If the Old Testament were a reliable guide in the matter of capital punishment, half the people in the United States would have to be killed tomorrow.

Millions of Germans had absolute faith in Hitler. Millions of Russians had faith in Stalin. Millions of Chinese had faith in Mao. Billions have had faith in imaginary gods.

One of the nice things about problems is that a good many of them do not exist except in our imaginations.

...we are entitled to make almost any reasonable assumption, but should resist making conclusions until evidence requires that we do so.

In a rational society we would want our presidents to be teachers. In our actual society we insist they be cheerleaders.

To those who wish to punish others -- or at least to see them punished, if the avengers are too cowardly to take matters in to their own hands -- the belief in a fiery, hideous hell appears to be a great source of comfort.

This is The Tonight Show. I can't tell you too much about it, other than the fact that this program is going to go on forever.