--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Still, even the most admirable of…" description: "\"Still, even the most admirable of atheists is nothing more than a moral parasite, living his life based on borrowed ethics. This is why, when pressed, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4be/theodore-beale-42321_admirable_still-even-the-most-admirable-of-atheist_835206.png" --- # Still, even the most admirable of atheists is nothing more… ![“Still, even the most admirable of atheists is nothing more than a moral parasite, living his life based on borrowed ethics. This is why, when pressed, the atheist will often attempt to hide his lack of conviction in his own beliefs behind some poorly formulated utilitarianism, or argue that he…” quote by Theodore Beale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4be/theodore-beale-42321_admirable_still-even-the-most-admirable-of-atheist_835206.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4be/theodore-beale-42321_admirable_still-even-the-most-admirable-of-atheist_835206.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4be/theodore-beale-42321_admirable_still-even-the-most-admirable-of-atheist_835206.png) > “Still, even the most admirable of atheists is nothing more than a moral parasite, living his life based on borrowed ethics. This is why, when pressed, the atheist will often attempt to hide his lack of conviction in his own beliefs behind some poorly formulated utilitarianism, or argue that he acts out of altruistic self-interest. But this is only post-facto rationalization, not reason or rational behavior.” [Theodore Beale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-beale/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Moral judgments without personal conviction become superficial and self‑serving. **In simple terms:** People may claim ethics without truly believing them. Key Takeaway Cultivate authentic moral foundations. Themes ethics authenticity belief Mood critical inquisitive Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - religious discourse - ethical debates - personal reflection - public policy Key Concepts moral philosophy psychology identity Questions to Reflect On - Do you base your ethics on belief or convenience? - What is the cost of moral hypocrisy? A Different Perspective Authentic morality may be hard to define across cultures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheism/) [Atheist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheist/) [Behavior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behavior/) [Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) [Conviction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conviction/) [Ethics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethics/) [God exists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-exists/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [Parasites](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parasites/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Proof god exists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proof-god-exists/) [Proof of god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proof-of-god/) [Proof that god exists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proof-that-god-exists/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-interest/) [Utilitarianism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/utilitarianism/) ## Related quotes > [“Many of the innovations in science and philosophy have come from unbelievers, some of whom died for their 'unbeliefs.' Without unbelief, we might well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-stein/many-of-the-innovations-in-science-and-philosophy-have-come-from/) [Gordon Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-stein/) > [To suppose that the eye could have been formed by natural selection, seems, I freely confess, absurd in the highest possible degree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/to-suppose-that-the-eye-could-have-been-formed-by-natural-selection/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) > [God reveals himself in the orderly harmony of what exists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/god-reveals-himself-in-the-orderly-harmony-of-what-exists/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I have repeatedly said that in my opinion the idea of a personal God is a childlike one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/i-have-repeatedly-said-that-in-my-opinion-the-idea-of-a-personal-god/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The real attitude of sin in the heart towards God is that of being without God; it is pride, the worship of myself, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/the-real-attitude-of-sin-in-the-heart-towards-god-is-that-of-being/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [There are no ordinary people.. it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/there-are-no-ordinary-people-it-is-immortals-whom-we-joke-with-work/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/is-he-able-but-not-willing-then-he-is-malevolent/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [A man does not call a line crooked unless he has some idea of a straight line.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/a-man-does-not-call-a-line-crooked-unless-he-has-some-idea-of-a/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [A heathen philosopher once asked a Christian, 'Where is God'? The Christian answered, 'Let me first ask you, Where is He not?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-arrowsmith/a-heathen-philosopher-once-asked-a-christian-where-is-god-the/) Aaron Arrowsmith > [It was the schoolboy who said, ""Faith is believing what you know ain't so.""](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/it-was-the-schoolboy-who-said-faith-is-believing-what-you-know-ain-t/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [If no God, mankind is a set of bi-pedal carbon units of mostly water. And nothing else](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-wilson/if-no-god-mankind-is-a-set-of-bi-pedal-carbon-units-of-mostly-water/) [Douglas Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-wilson/) > [My argument against God was that the universe seemed so cruel and unjust. But how had I got this idea of just and unjust?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/my-argument-against-god-was-that-the-universe-seemed-so-cruel-and/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [I prefer an attitude of humility corresponding to the weakness of our intellectual understanding of nature and of our own being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/i-prefer-an-attitude-of-humility-corresponding-to-the-weakness-of-our/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The idea of a personal God is an anthropological concept which I am unable to take seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-idea-of-a-personal-god-is-an-anthropological-concept-which-i-am/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Faith is the great cop-out, the great excuse to evade the need to think...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/faith-is-the-great-cop-out-the-great-excuse-to-evade-the-need-to-think/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) ## More by Theodore Beale > [Modern American liberalism is nothing but the socialism too stupid to recognize itself in the mirror.