--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Consciously or unconsciously, most…" description: "\"“Consciously or unconsciously, most theists see in gods and devils, heaven and hell, reward and punishment, a whip to lash the people into obedience, m..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/675/emma-goldman-774_happiness_consciously-or-unconsciously-most-theist_1093944.jpg" --- # Consciously or unconsciously, most theists see in gods and… ![“Consciously or unconsciously, most theists see in gods and devils, heaven and hell, reward and punishment, a whip to lash the people into obedience, meekness and contentment.…” quote by Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/675/emma-goldman-774_happiness_consciously-or-unconsciously-most-theist_1093944.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/675/emma-goldman-774_happiness_consciously-or-unconsciously-most-theist_1093944.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/675/emma-goldman-774_happiness_consciously-or-unconsciously-most-theist_1093944.jpg) > ““Consciously or unconsciously, most theists see in gods and devils, heaven and hell, reward and punishment, a whip to lash the people into obedience, meekness and contentment.…”” [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Goldman argues that religious concepts are often used as tools to enforce obedience and suppress dissent, rather than spiritual truths. **In simple terms:** Religion can be a tool for control. Key Takeaway Question authority, seek personal freedom. Themes authority control religion obedience freedom Mood critical reflective Type political philosophical When to use this quote - activism - education - personal reflection - community organizing Key Concepts Power dynamics social manipulation psychology of belief Questions to Reflect On - How does belief shape your sense of freedom? - Can moral frameworks exist without divine authority? A Different Perspective Religions also provide comfort and moral guidance for many. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Heaven and hell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heaven-and-hell/) [Obedience Meekness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obedience-meekness-2842815/) [People Obedience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-obedience-428039/) [Theists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theists/) [Theists Gods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theists-gods-2842814/) [Unconsciously Theists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unconsciously-theists-2842813/) ## Related quotes > [Consciously or unconsciously, most theists see in gods and devils, heaven and hell, reward and punishment, a whip to lash the people into obedience,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/consciously-or-unconsciously-most-theists-see-in-gods-and-devils-2/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [“Do not all theists insist that there can be no morality, no justice, honesty or fidelity without the belief in a Divine Power? Based…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/do-not-all-theists-insist-that-there-can-be-no-morality-no-justice/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [People in obedience to the Lord do not worry, do not fret, do not need to know all of the outcomes before they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhard-bonnke/people-in-obedience-to-the-lord-do-not-worry-do-not-fret-do-not-need/) [Reinhard Bonnke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhard-bonnke/) > [Have not all theists painted their Deity as the god of love and goodness? Yet after thousands of years of such preachments the gods…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/have-not-all-theists-painted-their-deity-as-the-god-of-love-and-2/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Have not all theists painted their Deity as the god of love and goodness? Yet after thousands of years of such preachments the gods…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/have-not-all-theists-painted-their-deity-as-the-god-of-love-and/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [It has always happened that tyrants, in order to strengthen their power, have made every effort to train their people not only in obedience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etienne-de-la-boetie/it-has-always-happened-that-tyrants-in-order-to-strengthen-their/) [Etienne de La Boetie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etienne-de-la-boetie/) > [If you want to change people's obedience then you must change their imagination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ricoeur/if-you-want-to-change-people-s-obedience-then-you-must-change-their/) [Paul Ricoeur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ricoeur/) > [The philosophy of Atheism has its root in the earth, in this life; its aim is the emancipation of the human race from all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/the-philosophy-of-atheism-has-its-root-in-the-earth-in-this-life-its/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Open theists affirm the same openness of the future that religious believers assume when they pray and almost all humans assume when they act.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-clayton/open-theists-affirm-the-same-openness-of-the-future-that-religious/) [Philip Clayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-clayton/) > [“High heels are a short (theist) woman's (subconscious) way of telling God to go to hell … in public.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/high-heels-are-a-short-theist-woman-s-subconscious-way-of-telling-god/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“The Bible does not speak to all issues (for example, where did AIDS come from?), and science says little about doctrine (for example, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-klusendorf/the-bible-does-not-speak-to-all-issues-for-example-where-did-aids/) [Scott Klusendorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-klusendorf/) > [I suspect that here theists and atheists would agree: Human beings have within them the ability to choose evil or good. We wake up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-hamilton/i-suspect-that-here-theists-and-atheists-would-agree-human-beings/) [Adam Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-hamilton/) > [There's no such thing as spirits or ghosts, no devils, gods or monsters; but always beware that theists exist and they cause all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-fowler/there-s-no-such-thing-as-spirits-or-ghosts-no-devils-gods-or-monsters/) [Steve Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-fowler/) > [Some theists, observing that all 'effects' need a cause, assert that God is a cause but not an effect. But no one has ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-barker/some-theists-observing-that-all-effects-need-a-cause-assert-that-god/) [Dan Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-barker/) > [Most theists are deists most of the time, in practice if not in theory. They practice the absence of God instead of the presence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/most-theists-are-deists-most-of-the-time-in-practice-if-not-in-theory/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) ## More by Emma Goldman > [Poor human nature, what horrible crimes have been committed in thy name! All wars are wars among thieves who are too cowardly to fight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/poor-human-nature-what-horrible-crimes-have-been-committed-in-thy/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [“Do not all theists insist that there can be no morality, no justice, honesty or fidelity without the belief in a Divine Power? Based…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/do-not-all-theists-insist-that-there-can-be-no-morality-no-justice/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Lack of fairness to an opponent is essentially a sign of weakness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/lack-of-fairness-to-an-opponent-is-essentially-a-sign-of-weakness/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Do not all theists insist that there can be no morality, no justice, honesty or fidelity without the belief in a Divine Power? Based…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/do-not-all-theists-insist-that-there-can-be-no-morality-no-justice-2/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Only when human sorrows are turned into a toy with glaring colors will baby people become interested - for a while at least. