Although a man has not studied a single system of philosophy,
although he does not believe in any God, and never has believed,
although he has not prayed even once in his whole life, if the simple
power of good actions has brought him to that state where he is ready
to give up his life and all else for others, he has arrived at the same
point to which the religious man will come through his prayers and
the philosopher through his knowledge; and so you may find that the
philosopher, the worker, and the devotee, all meet at one point, that
one point being self-abnegation. However much their systems of
philosophy and religion may differ, all mankind stand in reverence
and awe before the man who is ready to sacrifice himself for others.
Here, it is not at all any question of creed, or doctrine—even men who
are very much opposed to all religious ideas, when they see one of
these acts of complete self-sacrifice, feel that they must revere it.
—Swami Vivekananda (Complete Works I: 86)