True character arises from a deeper well than religion.

Taken at face value, the line argues that moral character is grounded in something more fundamental than formal religious belief—perhaps in evolved social instincts, empathy, reasoned ethics, or culturally transmitted norms. In Wilson’s broader intellectual project, morality is often treated as a natural phenomenon shaped by biology and social life rather than bestowed solely by theology. The phrasing “deeper well” suggests an underlying source that can nourish ethical behavior across both religious and nonreligious people, challenging claims that religion is the primary or necessary foundation of virtue. It also implies that character is tested in lived conduct and communal responsibility, not merely in profession of faith.