--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The older I get, the more I realize that…" description: "\"The older I get, the more I realize that religion is not going to be easily marginalized by one of its wannabe successors - science, capitalism, consum..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/765/bruce-feiler-8058_capitalism_the-older-i-get-the-more-i-realize-that_593163.jpg" --- # The older I get, the more I realize that religion is not… ![“The older I get, the more I realize that religion is not going to be easily marginalized by one of its wannabe successors - science, capitalism, consumerism.” quote by Bruce Feiler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/765/bruce-feiler-8058_capitalism_the-older-i-get-the-more-i-realize-that_593163.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/765/bruce-feiler-8058_capitalism_the-older-i-get-the-more-i-realize-that_593163.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/765/bruce-feiler-8058_capitalism_the-older-i-get-the-more-i-realize-that_593163.jpg) > “The older I get, the more I realize that religion is not going to be easily marginalized by one of its wannabe successors - science, capitalism, consumerism.” [Bruce Feiler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-feiler/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Religion persists because it fulfills deep social and existential needs beyond what science or markets provide. **In simple terms:** Religion meets needs science can't. Key Takeaway Respect diverse motivations. Themes religion culture science capitalism consumerism Mood thoughtful contemplative Type philosophical observational When to use this quote - community building - education - interfaith dialogue - policy making Key Concepts meaning identity social cohesion Questions to Reflect On - What roles do rituals play in modern life? - Can secular institutions provide similar meaning? A Different Perspective Science alone may not address spiritual longing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Capitalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capitalism/) [Consumerism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consumerism/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) ## Related quotes > [Perhaps, if science is clever enough to see, it will realize that religion may not be too far off with its concrete imagery; and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-lanza/perhaps-if-science-is-clever-enough-to-see-it-will-realize-that/) [Robert Lanza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-lanza/) > [All religions have been created to explain things we know nothing about. For the Greeks, natural phenomena such as lightning could not be explained…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-a-camp/all-religions-have-been-created-to-explain-things-we-know-nothing/) Ryan A Camp > [I'm really trying to dredge up what one might call intellectual and moral material. For example, when do you realize that you are an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-auster/i-m-really-trying-to-dredge-up-what-one-might-call-intellectual-and/) [Paul Auster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-auster/) > [“Being on the outside made me realize that religion is flawed. People twist things to suit themselves and their needs. It makes normal people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-preston/being-on-the-outside-made-me-realize-that-religion-is-flawed-people/) [Natasha Preston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-preston/) > [What people don’t realize is how much religion costs. They think faith is a big electric blanket, when of course it is the cross.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flannery-o-connor/what-people-don-t-realize-is-how-much-religion-costs-they-think-faith/) [Flannery O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flannery-o-connor/) > ["Religion" can no more be equated with what goes on in churches than "education" can be reduced to what happens in schools or "health…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-cox/religion-can-no-more-be-equated-with-what-goes-on-in-churches-than/) [Harvey Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-cox/) > [We are not going to toy with our religion or any other. Nor are we going to barter. We are here to extend our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/feisal-abdul-rauf/we-are-not-going-to-toy-with-our-religion-or-any-other-nor-are-we/) [Feisal Abdul Rauf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/feisal-abdul-rauf/) > [I've got no problem with religion if you're going to use it for the good, like Gandhi or Martin Luther King. But that's rarely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janeane-garofalo/i-ve-got-no-problem-with-religion-if-you-re-going-to-use-it-for-the/) [Janeane Garofalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janeane-garofalo/) > [Religion is never going to go away, and anyone who thinks it will doesn't understand what religion is. It is a language to describe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reza-aslan/religion-is-never-going-to-go-away-and-anyone-who-thinks-it-will/) [Reza Aslan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reza-aslan/) > [Religion is not going to come up with any new arguments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/religion-is-not-going-to-come-up-with-any-new-arguments/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [Cinema to me is like a religion. If I was going to have a religion it would be cinema.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-perlman/cinema-to-me-is-like-a-religion-if-i-was-going-to-have-a-religion-it/) [Ron Perlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-perlman/) > [Are We Going to die in our religion or are we going to die in our devotion?