No man has ceased to believe in God before having decided that he should not exist; no book would produce atheism, and no book can restore faith.

Joseph de Maistre

A little philosophy inclineth man's mind to atheism, but depth in philosophy bringeth men's minds about to religion.

Francis Bacon

If there is a God, atheism must seem to Him as less of an insult than religion.

Edmond de Goncourt

I have a great love and respect for religion, great love and respect for atheism. What I hate is agnosticism, people who do not choose.

Orson Welles

No philosophy, no religion, has ever brought so glad a message to the world as this good news of Atheism.

Annie Besant

The major obstacle to a religious renewal is the intellectual classes, who are highly influential and tend to view religion as primitive superstition. They believe that science has left atheism as the only respectable intellectual stance.

Robert Bork

America's freedom of religion, and freedom from religion, offers every wisdom tradition an opportunity to address our soul-deep needs: Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, secular humanism, agnosticism and atheism among others.

Parker Palmer

The Old Testament is responsible for more atheism, agnosticism, disbelief - call it what you will - than any book ever written. It has emptied more churches than all the counter-attractions of cinema, motor-bicycle and golf course.

A. A. Milne

Selfishness is the only real atheism; aspiration, unselfishness, the only real religion.

Israel Zangwill

I believe the fast track to atheism is reading the Bible. I've read it three times all the way through. It's a big part of our culture, a big part of our history. I don't just read things I agree with.

Penn Jillette

Religion cannot and should not be replaced by atheism. Religion needs to go away and not be replaced by anything. Atheism is not a religion. It's the absence of religion, and that's a wonderful thing.

Penn Jillette

My personal feeling is that understanding evolution led me to atheism.

Richard Dawkins