Marcus Tullius Cicero Quotes

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.

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

I think that there's a strain in journalism that believes that anyone who surrenders him- or herself to faith and to belief necessarily checks reason and rationality at the door.

The superstition of science scoffs at the superstition of faith.

Religion was always an easy class. All you had to do was suspend the logic and reasoning you were taught in all the other classes.

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

There is but one thing that can free a man from superstition, and that is belief. All history proves it. The most sceptical have ever been the most credulous.

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?

There are men who think themselves too wise to be religious.

Religion deals in certainties and philosophy deals more in un-answered questions.

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

What do we believe? Why do we believe it?

I was raised with the notion that it was OK to ask questions, and it was OK to say, I'm not sure. I believe, but I'm not quite so certain about the resurrection.

I'm personally a nonbeliever, so I'm struggling with if we really need religion.

I am fascinated with religion or things that people believe in and question that. I think it's interesting.

I would rather have a mind opened by wonder than one closed by belief.

As men's habits of mind differ, so that some more readily embrace one form of faith, some another, for what moves one to pray may move another only to scoff, I conclude, in accordance with what has gone before, that everyone should be free to choose for himself the foundations of his creed, and that faith should be judged only by its fruits; each would then obey God freely with his whole heart, while nothing would be publicly honoured save justice and charity.

We all know that those who instigate those doubts are the enemies of God, the enemies of religion and the enemies of all humanity. Their hearts are full of hatred.

Faith is a cop-out. If the only way you can accept an assertion is by faith, then you are conceding that it can’t be taken on its own merits.

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.

None of us should sit in judgment in the way that anyone else practices his religion.

If religion is about truth, why is it so afraid of error?

The scientist insists on verification; the religious theologian does not; the philosopher sometimes does and sometimes does not

We are responsible for our incredulity.

Magic happens, see. It's just like on those bumper stickers, the ones that say, 'Miracles Happen', or 'Jesus Happens'. I never really took those too seriously. I mean, they're bumper stickers. Yeah, yeah, I know what you're thinking. Miracles? Right. Jesus? Maybe. But magic?