Atheist Quote by Edward Gibbon
“Many a sober Christian would rather admit that a wafer is God than that God is a cruel and capricious tyrant.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, 1776
A sober Christian might prefer to see a sacred symbol as divine rather than view God as a harsh tyrant.
In simple terms: Prefer seeing sacred symbols as divine over viewing God negatively.
Key Takeaway
Choose reverence over cynicism.
Themes
faith
theology
perception
Mood
reflective
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
theological
When to use this quote
- religious contemplation
- theological debate
- personal belief
- artistic expression
Key Concepts
symbolism
divine nature
human projection
Questions to Reflect On
- How does symbolism shape your view of the divine?
- Can reverence coexist with critical inquiry?
A Different Perspective
The view may ignore historical critiques of religious power.
![“But [the Arabs'] friendship was venal, their faith inconstant, their enmity capricious: it was an easier task to excite than to disarm these roving barbarians; and, in the familiar intercourse of war, they learned to see, and to despise, the splendid weakness both of Rome and of Persia.” quote by Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d43/edward-gibbon-710_barbarians_but-the-arabs-friendship-was-venal-their_1636211.jpg)
![“That country [Carthage] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws; and every step of intestine discord was marked by some deplorable victory of savage man over civilized society.” quote by Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/70c/edward-gibbon-710_barbarism_that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinkin_393.jpg)
![“[In] the national and religious conflict of the [Byzantine and Saracen] empires, peace was without confidence, and war without mercy.” quote by Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/338/edward-gibbon-710_byzantine_in-the-national-and-religious-conflict-o_29382.jpg)
![“[Every] hour of delay abates the fame and force of the invader, and multiplies the resources of defensive war.” quote by Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/4de/edward-gibbon-710_delay_every-hour-of-delay-abates-the-fame-and_94668.jpg)
