Billions of people don't practice a religion at all.

It is unthinkable for a Frenchman to arrive at middle age without having syphilis and the Cross of the Legion of Honor.

It is folly for an eminent man to think of escaping censure, and a weakness to be affected with it. All the illustrious persons of antiquity, and indeed of every age in the world, have passed through this fiery persecution.

In passing, we should note this curious mark of our own age: the only absolute allowed is the absolute insistence that there is no absolute.

A major advantage of age is learning to accept people without passing judgment.