--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I leave it to the faithful to burn each…" description: "\"I leave it to the faithful to burn each other's churches and mosques and synagogues, which they can be always relied upon to do\" — Christopher Hitchens" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d31/christopher-hitchens-117_church_i-leave-it-to-the-faithful-to-burn-each_373297.jpg" --- # I leave it to the faithful to burn each other's churches… ![“I leave it to the faithful to burn each other's churches and mosques and synagogues, which they can be always relied upon to do” quote by Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d31/christopher-hitchens-117_church_i-leave-it-to-the-faithful-to-burn-each_373297.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d31/christopher-hitchens-117_church_i-leave-it-to-the-faithful-to-burn-each_373297.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d31/christopher-hitchens-117_church_i-leave-it-to-the-faithful-to-burn-each_373297.jpg) > “I leave it to the faithful to burn each other's churches and mosques and synagogues, which they can be always relied upon to do” [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker accuses believers of repeatedly destroying each other's sacred places, highlighting intolerance and violence inherent in fanaticism. **In simple terms:** Faithful people often attack each other's holy sites. Key Takeaway Recognize and challenge religious violence. Themes religion violence intolerance fanaticism Mood angry critical concerned Type political controversial When to use this quote - interfaith dialogue - peacebuilding - policy making - education - media reporting Key Concepts sectarian conflict social cohesion human rights Questions to Reflect On - How does religious identity fuel conflict? - What steps can reduce interfaith violence? A Different Perspective The statement may overgeneralize and ignore peaceful believers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church/) [Faithful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faithful/) [Mosques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mosques/) [Synagogue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/synagogue/) [Trust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trust/) ## Related quotes > [You cannot see faith, but you can see the footprints of the faithful. We must leave behind "faithful footprints" for others to follow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-anderson/you-cannot-see-faith-but-you-can-see-the-footprints-of-the-faithful/) Dennis Anderson > [Leave me if you must, but be faithful to me if you are with me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-edwards/leave-me-if-you-must-but-be-faithful-to-me-if-you-are-with-me/) [Elizabeth Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-edwards/) > [They were beginning to burn churches. They were beginning to move beyond crosses... They burned churches because they understood that the Christian faith was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-king/they-were-beginning-to-burn-churches-they-were-beginning-to-move/) Ed King > [“You can burn down my churches. But I shall be free.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-and-garfunkel/you-can-burn-down-my-churches-but-i-shall-be-free/) [Simon and Garfunkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-and-garfunkel/) > [For years, I was quite a militant atheist. I wanted to burn down all the churches or turn them into second-hand record emporiums.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-faber/for-years-i-was-quite-a-militant-atheist-i-wanted-to-burn-down-all/) [Michel Faber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-faber/) > [When I am at home, I never go near the synagogue unless, say, there is a bar or bat mitzvah involving the children of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/when-i-am-at-home-i-never-go-near-the-synagogue-unless-say-there-is-a/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“The noble old synagogue had been profaned and turned into a stable by the Nazis, and left open to the elements by the Communists,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/the-noble-old-synagogue-had-been-profaned-and-turned-into-a-stable-by/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [The style of God venerated in the church, mosque, or synagogue seems completely different from the style of the natural universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/the-style-of-god-venerated-in-the-church-mosque-or-synagogue-seems/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [In the past, children learned their values at home, reinforced by organizations such as the Boy Scouts and, of course, their church or synagogue,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-weyrich/in-the-past-children-learned-their-values-at-home-reinforced-by/) [Paul Weyrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-weyrich/) > [You can study God through everything and everyone in the universe, because God is not confined in a mosque, synagogue or church. But if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-study-god-through-everything-and-everyone-in-the-universe-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The fear of being uncovered, the fear of being made known for their wickedness is what is driving the ADL and that Synagogue of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-farrakhan/the-fear-of-being-uncovered-the-fear-of-being-made-known-for-their/) [Louis Farrakhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-farrakhan/) > [A survey carried out across the U.S. between 2004 and 2006 showed that frequent church- or synagogue-goers are more likely to give money to charity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-sacks/a-survey-carried-out-across-the-u-s-between-2004-and-2006-showed-that/) [Jonathan Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-sacks/) > [In monasteries, seminaries, retreats and synagogues, they fear hell and seek paradise. Those who know the mysteries of God never let that seed be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omar-khayy-m/in-monasteries-seminaries-retreats-and-synagogues-they-fear-hell-and/) [Omar Khayyam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omar-khayy-m/) > [In the old days, it was not called the Holiday Season; the