--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is a great interest in comparative…" description: "\"There is a great interest in comparative religion and a desire to understand faiths other than our own and even to experiment with exotic cults.\" — Emi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/415/emily-greene-balch-22411_comparative-religion_there-is-a-great-interest-in-comparative_2569060.jpg" --- # There is a great interest in comparative religion and a… ![“There is a great interest in comparative religion and a desire to understand faiths other than our own and even to experiment with exotic cults.” quote by Emily Greene Balch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/415/emily-greene-balch-22411_comparative-religion_there-is-a-great-interest-in-comparative_2569060.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/415/emily-greene-balch-22411_comparative-religion_there-is-a-great-interest-in-comparative_2569060.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/415/emily-greene-balch-22411_comparative-religion_there-is-a-great-interest-in-comparative_2569060.jpg) > “There is a great interest in comparative religion and a desire to understand faiths other than our own and even to experiment with exotic cults.” [Emily Greene Balch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-greene-balch/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Encourages studying other faiths and even experimenting with them to foster understanding. **In simple terms:** Learn about other religions and try them to broaden perspective. Key Takeaway Explore beyond your own beliefs. Themes tolerance curiosity interfaith Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type educational philosophical When to use this quote - academic study - travel - interfaith dialogues - personal spiritual practice Key Concepts cultural empathy spiritual exploration open‑mindedness Questions to Reflect On - What respectful ways can you engage with another faith? - How does comparative study affect your own beliefs? A Different Perspective Risk of superficial engagement without depth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comparative religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comparative-religion/) [Cult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cult/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Exotic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exotic/) [Exotic Cults](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exotic-cults-1675008/) [Experiments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experiments/) [Faiths Experiment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faiths-experiment-1675009/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religion Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion-desire-308784/) [Understand Faiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understand-faiths-1675007/) ## Related quotes > [“Every faith in the world is based on fabrication. That is the definition of faith―acceptance of that which we imagine to be true, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/every-faith-in-the-world-is-based-on-fabrication-that-is-the-2/) [Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/) > [The Bible represents a fundamental guidepost for millions of people on the planet, in much the same way the Koran, Torah, and Pali Canon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/the-bible-represents-a-fundamental-guidepost-for-millions-of-people/) [Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/) > [Those who truly understand their faiths understand the stories are metaphorical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/those-who-truly-understand-their-faiths-understand-the-stories-are/) [Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/) > [Man seeks to learn, and man kills himself because of the loss of cohesion in his religious society; he does not kill himself because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emile-durkheim/man-seeks-to-learn-and-man-kills-himself-because-of-the-loss-of/) [Emile Durkheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emile-durkheim/) > [“Religion is, in reality, living. Our religion is not what we profess, or what we say, or what we proclaim; our religion is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-d-forbes/religion-is-in-reality-living-our-religion-is-not-what-we-profess-or/) [Jack D. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-d-forbes/) > [Nature is my religion. And my desire...my ambition...the great goal I wish to achieve is to take my readers with me into the heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-oliver-curwood/nature-is-my-religion-and-my-desire-my-ambition-the-great-goal-i-wish/) [James Oliver Curwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-oliver-curwood/) > [In other searchings it might be the object of the quest that brought satisfaction, or it might be something incidental that one got on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willa-cather/in-other-searchings-it-might-be-the-object-of-the-quest-that-brought/) [Willa Cather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willa-cather/) > [The human soul is hungry for beauty; we seek it everywhere - in landscape, music, art, clothes, furniture, gardening, companionship, love, religion, and in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-o-donohue/the-human-soul-is-hungry-for-beauty-we-seek-it-everywhere-in/) [John O'Donohue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-o-donohue/) > [Morality is the fruit of religion: to desire the former without the latter is to desire an orange without an orange-tree.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philibert-joseph-roux/morality-is-the-fruit-of-religion-to-desire-the-former-without-the/) [Philibert Joseph Roux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philibert-joseph-roux/) > [I always thought the appeal for vampires are the same as religion, the desire to avoid death and live forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bentley-little/i-always-thought-the-appeal-for-vampires-are-the-same-as-religion-the/) [Bentley Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bentley-little/) > [“And when we say also that the Word, who is the first-birth of God, was produced without sexual union, and that He, Jesus Christ,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-martyr/and-when-we-say-also-that-the-word-who-is-the-first-birth-of-god-was/) [Justin Martyr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-martyr/) > [“Where is the graveyard of dead gods? What lingering mourner waters their mounds? There was a time when Jupiter was the king