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God

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“It’s important to realize that philosophical naturalism is, like atheism, a provisional view. It’s not the kind of worldview that says, “I know there is no god,” but the kind that says, “Until I see some evidence, I don’t accept the existence of gods.”
Jerry Coyne (born 1949) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Four sentences summarizing the lessons of History: 1. Whom the gods would destroy, they first make mad with power. 2. The mills of God grind slowly, but they grind exceedingly small. 3. The bee fertilizes the flower it robs. 4. When it is dark enough, you can see the stars.”
Charles A. Beard (1874–1948) first seen 1654 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: After being asked if he could summarize the lessons of history in a short book, Beard replied that he could do it in those four sentences; as quoted in "Condensed History Lesson" by Arthur H. Secord, in Reader's Digest,…
“It is impossible to imagine the universe run by a wise, just and omnipotent God, but it is quite easy to imagine it run by a board of gods. If such a board actually exists it operates precisely like the board of a corporation that is losing money.”
H. L. Mencken (1880–1956) said by 1956 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Why assume so glibly that the God who presumably created the universe is still running it? It is certainly perfectly conceivable that He may have finished it and then turned it over to lesser gods to operate. In the same way many human institutions are turned over to grossly inferior men. This is true, for example, of most universities, and of all great newspapers.”
H. L. Mencken (1880–1956) said by 1956 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“An atheist is just somebody who feels about Yahweh the way any decent Christian feels about Thor or Baal or the golden calf. As has been said before, we are all atheists about most of the gods that humanity has ever believed in. Some of us just go one god further.”
Richard Dawkins (born 1941) first seen 2002 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Richard Dawkins on militant atheism, (February 2002)
“We are all atheists about most of the gods that societies have ever believed in. Some of us just go one god further.”
Richard Dawkins (born 1941) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Barzai knew so much of the gods that he could tell of their comings and goings, and guessed so many of their secrets that he was deemed half a god himself.”
H. P. Lovecraft (1890–1937) said by 1937 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“This is a human form in which every Divine entity, every Divine principle, that is to say, all the names and forms ascribed by man to God, are manifest... You are very fortunate that you have the chance to experiences the bliss of the vision of the form, which is the form of all gods, now, in this life itself.”
Sathya Sai Baba (1926–2011) first seen 1968 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Statement (1968) as quoted in Sathya Sai Speaks Volume VIII, p. 99f
“Owners of dogs will have noticed that, if you provide them with food and water and shelter and affection, they will think you are god. Whereas owners of cats are compelled to realize that, if you provide them with food and water and shelter and affection, they draw the conclusion that they are gods.”
Christopher Hitchens (1949–2011) said by 2011 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“We clothe ourselves in flame And trade new myths for old. The Greek gods christen us With ghosts of comet swords; God smiles and names us thus: " "Arise! Run! Fly, my Lords!”
Ray Bradbury (1920–2012) first seen 1977 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: We March Back to Olympus" in Where Robot Mice and Robot Men Run Round in Robot Towns (1977), p. 11
“It is a curious accident of history that the Christian religion became heavily involved with theology. No other religion finds it necessary to formulate elaborately precise statements about the abstract qualities and relationships of gods and humans. ... The idea that God may be approached and understood through intellectual analysis is uniquely Christian.”
Freeman Dyson (1923–2020) said by 2020 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Monotheistic religions alone furnish the spectacle of religious wars, religious persecutions, heretical tribunals, that breaking of idols and destruction of images of the gods, that razing of Indian temples and Egyptian colossi, which had looked on the sun 3,000 years: just because a jealous god had said, 'Thou shalt make no graven image”
Arthur Schopenhauer (1788–1860) said by 1860 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“All my life I have prayed, and all my life I have been refused answer. I scarcely believed in the gods anymore, or if I did, it was only to curse them for their indifference. They betrayed my father, who had served Them loyally all his life. They betrayed my mother, or They were powerless to save her, which was as bad or worse. If a god has come to me, He certainly hasn’t come for me!”
Lois McMaster Bujold (born 1949) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Though these that were Gods are dead, and thou being dead art a God, Though before thee the throned Cytherean be fallen, and hidden her head, Yet thy kingdom shall pass, Galilean, thy dead shall go down to thee dead.”
Algernon Charles Swinburne (1837–1909) said by 1909 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“ALL religions of a spiritual nature are inventions of man. He has created an entire system of gods with nothing more than his carnal brain. Just because he has an ego, and cannot accept it, he has to externalize it into some great spiritual device which he calls "God".”
