22 Quotes by Armin Navabi

Scriptures may have grains of historical truth within them, but there is also ample hyperbole, speculation and mythology.

Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn’t go away.” This touches on the heart of the argumentum ad populum fallacy. Physical reality does not require belief to sustain it, and belief will not modify the rules of the universe.

If morality truly stemmed from an all-powerful deity, it would not change over time.

Similarly, while prayer is frequently a person’s first response to a disaster, it’s often the least helpful. Instead of praying for disaster victims, it would be more helpful to donate blood, send donations or volunteer. These are actions that can actually have a positive effect on someone.

The idea that a large group of people believing in something automatically makes it true is a logical fallacy called argumentum ad populum.

There is no single outside force imposing meaning on the events of your life. There is no evidence whatsoever that people’s life events conform to some sort of divine plan or predestination. Life is, objectively, meaningless; given the size and scope of the universe and our tiny role within it, it’s absurd to think that we might have any sort of cosmically vital role.

Belief in God can come with a high price for some. Some of the most powerful nations in the world are making major political decisions based on a belief in God. Wars are fought using religion, and the rights of some individuals and groups are oppressed in the name of God. The lives of billions of people around the world are affected by religious beliefs.

No satisfaction based upon self-deception is solid, and, however unpleasant the truth may be, it is better to face it once for all, to get used to it, and to proceed to build your life in accordance with it.

Part of the beauty and wonder of being alive is the opportunity to make your own choices and create your own meaning.