"There was a time when religion ruled the world. It is known as the dark ages."
— Ruth Hermence Green The Born Again Skeptic's Guide to the Bible
"Of all the animosities which have existed among mankind, those which are caused by difference of sentiments in religion appear to be the most inveterate and distressing, and ought most to be deprecated."
— George Washington
"A terrorist attack cannot possibly destroy a country's way of life; it's only our reaction to that attack that can do that kind of damage. The more we undermine our own laws, the more we convert our buildings into fortresses, the more we reduce the freedoms and liberties at the foundation of our societies, the more we're doing the terrorists' job for them."
— Bruce Schneier
"This administration reacts to anyone who questions this illegal program by saying that those of us who demand the truth and stand up for our rights and freedoms somehow has a pre-9/11 world view. In fact, the President has a pre-1776 world view. Our government has three branches, not one. And no one, not even the President, is above the law."
— Senator Russell Feingold
"On my last day, I want to have dessert."
— Anne Lamott
"Listen to your own voice, learn to be your own judge...You are responsible to no one, except the truth."
— David Chesky, The Agnostic
"I really resent the idea that the only reason someone might be good or moral is because they're religious. I do what I do... without hope of reward or fear of punishment. I do not require heaven or hell to bribe me or scare me into acting decently."
— Anne Edwards in Mary Doria Russell's great novel, The Sparrow
God..."loves you, and He needs money! He always needs money! He's all-powerful, all-perfect, all-knowing, and all-wise, somehow just can't handle money!"
— George Carlin
"I never dared to be radical when young for fear it would make me conservative when old."
— Robert Frost
"When facism comes to America it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross."
— Sinclair Lewis (Channeling W. Bush, Palin, Huckabee, Romney, Santorum and Perry decades early)
"Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."
— Benjamin Franklin
"This is a time for reason to find its voice."
— Teresa Heinz Kerry, 2005
(The US government acts)..."as if there's no middle ground between killing everyone in sight and running away. There's a middle ground as wide as the Middle East, but to inhabit it requires attributes our leaders don't have -- intelligence, humility, foresight. Knowledge of the past and vision for the future."
— Joe Haldeman, 2006
"Living with offense is the price we have to pay for living in a free and diverse society. Being offended is not the same as being oppressed."
— Irshad Manji
"As I read Biblical principles, marriage was intended, ordained and started by God."
— State Senator Nancy Jacobs (Republican, of course, during a hearing on an anti-gay marriage bill hearing in Maryland)
"People place their hand on the Bible and swear to uphold the Constitution; they don't put their hand on the Constitution and swear to uphold the Bible."
— Jamie Raskin (in response; attendees are reported to have cheered Mr. Raskin)
Mostly from my USENET signatures over the years.
Claiming that sex education leads to irresponsible sex is like claiming that driver education leads to car accidents.
The Extra's Creed:
You can talk back to God, but never sass the AD...
Living is the important thing.
Dying will take care of itself.
The more info provided,
the less people read.
We're all slow-moving,
unidirectional time travelers.