--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Most religions offer tremendous patterns…" description: "\"“Most religions offer tremendous patterns of “pushing against” as they scrutinize human behavior looking for evidence of wrongdoing and sin. And often ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d37/esther-hicks-592_habits_most-religions-offer-tremendous-patterns_1586736.png" --- # Most religions offer tremendous patterns of “pushing… ![“Most religions offer tremendous patterns of “pushing against” as they scrutinize human behavior looking for evidence of wrongdoing and sin. And often that perceived wrongdoing is pointed toward sexual behavior. Every thought that devalues self, even if it is spoken from a religious platform…” quote by Esther Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d37/esther-hicks-592_habits_most-religions-offer-tremendous-patterns_1586736.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d37/esther-hicks-592_habits_most-religions-offer-tremendous-patterns_1586736.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d37/esther-hicks-592_habits_most-religions-offer-tremendous-patterns_1586736.png) > ““Most religions offer tremendous patterns of “pushing against” as they scrutinize human behavior looking for evidence of wrongdoing and sin. And often that perceived wrongdoing is pointed toward sexual behavior. Every thought that devalues self, even if it is spoken from a religious platform, causes separation between the human physical self and the Non-Physical Inner Being. And that is, in fact, what confusion is.”” [Esther Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-hicks/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Religious scrutiny often targets sexual behavior, creating a divide between the physical self and the inner non‑physical self, leading to confusion. **In simple terms:** Religious judgment can separate body and spirit. Key Takeaway Seek unity of body and spirit. Themes spirituality religion self‑judgment sexuality Mood contemplative critical Type philosophical spiritual When to use this quote - counseling sessions - spiritual retreats - personal reflection - educational workshops Key Concepts psychology philosophy theology Questions to Reflect On - How does judgment affect your inner peace? - Can you reconcile body and spirit without conflict? A Different Perspective Not all religious teachings are harmful; context matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Human behavior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-behavior/) [Perceived Wrongdoing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perceived-wrongdoing-6005309/) [Physical Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physical-self-886774/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Sexual Behavior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sexual-behavior-538804/) [Sin Perceived](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sin-perceived-6005310/) [Wrongdoing Sin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrongdoing-sin-6005308/) ## Related quotes > [Regulation of sexual behavior is the preferred route to wider social control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-cockburn/regulation-of-sexual-behavior-is-the-preferred-route-to-wider-social/) [Alexander Cockburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-cockburn/) > [Sexual behavior was also generally considered off limits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-mudd/sexual-behavior-was-also-generally-considered-off-limits/) [Roger Mudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-mudd/) > [The sex drive is one of the most fundamental human urges, and throughout history, there have been laws regulating what is considered acceptable sexual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-gross/the-sex-drive-is-one-of-the-most-fundamental-human-urges-and/) [Terry Gross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-gross/) > [Sexual behavior is not, as is too often assumed, a superimposition of, on the one hand, desires which derive from natural instincts, and, on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-foucault/sexual-behavior-is-not-as-is-too-often-assumed-a-superimposition-of/) [Michel Foucault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-foucault/) > [ \[John Boswell\] introduction of the concept of "gay" (in the way he defines it) provides us both with a useful instrument of research and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-foucault/john-boswell-introduction-of-the-concept-of-gay-in-the-way-he-defines/) [Michel Foucault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-foucault/) > [Sexual behavior in our species goes through three characteristic phases: pair formation, precopulatory activity, and copulation, usually but not always in that order. