If you’re looking for Portrait of an Infidel: The Acerbic Account of How a Passionate Christian Became an Ardent Atheist quotes about religion, you’ve come to the right place. Here at Inspiring Lizard we collect thought-provoking quotes from interesting people and sources. And in this article we share a list of the 13 most interesting Portrait of an Infidel: The Acerbic Account of How a Passionate Christian Became an Ardent Atheist quotes about religion from Michael Vito Tosto. Let’s get inspired!
Portrait of an Infidel: The Acerbic Account of How a Passionate Christian Became an Ardent Atheist quotes about religion
You cannot have it both ways. You cannot apply a definitive conclusion to the favorable outcomes of random chance without also applying a definitive conclusion to the unfavorable outcomes of random chance. If you are not fair in both instances, it means you have just committed a variation of what is known as special pleading.
— Michael Vito Tosto, Portrait of an Infidel: The Acerbic Account of How a Passionate Christian Became an Ardent Atheist
Christianity voids any significance that would otherwise be attributed to a human life. It reduces all the good things you’ve done and all the bad things you’ve done to, well, nothing. All the good you’ve done won’t matter if you don’t have Jesus. All the bad you’ve done won’t matter if you do have Jesus. In either case, what you do doesn’t matter.
— Michael Vito Tosto, Portrait of an Infidel: The Acerbic Account of How a Passionate Christian Became an Ardent Atheist
If the Bible is accurate in its assertions (a generous statement on our part), then we must also observe that anyone who ultimately comes to God does so because God made it happen. But this seems to imply that God makes it happen for some but doesn’t make it happen for others. Why? Is this fair? Is this good? Is this justice? Is this love?
— Michael Vito Tosto, Portrait of an Infidel: The Acerbic Account of How a Passionate Christian Became an Ardent Atheist
There is nothing loving about encouraging fear. Nothing. Fear leads to darkness, depression, anger, irrationality, anxiety, consternation, unrest, and ultimately, destruction. Fear, as Yoda reminds us all, is the path to the Dark Side. Fear is a weapon, not a productive tool. Fear is a means of control. Fear should never be the basis for why anyone does anything regarding the health of the mind, body, and spirit.
— Michael Vito Tosto, Portrait of an Infidel: The Acerbic Account of How a Passionate Christian Became an Ardent Atheist
The moment a mind closes is the moment it can no longer evolve. Intellectual inertia soon follows. I suppose that in many ways this is one of my main objections to theism; it assumes that all questions are already firmly answered. There is no room for curiosity. A closed question does not lead to other questions. Thus, there is no progression, no evolution, no molting. This is no good for me. I want to evolve. I want to progress. I want to molt. And I want to keep learning about the real mysteries of this Universe.
— Michael Vito Tosto, Portrait of an Infidel: The Acerbic Account of How a Passionate Christian Became an Ardent Atheist
Since one could virtually open the Bible to any page and likely find something that speaks to his particular situation, is it fair to attribute this to the voice of God? After all, the Bible is not the only relevant book in existence. There are other religions with other scriptural texts which could do the same job. In fact, the text need not even be “scriptural.” I could select Sartre’s “Existentialism and Humanism” off the shelf, randomly flip to any page, and likely find something applicable to my life. Does this mean God is speaking through the writings of Jean-Paul Sartre, a man who was by no means considered a friend to Christian thought? If the answer is yes, then who really needs to read the Bible? If this God is capable of turning anything into his “word” at any time, then you could theoretically receive a message from him in your Alpha-Bits.
— Michael Vito Tosto, Portrait of an Infidel: The Acerbic Account of How a Passionate Christian Became an Ardent Atheist
It struck me as particularly suspicious that Yahweh was described as being remarkably human. I mean, seriously; this God is, at times, almost too human.
— Michael Vito Tosto, Portrait of an Infidel: The Acerbic Account of How a Passionate Christian Became an Ardent Atheist
The true nature of the Christian’s bondage is this: faith commands his every move, his every thought, and his every inclination. Moreover, because faith is tenacious by nature, and because it comes with this attendant stigma that angering God is unwise, the Christian is tempted—no, compelled to err on the side of his faith even in the face of overwhelming evidence that proves the contrary.
— Michael Vito Tosto, Portrait of an Infidel: The Acerbic Account of How a Passionate Christian Became an Ardent Atheist
A life based on [religious] faith is a life based on pure speculation, and speculation is, by its very definition, unsound.
— Michael Vito Tosto, Portrait of an Infidel: The Acerbic Account of How a Passionate Christian Became an Ardent Atheist
Reason is neutral. It has no biases. It has no agendas. There are no personal interests at stake. Reason simply says, “Here is the data, be responsible with it.” As such, reason is impartial.
— Michael Vito Tosto, Portrait of an Infidel: The Acerbic Account of How a Passionate Christian Became an Ardent Atheist
If the number of religious converts who converted during a season of intense suffering is high, then does that mean that the number of religious abstainers who abstained because their life was already satisfying is correspondingly low? If so, does this argue for or against religion’s relevance in the world? If theistic religion is attractive, useful, and remedial only for those broken people in the most dismal of needful situations, then is this truly the work of a God or is it just the human psyche gravitating toward a comforting solution?
— Michael Vito Tosto, Portrait of an Infidel: The Acerbic Account of How a Passionate Christian Became an Ardent Atheist
While faith may be helpful to the one possessing it, making him feel good and fulfilled and peaceful inside, one thing it is not is responsible. It cannot be. No matter how much you might value your faith, it cannot be responsible. Why not? Faith, by its very nature, is invested with your personal feelings on any given matter.
— Michael Vito Tosto, Portrait of an Infidel: The Acerbic Account of How a Passionate Christian Became an Ardent Atheist
I just cannot help but feel as though [Christianity] cheapens life. After all, what we must conclude at the end of the day is this disheartening and somewhat debilitating possibility: everything you think, feel, hope for, long for, experience, taste, smell, touch, learn, comprehend, discover, create, work toward, work on, and do, means absolutely nothing to the Christian God if you do not have faith in Jesus.
— Michael Vito Tosto, Portrait of an Infidel: The Acerbic Account of How a Passionate Christian Became an Ardent Atheist
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