We want to lead normal lives, lives where our religion and our traditions translate into tolerance, so that we coexist with the world and become part of the development of the world.
I'm interested in God. I'm not interested in religion for religion's sake.
I select a very small number of things to be sceptical about, such as markets, and on these I am hypersceptic. But I want to be fooled by randomness in art. I want the ceremonial of religion; we are made for it.
Religion teaches you to be satisfied with nonanswers. It's a sort of crime against childhood.
Before Christianity became the Roman Empire's official religion in the 4th Century, 'mystery religions,' organized around a central canon of secret knowledge, were widespread. Membership in such religions was limited to people who had passed through secret initiation rituals and had begun to learn a body of hidden knowledge.
I agree with people like Richard Dawkins that mankind felt the need for creation myths. Before we really began to understand disease and the weather and things like that, we sought false explanations for them. Now science has filled in some of the realm - not all - that religion used to fill.
An important function of theology is to keep religion tied to reason and reason to religion. Both roles are of essential importance for humanity.
All outward forms of religion are almost useless, and are the causes of endless strife. Believe there is a great power silently working all things for good, behave yourself and never mind the rest.
Superstition is the religion of feeble minds.
All religions must be tolerated... for every man must get to heaven in his own way.
I've had trouble now and again in Nigeria because I have spoken up about the mistreatment of factions in the country because of difference in religion. These are things we should put behind us.
Religion is a very scary thing, because a pastor is in a position of power. And if you use that power badly, you ruin people's lives, and you ruin your own life.
Islam is a peaceful religion.
I am a black American, I say, and thus announce my atavistic connection to all others who live as black Americans, to all who ever lived as black Americans. Religion, caste, class, gender and race can all be atavisms, and they are inherently anti-democratic because they exclude all outside the atavism.
The only difference is that religion is much better organised and has been around much longer, but it's the same story with different characters and different costumes.
You know, I get much more Jewish in Israel because I like the way that religion is done there.
The marvel of the Bhagavad-Gita is its truly beautiful revelation of life's wisdom which enables philosophy to blossom into religion.
India has 2,000,000 gods and worships them all. In religion, all other countries are paupers; India is the only millionaire.
Prayer is the spirit speaking truth to Truth.