--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ... the yearly expenses of the existing…" description: "\"... the yearly expenses of the existing religious systemexceed in these United States twenty millions of dollars. Twenty millions! For teaching what? T..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9da/frances-wright-9487_alas_the-yearly-expenses-of-the-existing-reli_2880040.png" --- # ... the yearly expenses of the existing religious… ![“... the yearly expenses of the existing religious systemexceed in these United States twenty millions of dollars. Twenty millions! For teaching what? Things unseen and causes unknown!... Twenty millions would more than suffice to make us wise; and alas! do they not more than suffice to make us…” quote by Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9da/frances-wright-9487_alas_the-yearly-expenses-of-the-existing-reli_2880040.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9da/frances-wright-9487_alas_the-yearly-expenses-of-the-existing-reli_2880040.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9da/frances-wright-9487_alas_the-yearly-expenses-of-the-existing-reli_2880040.png) > “... the yearly expenses of the existing religious systemexceed in these United States twenty millions of dollars. Twenty millions! For teaching what? Things unseen and causes unknown!... Twenty millions would more than suffice to make us wise; and alas! do they not more than suffice to make us foolish?” [Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She criticizes the huge spending on religious institutions, questioning its purpose and suggesting it could fund education instead. **In simple terms:** Religious spending is wasteful; could fund wisdom. Key Takeaway Redirect funds to education. Themes religion public policy education finance criticism Mood critical skeptical Type political social commentary When to use this quote - policy debate - budget planning - church funding - public education Key Concepts secularism resource allocation public good Questions to Reflect On - How could redirected funds improve public knowledge? - What are the benefits of reducing religious spending? A Different Perspective Religious institutions also provide social services beyond education. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alas/) [Causes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/causes/) [Dollars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dollars/) [Dollars Millions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dollars-millions-1863994/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Expenses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expenses/) [Foolish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foolish/) [Foolishness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foolishness/) [Millions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/millions/) [Millions Dollars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/millions-dollars/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious/) [Religious Systemexceed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious-systemexceed-3986418/) [States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/) [Teaching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teaching/) [Twenties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/twenties/) [United](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united/) [United states](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-states/) [Unseen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unseen/) [Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise/) [Yearly Expenses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yearly-expenses-3986419/) ## Related quotes > [YouTubers are going to have millions of dollars, millions of fans, and no skills when they're all 40.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-dillon/youtubers-are-going-to-have-millions-of-dollars-millions-of-fans-and/) [Tim Dillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-dillon/) > [You don't need millions of dollars or millions of people if you're doing what you love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felicia-day/you-don-t-need-millions-of-dollars-or-millions-of-people-if-you-re/) [Felicia Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felicia-day/) > [I am opposing a social order in which it is possible for one man who does absolutely nothing that is useful to amass a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-am-opposing-a-social-order-in-which-it-is-possible-for-one-man-who/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you have millions of dollars, you have millions of friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-patterson/when-you-have-millions-of-dollars-you-have-millions-of-friends/) [Floyd Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-patterson/) > [“Putting a number in a day-to-day context is critical. For instance, years ago, Cisco Systems was contemplating whether to install a wireless network for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-heath/putting-a-number-in-a-day-to-day-context-is-critical-for-instance/) [Chip Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-heath/) > [“dollars.” “Millions? I can see your stunts for free on YouTube.” Alma shook”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-cervantes/dollars-millions-i-can-see-your-stunts-for-free-on-youtube-alma-shook/) [Angela Cervantes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-cervantes/) > [I don't need millions of dollars. I need to know that what I'm doing with my life is expressing who I am, and maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felicia-day/i-don-t-need-millions-of-dollars-i-need-to-know-that-what-i-m-doing/) [Felicia Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felicia-day/) > [I could stand in the street and sing and get enough to pay the bills. I don't need millions of dollars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinead-o-connor/i-could-stand-in-the-street-and-sing-and-get-enough-to-pay-the-bills/) [Sinead O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinead-o-connor/) > [Everyone thought my son had zero value. You would take one look at his school records, and you'd think he was the village idiot.