--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: New Rule: Churches have to stop ringing…" description: "\"“New Rule: Churches have to stop ringing the damn bells. It was a good idea in the Middle Ages, but people have clocks now. It's not like you're doing ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fd/bill-maher-211_church-bells_new-rule-churches-have-to-stop-ringing-t_772677.jpg" --- # New Rule: Churches have to stop ringing the damn bells. It… ![“New Rule: Churches have to stop ringing the damn bells. It was a good idea in the Middle Ages, but people have clocks now. It's not like you're doing us all a favor by keeping the hunchbacks off the street. Make up your mind, are you a house of worship or an ice cream truck?” quote by Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fd/bill-maher-211_church-bells_new-rule-churches-have-to-stop-ringing-t_772677.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fd/bill-maher-211_church-bells_new-rule-churches-have-to-stop-ringing-t_772677.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fd/bill-maher-211_church-bells_new-rule-churches-have-to-stop-ringing-t_772677.jpg) > ““New Rule: Churches have to stop ringing the damn bells. It was a good idea in the Middle Ages, but people have clocks now. It's not like you're doing us all a favor by keeping the hunchbacks off the street. Make up your mind, are you a house of worship or an ice cream truck?”” [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Critiques outdated religious practices that clash with modern life, urging institutions to adapt or risk irrelevance. **In simple terms:** Religious traditions may be outdated. Key Takeaway Consider updating practices to fit today. Themes tradition modernity public space Mood irritated skeptical Type satirical commentary When to use this quote - church services - public events - urban planning - community engagement Key Concepts secularism social critique cultural adaptation Questions to Reflect On - How can institutions balance heritage with relevance? - What alternatives exist for preserving community roles? A Different Perspective May alienate faithful who value tradition. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bells Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bells-good-2076793/) [Church bells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church-bells/) [Churches Stop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/churches-stop-5968718/) [Damn Bells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/damn-bells-5968720/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Ice cream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ice-cream/) [Middle ages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-ages/) [Rule Churches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rule-churches-5968721/) [Stop Ringing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stop-ringing-5968719/) ## Related quotes > [The bells are a very good investment. They never break if they are maintained. I can teach the kids the basics. They may play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-gable/the-bells-are-a-very-good-investment-they-never-break-if-they-are/) [Dan Gable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-gable/) > [Bells call others, but themselves enter not into the Church.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/bells-call-others-but-themselves-enter-not-into-the-church/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [And all the world is football-shaped It's just for me to kick in space And I can see, hear, smell, touch, taste And I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-partridge/and-all-the-world-is-football-shaped-it-s-just-for-me-to-kick-in/) [Andy Partridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-partridge/) > [For bells are the voice of the church; They have tones that touch and search The hearts of young and old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/for-bells-are-the-voice-of-the-church-they-have-tones-that-touch-and/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) > [The church-bells of innumerable sects are all chime-bells to-day, ringing in sweet accordance throughout many lands, and awaking a great joy in the heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-hubbel-chapin/the-church-bells-of-innumerable-sects-are-all-chime-bells-to-day/) [Edwin Hubbel Chapin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-hubbel-chapin/) > [“Crucial insights that we need to convey to ourselves can often be received only at night, like city church bells that have to wait…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/crucial-insights-that-we-need-to-convey-to-ourselves-can-often-be/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [“Those nights when the future seemed to last only till the morning and he would count off the hours, one by one, by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-giordano/those-nights-when-the-future-seemed-to-last-only-till-the-morning-and/) [Paolo Giordano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-giordano/) > [Not a word was spoken. The church bells all were broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mclean/not-a-word-was-spoken-the-church-bells-all-were-broken/) [Don McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mclean/) > [Church bells beyond the stars heard, the soul's blood, The land of spices; something understood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/church-bells-beyond-the-stars-heard-the-soul-s-blood-the-land-of/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [You can call it nostalgia, I don't mind Standing on that windswept hillside Listening to the church bells chime Listen to the church bells…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/you-can-call-it-nostalgia-i-don-t-mind-standing-on-that-windswept/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) > [It's morning when I go to sleep In the distant dawn a church bell rings Another day is coming on A baby's born, an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-bon-jovi/it-s-morning-when-i-go-to-sleep-in-the-distant-dawn-a-church-bell/) [Jon Bon Jovi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-bon-jovi/) > [Full knee-deep lies the winter snow, And the winter winds are wearily sighing: Toll ye the church bell sad and slow, And tread softly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/full-knee-deep-lies-the-winter-snow-and-the-winter-winds-are-wearily/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [Bell, thou soundest merrily, When the bridal party To the church doth hie! Bell, thou soundest solemnly, When, on Sabbath morning, Fields deserted lie!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/bell-thou-soundest-merrily-when-the-bridal-party-to-the-church-doth/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) > [Every Christmas should begin with the sound of bells, and when I was a child mine always did. But they were sleigh bells, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-engle/every-christmas-should-begin-with-the-sound-of-bells-and-when-i-was-a/) [Paul Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-engle/) > [“You, my friend, have cojones the size of church bells,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-pratt/you-my-friend-have-cojones-the-size-of-church-bells/) [Scott Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-pratt/) ## More by Bill Maher > [A lot of people say they are dyslexic; some have to realize that they are just stupid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/a-lot-of-people-say-they-are-dyslexic-some-have-to-realize-that-they/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [I saw this anti-drug commercial that showed a kid smoking pot in his dad's room with his friend. This kid finds a gun, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/i-saw-this-anti-drug-commercial-that-showed-a-kid-smoking-pot-in-his/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [To all conservative women out there: If you are so sure the embryo needed for stem cell research are precious human life that can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/to-all-conservative-women-out-there-if-you-are-so-sure-the-embryo/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [Curious people are intersting people, I wonder why that is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/curious-people-are-intersting-people-i-wonder-why-that-is/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [You see, the difference is the Republicans' hatred of Obama is based on a paranoid feeling about what he might do, what he's thinking,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/you-see-the-difference-is-the-republicans-hatred-of-obama-is-based-on/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [The food is out of this world!