--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Fanatics are those who, when following a…" description: "\"“Fanatics are those who, when following a doctrine becomes inconvenient, make up rules of their own.”\" — Cathryn Louis" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f4e/cathryn-louis-31515_doctrine_fanatics-are-those-who-when-following-a_48161.jpg" --- # Fanatics are those who, when following a doctrine becomes… ![“Fanatics are those who, when following a doctrine becomes inconvenient, make up rules of their own.” quote by Cathryn Louis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f4e/cathryn-louis-31515_doctrine_fanatics-are-those-who-when-following-a_48161.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f4e/cathryn-louis-31515_doctrine_fanatics-are-those-who-when-following-a_48161.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f4e/cathryn-louis-31515_doctrine_fanatics-are-those-who-when-following-a_48161.jpg) > ““Fanatics are those who, when following a doctrine becomes inconvenient, make up rules of their own.”” [Cathryn Louis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathryn-louis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When a belief system becomes burdensome, adherents may create arbitrary rules to preserve their identity. **In simple terms:** Dogma leads to self‑crafted rules. Key Takeaway Flexibility prevents hypocrisy. Themes dogma hypocrisy identity conformity authority Mood critical skeptical Type aphorism observation When to use this quote - political movements - religious sects - corporate cultures - online fandoms Key Concepts cognitive dissonance social conformity Practical Applications - policy analysis - leadership training Questions to Reflect On - How do you distinguish adaptation from self‑interest? - When does preserving identity become harmful? A Different Perspective Some argue that rule‑making is a natural adaptation, not necessarily hypocrisy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Doctrine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doctrine/) [Fanaticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fanaticism/) [Fanatics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fanatics/) [Rules](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rules/) ## Related quotes > [The egotist is next door to a fanatic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/the-egotist-is-next-door-to-a-fanatic/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [A fanatic is always the fellow that is on the opposite side.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/a-fanatic-is-always-the-fellow-that-is-on-the-opposite-side/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [there is no fanatic like a religious fanatic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/there-is-no-fanatic-like-a-religious-fanatic/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [Ideology and religion are contraindicated for fanatics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/ideology-and-religion-are-contraindicated-for-fanatics/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [The worst vice of the fanatic is his sincerity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-worst-vice-of-the-fanatic-is-his-sincerity/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Mere human beings cant afford to be fanatical about anything. Not even about justice or loyalty. The fanatic for justice ends by murdering a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/storm-jameson/mere-human-beings-cant-afford-to-be-fanatical-about-anything-not-even/) [Storm Jameson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/storm-jameson/) > [The true fanatic is a theocrat, someone who sees himself as acting on behalf of some super-personal force: the Race, the Party, History, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-billingsley/the-true-fanatic-is-a-theocrat-someone-who-sees-himself-as-acting-on/) Lloyd Billingsley > [The fanatic is dangerous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/the-fanatic-is-dangerous/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [The fanatic has the courage of his conviction and the intolerance of his courage. He is opposed to the death penalty for murder, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-bailey-aldrich/the-fanatic-has-the-courage-of-his-conviction-and-the-intolerance-of/) [Thomas Bailey Aldrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-bailey-aldrich/) > [I think about fanaticism - oblivion awaits, especially for minor writers, so you have to be a fanatic; you have to be a crank…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-ozick/i-think-about-fanaticism-oblivion-awaits-especially-for-minor-writers/) [Cynthia Ozick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-ozick/) > [A religious fanatic is somebody who knows Jesus Christ better than you do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-kaat/a-religious-fanatic-is-somebody-who-knows-jesus-christ-better-than/) [Jim Kaat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-kaat/) > [I am a hip-hop fanatic, and rock fanatic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-masterson/i-am-a-hip-hop-fanatic-and-rock-fanatic/) [Danny Masterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-masterson/) > [I think there was a petition online to get me involved in Doctor Who. Im not a Doctor Who fanatic, but I am a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-bellman/i-think-there-was-a-petition-online-to-get-me-involved-in-doctor-who/) [Gina Bellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-bellman/) > [I Am More Spiritual Than Religious; Besides I Am Not A Fanatic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aamir-khan/i-am-more-spiritual-than-religious-besides-i-am-not-a-fanatic/) [Aamir Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aamir-khan/) > [I'm a London fanatic. That's my city. I love being from there, you don't appreciate it until you go out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyega/i-m-a-london-fanatic-that-s-my-city-i-love-being-from-there-you-don-t/) [John Boyega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyega/) ## More by Cathryn Louis > [“Worldbuilding: Giving my characters a crucible in which to form.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathryn-louis/worldbuilding-giving-my-characters-a-crucible-in-which-to-form/) [Cathryn Louis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathryn-louis/) > [“Greed, in the end, fails even the greedy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathryn-louis/greed-in-the-end-fails-even-the-greedy/) [Cathryn Louis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathryn-louis/) > [“Love - massively destructive to hatred, selfishness and greed. Use liberally.