--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I used to be a Catholic. I left because I…" description: "\"I used to be a Catholic. I left because I object to conversion by concussion. If you don't agree with what they teach, you get clobbered over the head ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f6/alan-alda-1859_agree_i-used-to-be-a-catholic-i-left-because-i_3039366.png" --- # I used to be a Catholic. I left because I object to… ![“I used to be a Catholic. I left because I object to conversion by concussion. If you don't agree with what they teach, you get clobbered over the head until you do. All that does is change the shape of the head.” quote by Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f6/alan-alda-1859_agree_i-used-to-be-a-catholic-i-left-because-i_3039366.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f6/alan-alda-1859_agree_i-used-to-be-a-catholic-i-left-because-i_3039366.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f6/alan-alda-1859_agree_i-used-to-be-a-catholic-i-left-because-i_3039366.png) > “I used to be a Catholic. I left because I object to conversion by concussion. If you don't agree with what they teach, you get clobbered over the head until you do. All that does is change the shape of the head.” [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He left Catholicism due to coercive conversion tactics, equating them with violent pressure. **In simple terms:** He left because of forced conversion. Key Takeaway Seek faith without coercion. Themes religion personal autonomy coercion spiritual health Mood thoughtful critical Type ethical personal When to use this quote - spiritual counseling - human rights advocacy - education - community leadership Key Concepts ethical conversion religious freedom Questions to Reflect On - How do you support others’ spiritual journeys? - What alternatives exist to coercive practices? A Different Perspective May generalize all religious experiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Catholic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/catholic/) [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Conversion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conversion/) [Shapes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shapes/) ## Related quotes > [If you feel like you've got a concussion, if you don't know, if you take the test whatever, if you feel like you've got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-johnson/if-you-feel-like-you-ve-got-a-concussion-if-you-don-t-know-if-you/) [Calvin Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-johnson/) > [“I hit him with a board; of course he’s got a concussion. Don’t be an idiot.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendare-blake/i-hit-him-with-a-board-of-course-he-s-got-a-concussion-don-t-be-an/) [Kendare Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendare-blake/) > [If I have another concussion and I don't feel like I can play anymore, then I won't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-reid/if-i-have-another-concussion-and-i-don-t-feel-like-i-can-play-anymore/) [Eric Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-reid/) > [You get a concussion. It could take 30, 40 days until that starts to come to life where you're in agony. Ask any doctor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gest/you-get-a-concussion-it-could-take-30-40-days-until-that-starts-to/) [David Gest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gest/) > [Sometimes a great wound or concussion of the head, especially which happens by falling headlong from an high place, brings a prejudice and weakness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-willis/sometimes-a-great-wound-or-concussion-of-the-head-especially-which/) [Thomas Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-willis/) > [I had one major concussion. It's different for each guy. For me, it was never an issue because I didn't have an issue with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-urlacher/i-had-one-major-concussion-it-s-different-for-each-guy-for-me-it-was/) [Brian Urlacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-urlacher/) > [I'm sure there have been guys who didn't realize they had a concussion and just kept playing. It's a violent game. The head injuries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-brown/i-m-sure-there-have-been-guys-who-didn-t-realize-they-had-a/) [Mike Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-brown/) > [Try not to trip. We don’t have time for a concussion today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/try-not-to-trip-we-don-t-have-time-for-a-concussion-today/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [Even though concussions affect women more often than men, there's not a lot of concussion research about women specifically. You can slip and fall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elana-meyers/even-though-concussions-affect-women-more-often-than-men-there-s-not/) [Elana Meyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elana-meyers/) > [I don't have concussion problems. I have got a problem with people giving me traumatic blows to the head, that's what I have got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-mcammond/i-don-t-have-concussion-problems-i-have-got-a-problem-with-people/) Dean McAmmond > [The concussion crisis has changed the face of sports as we know it and it has brought to surface the incredible importance of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-utecht/the-concussion-crisis-has-changed-the-face-of-sports-as-we-know-it/) Ben Utecht > [I broke my nose and got a concussion when I was 13.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cera/i-broke-my-nose-and-got-a-concussion-when-i-was-13/) [Michael Cera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cera/) > [My brain is - essentially, you take any college football player in the country, because I have had multiple, multiple concussions. I had 10…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-bryan/my-brain-is-essentially-you-take-any-college-football-player-in-the/) [Daniel Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-bryan/) > [Concussion? How the hell can they tell? They're \*football\* players, for chrissakes!