Astonishing Quote by Charles Baudelaire
“The priest is an immense being because he makes the crowd believe astonishing things.”
About This Quote
Source Poem: “Le Prêtre” from Les Fleurs du Mal, 1857
Priests wield great influence, convincing crowds of astonishing claims.
In simple terms: Priests have massive influence over crowds.
Key Takeaway
Recognize the power of charismatic authority.
Themes
religion
influence
charisma
Mood
critical
skeptical
Type
philosophical
advice
When to use this quote
- political rallies
- religious sermons
- marketing campaigns
Key Concepts
belief
authority
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you discern genuine from manipulative authority?
- What safeguards protect against blind belief?
A Different Perspective
Charismatic leaders can manipulate truth.
![“[To a priest who smoked:] What a shame for a man to dress like a saint and smell like a devil!” quote by Carrie Nation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c97/carrie-nation-49377_devil_to-a-priest-who-smoked-what-a-shame-for_79212.jpg)
![“I left that church with rich and royal hatred of the priest as a person, and a loathing for the church as an institution, and I vowed that I would never go inside a church again. [Eugene V. Debs, describing his teenage reaction to a hellfire lecture by a priest]” quote by Eugene V. Debs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/434/eugene-v-debs-7814_church_i-left-that-church-with-rich-and-royal-h_71485.jpg)
