I took religion much too seriously however and its overall effect was depressing. I would have really liked to discard it but somehow I couldn't.

I like to say magic is the world's second oldest profession a mystical and often awe-inspiring spectacle that throughout the ages has blended superstition trickery and religion.

Those among them that have not received our religion do not fright any from it and use none ill that goes over to it so that all the while I was there one man was only punished on this occasion.

It is only partly true that religion does more harm than good in society. The community makes God into the image it wants vengeful or milky sweet or scrupulously just and so on.

Just in our lifetime our society has become looser and more private it becomes extremely difficult to hold to any permanent commitment whatever least of all to organized religion.

It is very reasonable to worry about the harm done by organized religion and to prefer looser and more private arrangements.

I have increasingly over the years felt that religion today does our civilization more harm than good.

How can you tell when a political ideology has become the equivalent of a religion?

Violence against women in all its forms is a human rights violation. It's not something that any culture religion or tradition propagates.

I am a Westerner. We're not going to change the West by going East. The East has a lot to teach us but essentially it's like a mirror saying hey can't you see what's here in your own religion what are you stupid?