--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Religion often partakes of the myth of…" description: "\"Religion often partakes of the myth of progress that shields us from the terrors of an uncertain future.\" — Frank Herbert" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e88/frank-herbert-262_future_religion-often-partakes-of-the-myth-of-p_82449.jpg" --- # Religion often partakes of the myth of progress that… ![“Religion often partakes of the myth of progress that shields us from the terrors of an uncertain future.” quote by Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e88/frank-herbert-262_future_religion-often-partakes-of-the-myth-of-p_82449.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e88/frank-herbert-262_future_religion-often-partakes-of-the-myth-of-p_82449.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e88/frank-herbert-262_future_religion-often-partakes-of-the-myth-of-p_82449.jpg) > “Religion often partakes of the myth of progress that shields us from the terrors of an uncertain future.” [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote suggests that religious narratives adopt the belief in continual improvement to comfort people against anxiety about unpredictable futures. **In simple terms:** Religion uses progress myths to ease future fears. Key Takeaway Progress myths serve as psychological buffers. Themes Religion Myth Progress Future Anxiety Psychology Mood Reflective Contemplative Skeptical Type Philosophical Observational Critical When to use this quote - Facing societal upheaval - Dealing with personal uncertainty - Confronting existential dread - Navigating rapid technological change Key Concepts Narrative Function Coping Mechanism Cultural Belief Practical Applications - Designing faith-based counseling programs - Creating literature that critiques religious optimism Questions to Reflect On - How does belief in progress shape religious practice? - What are the risks of relying on progress myths? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/) [Myth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myth/) [Myth Progress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myth-progress-1046018/) [Often](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/often/) [Progress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progress/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religion Partakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion-partakes-1046019/) [Shields Terrors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shields-terrors-1046020/) [Terrors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrors/) [Terrors Uncertain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrors-uncertain-1046017/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Uncertain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uncertain/) [Uncertain future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uncertain-future/) [Us](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/us/) ## Related quotes > [Religions often partake of the myth of progress that shields us from the terrors of an uncertain future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/religions-often-partake-of-the-myth-of-progress-that-shields-us-from/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [“Our practical faith in progress has ramified and hardened into an ideology -- a secular religion which, like the religions that progress has challenged,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-wright/our-practical-faith-in-progress-has-ramified-and-hardened-into-an/) [Ronald Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-wright/) > [“The undiluted Jesus is someone who invites us to actually follow him—to do the things that he did—and to be willing to set aside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-l-corey/the-undiluted-jesus-is-someone-who-invites-us-to-actually-follow-him/) [Benjamin L. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-l-corey/) > [“Real Love for ourselves by definition includes every aspect of our lives—the good, the bad, the difficult, the challenging past, the uncertain future, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-salzberg/real-love-for-ourselves-by-definition-includes-every-aspect-of-our/) [Sharon Salzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-salzberg/) > [We live in changing times, and many people experience the challenges that come with it. In the face of uncertain futures, no one will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/we-live-in-changing-times-and-many-people-experience-the-challenges/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [I like to define biology as the history of the earth and all its life - past, present, and future. To understand biology is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-carson/i-like-to-define-biology-as-the-history-of-the-earth-and-all-its-life-2/) [Rachel Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-carson/) > [“What an irony it is that these living beings whose shade we sit in, whose fruit we eat, whose limbs we climb, whose roots…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-robbins/what-an-irony-it-is-that-these-living-beings-whose-shade-we-sit-in/) [Jim Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-robbins/) > [The future is uncertain... but this uncertainty is at the very heart of human creativity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilya-prigogine/the-future-is-uncertain-but-this-uncertainty-is-at-the-very-heart-of/) [Ilya Prigogine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilya-prigogine/) > [“When one considers American history as a whole, it is hard to think of any very long period in which it could be said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hofstadter/when-one-considers-american-history-as-a-whole-it-is-hard-to-think-of/) [Richard Hofstadter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hofstadter/) > [Everyone's future is uncertain life moves on very fast, girls come and go, while money is the same... Some people need and want loyalty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mccarty/everyone-s-future-is-uncertain-life-moves-on-very-fast-girls-come-and/) [Kevin Mccarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mccarty/) > [Auto repair, piloting, skiing, perhaps even management: these are skills that yield to application, hard work, and native talent. But forecasting an uncertain future…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-surowiecki/auto-repair-piloting-skiing-perhaps-even-management-these-are-skills/) [James Surowiecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-surowiecki/) > [“It is always a starkly private moment when a governor first apprehends his subject as a man—perhaps not as an equal, but at least…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-catton/it-is-always-a-starkly-private-moment-when-a-governor-first/) [Eleanor Catton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-catton/) > [“If there was one great benefit to the whole practice of art, it was to focus him in the “now,” where the ugly past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-mckenna/if-there-was-one-great-benefit-to-the-whole-practice-of-art-it-was-to/) [Christina McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-mckenna/) > [I like to define biology as the history of the earth and all its life - past, present, and future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-carson/i-like-to-define-biology-as-the-history-of-the-earth-and-all-its-life/) [Rachel Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-carson/) > [When the uncertain future becomes the past, the past in turn becomes uncertain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohsin-hamid/when-the-uncertain-future-becomes-the-past-the-past-in-turn-becomes/) [Mohsin Hamid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohsin-hamid/) ## More by Frank Herbert > [“He who can destroy a thing has the real control of it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/he-who-can-destroy-a-thing-has-the-real-control-of-it/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [“A leader, you see, is one of the things that distinguishes a mob from a people. He maintains the level of individuals. Too few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/a-leader-you-see-is-one-of-the-things-that-distinguishes-a-mob-from-a/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [“I will tell you this only once. Homosexuals have been among the best warriors in our history, the berserkers of last resort. They were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/i-will-tell-you-this-only-once-homosexuals-have-been-among-the-best/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [“Between depriving a man of one hour from his life and depriving him of his life there exists only a difference of degree.