Simone de Beauvoir Quotes

Our English language really says if you're not a theist, the only alternative is to be an atheist. What I'm trying to do is develop a language that will enable us to talk about God beyond the, what I think, are sterile categories of theism and atheism.

It never really occurred to me to believe in God.

Tell me," said the atheist , "Is there a God really?" Said the master, "If you want me to be perfectly honest with you, I will not answer." Later the disciples demanded to know why he had not answered. "Because the question is unanswerable," said the Master. "So you are an atheist?" "Certainly not. The atheist makes the mistake of denying that of which nothing may be said... and the theist makes the mistake of affirming it.

The atheist proposition is the following - most of the time - it may not be said that there is no god; it may be said that there is no reason to think that there is one.

Small amounts of philosophy lead to atheism, but larger amounts bring us back to God.

We all have our beliefs or our agnosticism.

I am surprised that anyone can profess to be an atheist.

In theory I am an agnostic, but pending the appearance of rational evidence, I must be classed, practically and provisionally, as an atheist.

I don't think I have any particular problem with God.

There are, as we know, powerful and illustrious atheists. At bottom, led back to the truth by their very force, they are not absolutely sure that they are atheists; it is with them only a question of definition, and in any case, if they do not believe in God, being great minds, they prove God.

There is a significant difference between having no belief in a God and believing there is no God.

As a philosopher, if I were speaking to a purely philosophic audience I should say that I ought to describe myself as an Agnostic, because I do not think that there is a conclusive argument by which one can prove that there is not a God. On the other hand, if I am to convey the right impression to the ordinary man in the street I think that I ought to say that I am an Atheist, because, when I say that I cannot prove that there is not a God, I ought to add equally that I cannot prove that there are not the Homeric gods.

If there be a God and one has never sought him, it will be small consolation to remember that one could not get proof of his existence.

What do I believe? I believe in God, if he exists.

I'm a Christian now. The things that drove me crazy growing up was how everyone works at fault-finding with different religions. The people I don't understand are atheists. I go surfing and snow boarding and I'm always around nature. I look at everything and think, 'Who couldn't believe there's a God? Is all this a mistake?' It just blows me away.

I am not an atheist. I do not know if I can define myself as a pantheist. The problem involved is too vast for our limited minds.

I don’t believe in God as you imagine Him to be, but I believe in many things that you could never even dream of.

I was brought up Catholic. I'm lapsed. From the age of three I was with the nuns. Now I'm an atheist. I think religion does a lot for us but I can't quite believe it, alas... It's just a personal choice. I love the idea of heaven though. Who doesn't? It's lovely.

He says gods like to see an atheist around. Gives them something to aim at.

People often ask me whether I believe in God. I haven't seen God. But I think that one's beliefs are one's God - and, in those terms, yes, God is there.

Atheism is the last word of theism.

I'm constantly reading books on God or the absence of God and atheism.

I'm not an atheist. How can you not believe in something that doesn't exist? That's way too convoluted for me.

Intellectually, now, I believe that it is a complete vanity to say positively there is no God.