If priests had not been fond of mutton, lambs never would have been sacrified to god. Nothing was ever carried to the temple that the priest could not use, and it always happened that god wanted what his agents liked.

Religion can never reform mankind because religion is slavery.

Nothing could be more dangerous to the existence of this Republic than to introduce religion into politics

The ideas of right and wrong change with the experience of the race, and this change is wrought by the gradual ascertaining of consequences - of results.

If all the historic books of the Bible were blotted from the memory of mankind, nothing of value would be lost.

Darwin has done more to change human thought than all the priests who have existed.

All should be taught that the highest ambition is to be happy, and to add to the well-being of others; that place and power are not necessary to success; that the desire to acquire great wealth is a kind of insanity. They should be taught that it is a waste of energy, a waste of thought, a waste of life, to acquire what you do not need and what you do not really use for the benefit of yourself or others.