Andrew Sullivan Quotes

Most men indeed as well as most sects in Religion, think themselves in possession of all truth, and that wherever others differ from them it is so far error… the only difference between our Churches in their opinions of the certainty of their doctrines is, the Church of Rome is infallible and the Church of England is never in the wrong.

The opposite of faith is not doubt: It is certainty. It is madness. You can tell you have created God in your own image when it turns out that he or she hates all the same people you do.

Religion works on some people but not on everyone, because it says, 'Stop thinking and accept what I tell you.' That's not valid for people who want to think and reflect.

In science, a healthy skepticism is a professional necessity, whereas in religion, having belief without evidence is regarded as a virtue.

Religion claims to be in possession of an absolute truth; but its history is a history of errors and heresies.

There would never have been an infidel had there never been a priest.

We cannot infer that because sciences of things divine and human are full of controversies and quarrels, therefore their whole subject-matter is uncertain ; for there have been many persons so enamoured of contradiction, as to turn into ridicule geometrical axioms.

Faith is a personal matter, and should never be a cudgel to stifle inquiry. We tried that approach about 1,200 years ago. The experiment was called the Dark Ages.

Must faith be exactly that, the willingness and ability to believe in the face of a lack of evidence? If one could find the evidence, would then the faith be dead?

Religion is dangerous because it allows human beings who don't have all the answers to think that they do.

Indeed heresies are themselves instigated by philosophy.

Skeptical scrutiny is the means, in both science and religion, by which deep thoughts can be winnowed from deep nonsense.

A faith is something you die for, a doctrine is something you kill for. There is all the difference in the world.

It is always more difficult to fight against faith than against knowledge.

What do we believe? Why do we believe it?

Generally speaking, the errors in religion are dangerous; those in philosophy only ridiculous.

I do not purpose to discuss faith in its dogmatic sense today.

I believe that dogma is often evil.

Men are not necessarily more zealous for truth than they are for error.

Every church is orthodox to itself; to others, erroneous or heretical.

When a man is required to believe certain doctrines, he is not free to think. A creed is to keep the mind from inquiry. Questions lead to doubt, and doubt is the death of faith.

Truths turn into dogmas the instant that they are disputed. Thus every man who utters a doubt defines a religion.

A religious symbol does not rest on any opinion. And error belongs only with opinion. One would like to say: This is what took place here; laugh, if you can.

Faith minus vulnerability and mystery equals extremism. If you've got all the answers, then don't call what you do 'faith.'

Finding that no religion is based on facts and cannot be true, I began to reflect what must be the condition of mankind trained from infancy to believe in error.