Bad Religion Quotes

If it's bad art, it's bad religion, no matter how pious the subject. ~ Madeleine L'Engle

I struggled to keep one foot in music and one in academia. I had worked on my Ph.D. for three years full time before I realized Bad Religion could be a legitimate career. ~ Greg Graffin

You can say any sort of nonsense in Latin, and our feeble university men will be stunned, or at least profoundly confused. That's how the popes have gotten away with peddling bad religion for so long, they simply say it in Latin. ~ Neal Stephenson

Whether or not punk is the flavor of the month is not important for us. Bad Religion has been popular through many different climates. When heavy metal was popular, when new wave was popular, Bad Religion was still there underneath the mainstream selling more and more records. ~ Greg Graffin

I was in a choir as a kid. It was from those early days that my outlook on harmonies and arrangements were nurtured. I always took that with me, even on the earliest Bad Religion record, which strangely was only about six years after that. ~ Greg Graffin

Bad Religion has never been about criticizing people who are Christian. But we've always been about pointing out the irony and contradictions in Christian theology and the more extreme versions of Christians that seek to challenge modern secularism. ~ Greg Graffin

The best response to bad religion is better religion, not secularism. ~ Jim Wallis

As I see the bad religion situation, the answer isn't a matter of stepping out and starting new traditions so much as it's a matter of approaching the currents we're already in from a different angle, one person, one relationship at a time. And even putting it this way brings to mind the poet-pastor Eugene Peterson, who once observed that the besetting sin of the American people is probably impatience. This sounds so right to me, especially when I consider the possibility that there's hardly a sin I can think of that isn't somehow born of misperceived need, of haste and its accompanying inattentiveness, of some feverish variation once more of Hurry up and matter! Being true - ringing true - will have to involve a slow work of recognition and resistance to that mad and nervy, deluding spirit. To begin to be true is to try to choose - or risk choosing - presence over progress, really showing up and taking the time to wonder what we're really up to, what we're doing and why. ~ David Dark

America's problem isn't too much religion or too little of it. It's bad religion: the slow-motion collapse of traditional Christianity and the rise of a variety of destructive pseudo-Christianities in its place. ~ Ross Douthat

Bad Religion took a long time to develop into gold-record-status artists. Along the way we learned and applied our knowledge, and Atlantic helped us every step of the way, since 1993. ~ Greg Graffin

It's dead obvious that creationism isn't science, or even bad science. It's nonsense. But I've long stated it's also bad religion, because it doesn't just take faith, it also takes a phenomenal disregard of reality. ~ Phil Plait

God forces us to quantify our religious tenants by measuring them against the family problems they solve. If your religious beliefs aren't solving family problems then something is broke
and it can be fixed.
pg iv ~ Michael Ben Zehabe

You can look at Bad Religion, and, really, almost everything I've ever done was an exercise in creativity. I've always had a desire to challenge and question authority, and that's where the fire inside comes from. I challenged authority out of a desire to make things better, not to be nihilistic about it. ~ Greg Graffin

One of our great thematic traditions in Bad Religion has been to question human nature. ~ Greg Graffin

If we are to follow the Jesus who suffered with us and bled for us, we too must suffer. We must hold the dying in our arms. We must shed tears for hungry stomachs, trafficked children, and wandering souls. This is what He wants for us. It's the reason we are called to lay down our nets and take up our crosses to pursue the Suffering Servant. And it's the one thing we will avoid at all costs.
It is not enough to feel bad. Religion to me, has always been the routine of feeling guilty for all the things we should do but don't. We must act. This is where life happens, where we begin to participate in our stories. This is when we awaken. Not on the sidelines; not on the outside looking in. Life is lived right in the midst of all this mess. Incidentally, that's where mercy and the miraculous are found. That's where flowers begin to grow again. ~ Jeff Goins

There are some forms of religion that are bad, just as there's bad cooking or bad art or bad sex, you have bad religion too. ~ Karen Armstrong