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-miller/concussion-how-the-hell-can-they-tell-they-re-football-players-for/) [Dennis Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-miller/) > [We can no longer ignore the stupidity of the hits that are still happening today despite the fact that the players know the concussion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-roenick/we-can-no-longer-ignore-the-stupidity-of-the-hits-that-are-still/) [Jeremy Roenick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-roenick/) ## More by Alan Alda > [On the stage, the characters express themselves more through words than images. So the arguments of the characters and the tension between characters -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/on-the-stage-the-characters-express-themselves-more-through-words/) [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) > [We need to be more conversant with it because science is in our lives. It's in everything. It's in the food we eat. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/we-need-to-be-more-conversant-with-it-because-science-is-in-our-lives/) [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) > [When I studied how to think in school, I was taught that the first rule of logic was that a thing cannot both be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/when-i-studied-how-to-think-in-school-i-was-taught-that-the-first/) [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) > [I was brought up as a Catholic, and I'm no longer a Catholic. I don't talk about my beliefs too much in public probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/i-was-brought-up-as-a-catholic-and-i-m-no-longer-a-catholic-i-don-t/) [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) > [life is meaningless unless you bring meaning to it; ... it is up to us to create our own existence. Unless you do something,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/life-is-meaningless-unless-you-bring-meaning-to-it-it-is-up-to-us-to/) [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) > [“My mother didn't try to stab my father until I was six.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/my-mother-didn-t-try-to-stab-my-father-until-i-was-six/) [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) > [Originality is unexplored territory. You get there by carrying a canoe - you can't take a taxi.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/originality-is-unexplored-territory-you-get-there-by-carrying-a-canoe/) [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) > [It's always better to be wise than to be smart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/it-s-always-better-to-be-wise-than-to-be-smart/) [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) > [M\*A\*S\*H' was a collection of people, in front of and behind the cameras, that really clicked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/m-a-s-h-was-a-collection-of-people-in-front-of-and-behind-the-cameras/) [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) > [“Be brave enough to live creatively. The creative is the place where no one else has ever been. You have to leave the city…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/be-brave-enough-to-live-creatively-the-creative-is-the-place-where-no/) [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) > [To do a musical takes a tremendous amount of energy because you have to act and sing at the same time. And everything has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/to-do-a-musical-takes-a-tremendous-amount-of-energy-because-you-have/) [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) > [Be brave enough to live creatively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/be-brave-enough-to-live-creatively/) [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) > [It's better to be wise than to be smart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/it-s-better-to-be-wise-than-to-be-smart/) [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) > [“You can't get there by bus, only by hard work, risking, and by not quite knowing what you're doing. What you'll discover will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/you-can-t-get-there-by-bus-only-by-hard-work-risking-and-by-not-quite/) [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) > [I used to read science fiction a lot, and I still like science fiction when it is a model of how we really are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/i-used-to-read-science-fiction-a-lot-and-i-still-like-science-fiction/) [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) [Explore all 203 Alan Alda quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) ## More Agree quotes > [Any comprehensive doctrine, religious or secular, can be introduced into any political argument at any time, but I argue that people who do this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/any-comprehensive-doctrine-religious-or-secular-can-be-introduced/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [Islam never differentiates between men and women as regards political rights and puts them on an equal footing. 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But it is rude to argue about politics with people you disagree with.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/it-s-fine-to-talk-about-politics-with-people-you-agree-with-but-it-is/) [Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/) > [ I will not agree to have this bill \[to repeal DADT \] go forward, because our economy is in the tank. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-will-not-agree-to-have-this-bill-to-repeal-dadt-go-forward-because/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [“I tend to agree with that little devil more and more these days.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elle-casey/i-tend-to-agree-with-that-little-devil-more-and-more-these-days/) [Elle Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elle-casey/) > [People might not agree with me, but I think a woman should have a feminine shape, something you can get your hands on. You,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/people-might-not-agree-with-me-but-i-think-a-woman-should-have-a/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [On 9-11, we discovered that we cannot escape from the world. To me personally, this was a life-changing experience, and I realized, as did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/on-9-11-we-discovered-that-we-cannot-escape-from-the-world-to-me/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [But I would say if the Security Council is only relevant if it agrees with the United States, then we have come a long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-blix/but-i-would-say-if-the-security-council-is-only-relevant-if-it-agrees/) [Hans Blix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-blix/) > [We're never all going to agree with each other. We have to learn to value the diversity. 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