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-morris/sexual-behavior-in-our-species-goes-through-three-characteristic/) [Desmond Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-morris/) > [Let's reach the students who will abide by a "yes means yes" standard in sexual behavior and reeducate them to use it. And as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-grigoriadis/let-s-reach-the-students-who-will-abide-by-a-yes-means-yes-standard/) [Vanessa Grigoriadis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-grigoriadis/) > [(RE: Sexual Behavior in the Human Female- Kinsey) Kinsey's evidence suggested that women were less sexually active than men in all aspects of sexual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/re-sexual-behavior-in-the-human-female-kinsey-kinsey-s-evidence/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The human female’s sexual behavior is typically far more malleable than the male’s. Greater erotic plasticity leads most women to experience more variation in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-ryan/the-human-female-s-sexual-behavior-is-typically-far-more-malleable/) [Christopher Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-ryan/) > [ We have a lot to learn from \[bonobos\], because they're a very egalitarian society and they're a very empathetic society. Sexual behavior is not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-savage-rumbaugh/we-have-a-lot-to-learn-from-bonobos-because-they-re-a-very/) [Sue Savage-Rumbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-savage-rumbaugh/) > [The problem with every judgment of sexual behavior is that it is made by people who aren't being stimulated as they are making the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-farrell/the-problem-with-every-judgment-of-sexual-behavior-is-that-it-is-made/) [Warren Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-farrell/) > [The only unnatural sexual behavior is none at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/the-only-unnatural-sexual-behavior-is-none-at-all/) [Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/) > [Profanation and violation are part of the perversity of sex, which never will conform to liberal theories of benevolence. Every model of morally or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/profanation-and-violation-are-part-of-the-perversity-of-sex-which/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [When you meet another human being, you meet the physical self, then you meet the psychological self that's behind it, which is their mental…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/when-you-meet-another-human-being-you-meet-the-physical-self-then-you/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [My mother never wanted me to focus on my physical self. She always said that beauty is what you do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halle-berry/my-mother-never-wanted-me-to-focus-on-my-physical-self-she-always/) [Halle Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halle-berry/) ## More by Esther Hicks > [Appreciation is the purest vibration that exists on the planet today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-hicks/appreciation-is-the-purest-vibration-that-exists-on-the-planet-today/) [Esther Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-hicks/) > [Some say that you should not want money at all because the desire for money is materialistic and not Spiritual. But we want you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-hicks/some-say-that-you-should-not-want-money-at-all-because-the-desire-for/) [Esther Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-hicks/) > [There are those that say, if you do the uncomfortable thing long enough, it will become comfortable. But we are really not encouragers of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-hicks/there-are-those-that-say-if-you-do-the-uncomfortable-thing-long/) [Esther Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-hicks/) > [“We know that words do not teach, that only life experience teaches, but the combination of life experience coupled with words that define and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-hicks/we-know-that-words-do-not-teach-that-only-life-experience-teaches-but/) [Esther Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-hicks/) > [It is only in your thriving that you have anything to offer anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-hicks/it-is-only-in-your-thriving-that-you-have-anything-to-offer-anyone/) [Esther Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-hicks/) > [I am that which I am, and I am willing to allow all others to be that which they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-hicks/i-am-that-which-i-am-and-i-am-willing-to-allow-all-others-to-be-that/) [Esther Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-hicks/) > [“Ich bin so, wie ich bin, und ich bin bereit, auch alle anderen so sein zu lassen, wie sie sind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-hicks/ich-bin-so-wie-ich-bin-und-ich-bin-bereit-auch-alle-anderen-so-sein/) [Esther Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-hicks/) > [Creation isn't forcing or commanding something into existence. It's more of a rolling over, a good stretch, blissing out, lying on the grass watching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-hicks/creation-isn-t-forcing-or-commanding-something-into-existence-it-s/) [Esther Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-hicks/) > [“Creation Here is an exercise that will assist you in your Deliberate Creating: Take three separate pieces of paper, and at the top of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-hicks/creation-here-is-an-exercise-that-will-assist-you-in-your-deliberate/) [Esther Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-hicks/) > [Physical beings want things to be the same. They want people to think the same. You work rather hard at sameness, but you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-hicks/physical-beings-want-things-to-be-the-same-they-want-people-to-think/) [Esther Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-hicks/) > [One who is connected to the Energy Stream is more powerful than a million who are not. And two who are harmoniously focused and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-hicks/one-who-is-connected-to-the-energy-stream-is-more-powerful-than-a/) [Esther Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-hicks/) > [Your