So 'ere the storm of war broke out,
Religion spawn'd a various rout
Of petulant capricious sects,
read more

So 'ere the storm of war broke out,
Religion spawn'd a various rout
Of petulant capricious sects,
That maggots of corrupted texts,
That first run all religion down,
And after every swarm its own.

Speak low to me, my Saviour, low and sweet
From out the hallelujahs, sweet and low,
Lest read more

Speak low to me, my Saviour, low and sweet
From out the hallelujahs, sweet and low,
Lest I should fear and fall, and miss Thee so
Who art not missed by any that entreat.

The tendency to turn human judgments into divine commands makes religion one of the most dangerous forces in the world.

The tendency to turn human judgments into divine commands makes religion one of the most dangerous forces in the world.

We can live without religion and meditation, but we cannot survive without human affection.

We can live without religion and meditation, but we cannot survive without human affection.

When we blindly adopt a religion, a political system, a literary dogma, we become automatons. We cease to grow.

When we blindly adopt a religion, a political system, a literary dogma, we become automatons. We cease to grow.

No mere man since the Fall, is able in this life perfectly to
keep the Commandments.

No mere man since the Fall, is able in this life perfectly to
keep the Commandments.

I realized that ritual will always mean throwing away something;
Destroying our corn or wine upon the altar of read more

I realized that ritual will always mean throwing away something;
Destroying our corn or wine upon the altar of our gods.

Religion is an insult to human dignity. With or without it, you'd have good people doing good things and evil read more

Religion is an insult to human dignity. With or without it, you'd have good people doing good things and evil people doing bad things, but for good people to do bad things, it takes religion.

It is a fine thing to establish one's own religion in one's heart, not to be dependent on tradition and read more

It is a fine thing to establish one's own religion in one's heart, not to be dependent on tradition and second-hand ideals. Life will seem to you, later, not a lesser, but a greater thing.