The only difference is that religion is much better organised and has been around much longer, but it’s the same story with different characters and different costumes.

Randi is drawing a parallel between organized religion and modern claims of the paranormal or supernatural—suggesting that both rely on recurring narrative patterns (miracles, revelations, unseen forces) rather than verifiable evidence. By emphasizing religion’s longevity and institutional structure, he implies that social organization, tradition, and cultural authority can make extraordinary claims seem more credible or familiar, even when the underlying “story” remains essentially the same. The remark reflects Randi’s broader skeptical project: to treat all extraordinary claims—whether ancient or contemporary—with the same critical standards, and to highlight how presentation, ritual, and cultural embedding can substitute for proof.