that was the moment we understood that things can go terribly wrong in our world — not because life is unfair or moral progress impossible but becaus… - Sam Harris

We have Christians against Muslims against Jews. They're making incompatible claims on real estate in the Middle East as though God were some kind of omniscient real estate broker parsing out parcels of land to his chosen flock. People are literally dying over ancient literature.

It has been estimated that 50 percent of all human conceptions end in spontaneous abortion, usually without a woman even realizing that she was pregnant. In fact, 20 percent of all recognized pregnancies end in miscarriage. There is an obvious truth here that cries out for acknowledgment: if God exists, He is the most prolific abortionist of all.

Despite the beauty of our world and the scope of human accomplishment, it is hard not to worry that the forces of chaos will triumph — not merely in the end but in every moment.