--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is a particular danger with a war…" description: "\"There is a particular danger with a war that God commands. What if God should lose?\" — Garry Wills" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe3/garry-wills-18365_command_there-is-a-particular-danger-with-a-war_21851.jpg" --- # There is a particular danger with a war that God commands… ![“There is a particular danger with a war that God commands. What if God should lose?” quote by Garry Wills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe3/garry-wills-18365_command_there-is-a-particular-danger-with-a-war_21851.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe3/garry-wills-18365_command_there-is-a-particular-danger-with-a-war_21851.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe3/garry-wills-18365_command_there-is-a-particular-danger-with-a-war_21851.jpg) > “There is a particular danger with a war that God commands. What if God should lose?” [Garry Wills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-wills/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. It warns that even a war justified by divine authority can become perilous if the divine mandate fails, exposing the fallibility of moral certainty. **In simple terms:** Divine authority can be flawed. Key Takeaway Question the legitimacy of holy wars. Themes theology ethics politics war authority skepticism Mood cautious reflective critical Type philosophical political warning When to use this quote - political leaders debating religious justification - soldiers confronting moral doubt - citizens questioning state propaganda - scholars analyzing historical holy wars Key Concepts moral relativism power dynamics faith vs reason Practical Applications - policy analysis on religious rhetoric - educational curricula on ethics of war Questions to Reflect On - What criteria can we use to evaluate the moral legitimacy of a war? - How does reliance on divine authority affect accountability? A Different Perspective Some argue that divine command theory provides an absolute moral compass, making war justified if truly commanded by God. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Danger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/danger/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [“Man has obeyed commands of the Mother, the Father, the Guru; but he has not obeyed the commands of ‘God’ (Bhagwan). 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Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/) > [For most people, the question why be good - as distinguished from merely law abiding - is a simple one. Because God commands it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-dershowitz/for-most-people-the-question-why-be-good-as-distinguished-from-merely/) [Alan Dershowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-dershowitz/) > [There is also a perfection of degrees, by which a person performs all the commands of God, with the full exertion of all his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-buck/there-is-also-a-perfection-of-degrees-by-which-a-person-performs-all/) [Charles Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-buck/) > [“If we fully obey the commands of God, we shall be fearless souls.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/if-we-fully-obey-the-commands-of-god-we-shall-be-fearless-souls/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Various are the pleas and arguments which men of corrupt minds frequently urge against yielding obedience to the just and holy commands of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-whitefield/various-are-the-pleas-and-arguments-which-men-of-corrupt-minds/) [George Whitefield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-whitefield/) > [“how can you talk about the commands of God so continually with your children while walking along the road if you can’t recite their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-m-davis/how-can-you-talk-about-the-commands-of-god-so-continually-with-your/) [Andrew M. 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He went…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/one-evening-for-example-he-was-troubled-because-he-could-no-longer/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word. Away from me, you evildoers, that I may keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bible/you-are-my-refuge-and-my-shield-i-have-put-my-hope-in-your-word-away/) [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bible/) > [The commands of God are given, not to rob me of joy, but lead me into the fullness of joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-chandler/the-commands-of-god-are-given-not-to-rob-me-of-joy-but-lead-me-into/) [Matt Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-chandler/) ## More by Garry Wills > [I have been an outsider in journalism and in the academy, because I never fully belonged to any of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-wills/i-have-been-an-outsider-in-journalism-and-in-the-academy-because-i/) [Garry Wills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-wills/) > [Do not touch anything unnecessarily. Beware of pretty girls in dance halls and parks who may be spies, as well as bicycles, revolvers, uniforms,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-wills/do-not-touch-anything-unnecessarily-beware-of-pretty-girls-in-dance/) [Garry Wills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-wills/) > [“You will hear everlastingly, in all discussions about newspapers, companies, aristocracies, or party politics, this argument that the rich man cannot be bribed. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-wills/you-will-hear-everlastingly-in-all-discussions-about-newspapers/) [Garry Wills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-wills/) > [There's an interesting contrast between born Catholics and converts. Converts are often much more rule-directed. 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But they soon exhaust their favourite subjects -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-wills/politicians-make-good-company-for-a-while-just-as-children-do-their/) [Garry Wills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-wills/) > [The romantic artist, off alone in his storm-battered castle, fuming whole worlds from his brain, reflects his culture's most persistent myth, of God creating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-wills/the-romantic-artist-off-alone-in-his-storm-battered-castle-fuming/) [Garry Wills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-wills/) > [I would rather listen to plays in the car than read them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-wills/i-would-rather-listen-to-plays-in-the-car-than-read-them/) [Garry Wills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-wills/) > [Stevenson had noble ideas--as did the young Franklin for that matter. 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