--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I shall venture to affirm, that there…" description: "\"I shall venture to affirm, that there never was a popular religion, which represented the state of departed souls in such a light,as would render it el..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e37/david-hume-538_afterlife_i-shall-venture-to-affirm-that-there-nev_339263.jpg" --- # I shall venture to affirm, that there never was a popular… ![“I shall venture to affirm, that there never was a popular religion, which represented the state of departed souls in such a light,as would render it eligible for human kind, that there should be such a state. These fine models of religion are the mere product of philosophy. For as death lies…” quote by David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e37/david-hume-538_afterlife_i-shall-venture-to-affirm-that-there-nev_339263.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e37/david-hume-538_afterlife_i-shall-venture-to-affirm-that-there-nev_339263.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e37/david-hume-538_afterlife_i-shall-venture-to-affirm-that-there-nev_339263.jpg) > “I shall venture to affirm, that there never was a popular religion, which represented the state of departed souls in such a light,as would render it eligible for human kind, that there should be such a state. These fine models of religion are the mere product of philosophy. For as death lies between the eye and the prospect of futurity, that event is so shocking to nature, that it must throw a gloom on all the regions which lie beyond it; and suggest to the generality of mankind the idea of Cerberus and Furies; devils, and torrents of fire and brimstone.” [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Religion is portrayed as a fear‑inducing construct, shaped by philosophy to justify afterlife concepts that frighten humanity. **In simple terms:** Religion is shown as a scary idea made by thinkers. Key Takeaway Question the fear behind religious afterlife claims. Themes religion philosophy fear afterlife human nature Mood thoughtful critical inquisitive Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - debates on afterlife - theological education - cultural criticism - personal belief formation Key Concepts existentialism psychology mythmaking Questions to Reflect On - How does fear shape religious belief? - Can afterlife ideas be comforting rather than terrifying? A Different Perspective Some view religion as comfort, not fear, challenging this bleak view. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Afterlife](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afterlife/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Departed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/departed/) [Departed soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/departed-soul/) [Devil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devil/) [Events](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/events/) [Fire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fire/) [Fury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fury/) [Gloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gloom/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light/) [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [Mankind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mankind/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) ## Related quotes > [“He had refused fancy clothes or makeup for this interview. His philosophy was that death should to be embarrassing; he was not about to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/he-had-refused-fancy-clothes-or-makeup-for-this-interview-his/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [“To physically overcome death – is that not the goal? – we must think the unthinkable thoughts and ask unanswerable questions. Yet we must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/to-physically-overcome-death-is-that-not-the-goal-we-must-think-the/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [“Nay, if we should suppose, what never happens, that a popular religion were found, in which it was expressly declared, that nothing but morality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/nay-if-we-should-suppose-what-never-happens-that-a-popular-religion/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [Religion is a mere question of geography.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/religion-is-a-mere-question-of-geography/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [True religion is not a mere doctrine, something that can be taught, but is a way of life. A life in community with God.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-h-boetcker/true-religion-is-not-a-mere-doctrine-something-that-can-be-taught-but/) [William J. H. Boetcker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-h-boetcker/) > [From the age of fifteen, dogma has been the fundamental principle of my religion: I know no other religion; I cannot enter into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henry-newman/from-the-age-of-fifteen-dogma-has-been-the-fundamental-principle-of/) [John Henry Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henry-newman/) > [The irony is that it was tougher to rent a car from Cerberus when it owned Alamo than to buy a semi-automatic. To rent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliot-spitzer/the-irony-is-that-it-was-tougher-to-rent-a-car-from-cerberus-when-it/) [Eliot Spitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliot-spitzer/) > [Hence, loathèd Melancholy, Of Cerberus and blackest Midnight born, In Stygian cave forlorn, 'Mongst horrid shapes, and shrieks, and sights unholy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/hence-loath-d-melancholy-of-cerberus-and-blackest-midnight-born-in/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [Um," Grover said. "Percy?" "Yeah?" "I thought you'd want to know." "Yeah?" "Cerberus? He's saying we've got ten seconds to pray to the god…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/um-grover-said-percy-yeah-i-thought-you-d-want-to-know-yeah-cerberus/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [“He could probably have persuaded even Cerberus to leave his post and go off in search of a few dog biscuits.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-rankin/he-could-probably-have-persuaded-even-cerberus-to-leave-his-post-and/) [Robert Rankin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-rankin/) > [i held it up, and tried to channel happy dog thoughts toward Cerberus- Alpo commercials, cute little puppies, fire hydrants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/i-held-it-up-and-tried-to-channel-happy-dog-thoughts-toward-cerberus/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [The hocus-pocus phantasm of a God, like another Cerberus, with one body and three heads, had its birth and growth in the blood of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-hocus-pocus-phantasm-of-a-god-like-another-cerberus-with-one-body/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [CERBERUS, n. The watch-dog of Hades, whose duty it was to guard the entrance - against whom or what does not clearly appear; everybody,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/cerberus-n-the-watch-dog-of-hades-whose-duty-it-was-to-guard-the/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [He is so polite!MYes, he is always prepared with a biscuit for Cerberus and is so timid that he assumes everyone is Cerberus, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/he-is-so-polite-myes-he-is-always-prepared-with-a-biscuit-for/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [In our English popular religion the common conception of a future state of bliss is that of ... a kind of perfected middle-class home,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-arnold/in-our-english-popular-religion-the-common-conception-of-a-future/) [Matthew Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-arnold/) ## More by David Hume > [“Beauty in things exists in the mind that contemplates them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/beauty-in-things-exists-in-the-mind-that-contemplates-them/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [“It is impossible for us to think of any thing, which we have not antecedently felt, either by our external or internal senses.