Criticism Of Religion Quotes

• Man makes religion, religion does not make man

  Karl Marx

  Men, Doe, Sigh

  Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels (1973). “Karl Marx on Society and Social Change: With Selections by Friedrich Engels”, p.13, University of Chicago Press

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• Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people.

  Karl Marx

  Religious, Atheist, Heart

  Karl Marx, Joseph O'Malley (1977). “Critique of Hegel's 'Philosophy Of Right'”, p.131, CUP Archive

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• Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?

  Epicurus

  God, Spiritual, Religious

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• A man's ethical behaviour should be based effectually on sympathy, education, and social ties and needs; no religious basis is necessary. Man would indeed be in a poor way if he had to be restrained by fear of punishment and hope of reward after death.

  Albert Einstein

  Sympathy, God, Death

  Albert Einstein (2010). “Ideas And Opinions”, p.39, Broadway Books

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• Criticism has plucked the imaginary flowers on the chain not in order that man shall continue to bear that chain without fantasy or consolation, but so that he shall throw off the chain and pluck the living flower. The criticism of religion disillusions man, so that he will think, act, and fashion his reality like a man who has discarded his illusions and regained his senses, so that he will move around himself as his own true Sun. Religion is only the illusory Sun which revolves around man as long as he does not revolve around himself.

  Karl Marx

  Fashion, Flower, Moving

  "Collected Works", v. 3, " Introduction to A Contribution to the Critique of Hegel's Philosophy of Right" by Karl Marx, 1843.

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• Man would indeeded be in a poor way if he had to be restrained by fear of punishment and hope of reward after death.

  Albert Einstein

  God, Religious, Atheist

  Albert Einstein (2010). “The Ultimate Quotable Einstein”, p.328, Princeton University Press

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• Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent.

  Epicurus

  Atheist, Omnipotence, If There Is A God

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• The most important thing is to know how to awaken in the still undeveloped masses an intelligent attitude towards religious questions and an intelligent criticism of religions.

  Vladimir Lenin

  Religious, Attitude, Intelligent

  V. I. Lenin (2008). “Lenin on Literature and Art”, p.147, Wildside Press LLC

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• Expressions of sharp and even violent criticism of religion and the church have been welcomed, for they usually imply sincerity of thought. If caustic criticism of religious institutions and practices is irreligious, then Amos, Isaiah, and Jesus were very irreligious men. In fact, that is exactly what many of their contemporaries took them to be.

  Halford Luccock

  Religious, Jesus, Men

  "The Questing Spirit: Religion in the Literature of Our Time". Book by Halford Luccock, p. 42, 1947.

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• The mildest criticism of religion is also the most radical and the most devastating one. Religion is man-made.

  Christopher Hitchens

  Men, Criticism, Made

  Christopher Hitchens (2011). “God is Not Great”, p.13, Atlantic Books Ltd

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• The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is the demand for their real happiness. To call on them to give up their illusions about their condition is to call on them to give up a condition that requires illusions. The criticism of religion is, therefore, in embryo, the criticism of that vale of tears of which religion is the halo.

  Karl Marx

  Giving Up, Real, People

  Karl Marx (1975). “Early writings”, Vintage

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• Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?

  Epicurus

  Atheist, Faith Religion, Omnipotence

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• Book critics or theatre critics can be derisively negative and gain delighted praise for the trenchant with of their review. But in criticisms of religion even clarity ceases to be a virtue and sounds like aggressive hostility. A politician may attack an opponent scathingly across the floor of the House and earn plaudits for his robust pugnacity. But let a soberly reasoning critic of religion employ what would in other contexts sound merely direct or forthright, and it will be described as a 'rant'.

  Richard Dawkins

  Book, House, Criticism

  Richard Dawkins (2008). “The God Delusion”, p.17, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

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• The criticism of Religion is the beginning of all criticism

  Karl Marx

  Criticism

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