of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken-2/where-is-the-graveyard-of-dead-gods-what-lingering-mourner-waters/) [H.L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken-2/) > [ “You're right \[Joshua\], I have taught you nothing. I could teach you nothing. Everything that you needed to know was already there. You simply… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/you-re-right-joshua-i-have-taught-you-nothing-i-could-teach-you/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [I am a student of comparative religion, but whatever I read, you scratch a little bit and underneath is the oneness. You call it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irina-tweedie/i-am-a-student-of-comparative-religion-but-whatever-i-read-you/) [Irina Tweedie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irina-tweedie/) > [“All the three monotheist religions (Jewish, Christianity and Islam)claims that their God (Yahweh, God and Allah) created humans in a similar way: this indicates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajay-kansal/all-the-three-monotheist-religions-jewish-christianity-and-islam/) [Ajay Kansal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajay-kansal/) ## More by Emily Greene Balch > [Human nature seems to me like the Alps. The depths are profound, black as night, and terrifying, but the heights are equally real, uplifted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-greene-balch/human-nature-seems-to-me-like-the-alps-the-depths-are-profound-black/) [Emily Greene Balch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-greene-balch/) > [Technology gives us the facilities that lessen the barriers of time and distance - the telegraph and cable, the telephone, radio, and the rest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-greene-balch/technology-gives-us-the-facilities-that-lessen-the-barriers-of-time/) [Emily Greene Balch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-greene-balch/) > [Without a common loyalty to either a state or a church they have nevertheless a vast deal in common.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-greene-balch/without-a-common-loyalty-to-either-a-state-or-a-church-they-have/) [Emily Greene Balch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-greene-balch/) > [We have lived through the flood time of fascism and of the nazism which ran its meteoric course at a cost to mankind in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-greene-balch/we-have-lived-through-the-flood-time-of-fascism-and-of-the-nazism/) [Emily Greene Balch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-greene-balch/) > [The First World War, and especially the latest one, largely swept away what was left in Europe of feudalism and of feudal landlords, especially…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-greene-balch/the-first-world-war-and-especially-the-latest-one-largely-swept-away/) [Emily Greene Balch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-greene-balch/) > [The question whether the long effort to put an end to war can succeed without another major convulsion challenges not only our minds but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-greene-balch/the-question-whether-the-long-effort-to-put-an-end-to-war-can-succeed/) [Emily Greene Balch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-greene-balch/) > [Probably people always feel that they are living in a time of transition, but we can hardly be mistaken perhaps in thinking that this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-greene-balch/probably-people-always-feel-that-they-are-living-in-a-time-of/) [Emily Greene Balch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-greene-balch/) > [Men who are scandalized at the lack of freedom in Russia do not ask themselves how real is liberty among the poor, the weak,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-greene-balch/men-who-are-scandalized-at-the-lack-of-freedom-in-russia-do-not-ask/) [Emily Greene Balch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-greene-balch/) > [Those who are rooted in the depths that are eternal and unchangeable and who rely on unshakeable principles, face change full of courage, courage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-greene-balch/those-who-are-rooted-in-the-depths-that-are-eternal-and-unchangeable/) [Emily Greene Balch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-greene-balch/) > [A second characteristic of our time is the prevalence of nationalism. This is still spreading, affecting new communities, more peripheral regions and so-called backward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-greene-balch/a-second-characteristic-of-our-time-is-the-prevalence-of-nationalism/) [Emily Greene Balch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-greene-balch/) > [Industrialization based on machinery, already referred to as a characteristic of our age, is but one aspect of the revolution that is being wrought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-greene-balch/industrialization-based-on-machinery-already-referred-to-as-a/) [Emily Greene Balch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-greene-balch/) > [The role of Italy and of Austria has diminished as has that of France and Britain; Germany and Japan have suffered catastrophically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-greene-balch/the-role-of-italy-and-of-austria-has-diminished-as-has-that-of-france/) [Emily Greene Balch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-greene-balch/) > [It is natural to try to understand one's own time and to seek to analyse the forces that move it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-greene-balch/it-is-natural-to-try-to-understand-one-s-own-time-and-to-seek-to/) [Emily Greene Balch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-greene-balch/) > [We are not asked to subscribe to any utopia or to believe in a perfect world just around the corner. We are asked to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-greene-balch/we-are-not-asked-to-subscribe-to-any-utopia-or-to-believe-in-a/) [Emily Greene Balch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-greene-balch/) > [A major one which no one can overlook is technological and based on inventions and discoveries which have altered the whole basis of production…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-greene-balch/a-major-one-which-no-one-can-overlook-is-technological-and-based-on/) [Emily Greene Balch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-greene-balch/) [Explore all 27 Emily Greene Balch quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-greene-balch/) ## More Comparative religion quotes > [I am a student of comparative religion, but whatever