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-beale/modern-american-liberalism-is-nothing-but-the-socialism-too-stupid-to/) [Theodore Beale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-beale/) > [The United States has been utilizing what may prove to be the most historically inept strategy in the entire history of warfare, in which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-beale/the-united-states-has-been-utilizing-what-may-prove-to-be-the-most/) [Theodore Beale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-beale/) > [What college boils down to is a brand name stamped on the graduate for the benefit of corporate consumers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-beale/what-college-boils-down-to-is-a-brand-name-stamped-on-the-graduate/) [Theodore Beale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-beale/) > [The butcher seldom sees much interest in allowing the herd to be armed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-beale/the-butcher-seldom-sees-much-interest-in-allowing-the-herd-to-be-armed/) [Theodore Beale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-beale/) > [The French - cheese-eating surrender monkeys. The Germans - schnitzel snarfing stormtrooper spawn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-beale/the-french-cheese-eating-surrender-monkeys-the-germans-schnitzel/) [Theodore Beale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-beale/) > [There is only one way to receive intellectual respect, and that is to earn it. A degree doesn't mean anything, as there are too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-beale/there-is-only-one-way-to-receive-intellectual-respect-and-that-is-to/) [Theodore Beale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-beale/) > [Communism is what happens when atheism meets bureaucracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-beale/communism-is-what-happens-when-atheism-meets-bureaucracy/) [Theodore Beale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-beale/) > [The span of a man is three score and 10, or thereabouts. As most Americans are not especially keen on availing themselves of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-beale/the-span-of-a-man-is-three-score-and-10-or-thereabouts-as-most/) [Theodore Beale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-beale/) > [In light of the strong correlation between female education and demographic decline, a purely empirical perspective on Malala Yousafzai, the poster girl for global…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-beale/in-light-of-the-strong-correlation-between-female-education-and/) [Theodore Beale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-beale/) [Explore all 10 Theodore Beale quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-beale/) ## More Admirable quotes > [Consumer wants can have bizarre, frivolous, or even immoral origins, and an admirable case can still be made for a society that seeks to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/consumer-wants-can-have-bizarre-frivolous-or-even-immoral-origins-and/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [Education is very admirable but let us not forget that anything worth knowing cannot be taught.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/education-is-very-admirable-but-let-us-not-forget-that-anything-worth/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Happiness is a rare plant that seldom takes root on earth-few ever enjoyed it, except for a brief period; the search after it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marguerite-gardiner-countess-of-blessington/happiness-is-a-rare-plant-that-seldom-takes-root-on-earth-few-ever/) [Marguerite Gardiner, Countess of Blessington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marguerite-gardiner-countess-of-blessington/) > [Worthy is the one who remembers to thank the Lord for all His blessings; but admirable is the one who still thank God in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/worthy-is-the-one-who-remembers-to-thank-the-lord-for-all-his/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [It is admirable to consider how many millions of people come into, and go out of the world, ignorant of themselves and of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/it-is-admirable-to-consider-how-many-millions-of-people-come-into-and/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [What is pure Bill? Or excellent or admirable? The death of a million people in a flood? God evidently through so. He is incapable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-dekker/what-is-pure-bill-or-excellent-or-admirable-the-death-of-a-million/) [Ted Dekker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-dekker/) > [Mexico is sex and Canada is mind. There is much about Canada that I find admirable - the treatment of immigrants, for example, particularly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rodriguez/mexico-is-sex-and-canada-is-mind-there-is-much-about-canada-that-i/) [Richard Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rodriguez/) > [Of what use is it to please the herd? They are simply coarse animals - for all that is admirable in man is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-p-lovecraft/of-what-use-is-it-to-please-the-herd-they-are-simply-coarse-animals/) [H. P. Lovecraft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-p-lovecraft/) > [ I didn't get a chance to meet Glen \[Beck\] for this movie. I did meet him a few years ago, coincidentally, before any of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-quinto/i-didn-t-get-a-chance-to-meet-glen-beck-for-this-movie-i-did-meet-him/) [Zachary Quinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-quinto/) > [No method nor discipline can supersede the necessity of being forever on the alert. What is a course of history, or philosophy, or poetry,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/no-method-nor-discipline-can-supersede-the-necessity-of-being-forever/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I think it's perfectly acceptable and rather admirable to be moderately delusional](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-gray-gubler/i-think-it-s-perfectly-acceptable-and-rather-admirable-to-be/) [Matthew Gray Gubler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-gray-gubler/) > [Charles Darwin made arguably the greatest discovery any human has ever made. He was a man of great persistence. He wasn't probably a natural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/charles-darwin-made-arguably-the-greatest-discovery-any-human-has/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [N. S. Khrushchev established his supremacy in the U.S.S.R. after post-Stalinist alarums and excursions (1958-64). This admirable rough diamond, a believer in reform and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hobsbawm/n-s-khrushchev-established-his-supremacy-in-the-u-s-s-r-after-post/) [Eric Hobsbawm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hobsbawm/) > [There has been a constant struggle on the part of the military element to keep the end- fighting, or readiness to fight-superior to mere…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-thayer-mahan/there-has-been-a-constant-struggle-on-the-part-of-the-military/) [Alfred Thayer Mahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-thayer-mahan/) > [But there are people who take salt with their coffee. They say it gives a tang, a savour, which is peculiar and fascinating. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/but-there-are-people-who-take-salt-with-their-coffee-they-say-it/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) Browse all 398 Admirable quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Still, even the most admirable of atheists is nothing more than a moral parasite, living his life based on borrowed ethics. This is why, when pressed, the atheist will often attempt to hide his lack of conviction in his own beliefs behind some poorly formulated utilitarianism, or argue that he acts out of altruistic self-interest. 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