Arthur C. Clarke
(1917–2008) British science fiction writer, science writer, inventor, undersea explorer, and television series host
“An important advance in the life of a people is the transformation of the religion of fear into the moral religion. But one must avoid the prejudice that regards the religions of primitive peoples as pure fear religions and those of the civilized races as pure moral religions. All are mixed forms, though the moral element predominates in the higher levels of social life.”
Wording in Ideas and Opinions: The Jewish scriptures admirably illustrate the development from the religion of fear to moral religion, a development continued in the New Testament. The religions of all civilized peoples, especially the peoples of the Orient, are primarily moral religions. The development from a religion of fear to moral religion is a great step in peoples' lives. And yet, that primitive religions are based entirely on fear and the religions of civilized peoples purely on morality is a prejudice against which we must be on our guard. The truth is that all religions are a varying blend of both types, with this differentiation: that on the higher levels of social life the religion of morality predominates.
1930s, Religion and Science (1930)
Context: It is easy to follow in the sacred writings of the Jewish people the development of the religion of fear into the moral religion, which is carried further in the New Testament. The religions of all civilized peoples, especially those of the Orient, are principally moral religions. An important advance in the life of a people is the transformation of the religion of fear into the moral religion. But one must avoid the prejudice that regards the religions of primitive peoples as pure fear religions and those of the civilized races as pure moral religions. All are mixed forms, though the moral element predominates in the higher levels of social life.
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Albert Einstein 702
German-born physicist and founder of the theory of relativi… 1879–1955Related quotes
“Hell is an element of any religion which is morally healthy.”
James Moffatt
(1870–1944) British theologian
as quoted by Miles H. Krumbine in: [Review of What Is Hell?, The Journal of Religion, 10, 3, 1930, 435–436, 0022-4189, 10.1086/480965]
“Morality is a matter of money. Poor people cannot afford to have morals. So they have religion.”
Variant: Maorality is a matter of money. Poor people cannot afford to have morals. So they have religion
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“I think religion for many people is some sort of moral viagra.”
Daniel Dennett
(1942) American philosopher
"Atheism Tapes, part 6", BBC TV documentation of Jonathan Miller, produced by Richard Denton, recorded 2003, broadcast 2004
Boris Sidis
(1867–1923) American psychiatrist
Source: The Causation and Treatment of Psychopathic Diseases (1916), p. 37
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Philosophy in the Bedroom (1795)
Hermann Cohen
(1842–1918) German philosopher
Source: Reason and Hope: Selections from the Jewish Writings of Hermann Cohen (1971), p. 52
Eleanor Roosevelt
(1884–1962) American politician, diplomat, and activist, and First Lady of the United States
“I regard [religion] as a disease born of fear and as a source of untold misery to the human race.”
Bertrand Russell
(1872–1970) logician, one of the first analytic philosophers and political activist
1930s, Has Religion Made Useful Contributions to Civilization? (1930)
Variant translation: Though it is very important for man as an individual that his religion should be true, that is not the case for society. Society has nothing to fear or hope from another life; what is most important for it is not that all citizens profess the true religion but that they should profess religion.
Source: Democracy in America, Volume I (1835), Chapter XV-IXX, Chapter XVII.