--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What kind of religion would celebrate its…" description: "\"“What kind of religion would celebrate its High Holidays by reading about a biblical figure as heartless as Abraham—a classic case of paranoid schizoph..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d0/ellyn-bache-31721_abraham_what-kind-of-religion-would-celebrate-it_2482825.jpg" --- # What kind of religion would celebrate its High Holidays by… ![“What kind of religion would celebrate its High Holidays by reading about a biblical figure as heartless as Abraham—a classic case of paranoid schizophrenia, in Iona’s opinion—who nearly killed his son because he heard voices in his head and was rescued from the dirty deed only by other voices?” quote by Ellyn Bache](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d0/ellyn-bache-31721_abraham_what-kind-of-religion-would-celebrate-it_2482825.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d0/ellyn-bache-31721_abraham_what-kind-of-religion-would-celebrate-it_2482825.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d0/ellyn-bache-31721_abraham_what-kind-of-religion-would-celebrate-it_2482825.jpg) > ““What kind of religion would celebrate its High Holidays by reading about a biblical figure as heartless as Abraham—a classic case of paranoid schizophrenia, in Iona’s opinion—who nearly killed his son because he heard voices in his head and was rescued from the dirty deed only by other voices?”” [Ellyn Bache](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellyn-bache/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author questions celebrating holidays by glorifying a violent biblical figure, suggesting mental illness and moral conflict. **In simple terms:** Questioning the celebration of a violent figure and its moral implications. Key Takeaway Critically assess religious narratives and their ethical impact. Themes religion morality psychology Mood provocative critical Type philosophical controversial When to use this quote - theology studies - ethical debates - mental health awareness - cultural criticism Key Concepts ethical critique mental health perspective Questions to Reflect On - How do we balance reverence and critical analysis? - What alternative narratives could replace violent symbols? A Different Perspective Some may view the critique as disrespectful to faith traditions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abraham/) [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) [Biblical Figure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biblical-figure-882118/) [Heartless Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heartless-abraham-882117/) [Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holiday/) [Iona Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iona-opinion-882119/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Schizophrenia Iona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/schizophrenia-iona-882116/) ## Related quotes > [“That’s all! Now either leave us alone or join us as a father rather than a receiver of sacrifices. You have the choice of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-simmons/that-s-all-now-either-leave-us-alone-or-join-us-as-a-father-rather/) [Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/) > [Someone asked me...how it felt and I was reminded of a story that a fellow townsman of ours used to tell--Abraham Lincoln. They asked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/someone-asked-me-how-it-felt-and-i-was-reminded-of-a-story-that-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everybody faces obstacles. And I looked to people who had been through many to succeed in life. Abraham Lincoln, born to a poor family,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-winfield/everybody-faces-obstacles-and-i-looked-to-people-who-had-been-through/) [Dave Winfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-winfield/) > [“The biblical story of the binding of Isaac shows that human sacrifice was far from unthinkable in the 1st millennium BCE. The Israelites boasted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/the-biblical-story-of-the-binding-of-isaac-shows-that-human-sacrifice/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [“9. Abraham’s death (25:1 – 11) After Sarah’s death, Abraham took another wife, Keturah. Abraham was a rejuvenated old man and continued to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-sailhamer/9-abraham-s-death-25-1-11-after-sarah-s-death-abraham-took-another/) [John H. Sailhamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-sailhamer/) > [“Mungu hutumia watu 'wajinga' na 'wapumbavu' kufanya mambo makubwa katika maisha yao na ya watu wengine. Katika Biblia, Musa aliitwa mjinga alipokiuka amri ya…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enock-maregesi/mungu-hutumia-watu-wajinga-na-wapumbavu-kufanya-mambo-makubwa-katika/) [Enock Maregesi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enock-maregesi/) > [It was psychobabbler Abraham Maslow who wrote of the phenomena of self-actualization. What Maslow failed to grasp is that reaching true self-actualization can only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nugent/it-was-psychobabbler-abraham-maslow-who-wrote-of-the-phenomena-of/) [Ted Nugent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nugent/) > [“In the end, thought Sol, past logic and hope, it is dreams and the love of those dearest to us that form Abraham’s answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-simmons/in-the-end-thought-sol-past-logic-and-hope-it-is-dreams-and-the-love/) [Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/) > [“king of Heshbon. 6 b Moses, the servant of the”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/king-of-heshbon-6-b-moses-the-servant-of-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Moses was a great leader, right? But he wasn't a great communicator. And so God sent him Aaron so he could, let's say, communicate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javier-milei/moses-was-a-great-leader-right-but-he-wasn-t-a-great-communicator-and/) [Javier Milei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javier-milei/) > [“Whatever you are, be a good one.”   