Mockery of religion is one of the most essential things because to demystify supposedly 'holy text dictated by god' and show that they are man made and what you have to show [is] there internal inconsistencies and absurdities. One of the beginnings of human emancipation is the ability to laugh at authority... it is an indispensable thing people can call it blasphemy if they like, but if they call it that they have to assume there is something to be blasphemed - some divine work, well I don't accept the premise.

To terrify children with the image of hell, to consider women an inferior creation - is that good for the world?

If god really wanted people to be free of [wicked thoughts], he should have taken more care to invent a different species.

My political life has been informed by the view that if there was any truth to religion there wouldn't really be any need for politics.

Indeed, it's futile to try and use Holy Scripture to support any political position. I deeply distrust anyone who does. Just look at what an Islamic Republic is like.

The Bible may, indeed does, contain a warrant for trafficking in humans, for ethnic cleansing, for slavery, for bride-price, and for indiscriminate massacre, but we are not bound by any of it because it was put together by crude, uncultured human mammals.

We live only a few conscious decades, and we fret ourselves enough for several lifetimes.