--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A religion that never suffices to govern…" description: "\"A religion that never suffices to govern a man will never suffice to save him; that which does not sufficiently distinguish one from a wicked world wil..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b53/e-w-howe-2815_doe_a-religion-that-never-suffices-to-govern_2624123.png" --- # A religion that never suffices to govern a man will never… ![“A religion that never suffices to govern a man will never suffice to save him; that which does not sufficiently distinguish one from a wicked world will never distinguish him from a perishing world.” quote by E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b53/e-w-howe-2815_doe_a-religion-that-never-suffices-to-govern_2624123.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b53/e-w-howe-2815_doe_a-religion-that-never-suffices-to-govern_2624123.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b53/e-w-howe-2815_doe_a-religion-that-never-suffices-to-govern_2624123.png) > “A religion that never suffices to govern a man will never suffice to save him; that which does not sufficiently distinguish one from a wicked world will never distinguish him from a perishing world.” [E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A religion that cannot guide a man will not rescue him; without clear moral distinction, one cannot avoid ruin. **In simple terms:** Religion must provide clear moral guidance. Key Takeaway Seek clear ethical frameworks. Themes religion ethics guidance salvation Mood thoughtful serious Type philosophical religious When to use this quote - studying religious texts - ethical decision‑making - seeking mentorship - personal reflection Key Concepts moral philosophy existential purpose spiritual clarity Questions to Reflect On - What moral compass guides you? - How do you balance tradition with personal ethics? A Different Perspective Rigid doctrines may ignore personal nuance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Distinguish Wicked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distinguish-wicked-2134788/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Perishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perishing/) [Perishing World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perishing-world-2134789/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religion Suffices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion-suffices-2134785/) [Suffices Govern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffices-govern-2134786/) [Wicked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wicked/) [Wicked world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wicked-world/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World Distinguish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-distinguish-2134787/) ## Related quotes > [How few there are who are furnished with abilities sufficient to recommend their actions to the admiration of the world, and distinguish themselves from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-steele/how-few-there-are-who-are-furnished-with-abilities-sufficient-to/) [Richard Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-steele/) > [“The kitchen. La cucina, the true mother country, this warm cave of the good witch deep in the desolate land of loneliness, with pots…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fante/the-kitchen-la-cucina-the-true-mother-country-this-warm-cave-of-the/) [John Fante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fante/) > [You'll never find rainbows, If you're looking down...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-chaplin/you-ll-never-find-rainbows-if-you-re-looking-down/) [Charlie Chaplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-chaplin/) > [“Note, though, something else of great significance about the whole Christian theology of resurrection, ascension, second coming, and hope. This theology was born out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright/note-though-something-else-of-great-significance-about-the-whole/) [N.T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright/) > [Nothing is more powerful than beauty in a wicked world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-lee/nothing-is-more-powerful-than-beauty-in-a-wicked-world/) [Amos Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-lee/) > [ But what world says that \[I'm wicked\]? It can only be the next world. This world and I are on excellent terms. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/but-what-world-says-that-i-m-wicked-it-can-only-be-the-next-world/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“The ladies egged him on; in Eve's name, they dared him; so he made love with discreet verbs and light nouns, delicate conjunctions. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-gass/the-ladies-egged-him-on-in-eve-s-name-they-dared-him-so-he-made-love/) [William H. Gass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-gass/) > [..this is just like life must be for about 99 percent of the people in the world. You're in this place. There's other people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/this-is-just-like-life-must-be-for-about-99-percent-of-the-people-in/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [I got married and I had children because of the Second World War, as all of us did, exclaiming, 'Oh, no, we are never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/i-got-married-and-i-had-children-because-of-the-second-world-war-as/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [“If you can master me, that look seemed to say, then you can master whatever else this wicked world might bring. I can see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-cornwell/if-you-can-master-me-that-look-seemed-to-say-then-you-can-master/) [Bernard Cornwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-cornwell/) > [One must be cunning and wicked in this world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/one-must-be-cunning-and-wicked-in-this-world/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“She had everything here, but like Eve, honeyed words made her want more, want something beyond love and happiness. And so she left us.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-hill/she-had-everything-here-but-like-eve-honeyed-words-made-her-want-more/) [Casey Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-hill/) > [“There’s something tragic about the way the moonlight hits her. It’s like tonight is hers. The black sky looking down and shaking its head.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-abbott/there-s-something-tragic-about-the-way-the-moonlight-hits-her-it-s/) [Daniel Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-abbott/) > [Nothing is permanent in this wicked world - not even our troubles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-chaplin/nothing-is-permanent-in-this-wicked-world-not-even-our-troubles/) [Charlie Chaplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-chaplin/) > [“In a sense the rise of Anabaptism was no surprise. Most revolutionary movements produce a wing of radicals who feel called of God to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-l-shelley/in-a-sense-the-rise-of-anabaptism-was-no-surprise-most-revolutionary/) [Bruce L. Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-l-shelley/) ## More by E. W. Howe > [There is always a type of man who says he loves his fellow men, and expects to make a living at it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/there-is-always-a-type-of-man-who-says-he-loves-his-fellow-men-and/) [E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/) > [I believe in grumbling; it is the politest form of fighting known.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/i-believe-in-grumbling-it-is-the-politest-form-of-fighting-known/) [E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/) > [A theory is no more like a fact than a photograph is like a person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/a-theory-is-no-more-like-a-fact-than-a-photograph-is-like-a-person/) [E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/) > [Few men progress, except as they are pushed along by events.