Anton LaVey (1930–1997) said by 1997 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I think worship of death is an interesting basis for religion, because after all death is the one universal. It doesn't seem to matter what gods you pray to. We all die, in the real world and in fantasy worlds, and if there was some religion where you did not die I suspect that would be, that god would become very popular. They all promise us eternal life, but whatever.”
George R. R. Martin (born 1948) first seen 2011 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Discussing the influence of real-life faiths on his work and its religious systems, Authors@Google (August 2011)
“Is it the gods who set this fire in our hearts, or do we each make our fierce desire into a god?”
Ursula K. Le Guin (1929–2018) said by 2018 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Acts of creation are ordinarily reserved for gods and poets, but humbler folk may circumvent this restriction if they know how. To plant a pine, for example, one need be neither god nor poet; one need only own a shovel. By virtue of this curious loophole in the rules, any clodhopper may say: Let there be a tree—and there will be one.”
Aldo Leopold (1887–1948) said by 1948 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“O dream on your black wings you come when I am sleeping.Sweet is the god but still I am in agony and far from my strength.for I had hope (none now) to share something of the blessed gods,nor was I so foolish as to scorn pleasant toys.Now may I have all these things.”
Sappho (651–570 BC) said by 570 BC at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Fr. 63 Voigt (tr. Willis Barnstone, 1965)
“When he was wounded with an arrow in the ankle, and many ran to him that were wont to call him a god, he said smiling, "That is blood, as you see, and not, as Homer saith, ‘such humour as distils from blessed gods.'”
Plutarch (40–120) said by 120 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Although the mass of the people accepted the white man's God, either under physical duress or because he seemed more powerful than their own Gods, they never assimilated the ideas of Christianity.”
Penny Lernoux (1940–1989) first seen 1977 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Cry of The People (1977).
“Jehovah and the Christian version of God brought about a direct conflict between the so-called forces of good and the so-called forces of evil by largely cutting out all of the intermediary gods, and therefore destroying the subtle psychological give-and-take that occurred between them -- among them -- and polarizing man’s own view of his inner psychological reality.”
Jane Roberts (1929–1984) said by 1984 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“For me, I don't believe in God, yet I believe in all Gods. I believe that the great religions of the world are these repositories of spiritual experience. And each one of the great world religions contains insights about the nature of the universe.”
Camille Paglia (born 1947) first seen 1994 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: An Interview with Camille Paglia", America Magazine, 12 November 1994
“The Oresteia, King Lear, Dostoevsky's The Devils no less than the art of Giotto or the Passions of Bach, inquire into, dramatize, the relations of man and woman to the existence of the gods or of God.”
George Steiner (1929–2020) said by 2020 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“God,” he said under his breath. “All the gods,” replied Jag, softly, “are a very, very long way from here.”
Robert J. Sawyer (born 1960) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Where other gods might have advocated making life a garden, Voorstod’s God promised the garden only after death, preferably violent death. Then might the faithful lie about on the greensward sucking grapes and fucking virgins, so the prophets promised.”
Sheri S. Tepper (1929–2016) said by 2016 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The Lord, marks the fall of the smallest sparrow. He knows how so many in authority treat the infirm and the aged. Look at the Napoleons, Caesars and the like. Rather than casting themselves in God's image they made Gods of themselves. and were destroyed. (Edgar Cayce On the Millennium Chapter One - The great new planet earth.)”
Edgar Cayce (1877–1945) said by 1945 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The will is free; Strong is the soul, and wise, and beautiful; The seeds of god-like power are in us still; Gods are we, bards, saints, heroes, if we will!”
Matthew Arnold (1822–1888) said by 1888 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Satan was jealous of Adam and Eve and their close union with God. The same is true today. Satan wants your attention any time you try to serve the Heavenly Father. When Adam and Eve fell for the line that they could become as gods, the doctrine of evolution was successfully introduced to the world.”
Kent Hovind (born 1953) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Religion has not evolved. Man did not create Gods God created man. Since evolution is just a religion, it should not be taught in public schools at taxpayers expense unless all religions are going to be taught.”
Kent Hovind (born 1953) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The raven is the bird of all the gods. It was the bird of Odin and the bird of Jesus Christ. It will also be the bird of the god Skandilán, who has yet to be born. Whomever the raven rends attains salvation.”
Halldór Laxness (1902–1998) said by 1998 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“If the God believed by a person doesn’t have democratic values, where will this person get those democratic values from? In fact, shouldn’t they explain why they create such Gods who are violent, undemocratic and anti-women?”
