I wanted to be a psychological engineer, but we lacked the facilities, so I did the next best thing - I went into politics. It's practically the same thing.

That's the harm of Close Encounters: that it convinces tens of millions that that's what just science fiction is.

Every religion seems like a fantasy to outsiders, but as holy truth to those of the faith.

I am an atheist, out and out. It took me a long time to say it.

We're forever teetering on the brink of the unknowable, and trying to understand what can't be understood.

The true artist is quite rational as well as imaginative and knows what he is doing; if he does not, his art suffers.

If I am right, then (religious fundamentalists) will not go to Heaven, because there is no Heaven. If they are right, then they will not go to Heaven, because they are hypocrites.