Kindness is not a bad religion, no matter what name you use for God. ~ Barbara Brown Taylor

I've written almost 200 songs with Bad Religion. No matter where you look in our history, the focus has been trying to instill some of these disturbing realities about the world, some of the implications of evolution into an artistic format that can be interpreted by people who may never study evolution. ~ Greg Graffin

The 2 extremes, neither one worse than the other: the result of bad religion is self-loathing and violence; the result of bad spirituality is self-worship and narcissism. ~ Criss Jami

When a long abuse of power is corrected, it is generally replaced by an opposite violence. In the new dispensation all that was good in what went before is tarred indiscriminately with the bad. ~ John McGahern

Bad religion is arrogant, self-righteous, dogmatic and intolerant. And so is bad science. But unlike religious fundamentalists, scientific fundamentalists do not realize that their opinions are based on faith. They think they know the truth. ~ Rupert Sheldrake

I love Frank Ocean. I think he's so talented and his music is so great. So, I would love to do one of his songs like 'Bad Religion' or 'Pink Matter.' ~ Jacob Artist

I started listening to and playing other music in the '90s. It was after hearing other bands, like Bad Religion, cover Ramones songs that I started to like our songs again. ~ Dee Dee Ramone

Folk music usually has an emphasis on the lyrics and melody. And those lyrics are usually relevant in some way. And it's populist in scope, which is also true of Bad Religion. So it's more meant to draw some parallels between the two. And I think even my voice and my delivery can be thought of as a little bit folky. ~ Greg Graffin

Science provides tangible evidence of its accuracy and importance. Religion makes excuses for its absence of the same. ~ PZ Myers

So far rich people have been very quiet about the possibility of getting taxes raised on them, but that doesn't mean they won't get mad about it, it just means they don't know about it. Because it takes a while for bad news to reach a rich person. First their accountant has to tell the butler, who has to tell the servant, who wouldn't dare interrupt their game of croquet. ~ Craig Ferguson

Today, almost half a century after the publication of the Encyclical [of Pius IX], new knowledge has led to the recognition in the theory of evolution of more than a hypothesis. It is indeed remarkable that this theory has been progressively accepted by researchers, following a series of discoveries in various fields of knowledge. The convergence, neither sought nor fabricated, of the results of work that was conducted independently is in itself a significant argument in favor of this theory. ~ Pope John Paul II

Religion is like a virus that affects the behaviour of its host in such a way as to propagate itself further. ~ Jack Pritchard

Religious damage is worse than alcohol damage or drug damage ~ Sunday Adelaja

The bad part is you freeze your balls off, but since you're not allowed to breed anyway, I don't suppose that matters. ~ George R R Martin

The world will not change by our position in the Universe. Actions change when beliefs change; collective actions and beliefs change the world. ~ Matthew A. Petti

Not longer loved or fostered by religion, beauty is lifted from its face as a mask, and its absence exposes features on that face which threaten to become incomprehensible to man. ~ Hans Urs Von Balthasar

Repeat the good. And the bad. Do it all ... and pile on the years. ~ Natsuki Takaya

If things are going well, if the writing's coming along, I jump out of bed happy. And if the previous day has been bad, I get out of bed disgruntled. ~ Robert Caro

The stars in the sky are really other suns like our own, around which orbit other planets. (paraphrase) ~ Giordano Bruno

Carbon in your body - that's good thing. In a tree, it's good. In the atmosphere, it's a bad. Nature wants to sequester carbon in biota. And when we burn it, we release it. It's the wrong system. ~ William McDonough

Aside from rabid Islamists, no one who wishes to be taken seriously can publicly say anything bad about the old Jews of Europe without sounding like reactionary troglodytes. ~ Jack Schwartz

It was not a religion that attacked us that September day. It was al-Qaeda. We will not sacrifice the liberties we cherish or hunker down behind walls of suspicion and mistrust. ~ Barack Obama

