“For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.”
–Carl Sagan, The Demon-Haunted World

“The fact that some geniuses were laughed at does not imply that all who are laughed at are geniuses. They laughed at Columbus, they laughed at Fulton, they laughed at the Wright brothers. But they also laughed at Bozo the Clown.”
–Carl Sagan, Broca’s Brain

“If your mother says she loves you, check it out.”
–Journalism axiom

“It is always better to have no ideas than false ones; to believe nothing, than to believe what is wrong.”
–Thomas Jefferson, in a letter to Rev. James Madison (cousin of President James Madison)*

“Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.”
–Unknown origin

Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able?
Then he is not omnipotent.
Is he able, but not willing?
Then he is malevolent.
Is he both able and willing?
Then why is there evil?
Is he neither able nor willing?
Then why call him God?
–Unknown origin (though often — and possibly falsely — attributed to Epicurus)