Superstition renders a man a fool, and scepticism makes him mad.
—Henry Fielding (1707–54) English Novelist, Dramatist
The superstition in which we grew up,
Though we may recognize it, does not lose
Its power over us—Not all are free
Who make mock of their chains.
—Gotthold Ephraim Lessing (1729–81) German Writer, Philosopher
We would be a lot safer if the Government would take its money out of science and put it into astrology and the reading of palms. Only in superstition is there hope. If you want to become a friend of civilization, then become an enemy of the truth and a fanatic for harmless balderdash.
—Kurt Vonnegut (1922–2007) American Novelist, Short Story Writer
Superstition is only the fear of belief, while religion is the confidence.
—Marguerite Gardiner, Countess of Blessington (1789–1849) Irish Novelist, Writer
The superstition of science scoffs at the superstition of faith.
—James Anthony Froude (1818–94) British Historian, Novelist, Biographer, Editor
Superstition always inspires bitterness; religion, grandeur of mind.—The superstitious man raises beings inferior to himself to deities.
—Johann Kaspar Lavater (1741–1801) Swiss Theologian, Poet
A peasant can no more help believing in a traditional superstition than a horse can help trembling when he sees a camel.
—George Eliot (Mary Anne Evans) (1819–80) English Novelist
Superstition is foolish, childish, primitive and irrational—but how much does it cost you to knock on wood?
—Judith Viorst (b.1931) American Psychoanalyst, Journalist, Writer
To make our idea of morality center on forbidden acts is to defile the imagination and to introduce into our judgments of our fellow-men a secret element of gusto.
—Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–94) Scottish Novelist
Superstition is a senseless fear of God; religion the intelligent and pious worship of the deity.
—Cicero (106BCE–43BCE) Roman Philosopher, Orator, Politician, Lawyer
Men become superstitious, not because they have too much imagination, but because they are not aware that they have any.
—George Santayana (1863–1952) Spanish-American Poet, Philosopher
When superstition is allowed to perform the task of old age in dulling the human temperament, we can say goodbye to all excellence in poetry, in painting, and in music.
—Denis Diderot (1713–84) French Philosopher, Writer
Mankind are an incorrigible race. Give them but bugbears and idols—it is all that they ask; the distinctions of right and wrong, of truth and falsehood, of good and evil, are worse than indifferent to them.
—William Hazlitt (1778–1830) English Essayist
No one is so thoroughly superstitious as the godless man. Life and death to him are haunted grounds, filled with goblin forms of vague and shadowy dread.
—Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811–96) American Abolitionist, Author
It is the customary fate of new truths to begin as heresies and to end as superstitions.
—Thomas Henry Huxley (1825–95) English Biologist
Look how the world’s poor people are amazed at apparitions, signs, and prodigies!
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
We find many things to which the prohibition of them constitutes the only temptation.
—William Hazlitt (1778–1830) English Essayist
Let me make the superstitions of a nation and I care not who makes its laws or its songs either.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
The worst superstition is to consider our own tolerable.
—Doris Lessing (1919–2013) British Novelist, Poet
Superstitions are, for the most part, but the shadows of great truths.
—Tryon Edwards (1809–94) American Theologian, Author
Open biographical volumes wherever you please, and the man who has no faith in religion is the one who hath faith in a nightmare and ghosts.
—Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton (1803–73) British Novelist, Poet, Politician
Whenever a taboo is broken, something good happens, something vitalizing. Taboos after all are only hangovers, the product of diseased minds, you might say, of fearsome people who hadn’t the courage to live and who under the guise of morality and religion have imposed these things upon us.
—Henry Miller (1891–1980) American Novelist
I have, thanks to my travels, added to my stock all the superstitions of other countries. I know them all now, and in any critical moment of my life, they all rise up in armed legions for or against me.
—Sarah Bernhardt (1844–1923) French Actress
Superstition is an unreasoning fear of God.
—Cicero (106BCE–43BCE) Roman Philosopher, Orator, Politician, Lawyer
As it addeth deformity to an ape to be so like a man, so the similitude of superstition to religion makes it the more deformed.
—Francis Bacon (1561–1626) English Philosopher
It is true that may hold in these things, which is the general root of superstition; namely, that men observe when things hit, and not when they miss; and commit to memory the one, and forget and pass over the other.
—Francis Bacon (1561–1626) English Philosopher
There is a superstition in avoiding superstition, when men think they do best if they go farthest from the superstition,—by which means they often take away the good as well as the bad.
—Francis Bacon (1561–1626) English Philosopher
Religion worships God, while superstition profanes that worship.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
The greatest burden in the world is superstition, not only of ceremonies in the church, but of imaginary and scarecrow sins at home.
—John Milton (1608–74) English Poet, Civil Servant, Scholar, Debater
The child, taught to believe any occurrence a good or evil omen, or any day of the week lucky, hath a wide in road made upon the soundness of his understanding.
—Isaac Watts (1674–1748) English Hymn writer
Leave a Reply