Atheism Quote by Ernest Renan
“Sometimes they reasoned thus: "The Messiah ought to do such a thing, now Jesus is the Messiah, therefore Jesus has done such a thing." At other times, by an inverse process, it was said: "Such a thing has happened to Jesus; now Jesus is the Messiah; therefore such a thing was to happen to the Messiah."”
About This Quote
Source Book: Life of Jesus, Ernest Renan, 1863
People often justify beliefs by retroactively fitting events to doctrines, creating circular reasoning.
In simple terms: Beliefs are sometimes forced to fit narratives after the fact.
Key Takeaway
Question assumptions behind doctrinal reasoning.
Themes
religion
logic
interpretation
Mood
skeptical
analytical
Type
philosophical
critical
When to use this quote
- historical analysis
- debate
- faith discussions
- critical thinking
Key Concepts
theology
cognitive bias
Questions to Reflect On
- What evidence would challenge this circular reasoning?
- How can we avoid retroactive justification?
A Different Perspective
Such reasoning can ignore contradictory evidence.
