One of the problems with religion is that it creates in-group loyalty and out-group hostility, even when members of one’s own group are behaving like… - Sam Harris

I still find that a willingness to be honest — especially about things that one might be expected to conceal — often leads to much more gratifying exchanges with other human beings.

Within a religious framework, a belief in free will supports the notion of sin — which seems to justify not only harsh punishment in this life but eternal punishment in the next. And yet, ironically, one of the fears attending our progress in science is that a more complete understanding of ourselves will dehumanize us.

One of the greatest obstacles I see to our fashioning a rational approach to spirituality is to have religious superstition and self-deception masquerade as science.