Abraham Lincoln”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rriiver-nyile/whatever-you-are-be-a-good-one-abraham-lincoln/) [Rriiver Nyile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rriiver-nyile/) > [“Never you look down on your Abraham because of your Sarah because the blessing is not in the womb of Sarah but in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ikechukwu-izuakor/never-you-look-down-on-your-abraham-because-of-your-sarah-because-the/) [Ikechukwu Izuakor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ikechukwu-izuakor/) > [Donald Trump is not going to be the nominee, because we are not going to allow - people will wake up and we're not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/donald-trump-is-not-going-to-be-the-nominee-because-we-are-not-going/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [Hebron is a bone of contention between Israeli settlers and the Palestinians in part because Abraham is buried there, in the Tomb of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-korda/hebron-is-a-bone-of-contention-between-israeli-settlers-and-the/) [Michael Korda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-korda/) > [American foreign policy and military might have opened an opportunity for the Gospel in the land of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stanley/american-foreign-policy-and-military-might-have-opened-an-opportunity/) [Charles Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stanley/) ## More by Ellyn Bache > [“Odd, how in the afterglow of someone else’s life, your own looks so much brighter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellyn-bache/odd-how-in-the-afterglow-of-someone-else-s-life-your-own-looks-so/) [Ellyn Bache](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellyn-bache/) > [“If you believe in forever, then life is just a one-night stand.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellyn-bache/if-you-believe-in-forever-then-life-is-just-a-one-night-stand/) [Ellyn Bache](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellyn-bache/) > [“Everybody’s brave when they don’t have any choice”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellyn-bache/everybody-s-brave-when-they-don-t-have-any-choice/) [Ellyn Bache](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellyn-bache/) > [“Thanks for . . . what you remember. And what you don’t. It’s not nothing. It’s a lot.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellyn-bache/thanks-for-what-you-remember-and-what-you-don-t-it-s-not-nothing-it-s/) [Ellyn Bache](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellyn-bache/) > [“There is a certain point—she has known this since her father-in-law’s long battle with heart disease—when a person begins to die in earnest. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellyn-bache/there-is-a-certain-point-she-has-known-this-since-her-father-in-law-s/) [Ellyn Bache](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellyn-bache/) > [ “When you're down, remember your triumphs. \[...\] Sometimes you get in trouble and crash. Other times: just a bumpy landing.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellyn-bache/when-you-re-down-remember-your-triumphs-sometimes-you-get-in-trouble/) [Ellyn Bache](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellyn-bache/) > [“When you’re down, remember your triumphs. That’s what I need to tell the girls. Sometimes you get in trouble and crash. Other times: just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellyn-bache/when-you-re-down-remember-your-triumphs-that-s-what-i-need-to-tell/) [Ellyn Bache](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellyn-bache/) > [“Talk about anything long enough, and you cut it down to size.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellyn-bache/talk-about-anything-long-enough-and-you-cut-it-down-to-size/) [Ellyn Bache](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellyn-bache/) > [“You’re not really afraid you’ll hurt him. You’re afraid because you believe it was wrong even to think it. But having a thought, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellyn-bache/you-re-not-really-afraid-you-ll-hurt-him-you-re-afraid-because-you/) [Ellyn Bache](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellyn-bache/) > [“But some climbs you have to make alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellyn-bache/but-some-climbs-you-have-to-make-alone/) [Ellyn Bache](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellyn-bache/) > [“You move forward. You face up to your challenges. You don't retreat. You're young, and sometimes you'll wish you could. But don't.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellyn-bache/you-move-forward-you-face-up-to-your-challenges-you-don-t-retreat-you/) [Ellyn Bache](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellyn-bache/) > [“Courtney leans into Andrea, buries her face in Andrea’s shoulder. Andrea pats her daughter’s back. Courtney blubbers. Courtney sobs. Courtney wails. It is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellyn-bache/courtney-leans-into-andrea-buries-her-face-in-andrea-s-shoulder/) [Ellyn Bache](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellyn-bache/) > [It's normal to shy away from illness and death. It's natural to gravitate toward laughter and life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellyn-bache/it-s-normal-to-shy-away-from-illness-and-death-it-s-natural-to/) [Ellyn Bache](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellyn-bache/) > [“Why was I standing on the street when the window feel out of the building? Why did the bus run over me? Because it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellyn-bache/why-was-i-standing-on-the-street-when-the-window-feel-out-of-the/) [Ellyn Bache](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellyn-bache/) > [“Max can’t help it,” Eddie says. “The teenaged brain isn’t wired for empathy. It’s designed to look forward.” “If you heard him, why didn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellyn-bache/max-can-t-help-it-eddie-says-the-teenaged-brain-isn-t-wired-for/) [Ellyn Bache](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellyn-bache/) [Explore all 16 Ellyn Bache quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellyn-bache/) ## More Abraham quotes > [“That’s all! Now either leave us alone or join us as a father rather than a receiver of sacrifices. You have the choice of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-simmons/that-s-all-now-either-leave-us-alone-or-join-us-as-a-father-rather/) [Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/) > [Hebron