--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If we look back into history for the…" description: "\"“If we look back into history for the character of present sects in Christianity, we shall find few that have not in their turns been persecutors, and ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/667/ben-franklin-36270_bishops_if-we-look-back-into-history-for-the-cha_965005.jpg" --- # If we look back into history for the character of present… ![“If we look back into history for the character of present sects in Christianity, we shall find few that have not in their turns been persecutors, and complainers of persecution. The primitive Christians thought persecution extremely wrong in the Pagans, but practised it on one another. The first…” quote by ben franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/667/ben-franklin-36270_bishops_if-we-look-back-into-history-for-the-cha_965005.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/667/ben-franklin-36270_bishops_if-we-look-back-into-history-for-the-cha_965005.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/667/ben-franklin-36270_bishops_if-we-look-back-into-history-for-the-cha_965005.jpg) > ““If we look back into history for the character of present sects in Christianity, we shall find few that have not in their turns been persecutors, and complainers of persecution. The primitive Christians thought persecution extremely wrong in the Pagans, but practised it on one another. The first Protestants of the Church of England, blamed persecution in the Roman church, but practised it against the Puritans: these found it wrong in the Bishops, but fell into the same practice themselves both here and in New England. \[ Letter to the London Packet, 3 June 1772 \]”” [ben franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-franklin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote highlights the recurring hypocrisy where groups condemn persecution yet repeat it themselves, showing a pattern of moral inconsistency across Christian history. **In simple terms:** Groups often condemn what they later practice themselves. Key Takeaway Recognize and challenge your own contradictions. Themes hypocrisy religion history morality Mood reflective critical Type historical philosophical When to use this quote - church leadership - social movements - interfaith dialogue - political activism Key Concepts ethical inconsistency power dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How do you identify your own blind spots? - Can institutions truly reform without repeating past errors? A Different Perspective It may oversimplify complex historical contexts and ignore non‑Christian perspectives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bishops](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bishops/) [Blamed Persecution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blamed-persecution-1812712/) [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Church of england](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church-of-england/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Intolerance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intolerance/) [New england](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-england/) [Pagans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pagans/) [Persecution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persecution/) [Persecution Primitive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persecution-primitive-1812711/) [Protestants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protestants/) [Puritans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/puritans/) [Puritans Wrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/puritans-wrong-1812713/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religious persecution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious-persecution/) [Roman catholic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/roman-catholic/) [Wrong Pagans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrong-pagans-1812714/) ## Related quotes > [If we look back in history for the character of the present sects in Christianity, we shall find a few that have not in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/if-we-look-back-in-history-for-the-character-of-the-present-sects-in/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [If we look back into history for the character of the present sects in Christianity, we shall find few that have not in their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/if-we-look-back-into-history-for-the-character-of-the-present-sects/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [When it was first proposed to establish laboratories at Cambridge, Todhunter, the mathematician, objected that it was unnecessary for students to see experiments performed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/when-it-was-first-proposed-to-establish-laboratories-at-cambridge/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“I am a cuddly atheist... 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One is, Preach the Gospel; and the other is--Put down enthusiasm!The Church of England in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-augusta-ward/place-before-your-eyes-two-precepts-and-two-only-one-is-preach-the/) [Mary Augusta Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-augusta-ward/) > [When I mention religion I mean the Christian religion; and not only the Christian religion, but the Protestant religion; and not only the Protestant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-fielding/when-i-mention-religion-i-mean-the-christian-religion-and-not-only/) [Henry Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-fielding/) ## More by ben franklin > [“Work as if you were to live a thousand years, play as if you were to die tomorrow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-franklin/work-as-if-you-were-to-live-a-thousand-years-play-as-if-you-were-to/) [Ben Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-franklin/) > [“In the Affairs of this World Men are saved, not by Faith, but by the Lack of it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-franklin/in-the-affairs-of-this-world-men-are-saved-not-by-faith-but-by-the-2/) [Ben Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-franklin/) > [“By failing to prepare, you a preparing to fail.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-franklin/by-failing-to-prepare-you-a-preparing-to-fail/) [Ben Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-franklin/) > [“Some people are weatherwise, and most are otherwise.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-franklin/some-people-are-weatherwise-and-most-are-otherwise/) [Ben Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-franklin/) > [“You only have the right to pursue happiness; you have to catch it yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-franklin/you-only-have-the-right-to-pursue-happiness-you-have-to-catch-it/) [Ben Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-franklin/) > [“Any society that would give up essential liberty to obtain a little security will deserve neither and lose both." 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You PLAN to FAIL.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-franklin/if-you-fail-to-plan-you-plan-to-fail/) [Ben Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-franklin/) > [“If you would not be forgotten as soon as you are dead and rottin', either write things width reading or do things worth writing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-franklin/if-you-would-not-be-forgotten-as-soon-as-you-are-dead-and-rottin/) [Ben Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-franklin/) > [“There was never a bad peace or a good war.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-franklin/there-was-never-a-bad-peace-or-a-good-war/) [Ben Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-franklin/) > [“Details are but trifles, but details make for perfection, and perfection is no trifle.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-franklin/details-are-but-trifles-but-details-make-for-perfection-and/) [Ben Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-franklin/) > [“I'd rather be a pessimist because then I can only be pleasantly surprised.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-franklin/i-d-rather-be-a-pessimist-because-then-i-can-only-be-pleasantly/) [Ben Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-franklin/) > [“The learned Fool writes his Nonsense in better Language than the unlearned; but still 'tis Nonsense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-franklin/the-learned-fool-writes-his-nonsense-in-better-language-than-the/) [Ben Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-franklin/) [Explore all 13 ben franklin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-franklin/) ## More Bishops quotes > [The good Bishop of Assisi expressed a sort of horror at the hard life which the Little Brothers lived at the Portiuncula, without comforts,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-good-bishop-of-assisi-expressed-a-sort-of-horror-at-the-hard-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My last two characters have been Denethor and Walter Bishop. 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