Mormonism, it seems to me, is-objectively-just a little more idiotic than Christianity is. It has to be: because it is Christianity plus some very stupid ideas.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Harris claims Mormonism is objectively more absurd than Christianity because it includes all Christian ideas plus additional ones.
- In plain terms
- Mormonism is more ridiculous than Christianity because it adds more strange ideas to the same base.
- What can you take from it?
- View additional religious claims as increasing absurdity if the base is already dubious.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What makes a religion more absurd than another?
- Can a religion with strange claims still be true?
Another view
This assumes absurdity adds up linearly and dismisses internal theological coherence.
More from Sam Harris
Jesus Christ-who, as it turns out, was born of a virgin, cheated death, and rose bodily into the heavens-can now be eaten in the form of a cracker.[2]
Permalink to quote #48 Judaism is as intrinsically divisive, as ridiculous in its literalism, and as at odds with the civilizing insights of modernity as any other religion.[2]
Permalink to quote #51 We are now in the 21st century: all books, including the Koran, should be fair game for flushing down the toilet without fear of violent reprisal.
Permalink to quote #46
Related quotes
Christianity made us think there's one heaven.
Patti SmithPatti Smith quote #4 Like the Bible, devolution is basically an extended joke. One man's doughnut is another man's death.
DevoDevo quote #11 [M]uch of the world's population could be annihilated on account of religious ideas that belong on the same shelf with Batman.[2]
Sam HarrisSam Harris quote #42