“Religion is not the root of all evil, for no one thing is the root of all anything.”

This quote makes use of hyperbole to stress the complexity of the causes behind evil. By stating that no one thing can be the root of all anything, the language exaggerates to argue the absurdity of attributing all evil to a single source. This contends the multifaceted nature of causality, suggesting that attributing evil solely to religion oversimplifies the intricate web of contributing factors.

“If you are religious at all it is overwhelmingly probable that your religion is that of your parents. If you were born in Arkansas and you think Christianity is true and Islam false, knowing full well that you would think the opposite if you had been born in Afghanistan, you are the victim of childhood indoctrination. Mutatis mutandis if you were born in Afghanistan.”

This passage uses analogy to compare the religious beliefs of people born in different regions, highlighting the role of geographical and cultural context in forming religious beliefs. This comparison underscores the argument that religious belief is often a product of one’s environment rather than an objective truth.

“All Sagan’s books touch the nerve-endings of transcendent wonder that religion monopolized in past centuries. My own books have the same aspiration.”

This sentence utilizes metaphor by comparing the impact of Sagan’s books to touching nerve endings, suggesting a profound and stirring effect. It also implies a dichotomy between scientific wonder and religious experience, illustrating how both aim to evoke a sense of awe.