Whatever else I might have thought of [President George W] Bush’s call, with its assumption that prayer is some sort of miracle Vicks VapoRub for the national charley horse, it’s clear that his hands were reaching for any hands but mine.
“Religiously justified violence is first and foremost a problem of “sacred” texts and not a problem of misinterpretation of texts.”
- Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer, Anti-War Activist
“Every one that is found shall be thrust through; and every one that is joined unto them shall fall by the sword. Their children also shall be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses shall be spoiled, and their wives ravished.” Isaiah 13:15-16
EDITED: An apparently made up Bible verse was removed and replaced with this one (which is correct).
“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. What a weapon! Religious faith deserves a chapter to itself in the annals of war technology, on an even footing with the longbow, the warhorse, the tank, and the hydrogen bomb.” - Richard Dawkins, 1976
“If the concept of God has any validity or use, it can only be to make us larger, freer, and more loving. If God cannot do this, then it is time we got rid of Him.” - James Baldwin, African-American Writer
“For people with God on their side, monotheists are a touchy lot. In Exodus, Moses gets the tribe of Levi to go with “sword at side” and massacre 3,000 calf-worshippers. And we are supposed to celebrate such a violation of the freedome of worship? Why are they so touchy? The problem is partly that all monotheisms are, by their nature, anti-pluralistic. They’ve got the one true God, the very latest version of his thoughts. It is asking a lot of monotheisms to coexist with other faiths and views.” - David Aaronovitch