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-anne-tuohy/everyone-thought-my-son-had-zero-value-you-would-take-one-look-at-his/) [Leigh Anne Tuohy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-anne-tuohy/) > [“I had a dream that I made millions of dollars in life and was the happiest girl… when I woke up I realized that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/starley-ard/i-had-a-dream-that-i-made-millions-of-dollars-in-life-and-was-the/) [Starley Ard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/starley-ard/) > [Even after I had just done Twilight, which made $400 million at the worldwide box office, I could not get financing for three or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-hardwicke/even-after-i-had-just-done-twilight-which-made-400-million-at-the/) [Catherine Hardwicke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-hardwicke/) > [Senator McConnell has always won in the past because he's had a bigger blow horn. He's always had tens of millions of dollars more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/senator-mcconnell-has-always-won-in-the-past-because-he-s-had-a/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) > [It's kind of a crazy thing to decide that you're going to be worth tens and tens and tens of millions of dollars and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-dennis/it-s-kind-of-a-crazy-thing-to-decide-that-you-re-going-to-be-worth/) [Felix Dennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-dennis/) > [I've made millions of dollars with the body I have, so where's the pain in that?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyra-banks/i-ve-made-millions-of-dollars-with-the-body-i-have-so-where-s-the/) [Tyra Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyra-banks/) > [I get to do what I want. And I get paid millions of dollars to do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-paul/i-get-to-do-what-i-want-and-i-get-paid-millions-of-dollars-to-do-it/) [Jake Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-paul/) ## More by Frances Wright > [... the happiness of a people is the only rational object of government, and the only object for which a people, free to choose,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-wright/the-happiness-of-a-people-is-the-only-rational-object-of-government/) [Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) > [I am neither Jew nor Gentile, Mahomedan nor Theist; I am but a member of the human family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-wright/i-am-neither-jew-nor-gentile-mahomedan-nor-theist-i-am-but-a-member/) [Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) > [... so far from entrenching human conduct within the gentle barriers of peace and love, religion has ever been, and now is, the deepest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-wright/so-far-from-entrenching-human-conduct-within-the-gentle-barriers-of/) [Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) > [If they exert it not for good, they will for evil; if they advance not knowledge, they will perpetuate ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-wright/if-they-exert-it-not-for-good-they-will-for-evil-if-they-advance-not/) [Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) > [Moral truth, resting entirely upon the ascertained consequences of actions, supposes a process of observation and reasoning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-wright/moral-truth-resting-entirely-upon-the-ascertained-consequences-of/) [Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) > [It is in vain that we would circumscribe the power of one half of our race, and that half by far the most important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-wright/it-is-in-vain-that-we-would-circumscribe-the-power-of-one-half-of-our/) [Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) > [However novel it may appear, I shall venture the assertion, that, until women assume the place in society which good sense and good feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-wright/however-novel-it-may-appear-i-shall-venture-the-assertion-that-until/) [Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) > [You have heard of, and studied various systems of philosophy; but real philosophy is opposed to all systems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-wright/you-have-heard-of-and-studied-various-systems-of-philosophy-but-real/) [Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) > [Credulity is always a ridiculous, often a dangerous failing: it has made of many a clever man, a fool; and of many a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-wright/credulity-is-always-a-ridiculous-often-a-dangerous-failing-it-has/) [Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) > [Instead of establishing facts, we have to overthrow errors; instead of ascertaining what is, we have to chase from our imaginations what is not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-wright/instead-of-establishing-facts-we-have-to-overthrow-errors-instead-of/) [Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) > [... we have broken down the self-respecting spirit of man with nursery tales and priestly threats, and we dare to assert, that inproportion as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-wright/we-have-broken-down-the-self-respecting-spirit-of-man-with-nursery/) [Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) > [it is not that religion is merely useless, it is mischievous. It is mischievous by its idle terrors; it is mischievous by its