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About this quote

What does it mean?
He advocates for kindness but warns that religious followers often do not follow their own teachings.
In plain terms
Treat people nicely but expect religious people to be hypocritical about it.
What can you take from it?
Kindness is good but expect hypocrisy from institutions.

Where it applies

  • religious discussions
  • social interactions
  • moral dilemmas

Putting it to work

  • expect kindness not perfection
  • critique religious actions

Questions to consider

  • Can we separate teachings from followers?
  • Is moral responsibility shared?

Another view

Many religious individuals do strive to live by these ethical standards.

More from George Carlin

  1. Atheism: a non-prophet organization.

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  2. I'm completely in favor of the separation of Church and State. My idea is that these two institutions screw us up enough on their own, so both of them together…

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  3. I have as much authority as the Pope. I just don't have as many people who believe it.

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