I read, you scratch a little bit and underneath is the oneness. You call it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irina-tweedie/i-am-a-student-of-comparative-religion-but-whatever-i-read-you/) [Irina Tweedie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irina-tweedie/) > [ “You're right \[Joshua\], I have taught you nothing. I could teach you nothing. Everything that you needed to know was already there. You simply… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/you-re-right-joshua-i-have-taught-you-nothing-i-could-teach-you/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [“Where is the graveyard of dead gods? What lingering mourner waters their mounds? There was a time when Jupiter was the king of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken-2/where-is-the-graveyard-of-dead-gods-what-lingering-mourner-waters/) [H.L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken-2/) > [“And when we say also that the Word, who is the first-birth of God, was produced without sexual union, and that He, Jesus Christ,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-martyr/and-when-we-say-also-that-the-word-who-is-the-first-birth-of-god-was/) [Justin Martyr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-martyr/) > [“All the three monotheist religions (Jewish, Christianity and Islam)claims that their God (Yahweh, God and Allah) created humans in a similar way: this indicates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajay-kansal/all-the-three-monotheist-religions-jewish-christianity-and-islam/) [Ajay Kansal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajay-kansal/) > [Missions is not applied anthropology, comparative religion or sociology. It is storming the gates of hell. It is a power confrontation-h and-to-hand combat with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-p-yohannan/missions-is-not-applied-anthropology-comparative-religion-or/) [K.P. Yohannan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-p-yohannan/) > [Priests are often well-meaning people who haven't yet looked too thoroughly into comparative religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-genn/priests-are-often-well-meaning-people-who-haven-t-yet-looked-too/) [Robert Genn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-genn/) > [I remember when we had to pick our major freshman year, I chose comparative religion. It came to me out of the blue. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-brenneman/i-remember-when-we-had-to-pick-our-major-freshman-year-i-chose/) [Amy Brenneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-brenneman/) > [Comparative religion is an admirable recipe for making people comparatively religious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-knox/comparative-religion-is-an-admirable-recipe-for-making-people/) [Ronald Knox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-knox/) > [“The student of Comparative Religions will be able to perceive the influence of the Hermetic Teachings in every religion worthy of the name...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/three-initiates/the-student-of-comparative-religions-will-be-able-to-perceive-the/) [Three Initiates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/three-initiates/) > [“I found it again at last! Page 156 - 157 of \*My Soul to Keep\* by Melanie Wells. Dr. Dylan Foster is thinking to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-wells/i-found-it-again-at-last-page-156-157-of-my-soul-to-keep-by-melanie/) [Melanie Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-wells/) > [BY the study of different RELIGIONS we find that in essence they are one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/by-the-study-of-different-religions-we-find-that-in-essence-they-are/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [“True strength. There is no conflict with vulnerability or humility. Indeed, vulnerability and humility are essential here, and ultimately what makes strength true. One…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darrell-calkins/true-strength-there-is-no-conflict-with-vulnerability-or-humility/) [Darrell Calkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darrell-calkins/) > [I think there in a great deal to be said for religious education in the sense of teaching about religion and biblical literacy. Both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/i-think-there-in-a-great-deal-to-be-said-for-religious-education-in/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [I grew up Jewish. I am Jewish. I went to an Episcopal high school. I went to a Baptist college. I've taken every comparative-religion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eisner/i-grew-up-jewish-i-am-jewish-i-went-to-an-episcopal-high-school-i/) [Michael Eisner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eisner/) [Browse all 24 Comparative religion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comparative-religion/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There is a great interest in comparative religion and a desire to understand faiths other than our own and even to experiment with exotic cults.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Emily Greene Balch" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-greene-balch/there-is-a-great-interest-in-comparative-religion-and-a-desire-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Comparative religion" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-greene-balch/there-is-a-great-interest-in-comparative-religion-and-a-desire-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/415/emily-greene-balch-22411_comparative-religion_there-is-a-great-interest-in-comparative_2569060.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/415/emily-greene-balch-22411_comparative-religion_there-is-a-great-interest-in-comparative_2569060.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/415/emily-greene-balch-22411_comparative-religion_there-is-a-great-interest-in-comparative_2569060.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There is a great interest in comparative religion and a desire to understand faiths other than our own and…” — Emily Greene Balch", "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": "Emily Greene Balch", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-greene-balch/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There is a great interest in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-greene-balch/there-is-a-great-interest-in-comparative-religion-and-a-desire-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-greene-balch/there-is-a-great-interest-in-comparative-religion-and-a-desire-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 } } ] } ```