--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The prince's official job description as…" description: "\"The prince's official job description as king will be 'defender of the faith,' which currently means the state-financed absurdity of the Anglican Churc..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d0/christopher-hitchens-117_absurdity_the-prince-s-official-job-description-as_1603679.jpg" --- # The prince's official job description as king will be… ![“The prince's official job description as king will be 'defender of the faith,' which currently means the state-financed absurdity of the Anglican Church, but he has more than once said publicly that he wants to be anointed as defender of all faiths—another indication of the amazing conceit he has…” quote by Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d0/christopher-hitchens-117_absurdity_the-prince-s-official-job-description-as_1603679.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d0/christopher-hitchens-117_absurdity_the-prince-s-official-job-description-as_1603679.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d0/christopher-hitchens-117_absurdity_the-prince-s-official-job-description-as_1603679.jpg) > “The prince's official job description as king will be 'defender of the faith,' which currently means the state-financed absurdity of the Anglican Church, but he has more than once said publicly that he wants to be anointed as defender of all faiths—another indication of the amazing conceit he has developed in six decades of performing the only job allowed him by the hereditary principle: that of waiting for his mother to expire.” [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 quote criticizes the monarch’s self‑appointed role as a universal religious protector, exposing the contradiction between state‑backed Anglicanism and claims of broader spiritual authority, while highlighting the absurdity of a hereditary throne waiting on a mother’s death. **In simple terms:** The king pretends to protect all religions, but his role is rooted in Anglican tradition and personal inheritance. Key Takeaway Question the legitimacy of inherited religious authority. Themes politics religion monarchy hypocrisy inheritance Mood skeptical critical ironic Type political satirical When to use this quote - state ceremonies - public speeches - media commentary - academic analysis Key Concepts constitutional monarchy secularism symbolic power Questions to Reflect On - How does hereditary rule affect religious neutrality? - What are the limits of symbolic religious titles? A Different Perspective The claim may overstate the king’s personal influence over faith matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Absurdity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absurdity/) [Atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheism/) [Atheist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheist/) [Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church/) [Conceit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conceit/) [Defenders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defenders/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Kings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kings/) [Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Principles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principles/) ## Related quotes > [“Paul sets forth the attitude to which the defender of the faith must be committed: "Let God be found true, but every man a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-l-bahnsen/paul-sets-forth-the-attitude-to-which-the-defender-of-the-faith-must/) [Greg L. Bahnsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-l-bahnsen/) > [“The greatest rank for a man is not FD, Defender of the Faith; but it is SD, Scientia Defensor: Defender of the Science!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/the-greatest-rank-for-a-man-is-not-fd-defender-of-the-faith-but-it-is/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [ In the aftermath of the recent wave action in the Indian Ocean, even the archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williamson \[sic\], proved himself a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/in-the-aftermath-of-the-recent-wave-action-in-the-indian-ocean-even/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [I just try to be honest, because I think that's part of my job description as a writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-kaufman/i-just-try-to-be-honest-because-i-think-that-s-part-of-my-job/) [Charlie Kaufman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-kaufman/) > [What's been important in my understanding of myself and others is the fact that each one of us is so much more than any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-rogers/what-s-been-important-in-my-understanding-of-myself-and-others-is-the/) [Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/) > [Dreaming in public is an important part of our job description.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gibson/dreaming-in-public-is-an-important-part-of-our-job-description/) [William Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gibson/) > [I just never did buy this idea that you have to live in Los Angeles to be an actor. I didn't see that as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-daniels/i-just-never-did-buy-this-idea-that-you-have-to-live-in-los-angeles/) [Jeff Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-daniels/) > [Corporate types love to pretend their life is exciting. The whispers, fist-pumping and animated hand gestures are all designed to lift our job description…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chetan-bhagat/corporate-types-love-to-pretend-their-life-is-exciting-the-whispers/) [Chetan Bhagat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chetan-bhagat/) > [“Compensation Level of interest Co-workers Chances of promotion My Job Description Subordinates”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shmaya-david/compensation-level-of-interest-co-workers-chances-of-promotion-my-job/) [Shmaya David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shmaya-david/) > [While I have always thought that the motivation for looking for E.T. was both self-evident and patently worthy, it's possible that I'm a victim…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/while-i-have-always-thought-that-the-motivation-for-looking-for-e-t/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [“BACHELOR NUMBER ONE IS A NO-GO, she texted Trish. HE TALKED TOO MUCH. Within seconds, Trish texted back. ISN’T TALKING A GOOD THING ON…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-james/bachelor-number-one-is-a-no-go-she-texted-trish-he-talked-too-much/) [Julie James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-james/) > [“So if you’re dealing with a nonperforming employee, particularly on issues related to work ethic, I suggest that you begin by asking three questions:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-morley/so-if-you-re-dealing-with-a-nonperforming-employee-particularly-on/) [Patrick Morley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-morley/) > [The word actress has always seemed less a job description to me than a title](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-tierney/the-word-actress-has-always-seemed-less-a-job-description-to-me-than/) [Gene Tierney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-tierney/) > [“Redemption is not just about being saved \*from\* the consequences of sin, it is also about being saved \*to\* something- to resume the task…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-pearcey/redemption-is-not-just-about-being-saved-from-the-consequences-of-sin/) [Nancy Pearcey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-pearcey/) > [In terms of people who we call heroes - and I don't tend to like that term, and firefighters don't consider themselves heroes -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-spencer/in-terms-of-people-who-we-call-heroes-and-i-don-t-tend-to-like-that/) [Jesse Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-spencer/) ## 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. They think they'll be young and beautiful forever, even though most of them… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-s-los-angeles-mostly-full-of-nonsense-and-delusion-and-egomania/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [To be against rationalization is not the same as to be opposed to reasoning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/to-be-against-rationalization-is-not-the-same-as-to-be-opposed-to/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [ \[Religion\] attacks us in our deepest integrity - the core of our self-respect. 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 Absurdity quotes > [Even though you can't expect to defeat the absurdity of the world, you must make that attempt. That's morality, that's religion. That's art. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-ochs/even-though-you-can-t-expect-to-defeat-the-absurdity-of-the-world-you/) [Phil Ochs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-ochs/) > [The inner defenses are unconscious. They consist of a kind of magic aura which the mind builds around cherished belief. Arguments which penetrate into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-inner-defenses-are-unconscious-they-consist-of-a-kind-of-magic/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [For it is an absurdity to call a country civilized in which a decent and industrious man, laboriously mastering a trade which is valuble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/for-it-is-an-absurdity-to-call-a-country-civilized-in-which-a-decent/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [Every sensible man, every honorable man, must hold the Christian sect in horror." "Christianity is the most ridiculous, the most absurd and bloody religion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/every-sensible-man-every-honorable-man-must-hold-the-christian-sect/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [One would think that a system loaded with such gross and vulgar absurdities as Scripture religion is could never have obtained credit; yet we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/one-would-think-that-a-system-loaded-with-such-gross-and-vulgar/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Such squeamish youths as cannot bear to be connected with a little absurdity are not worth a regret.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/such-squeamish-youths-as-cannot-bear-to-be-connected-with-a-little/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [Thought of the incomprehensible sequence of changes and chances that make up a life, all the beauties and horrors and absurdities whose conjunctions create…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/thought-of-the-incomprehensible-sequence-of-changes-and-chances-that/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [We all live inside the terrible engine of authority, and it grinds and shrieks and burns so that no one will say: lines on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/we-all-live-inside-the-terrible-engine-of-authority-and-it-grinds-and/) [Catherynne M. 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It comes from an absurdity around that misery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-amstell/i-ve-always-felt-that-comedy-doesn-t-just-come-from-misery-it-comes/) [Simon Amstell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-amstell/) > [Unaware of the absurdity of it, we introduce our own petty household rules into the economy of the universe for which the life of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-herzen/unaware-of-the-absurdity-of-it-we-introduce-our-own-petty-household/) [Alexander Herzen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-herzen/) > [“Christianity would be helpless without the idea of free will and the idea of free will would be helpless without incongruity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kedar-joshi/christianity-would-be-helpless-without-the-idea-of-free-will-and-the/) [Kedar Joshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kedar-joshi/) > [Sensible Catholics have for generations been ignoring the views on contraception held by reactionary old men in the Vatican, but alas, since it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-c-grayling/sensible-catholics-have-for-generations-been-ignoring-the-views-on/) [A.C. Grayling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-c-grayling/) > [The tales of our exploits will survive as long as the human voice itself,' he said. 'And even after that, when the robots recall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/the-tales-of-our-exploits-will-survive-as-long-as-the-human-voice/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Life packed a clever one-two punch: cruelty and absurdity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/life-packed-a-clever-one-two-punch-cruelty-and-absurdity/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) [Browse all 689 Absurdity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absurdity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The prince's official job description as king will be 'defender of the faith,' which currently means the state-financed absurdity of the Anglican Church, but he has more than once said publicly that he wants to be anointed as defender of all faiths—another indication of the amazing conceit he has developed in six decades of performing the only job allowed him by the hereditary principle: that of waiting for his mother to expire.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Christopher Hitchens" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/the-prince-s-official-job-description-as-king-will-be-defender-of-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Absurdity" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/the-prince-s-official-job-description-as-king-will-be-defender-of-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d0/christopher-hitchens-117_absurdity_the-prince-s-official-job-description-as_1603679.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d0/christopher-hitchens-117_absurdity_the-prince-s-official-job-description-as_1603679.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d0/christopher-hitchens-117_absurdity_the-prince-s-official-job-description-as_1603679.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The prince's official job description as king will be 'defender of the faith,' which currently means the…” — Christopher Hitchens", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Christopher Hitchens", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The prince's official job description as...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/the-prince-s-official-job-description-as-king-will-be-defender-of-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/the-prince-s-official-job-description-as-king-will-be-defender-of-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```