--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ... why are so many religious people…" description: "\"... why are so many religious people arguing about the origin of the species but so few concerned about the extinction of the species?\" — Brian D. McLaren" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bb/brian-d-mclaren-8226_arguing_why-are-so-many-religious-people-arguing_1409423.png" --- # ... why are so many religious people arguing about the… ![“... why are so many religious people arguing about the origin of the species but so few concerned about the extinction of the species?” quote by Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bb/brian-d-mclaren-8226_arguing_why-are-so-many-religious-people-arguing_1409423.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bb/brian-d-mclaren-8226_arguing_why-are-so-many-religious-people-arguing_1409423.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bb/brian-d-mclaren-8226_arguing_why-are-so-many-religious-people-arguing_1409423.png) > “... why are so many religious people arguing about the origin of the species but so few concerned about the extinction of the species?” [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Religious debates focus on origins, yet neglect the urgent crisis of species extinction. **In simple terms:** People argue about creation but ignore environmental collapse. Key Takeaway Prioritize ecological stewardship over doctrinal disputes. Themes environment religion ethics urgency Mood reflective urgent Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - policy reform - faith‑based conservation - education campaigns - activism Key Concepts climate crisis species loss Questions to Reflect On - How can faith communities address climate change? - What balances belief and environmental action? A Different Perspective Religious groups may resist scientific consensus. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Environmental](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environmental/) [Evolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolution/) [Extinction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extinction/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Religious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious/) [Religious people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious-people/) [Sustainability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sustainability/) ## Related quotes > [It's a fair guess that at the rate we're destroying habitat, especially but not exclusively in the tropics, we're pushing to extinction about one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-meadows/it-s-a-fair-guess-that-at-the-rate-we-re-destroying-habitat/) [Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) > [If enough species are extinguished, will the ecosystems collapse, and will the extinction of most other species follow soon afterward? The only answer anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-o-wilson/if-enough-species-are-extinguished-will-the-ecosystems-collapse-and/) [E. O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-o-wilson/) > [Land bridges were everywhere during the extinction, many species were spreading, and there were many diseases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-t-bakker/land-bridges-were-everywhere-during-the-extinction-many-species-were/) [Robert T. Bakker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-t-bakker/) > [Our planet is currently undergoing a mass extinction of species called the Anthropocene - the Age of Man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louie-psihoyos/our-planet-is-currently-undergoing-a-mass-extinction-of-species/) [Louie Psihoyos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louie-psihoyos/) > [We discover too late that we have turned a blind eye to the extinction of a species that is essential to the balance of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-williams/we-discover-too-late-that-we-have-turned-a-blind-eye-to-the/) [Rowan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-williams/) > [“Nevertheless it is probable that the hearing rather early in life such views maintained and praised may have favoured my upholding them under a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/nevertheless-it-is-probable-that-the-hearing-rather-early-in-life/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) > [When students of other sciences ask us what is now currently believed about the origin of species, we have no clear answer to give.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bateson/when-students-of-other-sciences-ask-us-what-is-now-currently-believed/) [William Bateson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bateson/) > [The fundamental problem in the origin of species is not the origin of differences in appearance, since these arise at the level of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lack/the-fundamental-problem-in-the-origin-of-species-is-not-the-origin-of/) David Lack > [Agassiz, when I saw him last, had read but a part of Origin of Species. He says it is POOR-VERY POOR!!. The fact is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asa-gray/agassiz-when-i-saw-him-last-had-read-but-a-part-of-origin-of-species/) [Asa Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asa-gray/) > [Already at the origin of the species man was equal to what he was destined to become.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/already-at-the-origin-of-the-species-man-was-equal-to-what-he-was/) [Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/) > [When Charles Darwin wrote The Origin Of The Species, no one could have known that the ice cap would melt, that the waters would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mcqueen/when-charles-darwin-wrote-the-origin-of-the-species-no-one-could-have/) [Alexander McQueen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mcqueen/) > [“Darwin’s familiarity with human-caused extinction is also clear from On the Origin of Species. In one of the many passages in which he heaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-kolbert/darwin-s-familiarity-with-human-caused-extinction-is-also-clear-from/) [Elizabeth Kolbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-kolbert/) > [When most of us hear the phrase, 'survival of the fittest,' we assume it originated with Charles Darwin. It did not. The phrase doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-a-barker/when-most-of-us-hear-the-phrase-survival-of-the-fittest-we-assume-it/) [Joel A. Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-a-barker/) > [ It takes a long time before we really get to grips with this \[Darwin's 'On the Origin of Species'\] and begin to understand it,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/it-takes-a-long-time-before-we-really-get-to-grips-with-this-darwin-s/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [The publication in 1859 of the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin made a marked epoch in my own mental development, as it did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-galton/the-publication-in-1859-of-the-origin-of-species-by-charles-darwin/) [Francis Galton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-galton/) ## More by Brian D. McLaren > [I love writers who are insightful enough to be cynical but choose not to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/i-love-writers-who-are-insightful-enough-to-be-cynical-but-choose-not/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [“I have a confession to make.121 Almost every time I tune in to religious radio or TV, I want to change my religion. I”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/i-have-a-confession-to-make-121-almost-every-time-i-tune-in-to/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [“If, for you, orthodox means finally “getting it right” or “getting it straight,” mine is a pretty disappointing, curvy orthodoxy. But if, for you,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/if-for-you-orthodox-means-finally-getting-it-right-or-getting-it/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [That in itself is an act