Man 1: Hello, we were wondering whether we could talk to you about Jesus?
Bernard: Great! Come in!
Man 1: What?
Bernard: I'd love to hear about Jesus, what's he up to now? Come on, come on in.
Man 1: Er... are you sure?
Bernard: Yes, in, in, come in!
Man 2: It's a trick!
Man 1: It's just... generally people don't say yes.
Bernard: Well, I'm not people! Come on in, let's talk beliefs!
Man is a Religious Animal. He is the only Religious Animal. He is the only animal that has the True Religion — several of them. He is the only animal that loves his neighbor as himself and cuts his throat if his theology isn't straight.
Il diavoli ha reso tali servigi alla Chiesa, che io mi meraviglio com'esso non sia ancora stato canonizzato per santo.
It is so easy to convert others to your faith, and it is so difficult to convert yourself.
The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully.
By the word "religion" I've seen the lunacy of fanatics of every denomination... be called the will of god. I've seen too much religion in the eyes of too many murderers. Holiness is in right action... and courage on behalf of those who cannot defend themselves. And goodness... what god desires is here and here.