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-platt/are-we-going-to-die-in-our-religion-or-are-we-going-to-die-in-our/) [David Platt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-platt/) > [But if you aren't any religion, how are you going to know if you should join the Y or the Jewish Community Center?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-blume/but-if-you-aren-t-any-religion-how-are-you-going-to-know-if-you/) [Judy Blume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-blume/) > [If Jehovah cannot support his religion without going into partnership with a State Legislature, I think he ought to give it up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/if-jehovah-cannot-support-his-religion-without-going-into-partnership/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [At what point, 2,000 years on from the life of Jesus, do we need a refresher course? Another 2,000 years? Imagine 100,000 years’ time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-treharne/at-what-point-2-000-years-on-from-the-life-of-jesus-do-we-need-a/) [Trevor Treharne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-treharne/) ## More by Bruce Feiler > [Moses became America's true founding father because he evangelized action; he justified risk. He gave ordinary people the courage to live with uncertainty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-feiler/moses-became-america-s-true-founding-father-because-he-evangelized/) [Bruce Feiler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-feiler/) > [Even Superman's name reflects his creators' biblical knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-feiler/even-superman-s-name-reflects-his-creators-biblical-knowledge/) [Bruce Feiler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-feiler/) > [But humans disappoint. Adam, in tasting the fruit, indicates that he prefers Eve to God, so God banishes them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-feiler/but-humans-disappoint-adam-in-tasting-the-fruit-indicates-that-he/) [Bruce Feiler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-feiler/) > [The way to tell a really big story, I think, is to tell a really small story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-feiler/the-way-to-tell-a-really-big-story-i-think-is-to-tell-a-really-small/) [Bruce Feiler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-feiler/) > [The key idea of agile is that teams essentially manage themselves. ... It works in software, and it turns out that it works with kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-feiler/the-key-idea-of-agile-is-that-teams-essentially-manage-themselves-it/) [Bruce Feiler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-feiler/) > [The bottom line: if you want a happier family, create, refine and retell the story of your family's positive moments and your ability to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-feiler/the-bottom-line-if-you-want-a-happier-family-create-refine-and-retell/) [Bruce Feiler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-feiler/) > [Knowing more about family history is the single biggest predictor of a child's emotional well-being. Grandparents can play a special role in this process,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-feiler/knowing-more-about-family-history-is-the-single-biggest-predictor-of/) [Bruce Feiler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-feiler/) > [“A meta-analysis of sixty-six studies completed in 1992 found that mothers who have more support from grandmothers have less stress and more well-adjusted children.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-feiler/a-meta-analysis-of-sixty-six-studies-completed-in-1992-found-that/) [Bruce Feiler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-feiler/) > [The bottom line: If you want a happier family, bring those skeletons out of the closet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-feiler/the-bottom-line-if-you-want-a-happier-family-bring-those-skeletons/) [Bruce Feiler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-feiler/) > [I think that most of the action in religion is around the home, is in families, and is in individual lives, and they can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-feiler/i-think-that-most-of-the-action-in-religion-is-around-the-home-is-in/) [Bruce Feiler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-feiler/) > [My name is Bruce Feiler, and I'm an explainaholic. I first heard this word used to describe Isaac Asimov, and I knew instantly that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-feiler/my-name-is-bruce-feiler-and-i-m-an-explainaholic-i-first-heard-this/) [Bruce Feiler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-feiler/) > [When I was growing up, I, like many Jews, cheered what appeared to be the receding of faith from everyday life. The further religion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-feiler/when-i-was-growing-up-i-like-many-jews-cheered-what-appeared-to-be/) [Bruce Feiler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-feiler/) > [You don't need a grand plan, you don't need to go back to the ancestors and rewrite the rules. You just need to take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-feiler/you-don-t-need-a-grand-plan-you-don-t-need-to-go-back-to-the/) [Bruce Feiler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-feiler/) > [I grew up in the age of discount air fare, and for me, the act of joining a culture was a great way about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-feiler/i-grew-up-in-the-age-of-discount-air-fare-and-for-me-the-act-of/) [Bruce Feiler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-feiler/) > [I set out to write an anti-parenting parenting book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-feiler/i-set-out-to-write-an-anti-parenting-parenting-book/) [Bruce Feiler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-feiler/) [Explore all 85 Bruce Feiler quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-feiler/) ## More Capitalism quotes > [Don't let's lose sight of what creates wealth. 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