Eric Hoffer Quotes
Mass movements can rise and spread without belief in a God, but never without belief in a devil.
Eric Hoffer, 1902-1983, Philosopher and Critic The True Believer, 1951
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In an interview with a Norwegian magazine, the Eco stated that he had based his novel, “Foucault’s Pendulum”, on Chesterton’s epigram: “When men stop believing in God, they don’t believe in nothing, they believe in anything.” See related quote.
Despite his recognition of this point, he too became an advocate of murdering religious opponents.
presently in Israel. The document purports to represent the views of the Ottoman Sultan of the time. Napoleon Bonaparte had launched an invasion of the Middle East bring foreign troops and foreign new ideas. The Governor led military and propaganda opposition to the French and fortified Acre and withstood Napoleon’s siege of 1799.
This statement was roundly criticized for saying that a belief in God should not be a factor in judging a person’s character. For many religious fundamentalists, the belief in God is the most important aspect of character.
Eric Hoffer was an American moral and social philosopher. He was the author of ten books and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in February 1983. His first book, The True Believer (1951), was widely recognized as a classic, receiving critical acclaim from both scholars and laymen, although Hoffer believed that The Ordeal of Change was his finest work.