How do we protect the soul of democracy against bad theology in service of an imperial state? ~ Bill Moyers

Persecution is as necessary to religion as pruning to an orchard. ~ Austin O'Malley

It's also unfortunate that meetings are typically scheduled like TV shows. You set aside thirty minutes or an hour because that's how scheduling software works (you'll never see anyone schedule a seven-minute meeting with Outlook). Too bad. If it only takes seven minutes to accomplish a meeting's goal, then that's all the time you should spend. Don't stretch seven into thirty. ~ Anonymous

But living in fear is no kind of life. We have to trust God. That doesn't mean bad things won't happen. But we know He's in charge. ~ Terri Blackstock

When the skies are looking bad my dear and your heart's lost all its hope, after dawn there will be sunshine and all the dust will go, the skies will clear my darling, I'll wake up with the one I love the most and in the morning I'll make you up some tea and toast ~ Lucy Spraggan

Look at me." I stood in front of both of them. To Liz I said, "You and Davis are adorable together." I moved to Chloe. "And you and Gavin are - "
She raised her eyebrows at me.
" - interesting together. You can't let my fight with Nick ruin your relationships with your hot boyfriends. Come on, now. My fight with Nick has been going on for years. It's like this black hole, with gravity so strong that not even light can escape, sucking in winter breaks and dates and whole relationships, until the world - are you listening to me?" When I'd started waxing poetic, Chloe's attention had wandered around the room. I grabbed her chin and turned her face to me again. "Until the very world is devoid of love!"
"It's not that bad," Nick's voice came faintly through the locker room wall.
We all looked at one another. ~ Jennifer Echols

You know, we might've fucked up the planet, sucking out all the oil, melting the ice caps, allowing ska music to flourish, but we made Coca-Cola, so goddamn it, people weren't all bad. ~ Joe Hill

Whatever your deepest fears are right now, bring every one of them to God. Thank Him that He is greater than any of them. Thank Him that in His presence all fear is gone. Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who finds great delight in his commands ... He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD (Psalm 112:1,7). God's love can take away your fear. His love gives the power to stand against the enemy of your soul when he wants fear to overwhelm you. And even if your worst fears do come upon you, God's love assures you that He will walk with you every step of the way toward restoration. ~ Stormie O'martian

Greater part of what my neighbors call good I believe in my soul to be bad, and if I repent of anything, it is very likely to be my good behavior. ~ Henry David Thoreau

The greatest trust is confidence.
The greatest charity is compassion.
The greatest courage is action.
The greatest patience is composure.
The greatest sincerity is impartiality.
The greatest kindness is affection.
The greatest hope is expectation.
The greatest peace is contentment.
The greatest happiness is joy.
The greatest faith is certainty.
The greatest love is adoration.
The greatest virtue is integrity.

The greatest teacher is reason.
The greatest student is intelligence.
The greatest philosopher is understanding.
The greatest scientist is reason.
The greatest historian is yesturday.
The greatest prophet is eternity.
The greatest preacher is reality.
The greatest warrior is duty.
The greatest athlete is courage.
The greatest wrestler is strategy.
The greatest musician is passion.
The greatest painter is inspiration.
The greatest sculptor is history.
The greatest writer is destiny.

The greatest light is truth.
The greatest knowledge is awareness.
The greatest understanding is discernment.
The greatest wisdom is caution.
The greatest theory is facts.
The greatest philosophy is logic.
The greatest gospel is conviction.
The greatest religion is compassion.
The greatest prophecy is revelation.
The greatest world is nature.
The greatest sky is perception.
The greatest galaxy is ~ Matshona Dhliwayo

Prayer ain't weakened by distance. ~ Vicki Lane

Cinema explains American society. It's like a Western, with good guys and bad guys, where the weak don't have a place. ~ Jacques Delors

If freedom once required a secular critique of religion, it can also require a religious critique of the secular. ~ Harvey Cox

