Heywood Broun Quotes

Christ could not create a codified 'Christian ethics'; such a thing would be a contradiction in terms.

Philosophy rests on a proposition that whatever is is right. Preaching begins by assuming that whatever is is wrong.

We need an approach to ethics which makes no recourse to religion and can be equally acceptable to those with faith and those without.

The atheist is cheating whenever he makes a moral judgment, acting as though it has an objective reference, when his philosophy in fact precludes it.

Thinking that morality is all about commandments is a relatively new way of thinking, since the Reformation.

Your political views really denote your spiritual views.

Now, I'm an atheist. I really don't believe for a moment that our moral sense comes from a god.

Even at school I studied ethics instead of religion.

There are only Epicureans, either crude or refined; Christ was the most refined.

An important function of theology is to keep religion tied to reason and reason to religion. Both roles are of essential importance for humanity.

Our moral compass - it's always been Judeo-Christian.

I consider theology to be the rhetoric of morals.

What is the real relation between happiness and goodness? It is only within a few generations that men have found courage to say that there is none.

Religion is not just incongruent with morality, but in essential ways incompatible with it.

Let us with Caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion.

Moral relativism has a reputation for being compassionate, caring and humane, but it is an extremely useful philosophy for tyrants.

Morality must always precede and accompany religion, and yet religion is much more than morality.

Those sciences which govern the morals of mankind, such as Theology and Philosophy, make everything their concern: no activity is so private or so secret as to escape their attention or their jurisdiction.

She thought there were no Gods; no one was to blame; and so she evolved this atheist's religion of doing good for the sake of goodness.

Christians have no business thinking that the good life consists mainly in not doing bad things. We have no business thinking that to do evil in this world you have to be a Bengal tiger, when, in fact, it is enough to be a tame tabby—a nice person but not a good one. In short, Pentecost makes it clear that nothing is so fatal to Christianity as indifference.

What is the highest good in all matters of action? To the name, there is almost complete agreement; for uneducated and educated alike call it happiness, and make happiness identical with the good life and successful living. They disagree, however, about the meaning of happiness.

I was brought up an atheist and have always remained so. But at no time was I led to believe that morality was unimportant or that good and bad did not exist. I believe passionately in the need to distinguish between right and wrong and am somewhat confounded by being told I need God, Jesus or a clergyman to help me to do so.

Morality is temporary, wisdom is permanent.

...virtue is not merely a state in conformity with the right principle, but one that implies the right principle; and the right principle in moral conduct is prudence.

We don’t need any sort of religious orientation to lead a life that is ethical, compassionate & kind.