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/it-is-impossible-for-us-to-think-of-any-thing-which-we-have-not/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [All morality depends upon our sentiments; and when any action or quality of the mind pleases us after a certain manner we say it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/all-morality-depends-upon-our-sentiments-and-when-any-action-or/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [And indeed nothing but the most determined scepticism, along with a great degree of indolence, can justify this aversion to metaphysics. For if truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/and-indeed-nothing-but-the-most-determined-scepticism-along-with-a/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [...virtue is attended by more peace of mind than vice, and meets with a more favourable reception from the world. I am sensible, that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/virtue-is-attended-by-more-peace-of-mind-than-vice-and-meets-with-a/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [That the sun will not rise tomorrow is no less intelligible a proposition, and implies no more contradiction, than the affirmation, that it will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/that-the-sun-will-not-rise-tomorrow-is-no-less-intelligible-a/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [We may conclude, therefore, that, in order to establish laws for the regulation of property, we must be acquainted with the nature and situation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/we-may-conclude-therefore-that-in-order-to-establish-laws-for-the/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [The observation of human blindness and weakness is the result of all philosophy, and meets us at every turn, in spite of our endeavours…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/the-observation-of-human-blindness-and-weakness-is-the-result-of-all/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [The religious hypothesis, therefore, must be considered only as a particular method of accounting for the visible phenomena of the universe: but no just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/the-religious-hypothesis-therefore-must-be-considered-only-as-a/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [Manufacturers...gradually shift their places, leaving those countries and provinces which they have already enriched, and flying to others, whether they are allured by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/manufacturers-gradually-shift-their-places-leaving-those-countries/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [We may observe that, in displaying the praises of any humane, beneficent man, there is one circumstance which never fails to be amply insisted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/we-may-observe-that-in-displaying-the-praises-of-any-humane/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [“The most perfect happiness, surely, must arise from the contemplation of the most perfect object.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/the-most-perfect-happiness-surely-must-arise-from-the-contemplation/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [“They all make up new species of crime and bring unhappiness in their train. When I hear a man is religious , I conclude…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/they-all-make-up-new-species-of-crime-and-bring-unhappiness-in-their/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [There is not to be found, in all history, any miracle attested by a sufficient number of men, of such unquestioned good sense, education…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/there-is-not-to-be-found-in-all-history-any-miracle-attested-by-a/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [“But though there be naturally a wide difference in point of delicacy between one person and another, nothing tends further to encrease and improve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/but-though-there-be-naturally-a-wide-difference-in-point-of-delicacy/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) [Explore all 487 David Hume quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) ## More Afterlife quotes > [I don't believe in an afterlife. I don't believe in a single or multiple godhead. I respect people who do, but I don't believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-judt/i-don-t-believe-in-an-afterlife-i-don-t-believe-in-a-single-or/) [Tony Judt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-judt/) > [“There was no attack on religion because people were generally indifferent to religion. They were neither hot nor cold. They were the tepid, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-day/there-was-no-attack-on-religion-because-people-were-generally/) [Dorothy Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-day/) > [I guess on one hand I believe it doesn't matter if there is life after death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-morton/i-guess-on-one-hand-i-believe-it-doesn-t-matter-if-there-is-life/) [Joe Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-morton/) > [“And what if there are only spiders there, or something of that sort”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/and-what-if-there-are-only-spiders-there-or-something-of-that-sort/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“The obsession with the afterlife is born of a panic at not having memories of a before-life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-cavanagh/the-obsession-with-the-afterlife-is-born-of-a-panic-at-not-having/) [Dean Cavanagh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-cavanagh/) > [... the man in the violent situation reveals those qualities least dispensable in his personality, those qualities which are all he will have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flannery-o-connor/the-man-in-the-violent-situation-reveals-those-qualities-least/) [Flannery O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flannery-o-connor/) > [“Most people would probably call me a ghost. I am, after all, dead. But I don't think of myself that way. It wasn't so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-pike/most-people-would-probably-call-me-a-ghost-i-am-after-all-dead-but-i/) [Christopher Pike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-pike/) > [If critics and fanboys weren't suckers for simplistic nihilism and high-pressure marketing, Afterlife would be universally acclaimed as a visionary feat, superior to Inception…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/armond-white/if-critics-and-fanboys-weren-t-suckers-for-simplistic-nihilism-and/) [Armond White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/armond-white/) > [“People, I thought, wanted security. 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Unless you are immortal, both the soul and body are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yelle-hughes/death-is-predestined-for-all-mortals-souls-live-forever-but-the-body/) [Yelle Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yelle-hughes/) [Browse all 844 Afterlife quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afterlife/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I shall venture to affirm, that there never was a popular religion, which represented the state of departed souls in such a light,as would render it eligible for human kind, that there should be such a state. These fine models of religion are the mere product of philosophy. 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