There are all sorts of things that would be comforting. I expect an injection of morphine would be comforting... But to say that something is comforting is not to say that it's true. Richard Dawkins More Quotes by Richard Dawkins More Quotes From Richard Dawkins "Matter flows from place to place, and momentarily comes together to be you. Some people find that thought disturbing; I find the reality thrilling. Richard Dawkins reality people religion Being an atheist frees you up to live this life properly, happily, and fully. Richard Dawkins this-life atheist The moral law is a reason to think of God as plausible - not just a God who sets the universe in motion but a God who cares about human beings, because we seem uniquely amongst creatures on the planet to have this far-developed sense of morality. Richard Dawkins who-cares law thinking The essence of life is statistical improbability on a colossal scale. Richard Dawkins life science reality Five per cent vision is better than no vision at all. Five per cent hearing is better than no hearing at all. Five per cent flight efficiency is better than no flight at all. It is thoroughly believable that every organ or apparatus that we actually see is the product of a smooth trajectory through animal space, a trajectory in which every intermediate stage assisted survival and reproduction. Richard Dawkins space animal science Our brains are separate and independent enough from our genes to rebel against them.. we do so in a small way everytime we use contraception. There is no reason why we should not rebel in a large way too. Richard Dawkins independent reason-why brain My last vestige of 'hands off religion' respect disappeared in the smoke and choking dust of September 11, 2001, followed by the 'National Day of Prayer,' when prelates and pastors did their tremulous Martin Luther King impersonations and urged people of mutually incompatible faiths to hold hands, united in homage to the very force that caused the problem in the first place. Richard Dawkins dust kings prayer There is something infantile in the presumption that somebody else has a responsibility to give your life meaning and point… The truly adult view, by contrast, is that our life is as meaningful, as full and as wonderful as we choose to make it. Richard Dawkins atheist responsibility meaningful Faith is powerful enough to immunize people against all appeals to pity, to forgiveness, to decent human feelings. It even immunizes them against fear, if they honestly believe that a martyr's death will send them straight to heaven. Richard Dawkins powerful believe people Chaos theory, a more recent invention, is equally fertile ground for those with a bent for abusing sense. It is unfortunately named, for 'chaos' implies randomness. Chaos in the technical sense is not random at all. It is completely determined, but it depends hugely, in strangely hard-to-predict ways, on tiny differences in initial conditions. Richard Dawkins differences science way False beliefs can be every bit as consoling as true ones, right up until the moment of disillusionment. Richard Dawkins consoling moments belief I think I would abolish schools which systematically inculcate sectarian beliefs. Richard Dawkins belief school thinking Biology is the study of complicated things that give the appearance of having been designed for a purpose Richard Dawkins study purpose giving Certainly I see the scientific view of the world as incompatible with religion, but that is not what is interesting about it. It is also incompatible with magic, but that also is not worth stressing. What is interesting about the scientific world view is that it is true, inspiring, remarkable and that it unites a whole lot of phenomena under a single heading. Richard Dawkins stress atheist views The Roman Catholic Church is an institution for whose gains the phrase "ill-gotten" might have been specially invented. And of all its money-making rip-offs, the selling of indulgences must surely rank among the greatest con tricks in history, the medieval equivalent of the Nigerian Internet scam but far more successful. Richard Dawkins rip catholic successful I am very hostile to religion because it is enormously dominant, especially in American life. And I don't buy the argument that, well, it's harmless. I think it is harmful, partly because I care passionately about what's true. Richard Dawkins atheism religion thinking The chicken is only an egg’s way for making another egg. Richard Dawkins chickens eggs way Science replaces private prejudice with public, verifiable evidence. Richard Dawkins evidence prejudice Not only is science corrosive to religion, but religion is corrosive to science. It teaches people to be satisfied with trivial non-explanations and blinds them to the wonderful real explanations that we have within our grasp. Richard Dawkins real people religion What is the purpose of the universe?" is a silly question. Richard Dawkins universe purpose silly