is a bone of contention between Israeli settlers and the Palestinians in part because Abraham is buried there, in the Tomb of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-korda/hebron-is-a-bone-of-contention-between-israeli-settlers-and-the/) [Michael Korda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-korda/) > [Donald Trump is not going to be the nominee, because we are not going to allow - people will wake up and we're not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/donald-trump-is-not-going-to-be-the-nominee-because-we-are-not-going/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [“Never you look down on your Abraham because of your Sarah because the blessing is not in the womb of Sarah but in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ikechukwu-izuakor/never-you-look-down-on-your-abraham-because-of-your-sarah-because-the/) [Ikechukwu Izuakor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ikechukwu-izuakor/) > [“Whatever you are, be a good one.”   Abraham Lincoln”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rriiver-nyile/whatever-you-are-be-a-good-one-abraham-lincoln/) [Rriiver Nyile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rriiver-nyile/) > [Moses was a great leader, right? But he wasn't a great communicator. And so God sent him Aaron so he could, let's say, communicate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javier-milei/moses-was-a-great-leader-right-but-he-wasn-t-a-great-communicator-and/) [Javier Milei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javier-milei/) > [“king of Heshbon. 6 b Moses, the servant of the”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/king-of-heshbon-6-b-moses-the-servant-of-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“In the end, thought Sol, past logic and hope, it is dreams and the love of those dearest to us that form Abraham’s answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-simmons/in-the-end-thought-sol-past-logic-and-hope-it-is-dreams-and-the-love/) [Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/) > [It was psychobabbler Abraham Maslow who wrote of the phenomena of self-actualization. What Maslow failed to grasp is that reaching true self-actualization can only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nugent/it-was-psychobabbler-abraham-maslow-who-wrote-of-the-phenomena-of/) [Ted Nugent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nugent/) > [“Mungu hutumia watu 'wajinga' na 'wapumbavu' kufanya mambo makubwa katika maisha yao na ya watu wengine. Katika Biblia, Musa aliitwa mjinga alipokiuka amri ya…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enock-maregesi/mungu-hutumia-watu-wajinga-na-wapumbavu-kufanya-mambo-makubwa-katika/) [Enock Maregesi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enock-maregesi/) > [“9. Abraham’s death (25:1 – 11) After Sarah’s death, Abraham took another wife, Keturah. Abraham was a rejuvenated old man and continued to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-sailhamer/9-abraham-s-death-25-1-11-after-sarah-s-death-abraham-took-another/) [John H. Sailhamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-sailhamer/) > [“The biblical story of the binding of Isaac shows that human sacrifice was far from unthinkable in the 1st millennium BCE. The Israelites boasted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/the-biblical-story-of-the-binding-of-isaac-shows-that-human-sacrifice/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [Everybody faces obstacles. And I looked to people who had been through many to succeed in life. Abraham Lincoln, born to a poor family,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-winfield/everybody-faces-obstacles-and-i-looked-to-people-who-had-been-through/) [Dave Winfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-winfield/) > [Someone asked me...how it felt and I was reminded of a story that a fellow townsman of ours used to tell--Abraham Lincoln. They asked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/someone-asked-me-how-it-felt-and-i-was-reminded-of-a-story-that-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [American foreign policy and military might have opened an opportunity for the Gospel in the land of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stanley/american-foreign-policy-and-military-might-have-opened-an-opportunity/) [Charles Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stanley/) [Browse all 484 Abraham quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abraham/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“What kind of religion would celebrate its High Holidays by reading about a biblical figure as heartless as Abraham—a classic case of paranoid schizophrenia, in Iona’s opinion—who nearly killed his son because he heard voices in his head and was rescued from the dirty deed only by other voices?”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ellyn Bache" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellyn-bache/what-kind-of-religion-would-celebrate-its-high-holidays-by-reading/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Abraham" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellyn-bache/what-kind-of-religion-would-celebrate-its-high-holidays-by-reading/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d0/ellyn-bache-31721_abraham_what-kind-of-religion-would-celebrate-it_2482825.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d0/ellyn-bache-31721_abraham_what-kind-of-religion-would-celebrate-it_2482825.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d0/ellyn-bache-31721_abraham_what-kind-of-religion-would-celebrate-it_2482825.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What kind of religion would celebrate its High Holidays by reading about a biblical figure as heartless as…” — Ellyn Bache", "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": "Ellyn Bache", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellyn-bache/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“What kind of religion would celebrate...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellyn-bache/what-kind-of-religion-would-celebrate-its-high-holidays-by-reading/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellyn-bache/what-kind-of-religion-would-celebrate-its-high-holidays-by-reading/#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 } } ] } ```