Christians called it "Christmas" and went to church; the Jews called it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/in-the-old-days-it-was-not-called-the-holiday-season-the-christians/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [I grew up in Synagogue in the boys' choir. We didn't listen to music in the house; only at temple. Then I went to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-patinkin/i-grew-up-in-synagogue-in-the-boys-choir-we-didn-t-listen-to-music-in/) [Mandy Patinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-patinkin/) ## More by Christopher Hitchens > [“The spirit of our accurate and exact philosophy is outraged by conclusions that contradict each other so glaringly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/the-spirit-of-our-accurate-and-exact-philosophy-is-outraged-by/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“Many governments employ torture but this was the first time that the element of Saturnalia and pornography in the process had been made so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/many-governments-employ-torture-but-this-was-the-first-time-that-the/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [ It's \[Los Angeles\] mostly full of nonsense and delusion and egomania. 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Religion says that we would not know right from wrong, we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/religion-attacks-us-in-our-deepest-integrity-the-core-of-our-self/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“In the very recent past, we have seen the Church of Rome befouled by its complicity with the unpardonable sin of child rape, or,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/in-the-very-recent-past-we-have-seen-the-church-of-rome-befouled-by/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [It's surprising to me how many of my friends send Christmas cards, or holiday cards, including my atheist and secular friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-s-surprising-to-me-how-many-of-my-friends-send-christmas-cards-or/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [Suppose there were groups of secularists at hospitals who went round the terminally ill and urged them to adopt atheism: 'Don't be a mug…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/suppose-there-were-groups-of-secularists-at-hospitals-who-went-round/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [There are, after all, atheists who say they wish the fable were true but are unable to suspend the requisite disbelief, or who have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/there-are-after-all-atheists-who-say-they-wish-the-fable-were-true/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“It isn’t so long since a test of Anglican orthodoxy was applied to anyone seeking to study or teach at Oxford and Cambridge universities.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-isn-t-so-long-since-a-test-of-anglican-orthodoxy-was-applied-to/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [Gullibility and credulity are considered undesireable qualities in every department of human life - except religion ... Why are we praised by godly men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/gullibility-and-credulity-are-considered-undesireable-qualities-in/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [It's much worse to see a woman drunk than a man: I don't know quite why this is true but it just is. Don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-s-much-worse-to-see-a-woman-drunk-than-a-man-i-don-t-know-quite/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [It's true that obscenity is a matter of taste and in the eye of the beholder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-s-true-that-obscenity-is-a-matter-of-taste-and-in-the-eye-of-the/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [I worked out early on to give up things I couldn't do well at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/i-worked-out-early-on-to-give-up-things-i-couldn-t-do-well-at-all/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [Writing is what's important to me, and anything that helps me do that - or enhances and prolongs and deepens and sometimes intensifies argument…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/writing-is-what-s-important-to-me-and-anything-that-helps-me-do-that/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) [Explore all 1,241 Christopher Hitchens quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) ## More Church quotes > [While the 1963 Birmingham church bombing is the most historic, there also was a series of church burnings in the 1990s. 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It's not a building. It's not a preaching point. It's not a spiritual service provider. It's a people… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/t-he-church-is-not-a-place-it-s-not-a-building-it-s-not-a-preaching/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [There could be no more powerful argument against mixing religion and government than the success of independent African American churches in placing racial segregation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jacoby/there-could-be-no-more-powerful-argument-against-mixing-religion-and/) [Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/) > [Worship is not about personality, temperament, personal limitations, church background, or comfort. It is about God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wimber/worship-is-not-about-personality-temperament-personal-limitations/) [John Wimber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wimber/) > [A beggarly people, A church and no steeple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-b-macaulay/a-beggarly-people-a-church-and-no-steeple/) [Thomas B. Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-b-macaulay/) > [Pound St. Paul's Church into atoms, and consider any single atom; it is to be sure, good for nothing; but put all these atoms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/pound-st-paul-s-church-into-atoms-and-consider-any-single-atom-it-is/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [The religion of art, like the religion of politics, was born from the ruins of Christianity. 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