A priest once quoted to me the Roman saying that a religion is dead when the priests laugh at each other across the altar. I always laugh at the altar, be it Christian, Hindu, or Buddhist, because real religion is the transformation of anxiety into laughter.

Alan W. Watts
About This Quote

It is true that laughing in front of the altar is a bad habit. However, in this saying, the author was speaking about the power of religion, not the bad habit. Religion is a force that can transform anxiety into something else. It is a force that can put worries to rest. Religion allows people to laugh at their fears and anxieties.

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  1. The world is filled with love-play, from animal lust to sublime compassion.
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