God's first creature, which was light.

God's first creature, which was light.

So far as I can remember, there is not one word in the Gospels in praise of intelligence.

So far as I can remember, there is not one word in the Gospels in praise of intelligence.

Prayer is the key of the morning and the bolt of the evening.

Prayer is the key of the morning and the bolt of the evening.

Scientific criticism has no nobler task than to shatter false beliefs.

Scientific criticism has no nobler task than to shatter false beliefs.

The discussions of every age are filled with the issues on which its leading schools of thought differ. But the read more

The discussions of every age are filled with the issues on which its leading schools of thought differ. But the general intellectual atmosphere of the time is always determined by the views on which the opposing schools agree. They become the unspoken presuppositions of all thought, and common and unquestioningly accepted foundations on which all discussion proceeds.

Various kinds of ideas can be classified by their relationship to the authentication process. There are ideas systematically prepared for read more

Various kinds of ideas can be classified by their relationship to the authentication process. There are ideas systematically prepared for authentication ("theories"), ideas not derived from any systematic process ("visions"), ideas which could not survive any reasonable authentication process ("illusions"), ideas which exempt themselves from any authentication process ("myths"), ideas which have already passed authentication processes ("facts"), as well as ideas known to have failed- or certain to fail- such processes ("falsehoods" - both mistakes and lies).

No human beings more dangerous than those who have suffered for a belief: the great persecutors are recruited from the read more

No human beings more dangerous than those who have suffered for a belief: the great persecutors are recruited from the martyrs not quite beheaded. Far from diminishing the appetite for power, suffering exasperates it.

True penitence condemns to silence. What a man is ready to recall he would be willing to repeat.

True penitence condemns to silence. What a man is ready to recall he would be willing to repeat.

The Bible tells us to love our neighbors, and also to love our enemies; probably because generally they are the read more

The Bible tells us to love our neighbors, and also to love our enemies; probably because generally they are the same people.