Tolstoy and Secularism

“The instructions of a secular morality that is not based on religious doctrines are exactly what an ignorant person might do, if he were made a conductor and started to wave his hands in front of musicians well rehearsed in what they were performing. By virtue of its own momentum, and from what previous conductors had taught the musicians, the music might continue for a while, but obviously the gesticulations made with a stick by a person who knows nothing about music would be useless and eventually confuse the musicians and throw the orchestra off course.”

Leo Tolstoy, A Confession and Other Religious Writings