Religion is no more the parent of morality than an incubator is the mother of a chicken.

The aphorism argues that morality does not originate from religion, even if religion can nurture, transmit, or regulate moral behavior. The incubator metaphor separates “source” from “support”: an incubator provides conditions for development, but it is not the biological origin of the chick. Likewise, the quote implies that ethical instincts, social norms, empathy, and rational reflection can precede religious doctrine, while religious institutions may still cultivate moral habits or codify them. The line is also a critique of claims that without religion there can be no morality, reframing religion as an instrument or environment rather than a creator of ethical life.