George H. Smith Quotes

United States, Author
February 10, 1949 – April, 8, 2022.

George Hamilton Smith is an American author, editor, educator and speaker, known for his writings on atheism and libertarianism. Smith grew up mostly in Tucson, Arizona, and attended the University of Arizona for several years before leaving without a degree; he relocated to Los Angeles during 1971. With the help of libertarian editor Roy A. Childs, Jr., he secured a contract from Nash Publishing to produce a book on atheism. The finished product was his first book, Atheism: The Case Against God

The negative way of describing God is a cardboard prop of Christianity to conceal its unknowable God. When this prop collapses, theistic agnosticism emerges, complete with its package of contradictions and non-sensical utterances.

George H. Smith
The theist must present an intelligible description of god. Until he does so, god makes no more sense than unie; both are cognitively empty, and any attempt at proof is logically absurd.

George H. Smith
- God
- Proof
- Theist

To advocate irrationality is to advocate that which is destructive to human life.

George H. Smith
Reason is not one tool of thought among many, it is the entire toolbox. To advocate that reason be discarded in some circumstances is to advocate that thinking be discarded - which leaves one in the position of attempting to do a job after throwing away the required instrument.

George H. Smith
It is my firm conviction that man has nothing to gain, emotionally or otherwise, by adhering to a falsehood, regardless of how comfortable or sacred that falsehood may appear.

George H. Smith
One can be committed to conformity or one can be committed to truth, but not both.

George H. Smith
I am arguing that faith as such, faith as an alleged method of acquiring knowledge, is totally invalid and as a consequence, all propositions of faith, because they lack rational demonstration, must conflict with reason.

George H. Smith
- Faith
- Reason
- Conflict
I am continually amazed by the credence given to religious claims in the intellectual community; and, as a human being, i am appaulled by the psychological damage caused by religious teachings-damage that often takes years to counteract.

George H. Smith

Christianity has nothing to offer a happy man living in a natural, intelligible universe.

George H. Smith
Atheism is the absence of a belief in a god, nothing more. If the theist wishes to draw monumental implications from this lack of belief, he must argue for his claims.

George H. Smith
- Belief
- Atheism
- Claims