false…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-wright/it-is-not-that-religion-is-merely-useless-it-is-mischievous-it-is/) [Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) > [Equality! Where is it, if not in education? Equal rights! They cannot exist without equality of instruction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-wright/equality-where-is-it-if-not-in-education-equal-rights-they-cannot/) [Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) > [The best road to correct reasoning is by physical science; the way to trace effects to causes is through physical science; the only corrective,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-wright/the-best-road-to-correct-reasoning-is-by-physical-science-the-way-to/) [Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) > [He who lives in the single exercise of his mental faculties, however usefully or curiously directed, is equally an imperfect animal with the man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-wright/he-who-lives-in-the-single-exercise-of-his-mental-faculties-however/) [Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) [Explore all 72 Frances Wright quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) ## More Alas quotes > [“Muchos de los ángeles de Dios no tienen alas...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/muchos-de-los-ngeles-de-dios-no-tienen-alas/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [We are all potentially such sick men. The sanest and best of us are of one clay with lunatics and prison-inmates. And whenever we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/we-are-all-potentially-such-sick-men-the-sanest-and-best-of-us-are-of/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [Alas, you don't need monsters for monstrous deeds to be accomplished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zygmunt-bauman/alas-you-don-t-need-monsters-for-monstrous-deeds-to-be-accomplished/) [Zygmunt Bauman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zygmunt-bauman/) > [Time, time - that is our greatest master! Alas, like Ugolino, time devours its own children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hector-berlioz/time-time-that-is-our-greatest-master-alas-like-ugolino-time-devours/) [Hector Berlioz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hector-berlioz/) > [Removing prejudices is, alas! too often removing the boundary of a delightful near prospect in order to let in a shockingly extensive one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-fulke-greville/removing-prejudices-is-alas-too-often-removing-the-boundary-of-a/) [Sir Fulke Greville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-fulke-greville/) > [Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-pharcellus-church/yes-virginia-there-is-a-santa-claus-he-exists-as-certainly-as-love/) [Francis Pharcellus Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-pharcellus-church/) > [Alas, Postumus, the fleeting years slip by, nor will piety give any stay to wrinkles and pressing old age and untamable death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/alas-postumus-the-fleeting-years-slip-by-nor-will-piety-give-any-stay/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [Sensible Catholics have for generations been ignoring the views on contraception held by reactionary old men in the Vatican, but alas, since it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-c-grayling/sensible-catholics-have-for-generations-been-ignoring-the-views-on/) [A.C. Grayling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-c-grayling/) > [The flesh is sad, alas, and I have read all the books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-phane-mallarm/the-flesh-is-sad-alas-and-i-have-read-all-the-books/) [Stephane Mallarme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-phane-mallarm/) > [Alas! all music jars when the soul's out of tune.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes/alas-all-music-jars-when-the-soul-s-out-of-tune/) [Miguel de Cervantes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes/) > [In spite of the honestest efforts to annihilate my I-ity, or merge it in what the world doubtless considers my better half, I still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-welsh-carlyle/in-spite-of-the-honestest-efforts-to-annihilate-my-i-ity-or-merge-it/) [Jane Welsh Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-welsh-carlyle/) > [The dumpling is indeed of more ancient institution, and of foreign origin; but alas, what were those dumplings? Nothing but a few lentils sodden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-arbuthnot/the-dumpling-is-indeed-of-more-ancient-institution-and-of-foreign/) [John Arbuthnot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-arbuthnot/) > [“World is so beautiful, but alas! There are so many assholes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/world-is-so-beautiful-but-alas-there-are-so-many-assholes/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [Ideally a painter (and, generally, an artist) should not become conscious of his insights: without taking the detour through his reflective processes, and incomprehensibly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/ideally-a-painter-and-generally-an-artist-should-not-become-conscious/) [Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/) > [Alas! we makeA ladder of our thoughts, where angels step,But sleep ourselves at the foot: our high resolvesLook down upon our slumbering acts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/letitia-elizabeth-landon/alas-we-makea-ladder-of-our-thoughts-where-angels-step-but-sleep/) [Letitia Elizabeth Landon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/letitia-elizabeth-landon/) [Browse all 453 Alas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alas/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "... the yearly expenses of the existing religious systemexceed in these United States twenty millions of dollars. 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