Religion is so frequently a source of confusion in political life, and so frequently dangerous to democracy, precisely because it introduces absolutes into the realm of relative values.
Reinhold NiebuhrRead
The tendency to claim God as an ally for our partisan value and ends is the source of all religious fanaticism.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote highlights how people misuse religion to justify their own beliefs and agendas, leading to fanaticism.
Reinhold Niebuhr's quote emphasizes the danger of using divine endorsement to legitimize personal ideologies. When individuals claim God supports their specific viewpoints, it can lead to an extreme attachment to those beliefs, often resulting in intolerance and religious fanaticism. This misuse of religion not only distorts its true teachings but can also foster division and conflict among different groups.
Themes
ReligionFanaticismBeliefIdeologyIntolerance
In practice
Example use cases
This quote is relevant in discussions about religious extremism.
More from Reinhold Niebuhr
All quotes βThe mastery of nature is vainly believed to be an adequate substitute for self mastery.
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All you earnest young men out to save the world. . . please, have a laugh.
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God, give me grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed.
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God, give us grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, courage to change the things which should be changed, and the wisdom to distinguish the one from the other. This prayer was first printed in a monthly bulletin of the Federal Council of Churches and has become enormously popular. It has been circulated in millions of copies.
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