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathryn-louis/love-massively-destructive-to-hatred-selfishness-and-greed-use/) [Cathryn Louis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathryn-louis/) > [“Actions are what shape our reality; words are empty without them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathryn-louis/actions-are-what-shape-our-reality-words-are-empty-without-them/) [Cathryn Louis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathryn-louis/) > [“Artistry is the dance of color & form, whether visual, musical, or sparked in the imagination by the written word.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathryn-louis/artistry-is-the-dance-of-color-form-whether-visual-musical-or-sparked/) [Cathryn Louis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathryn-louis/) > [“If one is to drown, one may as well do it in the largest possible pond.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathryn-louis/if-one-is-to-drown-one-may-as-well-do-it-in-the-largest-possible-pond/) [Cathryn Louis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathryn-louis/) > [“A fact is a fact. Whether or not one chooses to believe it is irrelevant.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathryn-louis/a-fact-is-a-fact-whether-or-not-one-chooses-to-believe-it-is/) [Cathryn Louis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathryn-louis/) > [“Rise & set, ebb & flow; the rhythms of our world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathryn-louis/rise-set-ebb-flow-the-rhythms-of-our-world/) [Cathryn Louis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathryn-louis/) > [“A mask, no matter how beautiful, is still a mask”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathryn-louis/a-mask-no-matter-how-beautiful-is-still-a-mask/) [Cathryn Louis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathryn-louis/) > [“Sometimes a moment of clarity shines so brightly, you have no choice but to walk into the light - or hide under the rug.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathryn-louis/sometimes-a-moment-of-clarity-shines-so-brightly-you-have-no-choice/) [Cathryn Louis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathryn-louis/) > [“When you carry someone else's baggage, it's nearly impossible to get rid of your own. Drop it. Now.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathryn-louis/when-you-carry-someone-else-s-baggage-it-s-nearly-impossible-to-get/) [Cathryn Louis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathryn-louis/) > [“Rewriting is the crucible where books are born.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathryn-louis/rewriting-is-the-crucible-where-books-are-born/) [Cathryn Louis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathryn-louis/) > [“A fact simply is. Whether you choose to believe it is irrelevant.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathryn-louis/a-fact-simply-is-whether-you-choose-to-believe-it-is-irrelevant/) [Cathryn Louis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathryn-louis/) > [“Surviving is a necessity. Living is an art.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathryn-louis/surviving-is-a-necessity-living-is-an-art/) [Cathryn Louis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathryn-louis/) > [“To write requires passionate love of someone or something - even if it is merely self.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathryn-louis/to-write-requires-passionate-love-of-someone-or-something-even-if-it/) [Cathryn Louis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathryn-louis/) [Explore all 16 Cathryn Louis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathryn-louis/) ## More Doctrine quotes > [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/) > [Our nation was born in genocide when it embraced the doctrine that the original American, the Indian, was an inferior race. ... We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/our-nation-was-born-in-genocide-when-it-embraced-the-doctrine-that/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Doctrine tied itself into infinite knots over the realities of sex.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-tuchman/doctrine-tied-itself-into-infinite-knots-over-the-realities-of-sex/) [Barbara Tuchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-tuchman/) > [Lord, send Your life throughout the entire church. Visit Your church; restore sound doctrine and holy, earnest living. 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Having in mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-arnold/we-must-hold-fast-to-the-austere-but-true-doctrine-as-to-what-really/) [Matthew Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-arnold/) > [Every generation tries to put its doctrine on a high shelf where the children can not reach it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-rauschenbusch/every-generation-tries-to-put-its-doctrine-on-a-high-shelf-where-the/) [Walter Rauschenbusch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-rauschenbusch/) > [To forgive and to be forgiven are the two points of holy magnificence and holy modesty; round these two centres the whole doctrine of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-williams/to-forgive-and-to-be-forgiven-are-the-two-points-of-holy-magnificence/) [Charles Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-williams/) > [The doctrines of the Bible are often not clothed in the language of strict truth, but in that which was fittest to convey to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-pike/the-doctrines-of-the-bible-are-often-not-clothed-in-the-language-of/) [Albert Pike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-pike/) > [When members unite with the church, they should not only make a profession of faith in Christ (that is essential), but in light of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-adams/when-members-unite-with-the-church-they-should-not-only-make-a/) [Jay Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-adams/) > [And after hearing what our Church can say, If still our reason runs another way, That private reason 'tis more just to curb, Than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/and-after-hearing-what-our-church-can-say-if-still-our-reason-runs/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [ We have the ability to take him \[President of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez\] out, and I think the time has come that we exercise that… 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