-that-jean-paul-sartre-and-simone-de-beauvoir/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [I fell upon Jenny Saville's work and loved these great big pieces she was painting, celebrating all things flesh and woman, and with great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-fell-upon-jenny-saville-s-work-and-loved-these-great-big-pieces-she/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [“Meantime, other “feminist bibles”had appeared, Simone de Beauvoir’s The Second Sex being the best. Which brings me to something no one believes. When I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/meantime-other-feminist-bibles-had-appeared-simone-de-beauvoir-s-the/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) ## More by Simone de Beauvoir > [The time that one gains cannot be accumulated in a storehouse; it is contradictory to want to save up existence, which, the fact is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/the-time-that-one-gains-cannot-be-accumulated-in-a-storehouse-it-is/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [One is not born a genius, one becomes a genius; and the feminine situation has up to the present rendered this becoming practically impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/one-is-not-born-a-genius-one-becomes-a-genius-and-the-feminine/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [Many things would be changed for Americans if they would only admit that there is ill-luck in this world and that misfortune is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/many-things-would-be-changed-for-americans-if-they-would-only-admit/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [“You said something very true the other day: that for us, nudity begins with the face.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/you-said-something-very-true-the-other-day-that-for-us-nudity-begins/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [“Ženama se ne rađamo, nego postajemo”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/enama-se-ne-ra-amo-nego-postajemo/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [Life is occupied in both perpetuating itself and in surpassing itself; if all it does is maintain itself, then living is only not dying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/life-is-occupied-in-both-perpetuating-itself-and-in-surpassing-itself/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [Fathers never have exactly the daughters they want because they invent a notion a them that the daughters have to conform to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/fathers-never-have-exactly-the-daughters-they-want-because-they/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [However gifted an individual is at the outset, if his or her talents cannot be developed because of his or her social condition, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/however-gifted-an-individual-is-at-the-outset-if-his-or-her-talents/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [In fact, people seem to be tired of fiction now. There are so many other ways of exploring humanity - by ethnology, psychoanalysis, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/in-fact-people-seem-to-be-tired-of-fiction-now-there-are-so-many/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [Feminism is one way of attacking society as it now exists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/feminism-is-one-way-of-attacking-society-as-it-now-exists/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [“Magari mi troverai ridicola, ma mi disprezzerei se non osassi esserlo mai”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/magari-mi-troverai-ridicola-ma-mi-disprezzerei-se-non-osassi-esserlo/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [from one minute to the next the present is merely an honorary past. It must be filled unceasingly anew to dissemble the curse it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/from-one-minute-to-the-next-the-present-is-merely-an-honorary-past-it/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [I am awfully greedy; I want everything from life. I want to be a woman and to be a man, to have many friends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/i-am-awfully-greedy-i-want-everything-from-life-i-want-to-be-a-woman/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [“I enjoyed my exhaustion, though; I liked overdoing things”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/i-enjoyed-my-exhaustion-though-i-liked-overdoing-things/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [“But I miss you to the point of anguish.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/but-i-miss-you-to-the-point-of-anguish/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) [Explore all 488 Simone de Beauvoir quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) ## More Atheism quotes > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [No philosophy, no religion, has ever brought so glad a message to the world as this good news of Atheism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-besant/no-philosophy-no-religion-has-ever-brought-so-glad-a-message-to-the/) [Annie Besant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-besant/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [The inner defenses are unconscious. They consist of a kind of magic aura which the mind builds around cherished belief. Arguments which penetrate into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-inner-defenses-are-unconscious-they-consist-of-a-kind-of-magic/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [God speaks through me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/god-speaks-through-me/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [A knowledge of the existence of something we cannot penetrate, of the manifestations of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty - it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/a-knowledge-of-the-existence-of-something-we-cannot-penetrate-of-the/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [You cannot ... transmute some incoherent mixture of words into sense merely by introducing the three-letter word "God" to be its grammatical subject.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-flew/you-cannot-transmute-some-incoherent-mixture-of-words-into-sense/) [Antony Flew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-flew/) > [Many humanists have argued that happiness involves a combination of hedonism and creative moral development; that an exuberant life fuses excellence and enjoyment, meaning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kurtz/many-humanists-have-argued-that-happiness-involves-a-combination-of/) [Paul Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kurtz/) > [If, with all the time at my disposal, with all the wealth of the resources of this vast universe, to do with as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/if-with-all-the-time-at-my-disposal-with-all-the-wealth-of-the/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [Do you think that was kind? Do you think it was godlike? What would you think of a physician, if a woman came to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-h-gardener/do-you-think-that-was-kind-do-you-think-it-was-godlike-what-would-you/) [Helen H. Gardener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-h-gardener/) > [Science can destroy religion by ignoring it as well as by disproving its tenets. No one ever demonstrated, so far as I am aware,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/science-can-destroy-religion-by-ignoring-it-as-well-as-by-disproving/) [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) > [Honest investigation is utterly impossible within the pale of any church, for the reason, that if you think the church is right you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/honest-investigation-is-utterly-impossible-within-the-pale-of-any/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) [Browse all 4,769 Atheism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“[ From a New York Times biography from May 27, 2010 entitled Introduction to Simone de Beauvoir's 'The Second Sex' ] Beauvoir herself was as devout an atheist as she had once been a Catholic, and she dismisses religions — even when they worship a goddess — as the inventions of men to perpetuate their dominion.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Simone de Beauvoir" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/from-a-new-york-times-biography-from-may-27-2010-entitled/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Atheism" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/from-a-new-york-times-biography-from-may-27-2010-entitled/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a8/simone-de-beauvoir-407_atheism_from-a-new-york-times-biography-from-may_955735.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a8/simone-de-beauvoir-407_atheism_from-a-new-york-times-biography-from-may_955735.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a8/simone-de-beauvoir-407_atheism_from-a-new-york-times-biography-from-may_955735.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“[ From a New York Times biography from May 27, 2010 entitled Introduction to Simone de Beauvoir's 'The…” — Simone de Beauvoir", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Simone de Beauvoir", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“[ From a New York Times...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/from-a-new-york-times-biography-from-may-27-2010-entitled/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/from-a-new-york-times-biography-from-may-27-2010-entitled/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```