It is an insult to God to believe in God. For on the one hand it is to suppose that he has perpetrated acts of incalculable cruelty. On the other hand, it is to suppose that he has perversely given his human creatures an instrument -- their intellect -- which must inevitably lead them, if they are dispassionate and honest, to deny his existence. It is tempting to conclude that if he exists, it is the atheists and agnostics that he loves best, among those with any pretensions to education. For they are the ones who have taken him most seriously.

Summary

This quote by philosopher J.L. Mackie challenges the traditional religious belief in God. Mackie argues that believing in a God who allows immense cruelty implies that God is indifferent or perverse. Additionally, he suggests that the human intellect, if used objectively, would inevitably lead to a denial of God's existence. Mackie speculates that if God does exist, he would favor atheists and agnostics who have sincerely engaged with the concept of a higher being. Overall, the quote questions the rationale behind believing in a God who is allegedly responsible for both evil and endowing humans with the capacity for skepticism.

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