--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I tell you, we would be hard put to…" description: "\"I tell you, we would be hard put to determine what is more evil -- religion or the pure idea. The intervention of the supernatural or the elegant abstr..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77e/anne-rice-238_abstract_i-tell-you-we-would-be-hard-put-to-deter_939060.jpg" --- # I tell you, we would be hard put to determine what is more… ![“I tell you, we would be hard put to determine what is more evil -- religion or the pure idea. The intervention of the supernatural or the elegant abstract solution! Both have bathed this earth in suffering; both have brought the human race literally and figuratively to its knees.” quote by Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77e/anne-rice-238_abstract_i-tell-you-we-would-be-hard-put-to-deter_939060.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77e/anne-rice-238_abstract_i-tell-you-we-would-be-hard-put-to-deter_939060.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77e/anne-rice-238_abstract_i-tell-you-we-would-be-hard-put-to-deter_939060.jpg) > “I tell you, we would be hard put to determine what is more evil -- religion or the pure idea. The intervention of the supernatural or the elegant abstract solution! Both have bathed this earth in suffering; both have brought the human race literally and figuratively to its knees.” [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Religion and abstract ideas both cause suffering, yet both also shape humanity’s deepest struggles and aspirations. **In simple terms:** Both faith and ideas cause pain. Key Takeaway Recognize the dual nature of belief and thought. Themes religion philosophy human suffering Mood reflective somber Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - ethical debates - personal crises - cultural analysis Key Concepts theology metaphysics Questions to Reflect On - What suffering does belief cause? - Can abstract ideas heal? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on one can ignore the other. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abstract](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abstract/) [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Human race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-race/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Intervention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intervention/) [Race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) ## Related quotes > [What is there unreasonable in admitting the intervention of a supernatural power in the most ordinary circumstances of life?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/what-is-there-unreasonable-in-admitting-the-intervention-of-a/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [“We are rising out of the ashes of pain and powerless religion to become a pure reflection of God in the earth!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-wright/we-are-rising-out-of-the-ashes-of-pain-and-powerless-religion-to/) Liz Wright > [“The core tenet of worldly religion and the pure heart of the Lord Jesus are different in that one is centered around being a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/the-core-tenet-of-worldly-religion-and-the-pure-heart-of-the-lord/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“Love has no culture, boundaries, race and religion. It is pure and beautiful like early morning sunrise falling in lake.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santosh-kalwar/love-has-no-culture-boundaries-race-and-religion-it-is-pure-and/) [Santosh Kalwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santosh-kalwar/) > [“Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their affliction and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-furman/religion-that-is-pure-and-undefiled-before-god-and-the-father-is-this/) Kathleen Furman > [“Contrast toxic religion with the pure gospel. Religion is all about what I do. The gospel is all about what Jesus has done. Religion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-groeschel/contrast-toxic-religion-with-the-pure-gospel-religion-is-all-about/) [Craig Groeschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-groeschel/) > [Certainly one of our God-given privileges is the right to choose what our attitude will be in any given set of circumstances. We can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-j-ashton/certainly-one-of-our-god-given-privileges-is-the-right-to-choose-what/) [Marvin J. Ashton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-j-ashton/) > [“The idea of good and evil has thus nothing to do with religion or a mystic conscience. It is a natural need of animal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kropotkin/the-idea-of-good-and-evil-has-thus-nothing-to-do-with-religion-or-a/) [Peter Kropotkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kropotkin/) > [If money is the root of all evil; religion is an evil which grows from that root.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-fowler/if-money-is-the-root-of-all-evil-religion-is-an-evil-which-grows-from/) [Steve Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-fowler/) > [Religion grants its adherents malign, intoxicating and morally corrosive sensations. Destroying intellectual freedom is always evil, but only religion makes doing evil feel quite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-pullman/religion-grants-its-adherents-malign-intoxicating-and-morally/) [Philip Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-pullman/) > [If your religion doesn't teach you the difference between good and evil, your religion is worse than useless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/if-your-religion-doesn-t-teach-you-the-difference-between-good-and/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [I need to learn not to bend over backwards to be nice to faith-heads. Give these people an inch and they take a league.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/i-need-to-learn-not-to-bend-over-backwards-to-be-nice-to-faith-heads/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [“I am not sure how evil religion by nature is, but I have no doubt of its stupidity and insanity in practice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/i-am-not-sure-how-evil-religion-by-nature-is-but-i-have-no-doubt-of/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [If money is the root of all evil, religion is the plant that grows from that root.