hands are tied in action, but your hands are not tied in imagination and everything springs forth from the imagination. Everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-hicks/your-hands-are-tied-in-action-but-your-hands-are-not-tied-in/) [Esther Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-hicks/) > [Offer a vibration that matches your desire rather than offering a vibration that keeps matching what-is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-hicks/offer-a-vibration-that-matches-your-desire-rather-than-offering-a/) [Esther Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-hicks/) > [The certain pathway to all things that you want is through the corridor of joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-hicks/the-certain-pathway-to-all-things-that-you-want-is-through-the/) [Esther Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-hicks/) > [Make up your mind that nothing is more important than how I feel now, because now is everything. Now is the whole enchilada. Now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-hicks/make-up-your-mind-that-nothing-is-more-important-than-how-i-feel-now/) [Esther Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-hicks/) [Explore all 445 Esther Hicks quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-hicks/) ## More Habits quotes > [“Malchut is also the Alma D’Itgalya, “the Revealed World.” Here our latent potential is actualized through behavior and expression.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laibl-wolf/malchut-is-also-the-alma-d-itgalya-the-revealed-world-here-our-latent/) [Laibl Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laibl-wolf/) > [I would drink gallons of coffee a day. Even now, off caffeine, I talk faster than anyone you've ever met. I finally recognized that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-englander/i-would-drink-gallons-of-coffee-a-day-even-now-off-caffeine-i-talk/) [Nathan Englander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-englander/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [I doubt that we Americans can come to terms with our money neuroses without understanding the more florid pathology of the very rich for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-slater/i-doubt-that-we-americans-can-come-to-terms-with-our-money-neuroses/) [Philip Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-slater/) > [Winning is a habit. Unfortunately, so is losing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-lombardi/winning-is-a-habit-unfortunately-so-is-losing/) [Vince Lombardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-lombardi/) > [“the mind-numbing routine. It was the castration of thought,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-howey/the-mind-numbing-routine-it-was-the-castration-of-thought/) [Hugh Howey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-howey/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“When it comes to smarts, adolescents like Jesse have plenty. What they lack, however, are some of the brain-based skills that we all need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-guare/when-it-comes-to-smarts-adolescents-like-jesse-have-plenty-what-they/) [Richard Guare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-guare/) > [“I settled into a contented routine of working, spending my free time with Veronica and, back in my student room, wanking explosively to fantasies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/i-settled-into-a-contented-routine-of-working-spending-my-free-time/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [We need to discover all over again that worship is natural to the Christian, as it was to the godly Israelites who wrote the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/we-need-to-discover-all-over-again-that-worship-is-natural-to-the/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [Chaos often breeds life, when order breeds habit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/chaos-often-breeds-life-when-order-breeds-habit/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) > [“Prayer of an Anonymous Abbess: Lord, thou knowest better than myself that I am growing older and will soon be old. Keep me from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/prayer-of-an-anonymous-abbess-lord-thou-knowest-better-than-myself/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you're in a meeting and a man talks loudly over you, rather than copying that behaviour and normalising it, what you could do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-foster/if-you-re-in-a-meeting-and-a-man-talks-loudly-over-you-rather-than/) [Dawn Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-foster/) > [Transparency pertains to impartial behavior, implies openness, communication, and accountability. Inculcate transparency in attitude and experience a life free of controversy and blame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-anil-kr-sinha/transparency-pertains-to-impartial-behavior-implies-openness/) [Dr Anil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-anil-kr-sinha/) [Browse all 12,567 Habits quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Most religions offer tremendous patterns of “pushing against” as they scrutinize human behavior looking for evidence of wrongdoing and sin. And often that perceived wrongdoing is pointed toward sexual behavior. Every thought that devalues self, even if it is spoken from a religious platform, causes separation between the human physical self and the Non-Physical Inner Being. 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