I did an album a long time ago called 'Replicas ' which was entirely science-fiction driven or science-fantasy. Since then it's been a song here a song there. It's not really a constant theme. I've written far more about my problems with religion with God and all that.

Sex is the ersatz or substitute religion of the 20th Century.

I'm just confused as to where we lost that in America because it is everyone's God-given right to think the way they think and that's fine. That's why our ancestors came here to America to believe what they want pray how they want and follow a religion with whoever they want.

In the traditional urban novel there is only survival or not. The suburban idea the conformist idea that agony can be seen to and cured by doctors or psychoanalysis or self-knowledge is nowhere to be found in the city. Talking is a way of life but it is not a cure. Same with religion.

Communism was meant to be an alternative religion.

I love it when the left and when the president say 'Don't try to impose your values on us you folks who hold your Bibles in your hand and cling to your guns.' They have values too. Our values are based on religion based on life. Their values are based on a religion of self.

Most people I know are not hard-core religious people. They are what I would call 'lightly religious.' So I don't buy the notion that we can't laugh about religion in America.

I grew up with the religion of 'Star Wars ' frankly. That's when I realized there is something bigger out there... and it's called The Force.

But I remember the moment when my father died. I wasn't a very committed Catholic beforehand but when that happened it suddenly all felt so obvious: I now believe religion is our attempt to find an explanation for us to feel more protected.

Religion promotes the divine discontent within oneself so that one tries to make oneself a better person and draw oneself closer to God.

I think I like big issues but I don't believe in God or religion.

There's no reason to bring religion into it. I think we ought to have as great a regard for religion as we can so as to keep it out of as many things as possible.

Look at Islam in a rational manner and without demagoguery or emotion. It is the leading religion of the world with 1.5 billion followers.

I decided to take God and organized religion seriously and to reject the secular life which in my teens had looked attractive because it allowed me to act in any way that I wanted.

Intolerance respecting other people's religion is toleration itself in comparison with intolerance respecting other people's art.

Twenty five percent of Israeli citizens are not even Jewish. Anybody can become an Israeli citizen if you qualify. Religion is not a criterion for citizenship.

People still kill in the name of religion. We haven't evolved to the point where we're one tribe called humans.

I think we have to believe in things we don't see. That's really important for all of us whether it's your religion or Santa Claus or whatever. That's pretty much what it's about.

As long as there are religions there are going to be people who are hiding their rottenness behind the veil of religion.

A cult is a religion with no political power.

I do not find it easy to articulate thoughts about religion. I remain the sort of person who turns off 'Thought for the Day' when it comes on the radio.

We're all sick of holy wars and bloodshed because religion is supposed to give us life and a better life and is supposed to bring out our best self. When it results in mass destruction and hatred and anxiety it's the antithesis I think of what religion was designed to do.

I just hate one-dimensional portrayals of religion it's too cheap and easy to do and ignores the nuances that go into having a belief system.

Someone once told me that religion is like a knife: You can stab someone with it or you can slice bread with it.