Benjamin Franklin Quotes About Religion

• To Follow by faith alone is to follow blindly.

  Benjamin Franklin

  Faith, Religion, Criminal Mind

• When a religion is good, I conceive it will support itself; and when it does not support itself, and God does not take care to support it so that its professors are obliged to call for help of the civil power, 'tis a sign, I apprehend, of its being a bad one.

  Benjamin Franklin

  Support, Religion, Atheism

  Benjamin Franklin (1817). “The private correspondence of Benjamin Franklin, LL.D, F.R.S., &c. Minister Plenipontentiary from the United States of America at the court of France, and for the Treaty of Peace and Independence with Great Britain, &c. &c: comprising a series of letters on miscellaneous, literary, and political subjects written between the years 1753 and 1790, illustrating the memoirs of his public and private life, and developing the secret history of his political transactions and negociations”, p.69

• Lighthouses are more helpful than churches.

  Benjamin Franklin

  Spiritual, Religious, Atheist

  James C. Humes, Benjamin Franklin (1995). “The wit and wisdom of Benjamin Franklin: a treasury of more than 900 quotations and anecdotes”, Harpercollins

• Whoever shall introduce into public affairs the principles of primitive Christianity will change the face of the world.

  Benjamin Franklin

  Change, Education, Religion

• I have found Christian dogma unintelligible. Early in life, I absenteed myself from Christian assemblies.

  Benjamin Franklin

  Christian, Spiritual, Atheist

• The way to see by Faith is to shut the Eye of Reason.

  Benjamin Franklin

  Faith, Spiritual, Religious

  Benjamin Franklin (1987). “Poor Richard's Almanack: Being the Choicest Morsels of Wisdom, Written During the Years of the Almanack's Publication”, p.16, Peter Pauper Press, Inc.

• How many observe Christ's birthday! How few, His precepts!

  Benjamin Franklin

  Christmas, Christian, Religion

  Benjamin Franklin “Poor Richard Day by Day”, Lulu.com

• Here is my Creed. I believe in one God, creator of the Universe. That he governs it by his Providence. That he ought to be worshiped. That the most acceptable service we render him is doing good to his other children. That the soul of Man is immortal, and will be treated with justice in another life respecting its conduct in this.

  Benjamin Franklin

  Children, Believe, Men

  Benjamin Franklin (1905). “The Life of Benjamin Franklin: Written by Himself. Now First Edited from Original Manuscripts and from His Printed Correspondence and Other Writings”

• This modesty in a sect is perhaps a singular instance in the history of mankind, every other sect supposing itself in possession of all truth, and that those who differ are so far in the wrong ; like a man traveling in foggy weather, those at some distance before him on the road he sees wrapped up in the fog, as well as those behind him, and also the people in the fields on each side, but near him all appears clear, tho' in truth he is as much in the fog as any of them.

  Benjamin Franklin

  Distance, Men, Weather

  "Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin".

• The moral and religious system which Jesus Christ transmitted to us is the best the world has ever seen, or can see.

  Benjamin Franklin

  Religious, Jesus, Religion

  "The British Millennial Harbinger". Book by John Wallis, 1856.

• If we look back into history for the character of the present sects in Christianity, we shall find few that have not in their turns been persecutors, and complainers of persecution. The primitive Christians thought persecution extremely wrong in the Pagans, but practised it on one another.

  Benjamin Franklin

  Christian, Character, Practice

  "The Works of Benjamin Franklin".

• Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom.

  Benjamin Franklin

  Freedom, Character, People

  Benjamin Franklin (1840). “The Works of Benjamin Franklin: Containing Several Political and Historical Tracts Not Included in Any Former Edition, and Many Letters, Official and Private, Not Hitherto Published; with Notes and a Life of the Author”, p.297

• Religion I found to be without any tendency to inspire, promote, or confirm morality, serves principally to divide us and make us unfriendly to one another.

  Benjamin Franklin

  Inspire, Religion, Atheism

  Benjamin Franklin, Henry Stueber (1847). “Memoirs of Benjamin Franklin; Written by Himself: With His Most Interesting Essays, Letters, and Miscellaneous Writings, Familiar, Moral, Political, Economical, and Philosophical”, p.102

• I cannot conceive otherwise than that He, the Infinite Father, expects or requires no worship or praise from us, but that He is even infinitely above it.

