Richard Francis Burton Quotes

The more I study religions the more I am convinced that man never worshipped anything but himself.

Men create gods after their own image, not only with regard to their form but with regard to their mode of life.

Now, you can't tell me, we have the only God in the whole world. You can't tell me that nobody else has God.

Don't be confused that my interest in religion, faith, and spirituality is driven by any sense of faith or spirituality of my own.

Through some combination of culture and biology, our minds are intuitively receptive to religion.

Anyone with sincere religious beliefs cannot say that all religions are true. That is so illogical it is pathetic. All religion cannot be true because some of them are so diametrically opposed to each other.

The deepest difference between religions is not that between polytheism and monotheism.

While the world may be dramatizing, the Scientologists are out there, making the “Saints of yesteryear”, look like little children

Religion is now a matter of private judgment and observance for a majority, and thus we have become a country of not a few hundred different creeds but a few million.

We in the United States are pluralistic respecting ultimate beliefs. Profound values exist apart from a devotion to a god.

Perhaps there is no other set of people, (at least, not visibly united together,) who lay so much and yet no more stress than you do on rectitude of opinions, on outward modes of worship, and the use of those ordinances which you acknowledge to be of God. So much stress you lay even on right opinions, as to profess, that you earnestly desire to have a right judgment in all things, and are glad to use every means which you know or believe may be conducive thereto; and yet not so much as to condemn any man upon earth, merely for thinking otherwise than you do; much less, to imagine that God condemns him for this

All gods have good points, just as have all priests

When you write about faith, people will be upset with you no matter what. I've heard from readers who were disgusted with the depiction of monotheistic religion. I've also heard from readers who were upset because my portrayal of faith did not adhere to their specific doctrines. Fortunately, I have high risk tolerance.

Human beings are free to worship anyone or anything.

Sekts and creeds ov religion, are like pocket compesses, good enuff tu pinte out the direction, but the nearer the pole yu git thewuss tha wurk.

Religion is a monumental chapter in the history of human egotism.

My theory is if you have a religion, it's a good one. Because some people don't have any at all.

I don't believe in God personally but I have great respect for those people who do and different people have different religious views in this country.

I want to learn about a different religion. I grew up Catholic, but my grandfather was Jewish. Knowledge about other religions can help you understand your own better. I think it's kind of hypocritical to believe one thing and don't know about any others.

Religious faith depends on a host of social, psychological and emotional factors that have little or nothing to do with probabilities, evidence and logic.

Everyone - whether it's the Jews, the Greeks, the Catholics - everybody is entitled to religious beliefs and entitled to their traditions.

I respect religion and will respect any religion.

The abdomen is the reason why man does not readily take himself to be a god.

I'm very interested in religion as something to study, but I'm not a religious person in the slightest.

My family was Jehovah's Witnesses, which is a really tough religion. It kind of deterred me from religion for a long time. They still practice, but I don't. But I always remained spiritual, and had a belief that there is a God. I'm trying to find my way, you know?