I wish bad brain stuff was an actual guy I could punch in the face. PTSD, panic attacks, anxiety, flashbacks, hallucinations, anything that gives you hell, could just send'em to me, I'd fight them all. [...] Stuff's a lot harder to fight when they're stuck in your own head."
"Yeah... didn't stop me from trying, though. ~ RoAnna Sylver

Theology is the effort to explain the unknowable in terms of the not worth knowing. ~ H.L. Mencken

What we have done with the American Indian is its way as bad as what we imposed on the Negroes. We took a proud and independent race and virtually destroyed them. We have to find ways to bring them back into decent lives in this country. ~ Richard M. Nixon

One of the first things her friend Ginika told her was that "fat" in America was a bad word, heaving with moral judgment ~ Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Don't be obsessed with yet another revolution to overthrow the opposition, if you think that a violently excruciating revolution will make everything right. Let me ask a question about this brave new revolution of yours, when you have finally defeated all the bad guys and it's all perfect and just and fair - when you've finally got it exactly the way you want it, what are you going to do with the people like you - the trouble-makers? How are you going to protect your glorious revolution from the next one? You may most blindly and boastfully proclaim that you will win. But remember, no one wins for long. The wheel just keeps turning. ~ Abhijit Naskar

Alec drew his hand back with a low whistle. "The Inquisitor meant business."
"Of course she did. I'm a dangerous criminal. Or hadn't you heard?" Jace heard the acid in his own tone, saw Alec flinch, and was meanly, momentarily, glad.
"She didn't call you a criminal, exactly ... "
"No, I'm just a very naughty boy. I do all sorts of bad things. I kick kittens. I make rude gestures at nun ~ Cassandra Clare

You can never go wrong betting on Americans' bad eating habits. So I've made a ton investing in all fast food chains, while at the same time investing in Dockers, spandex, Spanx, and sweatpants. Basically, anything with an elastic waistband is a goldmine. ~ Carol Leifer

So here is the bad news and the good news. The story of human life on Earth is yet to be determined. If there is to be an Act V, it will depend on whether we humans are willing to make changes in our individual and collective beliefs and behaviors and whether we are able to make these changes in time. ~ Bruce H. Lipton

Muslim religious leaders - from Al-Azhar in Cairo to local imams throughout the world - need to say exactly what Pope Francis said to the Catholic members of the Mafia: 'Any Muslim who commits an act of terror - that is, deliberately murders civilians of any nationality or religion - goes to hell. ~ Dennis Prager

The good ended happily, and the bad unhappily. That is what fiction means. ~ Richard Dawkins

This is for watching my fights and rooting for me," he murmured, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. "And this is for being brave and accepting my dare." He pressed a second kiss on the tip of her nose. "And this is for dumping that dickhead Marty." The next kiss landed on the corner of her mouth, and she parted her lips on a sigh. His heart hammered so loudly, he wondered if she heard it.

"And this one? This one is because I want you so bad, it's making me question my sanity. ~ Christine Bell

He didn't move, didn't blink. He didn't seem like a man who heard no too often. Too bad. But he must have found something he liked, because he slowly undid his tie, then unbuttoned his shirt.

She would not drool.

He didn't have an ounce of fat on him. Austin had said Morgan was forty years old, but he didn't look it. Nor did he have the body of a twenty-year-old man. Callie didn't want that anyway. His body had aged beautifully and was clearly well cared for. He had some hair on his chest, but not much. The hair on his belly trailed down to beneath his dress pants and Callie did her best not to swallow her tongue.

She persevered.

Barely. ~ Carrie Ann Ryan

Here was some mystery I would get to the bottom of. Not the bottom I'd been hoping for, but not a bad alternative. ~ James Lear

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 psychopaths. ~ Sam Harris

A good rule of thumb is that any environment that consistently leaves you feeling bad about who you are is the wrong environment. ~ Laurie A. Helgoe