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/the-food-is-out-of-this-world/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [New Rule: There is no devil, so stop blaming your screw-ups on him. Last week, one of the biggest evangelical leaders in America, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/new-rule-there-is-no-devil-so-stop-blaming-your-screw-ups-on-him-last/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [If we were a dog and God owned us, the cops would come and take us away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/if-we-were-a-dog-and-god-owned-us-the-cops-would-come-and-take-us-away/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [“New Rule: The White House doesn't have to release the dead Bin Laden photos, but don't pretend we can't take it. We've seen pictures…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/new-rule-the-white-house-doesn-t-have-to-release-the-dead-bin-laden/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [I think religion is bad and drugs are good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/i-think-religion-is-bad-and-drugs-are-good/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [I don't hate America. I love America. I want it to be better. The only way we can get it to be better is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/i-don-t-hate-america-i-love-america-i-want-it-to-be-better-the-only/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [“New Rule: Americans must realize what makes NFL football so great: socialism. That's right, the NFL takes money from the rich teams and gives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/new-rule-americans-must-realize-what-makes-nfl-football-so-great/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [So many kids are fat drug addicts these days, it's almost as if Rush Limbaugh had puppies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/so-many-kids-are-fat-drug-addicts-these-days-it-s-almost-as-if-rush/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [What we don't know is about Jeb Bush and cocaine. But we do know that he did once had his brother Florida on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/what-we-don-t-know-is-about-jeb-bush-and-cocaine-but-we-do-know-that/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [“I find that the world is changing much, much faster than I can even bitch about it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/i-find-that-the-world-is-changing-much-much-faster-than-i-can-even/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) [Explore all 897 Bill Maher quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) ## More Church bells quotes > [Bells call others, but themselves enter not into the Church.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/bells-call-others-but-themselves-enter-not-into-the-church/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [Every Christmas should begin with the sound of bells, and when I was a child mine always did. But they were sleigh bells, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-engle/every-christmas-should-begin-with-the-sound-of-bells-and-when-i-was-a/) [Paul Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-engle/) > [Bell, thou soundest merrily, When the bridal party To the church doth hie! Bell, thou soundest solemnly, When, on Sabbath morning, Fields deserted lie!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/bell-thou-soundest-merrily-when-the-bridal-party-to-the-church-doth/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) > [Full knee-deep lies the winter snow, And the winter winds are wearily sighing: Toll ye the church bell sad and slow, And tread softly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/full-knee-deep-lies-the-winter-snow-and-the-winter-winds-are-wearily/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [It's morning when I go to sleep In the distant dawn a church bell rings Another day is coming on A baby's born, an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-bon-jovi/it-s-morning-when-i-go-to-sleep-in-the-distant-dawn-a-church-bell/) [Jon Bon Jovi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-bon-jovi/) > [You can call it nostalgia, I don't mind Standing on that windswept hillside Listening to the church bells chime Listen to the church bells…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/you-can-call-it-nostalgia-i-don-t-mind-standing-on-that-windswept/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) > [Church bells beyond the stars heard, the soul's blood, The land of spices; something understood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/church-bells-beyond-the-stars-heard-the-soul-s-blood-the-land-of/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [Not a word was spoken. The church bells all were broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mclean/not-a-word-was-spoken-the-church-bells-all-were-broken/) [Don McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mclean/) > [“Those nights when the future seemed to last only till the morning and he would count off the hours, one by one, by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-giordano/those-nights-when-the-future-seemed-to-last-only-till-the-morning-and/) [Paolo Giordano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-giordano/) > [“Crucial insights that we need to convey to ourselves can often be received only at night, like city church bells that have to wait…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/crucial-insights-that-we-need-to-convey-to-ourselves-can-often-be/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [The church-bells of innumerable sects are all chime-bells to-day, ringing in sweet accordance throughout many lands, and awaking a great joy in the heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-hubbel-chapin/the-church-bells-of-innumerable-sects-are-all-chime-bells-to-day/) [Edwin Hubbel Chapin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-hubbel-chapin/) > [For bells are the voice of the church; They have tones that touch and search The hearts of young and old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/for-bells-are-the-voice-of-the-church-they-have-tones-that-touch-and/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) > [And all the world is football-shaped It's just for me to kick in space And I can see, hear, smell, touch, taste And I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-partridge/and-all-the-world-is-football-shaped-it-s-just-for-me-to-kick-in/) [Andy Partridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-partridge/) > [“You, my friend, have cojones the size of church bells,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-pratt/you-my-friend-have-cojones-the-size-of-church-bells/) [Scott Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-pratt/) > [“Through the mad mystic hammering of the wild ripping hail the sky cracked its poems in naked wonder, that the clinging of the church…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/through-the-mad-mystic-hammering-of-the-wild-ripping-hail-the-sky/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) [Browse all 35 Church bells quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church-bells/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“New Rule: Churches have to stop ringing the damn bells. 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