The astronaut portrays an Enlightenment intellect confronting an “ape” culture of ingrained religion and superstitious beliefs. Free thought (or Freethought) is a crime and heaven help anybody who claims the truth of evolution!

Though educated in Catholic schools, and pressed to serve in Korea, “it's worth noting that by the age of 20 [Altman] had resisted two of the most powerful institutions - church and army, both. He is an atheist.”

“Dissent is the mark of freedom,” wrote Bronowski, “These freedoms of tolerance have never been notable..., even when the dogma was Christian. Has there ever been a society which has died of dissent? Several have died of conformity in our lifetimes.”

"Praying is like a rocking chair — it'll give you something to do, but it won't get you anywhere."

"Praying is like a rocking chair — it'll give you something to do, but it won't get you anywhere."

“As my ancestors are free from slavery,” McQueen said, “I am free from the slavery of religion.”

Had Becket but served his king with half the zeal that he served his God, he would not have been left naked to his enemies.

"I also particularly like [Freud] because he was an atheist, and I grew tired of religion some time not long after birth. ... I don't believe something I can have absolutely no evidence of for millenniums."

Every sperm is sacred Every sperm is great If a sperm is wasted God gets quite irate.

If it turns out that there is a God, I don't think that he's evil. But the worst that you can say about him is that basically he's an underachiever.