This site is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Alan William Smolowe who gave birth to the creation of this database.
Religion is an explanation (Creed) of the ultimate meaning of life, and how to live (Code and Community–structure) accordingly, which is based on the notion of the Transcendent (Cult). Because Religion is an explanation of the ultimate meaning of life it provides a code of behavior in the fullest possible sense, including all the psychological, social and cultural dimensions of human life, and is hence a “Way of Life” – for humans.
Behavior | Creed | Cult | Life | Life | Meaning | Religion | Sense |
Vivekananda, fully Sri or Swami Vivekananda, born Narendra Nath Datta NULL
The old religions said that he was an atheist who did not believe in God. The new religion says that he is the atheist who does not believe in himself.
Superstition may be defined as constructive religion which has grown incongruous with intelligence.
Intelligence | Religion | Superstition |
Obert C. Tanner, fully Obert Clark Tanner
Humanity is in a precarious balance between the forces of violence and the forces of peace. It is by no means clear at this time which of these forces will prevail. We do not ask, however, whether religion will not become an aid to the forces of peace or cooperation.
Aid | Balance | Cooperation | Humanity | Means | Peace | Religion | Time | Will |
Jonathan Swift, pen names, M.B. Drapier, Lemuel Gulliver, Isaac Bickerstaff
I never saw, heard nor read, that the clergy were beloved in any nation where Christianity was the religion of the country. Nothing can render them popular, but some degree of persecution.
Leo Tolstoy, aka Count Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy or Tolstoi
True religion is the establishment by man of such a relation to the Infinite Life around him, as, while connecting his life with this Infinitude and directing his conduct, is also in agreement with his reason and with human knowledge.
Conduct | Knowledge | Life | Life | Man | Reason | Religion |
Vivekananda, fully Sri or Swami Vivekananda, born Narendra Nath Datta NULL
I do not believe in a religion that cannot wipe out the widow’s tears or bring a piece of bread to the orphan’s mouth.
Article 18 - Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others, and in public or in private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.
Belief | Change | Conscience | Freedom of thought | Freedom | Practice | Public | Religion | Right | Thought | Worship |
Elie Wiesel, fully Eliezer "Elie" Wiesel
Some religious people abolish hatred because they’re religious. Others are fanatical, and they invoke hatred because they are religious. I believe that religion could be a marvelous way of humanizing society. Others believe that religion is here to serve fanatics, to punish, to chastise, to torture, to torment.
World Council of Churches NULL
Religious liberty includes freedom to change one’ religion or belief without consequent social, economic and political disabilities. Implicit in this right is the right freely to maintain one’s belief or disbelief without external coercion or disability.
Belief | Change | Coercion | Disbelief | Freedom | Liberty | Religion | Right |
Prayer is not a monologue. It speaks to God and to the community. In the last analysis, religion is not what goes on inside a soul. It is what goes on in the world, between people, between us and God. To trap faith in a monologue, and pretend that it resides solely inside the self, undermines the true interchange of all belief.
Belief | Faith | God | People | Prayer | Religion | Self | Soul | World | God |
True religion is real living; living with all one's soul, with all one's goodness and righteousness.
Religion | Righteousness | Soul |
Contrary to what many anti-intellectuals maintain, science is by nature a much more humble enterprise than any religion or other ideology. This must be so given the self-correcting mechanisms that are incorporated into the scientific process, regardless of the occasional failures of individual scientists.
Individual | Nature | Religion | Science | Self |
Alan Turing, fully Alan Mathison Turing
Science is a differential equation. Religion is a boundary condition.