There's an element of paradox there - that at least you know where you stand with the fundamentalists. I mean, they're absolutely clear in their error and their stupidity, and so you can really go after them.

Why did God make tigers so good at catching prey, and at the same time make prey so good at getting away from tigers? You'd think that if God wanted one thing or the other to happen he'd have engineered it rather better. Maybe he enjoyed the spectator sport?

It is all too easy to mistake passion that can change its mind for fundamentalism, which never will.

Gould carried the art of bending over backward to positively supine lengths. Why shouldn't we comment on God, as scientists? ... A universe with a creative superintendent would be a very different kind of universe from one without. Why is that not a scientific matter?

I think I would abolish schools which systematically inculcate sectarian beliefs.

The fear of Hell is a very powerful motivation.

Indeed, organizing atheists has been compared to herding cats, because they tend to think independently and will not conform to authority.