Emile Durkheim Quotes

Faith is an island in the setting sun, But proof is the bottom line for everyone.

Faith feels itself secure neither with universal consent, nor with tradition, nor with authority. It seeks support of its enemy, reason.

It is not the Head but the Heart that is the Seat of Atheism.

Faith... must be enforced by reason... when faith becomes blind it dies.

It is always more difficult to fight against faith than against knowledge.

Faith is a continuation of reason.

Science stands for rational thought, faith for superstition and unreason.

Rationally, I was convinced that the universe without God made no sense, but that simply was not the same as believing. But I also knew that I could not argue myself, or be argued, into faith.

Nobody gets argued all the way into becoming a believer on the sheer basis of logic and reason. That requires a leap of faith.

The truth is that Christian theology, like every other theology, is not only opposed to the scientific spirit; it is also opposed to all other attempts at rational thinking.

Faith consists in believing when it is beyond the power of reason to believe.

Intelligence must follow faith, never precede it, and never destroy it.

Philosophy has to be enquiring; it can take nothing on faith, and its methods are based not on the blind acceptance of authority, but on establishing truths by reason and argument.

When blithe to argument I come, Though armed with facts, and merry, May Providence protect me from The fool as adversary, Whose mind to him a kingdom is Where reason lacks dominion, Who calls conviction prejudice And prejudice opinion.

The belief of our Reason is an Exercise of Faith, and Faith is an Act of Reason.

Fix reason firmly in her seat, and call to her tribunal every fact, every opinion. Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blindfolded fear.

I don't have to have faith, I have experience.

The word 'belief' is a difficult thing for me. I don't believe. I must have a reason for a certain hypothesis. Either I know a thing, and then I know it - I don't need to believe it.

In examining the evidence of the Christian religion, it is essential to the discovery of truth that we bring to the investigation a mind freed, as far as possible, from existing prejudice, and open to conviction.

Reason is the enemy of faith.

It is not reason which makes faith hard, but life.

I respect faith, but doubt is what gives you an education.

Life is a battle between faith and reason in which each feeds upon the other, drawing sustenance from it and destroying it.

Faith is not contrary to reason.

In science, a healthy skepticism is a professional necessity, whereas in religion, having belief without evidence is regarded as a virtue.