The skeptic does not mean him who doubts, but him who investigates or researches, as opposed to him who asserts and thinks that he has found. Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from a religious conviction. Here and there in the midst of American society you meet with men full of a fanatical and almost wild spirtualism, which hardly exists in Europe. From time to time strange sects arise which endeavor to strike out extraordinary paths to eternal happiness.
Religious insanity is very common in the United States.
Religion has introduced many wars in this world, enough bloodshed and violence. Elie Wiesel quoted in Holy Horrors Religious fanaticism has clearly produced, and in all probability will continue to produce, enormous amounts of bickering, fighting, violence, bloodshed, homicide, feuds, wars, and genocide. Psychologist Albert Ellis quoted in Holy Horrors Of the many difficulties in writing about the treatment of Jews by Christians, not least is the problem of believability. That some things could have occurred seems scarcely credible. Yet they did. . . .