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-fowler/if-money-is-the-root-of-all-evil-religion-is-the-plant-that-grows/) [Steve Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-fowler/) > [Being good or evil has nothing to do with religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naseeruddin-shah/being-good-or-evil-has-nothing-to-do-with-religion/) [Naseeruddin Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naseeruddin-shah/) ## More by Anne Rice > [But just remember, life without me would be even more unbearable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/but-just-remember-life-without-me-would-be-even-more-unbearable/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) > [“There had never been any talent, any talent to draw or paint or to make music or to write or to make any of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/there-had-never-been-any-talent-any-talent-to-draw-or-paint-or-to/) [anne rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) > [“there are only two things which I believe—the first is that no mortal can refuse the Dark Gift once he really knows what it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/there-are-only-two-things-which-i-believe-the-first-is-that-no-mortal/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) > [“Lie quiet and you will lapse back into peace again. Be like the god Heimdall before the battle call, so still that you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/lie-quiet-and-you-will-lapse-back-into-peace-again-be-like-the-god/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) > [All the stories I have told you are finally as useless as all ancient knowledge is to man and to us. Its images and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/all-the-stories-i-have-told-you-are-finally-as-useless-as-all-ancient/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) > [If you want to be a writer, write. Write and write and write. If you stop, start again. Save everything that you write. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/if-you-want-to-be-a-writer-write-write-and-write-and-write-if-you/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) > [How can so much beauty hide such a bruised and steely heart, and why must I love him, why must I lean in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/how-can-so-much-beauty-hide-such-a-bruised-and-steely-heart-and-why/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) > [“you do get wiser when you live for hundreds of years; but you also have more time to turn out as badly as your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/you-do-get-wiser-when-you-live-for-hundreds-of-years-but-you-also/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) > [I never lie," I said offhand. "At least not to those I don't love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/i-never-lie-i-said-offhand-at-least-not-to-those-i-don-t-love/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) > [“I don't need to sleep to play. I'm crazy anyway. Being crazier still could only help.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/i-don-t-need-to-sleep-to-play-i-m-crazy-anyway-being-crazier-still/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) > [“what I felt was inexpressible gratitude for the music, that in this horror there could be something as beautiful as that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/what-i-felt-was-inexpressible-gratitude-for-the-music-that-in-this/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) > [I stumble through a carnival of horrors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/i-stumble-through-a-carnival-of-horrors/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) > [“Look up at heaven and hell in the sky, for the stars are balls of fire suspended there by the angels.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/look-up-at-heaven-and-hell-in-the-sky-for-the-stars-are-balls-of-fire/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) > [I do not allow fan-fiction. The characters are copyrighted. It upsets me terribly to even think about fan-fiction with my characters. I advise my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/i-do-not-allow-fan-fiction-the-characters-are-copyrighted-it-upsets/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) > [Truth is a risky proposition. It's the nature of mediocre human beings to believe that lies are necessary, that they serve a purpose, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/truth-is-a-risky-proposition-it-s-the-nature-of-mediocre-human-beings/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) [Explore all 826 Anne Rice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) ## More Abstract quotes > [Love is like that, fragile and light. 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It's sort of an abstract silliness, that sometimes the joke isn't the star.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-carvey/describing-comic-sensibility-is-near-impossible-it-s-sort-of-an/) [Dana Carvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-carvey/) > [For people of color - especially African Americans - the idea that racist cops might frame members of their community is no abstract notion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/for-people-of-color-especially-african-americans-the-idea-that-racist/) [Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/) > [The word of the Lord never comes to us as an opinion, no attempt is made to support it by argument, it comes as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-w-ivins/the-word-of-the-lord-never-comes-to-us-as-an-opinion-no-attempt-is/) Anthony W. Ivins > [A mobile is an abstract sculpture made chiefly out of sheet metal, steel rods, wire and wood. Some or all of these elements move,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-calder/a-mobile-is-an-abstract-sculpture-made-chiefly-out-of-sheet-metal/) [Alexander Calder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-calder/) > [I'm this superphilosophical kind of person. Stuck in a prison of abstract ideas and overpowering emotions, I have this personality that makes it really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natsuo-kirino/i-m-this-superphilosophical-kind-of-person-stuck-in-a-prison-of/) [Natsuo Kirino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natsuo-kirino/) > [Future lawyers should be more aware that law is not a system of abstract logic, but the web of arrangements, rooted in history but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-frankfurter/future-lawyers-should-be-more-aware-that-law-is-not-a-system-of/) [Felix Frankfurter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-frankfurter/) > [The trouble is that when you read criticisms about the other films that I've made you get the impression that they're all about themes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-haneke/the-trouble-is-that-when-you-read-criticisms-about-the-other-films/) [Michael Haneke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-haneke/) > [Painting is... a richer language than words... Painting operates through signs which are not abstract and incorporeal like words. The signs of painting are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-dubuffet/painting-is-a-richer-language-than-words-painting-operates-through/) [Jean Dubuffet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-dubuffet/) [Browse all 1,403 Abstract quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abstract/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I tell you, we would be hard put to determine what is more evil -- religion or the pure idea. The intervention of the supernatural or the elegant abstract solution! 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