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/few-men-progress-except-as-they-are-pushed-along-by-events/) [E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/) > [Men are a good deal better collectively than they are individually. Many a man will do that privately which he will denounce in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/men-are-a-good-deal-better-collectively-than-they-are-individually/) [E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/) > [The modest person is usually admired, if people ever hear of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/the-modest-person-is-usually-admired-if-people-ever-hear-of-them/) [E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/) > [The greatest thing in the world is for a man to be able to do something well, and say nothing about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/the-greatest-thing-in-the-world-is-for-a-man-to-be-able-to-do/) [E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/) > [No man would listen to you talk if he didn't know it was his turn next.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/no-man-would-listen-to-you-talk-if-he-didn-t-know-it-was-his-turn-next/) [E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/) > [People never have confidence in a Big Talker. They know his statements must be cut down, but they can never tell how much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/people-never-have-confidence-in-a-big-talker-they-know-his-statements/) [E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/) > [The only gambling tip which amounts to anything is to keep out of the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/the-only-gambling-tip-which-amounts-to-anything-is-to-keep-out-of-the/) [E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/) > [One has fear in front of a goat, in back of a mule, and on every side of a fool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/one-has-fear-in-front-of-a-goat-in-back-of-a-mule-and-on-every-side/) [E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/) > [No man's credit is ever as good as his money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/no-man-s-credit-is-ever-as-good-as-his-money/) [E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/) > [Some men storm imaginary Alps all their lives, and die in the foothills cursing difficulties which do not exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/some-men-storm-imaginary-alps-all-their-lives-and-die-in-the/) [E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/) > [There is something in the red of a raspberry pie that looks as good to a man as the red in a sheep looks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/there-is-something-in-the-red-of-a-raspberry-pie-that-looks-as-good/) [E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/) > [Love affairs have always greatly interested me, but I do not greatly care for them in books or moving pictures. In a love affair,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/love-affairs-have-always-greatly-interested-me-but-i-do-not-greatly/) [E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/) [Explore all 149 E. W. Howe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/) ## More Doe quotes > [So the fool, as distinct from the scoundrel, is completely self- satisfied; in fact, he can easily become dangerous, as it does not take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/so-the-fool-as-distinct-from-the-scoundrel-is-completely-self/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [I cannot forbid a person to marry several wives, for it does not contradict Scripture. MARTIN LUTHER, letter to Chancellor Gregory Brück, January 13,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/i-cannot-forbid-a-person-to-marry-several-wives-for-it-does-not/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [For successful education there must always be a certain freshness in the knowledge dealt with. It must be either new in itself or invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/for-successful-education-there-must-always-be-a-certain-freshness-in/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. Not only does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-prophet-who-fails-to-present-a-bearable-alternative-and-yet/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [Sometimes a sign or a quote is simply interesting by itself and does not require anything beyond being framed on a page.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vincent-benet/sometimes-a-sign-or-a-quote-is-simply-interesting-by-itself-and-does/) [Stephen Vincent Benet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vincent-benet/) > [A home is not a museum. It doesn't have to be furnished with Picasso paintings, or Sheraton suites, or Oriental rugs, or Chinese pottery.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-cain/a-home-is-not-a-museum-it-doesn-t-have-to-be-furnished-with-picasso/) [James M. Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-cain/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [He's a fool that marries; but he's a greater fool that does not marry a fool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wycherley/he-s-a-fool-that-marries-but-he-s-a-greater-fool-that-does-not-marry/) [William Wycherley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wycherley/) > [Nothing old is ever reborn but neither does it totally disappear. And that which has once been born, will always reappear in a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvar-aalto/nothing-old-is-ever-reborn-but-neither-does-it-totally-disappear-and/) [Alvar Aalto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvar-aalto/) > [One of the things the United States does well is building coalitions. What the U.S. knows is that if you don't have a coalition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/one-of-the-things-the-united-states-does-well-is-building-coalitions/) [Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/) > [Preaching to the choir actually arms the choir with arguments and elevates the choir's discourse. There's a reason the right does it and does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/preaching-to-the-choir-actually-arms-the-choir-with-arguments-and/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [ If the State does not acquire supremacy over \[vast private\] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy-over-vast-private-enterprises/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [If Wall Street crashes, does Main Street follow? Not necessarily.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-bernanke/if-wall-street-crashes-does-main-street-follow-not-necessarily/) [Ben Bernanke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-bernanke/) > [It does not seem to me to be sufficiently recognized everywhere among the officials that the existence or non-existence of our people and Empire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-von-hindenburg/it-does-not-seem-to-me-to-be-sufficiently-recognized-everywhere-among/) [Paul von Hindenburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-von-hindenburg/) [Browse all 25,574 Doe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A religion that never suffices to govern a man will never suffice to save him; that which does not sufficiently distinguish one from a wicked world will never distinguish him from a perishing world.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "E. W. Howe" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/a-religion-that-never-suffices-to-govern-a-man-will-never-suffice-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Doe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/a-religion-that-never-suffices-to-govern-a-man-will-never-suffice-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b53/e-w-howe-2815_doe_a-religion-that-never-suffices-to-govern_2624123.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b53/e-w-howe-2815_doe_a-religion-that-never-suffices-to-govern_2624123.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b53/e-w-howe-2815_doe_a-religion-that-never-suffices-to-govern_2624123.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A religion that never suffices to govern a man will never suffice to save him; that which does not…” — E. W. Howe", "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": "E. W. Howe", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A religion that never suffices to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/a-religion-that-never-suffices-to-govern-a-man-will-never-suffice-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/a-religion-that-never-suffices-to-govern-a-man-will-never-suffice-to/#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 } } ] } ```