Religion restricts the play ...

Religion restricts the play of choice and adaptation, since it imposes equally on everyone its own path to the acquisition of happiness and protection from suffering. Its technique consists in depressing the value of life and distorting the picture of the real world in a delusional manner - which presupposes an intimidation of the intelligence. At this price, by forcibly fixing them in a state of psychical infantilism and by drawing them into a mass-delusion, religion succeeds in sparing many people an individual neurosis. But hardly anything more.
Religion restricts the play of choice and adaptation, since it imposes equally on everyone its own path to the acquisition of happiness and protection from suffering. Its technique consists in depressing the value of life and distorting the picture of the real world in a delusional manner - which presupposes an intimidation of the intelligence. At this price, by forcibly fixing them in a state of psychical infantilism and by drawing them into a mass-delusion, religion succeeds in sparing many people an individual neurosis. But hardly anything more.
 Sigmund Freud

Quotes from the same author

What a distressing contrast there is between the radiant intelligence of the child and the feeble mentality of the average adult.
 See image
 Sigmund Freud
The most complicated achievements of thought are possible without the assistance of consciousness.
 See image
 Sigmund Freud
Being entirely honest with oneself is a good exercise.
 See image
 Sigmund Freud
From error to error one discovers the entire truth.
 See image
 Sigmund Freud
It is impossible to escape the impression that people commonly use false standards of measurement — that they seek power, success and wealth for themselves and admire them in others, and that they underestimate what is of true value in life.
 See image
 Sigmund Freud