The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. He who knows it not and can no longer wonder, no longer feel amazement, is as good as dead, a snuffed-out candle. It was the experience of mystery even if mixed with fear - that engendered religion. A knowledge of the existence of something we cannot penetrate, of the manifestations of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty, which are only accessible to our reason in their most elementary forms - it is this knowledge and this emotion that constitute the truly religious attitude; in this sense, and in this alone, I am a deeply religious man.

He who knows it not and can no longer wonder, no longer feel amazement, is as good as dead, a snuffed-out candle.

Men det går ikke an at hive elementer i naturvidenskabelige forklaringer ud af deres egentlige sammenhæng og siden hævde, at disse skam er/var ment at foklare ens egen tro på noget guddommeligt - medmindre man altså netop kan fremvise konteksten der skulle belyse dette som en korrekt antagelse.