"Fear of things invisible in the natural seed of that which everyone in himself calleth religion"
- Thomas Hobbes
About this Quote
This quote by Thomas Hobbes suggests that the fear of the unidentified is a natural part of human nature and is the root of what we call faith. Hobbes is recommending that religion is an item of our fear of the unknown, and that this fear is something that is inherent in everybody. He is suggesting that religious beliefs is a method for us to deal with our worry of the unidentified, and to make sense of the world around us. This quote also recommends that faith is a way for us to discover convenience and security in a world that can typically be unforeseeable and disorderly. By believing in something greater than ourselves, we can discover solace in the face of uncertainty. Ultimately, Hobbes is suggesting that religious beliefs is a natural part of humanity, which it is rooted in our fear of the unidentified.
"Well, I think any time you delve into this sort of religion, politics, as you well know, you're going to, you know, touch a few nerves. I wasn't - now - and this is the honest truth"
"No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite"
"War is the greatest plague that can afflict humanity, it destroys religion, it destroys states, it destroys families. Any scourge is preferable to it"
"It's not just the effect of technology on the environment, on religion, on the economic structure, on society, on politics, etc. It's that everything now exists in technology to the point where technology is the new and comprehensive host of nature of life"
"Art is exalted above religion and race. Not a single solitary soul these days believes in the religions of the Assyrians, the Egyptians and the Greeks... Only their art, whenever it was beautiful, stands proud and exalted, rising above all time"
"We must respect the other fellow's religion, but only in the sense and to the extent that we respect his theory that his wife is beautiful and his children smart"
