Jack

“What a bad conscience religion must have is to be judged by the fact that it is forbidden under pain of such severe punishment to mock it.

- On Religion”
― Arthur Schopenhauer, The Horrors and Absurdities of Religion

“If you think you're going to have a thoughtful discussion with someone who is toxic, be prepared for epic mindfuckery rather than conversational mindfulness. Malignant narcissists and sociopaths use word salad, circular conversations, ad hominem arguments, projection and gas lighting to disorient you and get you off track should you ever disagree with them or challenge them in any way. They do this in order to discredit, confuse and frustrate you, distract you from the main problem and make you feel guilty for being a human being with actual thoughts and feelings that might differ from their own. In their eyes, you are the problem if you happen to exist.”
― Shahida Arabi, Power: Surviving and Thriving After Narcissistic Abuse

“Religions are like glow-worms: they need darkness in order to shine. A certain degree of general ignorance is the condition for the existence of any religion.”
― Arthur Schopenhauer, The Horrors and Absurdities of Religion

“Buddha suggested as much when he told his monks, “‘Actions exist, and also their consequences, but the person that acts does not.”
― John Horgan, Rational Mysticism: Spirituality Meets Science in the Search for Enlightenment