Irreligion in India Quotes

“I believe in only one god. My conscience.”

“Wikipedia: Irreligion in India”

“By claiming the monopoly
Over the unknown
Religions also split the people apart
And spread hatred among them.”

“Who knows that the soul exists? Of what use is this knowledge? Who knows that the soul does not exist? Of what use is this knowledge?”

“Life is about exploration: I don’t believe in God; spirituality means nothing much to me. I enjoy exploring things I don’t have answers for.”

“The characteristic feature of modern civilisation is the progressive triumph of science over superstition, reason over faith. The struggle had been going on ever since the dawn of history.”

“The spectacle of what is called religion, or at any rate organized religion, in India and elsewhere has filled me with horror, and I have frequently condemned it and wished to make a clean sweep of it.”

“All these religions, all the religions without exception, belong to the dark ages. Their roots are in the dark ages. You bring the dark age with you. Your umbilical cord has not been cut from the dark ages.”

“Those belong to different faiths and those who were not part of any religion had taken active part in our freedom struggle. This nation belongs to all people and all sections of Indian society in equal measure.”

“By sixteen, I was a borderline rabid atheist. Then, things cooled down, and I decided not to be angry. I finally settled down for a rational view of the world because for me it was not necessary to demolish god.”

“When it comes to the forced inculcation of religion and the resulting abuses of children in the name of religion, the United Nations, all of its affiliated organizations, and almost all national governments remains steadfastly silent.”

“One cannot question Puranas or the religions. But Science is all about asking questions. Though we know all this, we are still scared to question it. So, we say that education should take us in the direction of fulfilling this objective of scientific thinking.”

“I'm not overtly religious, but I do bow my head and offer my respects everytime I pass a holy place. My dad always said more than learning any form of organised religion, it was essential to be a good human being first. I'm not an atheist, I'm more of an agnostic.”

“I lay curled up at night, unable to sleep, trembling with fear, praying to every god I knew to let him live, just let my father come back to us. But he too left, leaving behind only us children. That was when I decided, gods who don’t answer such prayers need not be called again.”

“I am an atheist, but being so doesn't stop me from respecting those who believe in religion. Every individual has the right to lead his or her life according to their wish and I respect that. I don't try to influence anyone or force my opinion on them. Also, my beliefs cannot be influenced by anyone.”

“When I was young, I had to memorise parts of the Bible and perform rituals. It was perhaps this experience that turned me into an atheist. When I grew up, I saw people using religion to earn money and fool others. This made my belief all the more stronger. I don't, however, thrust my beliefs and ideologies on anyone.”

“I am an atheist by belief, but I did not come to atheism through rebellion against the Hinduism I was born into. Rather, through the influence of my atheist father, whose particular brand of non-religious rationalism was, I now realise, in keeping with the spirit of the late 19th-early 20th century Prabodhan or renaissance in Maharashtra.”

“Of all the living creatures man is the most intelligent. It is man who created god, religion, philosophy and spiritualism. It is also said that extra ordinary men have actually succeeded in realising god. Some are said to have become one with god itself. I venture to ask, why even such greatmen have not found out a solution for all these follies of the world.”

“The Indian atheist activists with whom we have spent time - as opposed to those often characterized dismissively by activists as metropolitan-based ‘talking shop’ humanists or ‘armchair atheists’ - do not simply ‘believe’ in materialism. They seek to debunk or ‘expose’ what they consider to be pernicious supernatural beliefs via skilled deployments of materials.”

“Let us see how I carry on: one friend asked me to pray. When informed of my atheism, he said, “During your last days, you will begin to believe”. I said, “No, dear Sir, it shall not be”. I will think that to be an act of degradation and demoralization on my part. For selfish motives, I am not going to pray. Readers and friends, “Is this vanity?” If it is, I stand for it.”