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Reverence for the Supreme Being, based upon His supposed…

“Reverence for the Supreme Being, based upon His supposed resemblance to man. The pig is taught by sermons and epistles / To think the God of Swine has snout and bristles.” quote by Ambrose Bierce
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“Reverence for the Supreme Being, based upon His supposed resemblance to man. The pig is taught by sermons and epistles / To think the God of Swine has snout and bristles.”

Ambrose Bierce

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

It mocks the tendency to anthropomorphize divine concepts, equating reverence with absurd animal imagery.

In simple terms: Mocking false reverence by comparing God to a pig.

Key Takeaway

Question assumptions about divine representations.

Themes

religion philosophy satire

Mood

critical skeptical

Type

satirical philosophical

When to use this quote

  • theological debate
  • literary criticism
  • humor writing
  • personal reflection
  • cultural analysis

Key Concepts

anthropomorphism iconoclasm

Questions to Reflect On

  • Why do we project human traits onto deities?
  • What does the pig metaphor reveal about belief?
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