  Benjamin Franklin

  Father, Religion, Dignity

  Benjamin Franklin (1836). “The Works of Benjamin Franklin; Containing Several Political and Historical Tracts Not Included in Any Former Edition, and Many Letters, Official and Private, Not Hitherto Published; with Notes and a Life of the Author”, p.2

• I wish it (Christianity) were more productive of good works ... I mean real good works ... not holy day keeping, sermon-hearing ... or making long prayers, filled with flatteries and compliments despised by wise men, and much less capable of pleasing the Deity.

  Benjamin Franklin

  Wise, Religious, Prayer

• Some volumes against Deism fell into my hands ... they produced an effect precisely the reverse to what was intended by the writers; for the arguments of the Deists, which were cited in order to be refuted, appeared to me much more forcibly than the refutation itself; in a word, I soon became a thorough Deist.

  Benjamin Franklin

  Hands, Order, Religion

  Benjamin Franklin (1815). “The works of the late Dr. Benjamin Franklin: consisting of his Life, written by himself. Together with humorous, moral and literary essays, chiefly in the manner of the Spectator. Among which are several not in any American edition”, p.74

• I think vital religion has always suffered when orthodoxy is more regarded than virtue. The scriptures assure me that at the last day we shall not be examined on what we thought but what we did.

  Benjamin Franklin

  Religious, Thinking, Religion

  Benjamin Franklin, Jared Sparks (1840). “The Works of Benjamin Franklin: Containing Several Political and Historical Tracts Not Included in Any Former Edition, and Many Letters, Official and Private, Not Hitherto Published; with Notes and a Life of the Author”, p.7

• Indeed, when religious people quarrel about religion, or hungry people quarrel about victuals, it looks as if they had not much of either among them.

  Benjamin Franklin

  Religious, People, Religion

  Benjamin Franklin (1838). “The Works of Benjamin Franklin; Containing Several Political and Historical Tracts Not Included in Any Former Edition, and Many Letters, Official and Private, Not Hitherto Published; with Notes and a Life of the Author”, p.438

• Do not, however, mistake me. It is not to my good friend's heresy that I impute his honesty. On the contrary, 'tis his honesty that brought upon him the character of a heretic.

  Benjamin Franklin

  Honesty, Mistake, Character

  Benjamin Franklin, William Temple Franklin (1817). “The Private Correspondence of Benjamin Franklin .. Comprising a Series of Letters on Miscellaneous, Litarary, and Political Subjects: Written Between the Years 1753 and 1790; Illustrating the Memoirs of His Public and Private Life, and Developing the Secret History of His Political Transactions and Negociations. Now First Published from the Originals”, p.250

• The things of this world take up too much of my time, of which indeed I have too little left, to undertake anything like a reformation in religion.

  Benjamin Franklin

  Religion, Atheism, World

  Benjamin Franklin, John Bigelow (2011). “The Life of Benjamin Franklin, Written by Himself”, p.398, Cambridge University Press

• The United States Constitutional Convention, except for three or four persons, thought prayers unnecessary.

  Benjamin Franklin

  Prayer, Religion, Atheism

• Scarcely was I arrived at fifteen years of age, when, after having doubted in turn of different tenets, according as I found them combated in the different books that I read, I began to doubt of Revelation itself.

  Benjamin Franklin

  Book, Years, Religion

  Benjamin Franklin (1806). “The Complete Works, in Philosophy, Politics, and Morals, of the Late Dr. Benjamin Franklin, Now First Collected and Arranged: With Memoirs of His Early Life”, p.79

• It is much to be lamented that a man of Franklin's general good character and great influence should have been an unbeliever in Christianity, and also have done as much as he did to make others unbelievers.

  Benjamin Franklin

  Character, Men, Should Have

  Benjamin Franklin (1962). “Representative selections: with introduction, bibliography, and notes”

• Revealed religion has no weight with me.

  Benjamin Franklin

  Religion, Atheism, Weight

• Many have quarreled about religion that never practice it.

  Benjamin Franklin

  Practice, Religion

  James C. Humes, Benjamin Franklin (1995). “The wit and wisdom of Benjamin Franklin: a treasury of more than 900 quotations and anecdotes”, Harpercollins

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