of peacemaking, because we're seeking to align our wills with God's will, our dreams with God's dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/that-in-itself-is-an-act-of-peacemaking-because-we-re-seeking-to/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [“The wise preacher of Ecclesiastes might say, “There is a time for everything—a time to be laid-back and a time to be outraged; a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/the-wise-preacher-of-ecclesiastes-might-say-there-is-a-time-for/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [Since I was introduced to the practice of God's presence, which in turn led me into the contemplative way, I have nearly always felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/since-i-was-introduced-to-the-practice-of-god-s-presence-which-in/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [“There’s a lot of dirty theology out there, the religious counterpart to dirty politics and dirty business, I suppose. You might call it spiritual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/there-s-a-lot-of-dirty-theology-out-there-the-religious-counterpart/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [“For me, Carol, we can't be faithful to God unless we're faithful to the facts, faithful to the data if you will. And so,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/for-me-carol-we-can-t-be-faithful-to-god-unless-we-re-faithful-to-the/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [The scarily brilliant Romantic poet and visionary William Blake dared to say what many of us have perhaps thought but kept to ourselves: “A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/the-scarily-brilliant-romantic-poet-and-visionary-william-blake-dared/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [“A generous orthodoxy is like that. It acknowledges that we’re all a mess. It sees in our worst failures the possibility of our deepest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/a-generous-orthodoxy-is-like-that-it-acknowledges-that-we-re-all-a/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [“Why is it that the choice among churches always seems to be the choice between intelligence on ice and ignorance on fire? —as quoted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/why-is-it-that-the-choice-among-churches-always-seems-to-be-the-2/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [“globalism (for better or worse) transforms personal and ethnic identities, creating hyphenated and cosmopolitan identities—in which people consider themselves first and foremost citizens of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/globalism-for-better-or-worse-transforms-personal-and-ethnic/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [We must never underestimate our power to be wrong when talking about God, when thinking about God, when imagining God, whether in prose or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/we-must-never-underestimate-our-power-to-be-wrong-when-talking-about/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [“We must, therefore, never underestimate our power to be wrong when talking about God, when thinking about God, when imagining God—whether in prose or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/we-must-therefore-never-underestimate-our-power-to-be-wrong-when/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [You know what, the thing that breaks my heart is that there's no way I can answer it without hurting someone on either side.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/you-know-what-the-thing-that-breaks-my-heart-is-that-there-s-no-way-i/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) [Explore all 82 Brian D. McLaren quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) ## More Arguing quotes > [I do wish you wouldn't argue with me when I'm knitting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-durrell/i-do-wish-you-wouldn-t-argue-with-me-when-i-m-knitting/) [Gerald Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-durrell/) > [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/) > [It's fine to talk about politics with people you agree with. 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/) > [Men are fair, and they have learned not to personalize anger - they can disagree with you and argue to the bone, but afterward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-farrell/men-are-fair-and-they-have-learned-not-to-personalize-anger-they-can/) [Warren Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-farrell/) > [When Eudæmonidas heard a philosopher arguing that only a wise man can be a good general, "This is a wonderful speech," said he; "but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/when-eud-monidas-heard-a-philosopher-arguing-that-only-a-wise-man-can/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [Fasting is required, staying away from fighting and arguing and bombing of masjids is still going on. Hatred is still manifested between Sunni and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-farrakhan/fasting-is-required-staying-away-from-fighting-and-arguing-and/) [Louis Farrakhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-farrakhan/) > [The problem for the Left, however, is that the moment it stops painting the Right as vile, it has to argue the issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/the-problem-for-the-left-however-is-that-the-moment-it-stops-painting/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/to-argue-with-a-person-who-has-renounced-the-use-of-reason-is-like/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [You can argue that the Terminator movies reboot their world each time they go back in time, but that doesn't negate the value of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hayter/you-can-argue-that-the-terminator-movies-reboot-their-world-each-time/) [David Hayter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hayter/) > [We may argue eloquently that 'Honesty is the best Policy' - unfortunately, the moment honesty is adopted for the sake of policy it mysteriously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/we-may-argue-eloquently-that-honesty-is-the-best-policy-unfortunately/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [I'm a very serious person, but I don't take myself very seriously and I would rather laugh all day than argue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stone-cold-steve-austin/i-m-a-very-serious-person-but-i-don-t-take-myself-very-seriously-and/) [Stone Cold Steve Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stone-cold-steve-austin/) > [These eyes, tho' clear To outward view of blemish or of spot, Bereft of light, their seeing have forgot, Nor to their idle orbs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/these-eyes-tho-clear-to-outward-view-of-blemish-or-of-spot-bereft-of/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [There's crucial distinction that has to be drawn between the Shari'a, which is this hugely expansive vision of cosmic order that I've been describing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadakat-kadri/there-s-crucial-distinction-that-has-to-be-drawn-between-the-shari-a/) [Sadakat Kadri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadakat-kadri/) > [Only fools argue whether to eat meat or not. They don't understand truth nor do they meditate on it. Who can define what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guru-nanak/only-fools-argue-whether-to-eat-meat-or-not-they-don-t-understand/) [Guru Nanak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-nanak/) > [The surest sign that you haven't any sense is to argue with one who hasn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/the-surest-sign-that-you-haven-t-any-sense-is-to-argue-with-one-who/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) Browse all 1,908 Arguing quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "... why are so many religious people arguing about the origin of the species but so few concerned about the extinction of the species?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Brian D. 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