Kancha Ilaiah (born 1952) first seen 2016 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Quoted in Scroll.in (13 March 2016).
“The paradox of monotheism is that the desert God, refuting all other gods, demands acknowledgment within emptiness. The paradox of monotheism is that there is no paradox—only unfathomable singularity”
Richard Rodriguez (born 1944) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Take, for example, the word 'orgy'. Once it had a deep meaning. The word is derived from the Gk. orgion, a sacred act or rite. It was the name of acts of secret worship practised by the initiates, just like mystery rites. ... But when these Gods fell before the new, rising Christian God, the word acquired a new meaning...”
Ram Swarup (1920–1998) said by 1998 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“As it saw in the Self all Godly attributes, it saw in Gods the truth and powers of the Self; indeed, it taught that one who worships a God as other than himself becomes his sacrificial animal, his draught-animal. He is driven and ridden by him.”
Ram Swarup (1920–1998) said by 1998 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“We are going to become Gods, period. If you don't like it, get off. You don't have to contribute, you don't have to participate but if you are going to interfere with me becoming a God, you're going to have trouble. There'll be warfare.”
Richard Seed (1928–2013) first seen 2008 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: TechnoCalyps - Part II - Preparing for the Singularity (2008-11-14)
“I believe in Providence, mistress.” “But when you say Providence, do you really mean god?” “No, mistress. I don’t believe in any of the old gods. No one does any more. No one of sense, at any rate. Providence is the rule of laws, mistress,” I said.”
Iain Banks (1954–2013) said by 2013 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“A day will come when the European god of the nineteenth century will be classed with the gods of Olympus and the Nile.”
William Winwood Reade (1838–1875) said by 1875 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“All the gods are dead except the god of war.”
Eldridge Cleaver (1935–1998) said by 1998 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Some say the Gods are just a myth but guess Who I've been dancing with... The Great God Pan is alive!”
Mike Scott (Scottish musician) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“It is blasphemy to separate oneself from the earth and look down on it like a god. It is more than blasphemy, it is dangerous. We can never be gods, after all—but we can become something less than human with frightening ease.”
N. K. Jemisin (born 1972) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“To ignore the true God is in fact only half an evil; atheism is worth more than the piety bestowed on mythical gods.”
Emmanuel Levinas (1906–1995) first seen 1957 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: A Religion for Adults (1957)
“Journalism has become a great god of the period, and gods have a way of ruthlessly and demonically taking over their servitors.”
William Barrett (philosopher) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Jehovah was the tribal god of Israel. Fortunately he was stronger and more terrible than the gods of the neighboring tribes, so that he was able to drive them out and give their land to his own people, but he was not fundamentally different from them and they were believed to be quite as real as Jehovah.”
Walter Rauschenbusch (1861–1918) said by 1918 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I've ever thought it passing odd How all men reverence some God, And wear their lives out for his sake And bow their heads until they ache. 'Tis clear to me the Gods are made Of the same stuff as wind or shade. ... Ah! if they came to every caller, I'd be the very loudest bawler!”
Yuan Mei (1716–1797) said by 1797 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: A Scoffer", as translated by Herbert Giles in Chinese Poetry in English Verse (1898), p. 189, and quoted by Leonard Feinberg in Hypocrisy: Don't Leave Home Without It (2002), p. 147
“No man is greater than his will; No gods to him will lend a hand! Upon his courage and his skill The record of his life must stand. What honors shall befall to him, What he shall claim of fame or pelf, Depend not on the favoring whim Of fortune's god, but on himself.”
Edgar Guest (1881–1959) said by 1959 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I think Kathaos fears no divine forces.” “Then he’s a brave man.” “Oh, men make their own gods,” Yannul remarked. “I have a god with a fat belly, and a house full of expensive women to attend his every need, and I call him Yannul the Lan in Five Years from This.”
Tanith Lee (1947–2015) said by 2015 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Superstitious, they did not go after her. They had a robber-god which they worshipped in a cave. His creed declared: ‘For every fifty travelers robbed and slain, let one go free. The gods care for excess in nothing.’”
Tanith Lee (1947–2015) said by 2015 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“He moved inside the temple to perform his duties. They were few, and empty tradition. The god had departed, long before its last, ridiculed worshippers, as gods always do. The keeper knew that, and allowed himself no illusions about his status.”
Vonda N. McIntyre (1948–2019) said by 2019 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Men personalize good and evil in a multiplicity of gods and devils, but Truth students follow Jesus in recognizing the supreme Spirit in man as the "one God and Father of all.”
Charles Fillmore (1854–1948) said by 1948 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source