Francis Collins Quotes

Religion often is misused for purely power-political goals, including war.

I think that what went wrong with religion is the same thing that went wrong with politics. Is that it became too money based and too controlling. It's just a weakness that we human beings have for control - we want one thing and then we want more and then we want more.

Religion is never the problem; it's the people who use it to gain power.

The story of the decadence of the cathedral as a moral power, a spiritual energizer in civilization, is the sad but inevitable story of dogmatism. It is the story of the struggle of free thought with bigotry, religion making common cause with the wrong side.

Religion is just mind control.

All religions are founded on the fear of the many and the cleverness of the few.

All national institutions of churches, whether Jewish, Christian or Turkish, appear to me no other than human inventions, set up to terrify and enslave mankind, and monopolize power and profit.

A religion that requires persecution to sustain it is of the devil’s propagation.

The greatness of every mighty organization embodying an idea in this world lies in the religious fanaticism and intolerance with which, fanatically convinced of its own right, it intolerantly imposes its will against all others

May we not return to those scoundrels of old, the illustrious founders of superstition and fanaticism, who first took the knife from the altar to make victims of those who refused to be their disciples?

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.

They who gain applause and power by pandering to the mistakes, the prejudices and passions of the multitude are the enemies of liberty.

Jim Bakker came along. He said, Jessica Hahn, listen. You're a virgin. As God as my witness. He said, We need a girl that we can trust.

In politics, as in religion, it is equally absurd to aim at making proselytes by fire and sword. Heresies in either can rarely be cured by persecution.

It is a truism that almost any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so.

A good deal of tyranny goes by the name of protection.

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

Among politicians the esteem of religion is profitable; the principles of it are troublesome.

A cult is a religion with no political power.

... force is the natural ally of superstition, and superstition knows it well.

No religion can be built on force.

The Sword and its law have existed from the beginning of the world. The use of force can never prevent heresy.

Powerlessness also corrupts.

… the tools of despotism and corruption

The main threat to freedom comes from church ministers who depend upon fear and superstitions to gain and to keep power