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/only-when-human-sorrows-are-turned-into-a-toy-with-glaring-colors/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [More pernicious than the power of a dictator is that of a class; the most terrible - the tyranny of a majority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/more-pernicious-than-the-power-of-a-dictator-is-that-of-a-class-the/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Love, the strongest and deepest element in all life, the harbinger of hope, of joy, of ecstasy; love, the definer of all laws, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/love-the-strongest-and-deepest-element-in-all-life-the-harbinger-of/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Whether our reformers admit it or not, the economic and social inferiority of women is responsible for prostitution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/whether-our-reformers-admit-it-or-not-the-economic-and-social/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [The free expression of the hopes and aspirations of a people is the greatest and only safety in a sane society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/the-free-expression-of-the-hopes-and-aspirations-of-a-people-is-the/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Someone has said that it requires less mental effort to condemn than to think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/someone-has-said-that-it-requires-less-mental-effort-to-condemn-than/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [The persecution of the innovator and protestant has always been inspired by fear on the part of constituted authority of having its infallibility questioned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/the-persecution-of-the-innovator-and-protestant-has-always-been/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Order derived through submission and maintained by terror is not much of a safe guaranty; yet that is the only "order" that governments have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/order-derived-through-submission-and-maintained-by-terror-is-not-much/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Today is the parent of tomorrow. The present casts its shadow far into the future. That is the law of life, individual and social.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/today-is-the-parent-of-tomorrow-the-present-casts-its-shadow-far-into/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Salvation lies in an energetic march onward towards a brighter and clearer future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/salvation-lies-in-an-energetic-march-onward-towards-a-brighter-and/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [The more hideous the mental contortions, the greater the delight and bravos of the mass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/the-more-hideous-the-mental-contortions-the-greater-the-delight-and/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) [Explore all 368 Emma Goldman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) ## More Happiness quotes > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Remember that your natural state is joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/remember-that-your-natural-state-is-joy/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [Balance suggests a perfect equilibrium. There is no such thing. That is a false expectation… There are going to be priorities and dimensions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-morrison/balance-suggests-a-perfect-equilibrium-there-is-no-such-thing-that-is/) [Denise Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-morrison/) > [“WE CAN'T ALWAYS CONTROL OUR CIRCUMSTANCES BUT WE CAN CONTROL OUR ATTITUDE. WE MUST BE MORE CONCERNED WITH WHAT WE DO WITH WHAT HAPPENS…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-j-ashton/we-can-t-always-control-our-circumstances-but-we-can-control-our/) [MARVIN J. ASHTON](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-j-ashton/) > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [Sometimes we wish for the feel but we never understand that we have to give a lot to get the feel !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reynolds/sometimes-we-wish-for-the-feel-but-we-never-understand-that-we-have/) [Robert Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reynolds/) > [Sing like no one's listening, love like you've never been hurt, dance like nobody's watching, and live like its heaven on earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/sing-like-no-one-s-listening-love-like-you-ve-never-been-hurt-dance/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“It was beautiful. He thought he had never seen anything so beautiful in all his life; that, having seen it, he could die content,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/it-was-beautiful-he-thought-he-had-never-seen-anything-so-beautiful/) [Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/) > [The happy have whole days,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colley-cibber/the-happy-have-whole-days/) [Colley Cibber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colley-cibber/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [I've got nothing to do today but smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-ve-got-nothing-to-do-today-but-smile/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Her dignity consists in being unknown to the world; her glory is in the esteem of her husband; her pleasures in the happiness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/her-dignity-consists-in-being-unknown-to-the-world-her-glory-is-in/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [The size of a man's understanding might always be justly measured by his mirth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-size-of-a-man-s-understanding-might-always-be-justly-measured-by/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Positive thinking evokes more energy, more initiative, more happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/positive-thinking-evokes-more-energy-more-initiative-more-happiness/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) [Pancho Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pancho-barnes/) [Browse all 40,288 Happiness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Consciously or unconsciously, most theists see in gods and devils, heaven and hell, reward and punishment, a whip to lash the people into obedience, meekness and contentment.…”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Emma Goldman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/consciously-or-unconsciously-most-theists-see-in-gods-and-devils/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Happiness" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/consciously-or-unconsciously-most-theists-see-in-gods-and-devils/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/675/emma-goldman-774_happiness_consciously-or-unconsciously-most-theist_1093944.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/675/emma-goldman-774_happiness_consciously-or-unconsciously-most-theist_1093944.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/675/emma-goldman-774_happiness_consciously-or-unconsciously-most-theist_1093944.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Consciously or unconsciously, most theists see in gods and devils, heaven and hell, reward and punishment, a…” — Emma Goldman", "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": "Emma Goldman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Consciously or unconsciously, most theists see...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/consciously-or-unconsciously-most-theists-see-in-gods-and-devils/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/consciously-or-unconsciously-most-theists-see-in-gods-and-devils/#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 } } ] } ```