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/between-depriving-a-man-of-one-hour-from-his-life-and-depriving-him/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [The surest way to keep a secret is to make someone think they already know the answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/the-surest-way-to-keep-a-secret-is-to-make-someone-think-they-already/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [“how inevitable it was that the aristocrat would refuse his final duty—which was to step aside and vanish into history.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/how-inevitable-it-was-that-the-aristocrat-would-refuse-his-final-duty/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [“What we should have done was test the gift first. We should have probed for dangers. We were too bedazzled by it, though.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/what-we-should-have-done-was-test-the-gift-first-we-should-have/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [“Have you noticed, Stil, how beautiful the young women are this year?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/have-you-noticed-stil-how-beautiful-the-young-women-are-this-year/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [“Humans are born with a susceptibility to that most persistent and debilitating disease of intellect: self-deception. The best of all possible worlds and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/humans-are-born-with-a-susceptibility-to-that-most-persistent-and/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [Face your fears or they will climb over your back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/face-your-fears-or-they-will-climb-over-your-back/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [Many have marked the speed with which Muad'Dib learned the necessities of Arrakis. The Bene Gesserit, of course, know the basis of this speed.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/many-have-marked-the-speed-with-which-muad-dib-learned-the/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [“The assumption that a whole system can be made to work better through an assault on its conscious elements betrays a dangerous ignorance. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/the-assumption-that-a-whole-system-can-be-made-to-work-better-through/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [The power to destroy a thing is the absolute control over it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/the-power-to-destroy-a-thing-is-the-absolute-control-over-it/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [Providence and Manifest Destiny are synonyms often invoked to support arguments based on wishful thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/providence-and-manifest-destiny-are-synonyms-often-invoked-to-support/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [If you ask "Should we be in space?" you ask a nonsense question. We are in space. We will be in space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/if-you-ask-should-we-be-in-space-you-ask-a-nonsense-question-we-are/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) [Explore all 776 Frank Herbert quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) ## More Future quotes > [“The future is only an indifferent void no one cares about, but the past is filled with life, and its countenance is irritating, repellent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-future-is-only-an-indifferent-void-no-one-cares-about-but-the/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Getting on the cover of TIME guarantees the existence of opposition in the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/getting-on-the-cover-of-time-guarantees-the-existence-of-opposition/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you can connect people, you can create the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-heiferman/if-you-can-connect-people-you-can-create-the-future/) [Scott Heiferman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-heiferman/) > [A strong, durable Puerto Rican economy will leave the island better prepared to handle future natural disasters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-campos-duffy/a-strong-durable-puerto-rican-economy-will-leave-the-island-better/) [Rachel Campos-Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-campos-duffy/) > [“We have no idea, now, of who or what the inhabitants of our future might be. In that sense, we have no future. Not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gibson/we-have-no-idea-now-of-who-or-what-the-inhabitants-of-our-future/) [William Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gibson/) > [“You are destiny for greatness. Your future is in the hands of the Lord.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/you-are-destiny-for-greatness-your-future-is-in-the-hands-of-the-lord/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [I'm just always looking forwards. I spend very little time, looking backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-vaynerchuk/i-m-just-always-looking-forwards-i-spend-very-little-time-looking/) [Gary Vaynerchuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-vaynerchuk/) > [Football is my passion, and who knows where I will play in the future - you cannot foresee that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edinson-cavani/football-is-my-passion-and-who-knows-where-i-will-play-in-the-future/) [Edinson Cavani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edinson-cavani/) > [When I was 17, I broke up with my future wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kris-allen/when-i-was-17-i-broke-up-with-my-future-wife/) [Kris Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kris-allen/) > [I think everybody in the future has stopped talking to each other and we all just use emojis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scarlett-moffatt/i-think-everybody-in-the-future-has-stopped-talking-to-each-other-and/) [Scarlett Moffatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scarlett-moffatt/) > [When you continue to dwell on the past, there's no chance for a future. History repeats itself, thus, it's ok to LOOK back at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-continue-to-dwell-on-the-past-there-s-no-chance-for-a-future/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I am no different from a lot of people. I am concerned for the future of my children and concerned for the future of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/i-am-no-different-from-a-lot-of-people-i-am-concerned-for-the-future/) [John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/) > [Starting a new job can be nerve-racking , but it's also exciting. You're embarking on a new future, positioning yourself to write a fresh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adena-friedman/starting-a-new-job-can-be-nerve-racking-but-it-s-also-exciting-you-re/) [Adena Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adena-friedman/) [Browse all 12,349 Future quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Religion often partakes of the myth of progress that shields us from the terrors of an uncertain future.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Frank Herbert" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/religion-often-partakes-of-the-myth-of-progress-that-shields-us-from/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Future" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/religion-often-partakes-of-the-myth-of-progress-that-shields-us-from/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e88/frank-herbert-262_future_religion-often-partakes-of-the-myth-of-p_82449.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e88/frank-herbert-262_future_religion-often-partakes-of-the-myth-of-p_82449.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e88/frank-herbert-262_future_religion-often-partakes-of-the-myth-of-p_82449.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Religion often partakes of the myth of progress that shields us from the terrors of an uncertain future.” — Frank Herbert", "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": "Frank Herbert", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Religion often partakes of the myth...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/religion-often-partakes-of-the-myth-of-progress-that-shields-us-from/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/religion-often-partakes-of-the-myth-of-progress-that-shields-us-from/#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 } } ] } ```