--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Perhaps I had better inform my Protestant…" description: "\"Perhaps I had better inform my Protestant readers that the famous Dogma of Papal Infallibility is by far the most modest pretension of the kind in exis..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/252/george-bernard-shaw-68_annoying_perhaps-i-had-better-inform-my-protestan_1687440.png" --- # Perhaps I had better inform my Protestant readers that the… ![“Perhaps I had better inform my Protestant readers that the famous Dogma of Papal Infallibility is by far the most modest pretension of the kind in existence. Compared with our infallible democracies, our infallible medical councils, our infallible astronomers, our infallible judges, and our…” quote by George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/252/george-bernard-shaw-68_annoying_perhaps-i-had-better-inform-my-protestan_1687440.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/252/george-bernard-shaw-68_annoying_perhaps-i-had-better-inform-my-protestan_1687440.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/252/george-bernard-shaw-68_annoying_perhaps-i-had-better-inform-my-protestan_1687440.png) > “Perhaps I had better inform my Protestant readers that the famous Dogma of Papal Infallibility is by far the most modest pretension of the kind in existence. Compared with our infallible democracies, our infallible medical councils, our infallible astronomers, our infallible judges, and our infallible parliaments, the Pope is on his knees in the dust confessing his ignorance before the throne of God, asking only that as to certain historical matters on which he has clearly more sources of information open to him than anyone else his decision shall be taken as final.” [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Shaw mocks the claim of papal infallibility by comparing it to other so‑called infallible institutions, highlighting the Pope’s humility. **In simple terms:** Pope’s authority is modest compared to other institutions. Key Takeaway Recognize humility in authority. Themes humility authority religion critique Mood skeptical ironic thoughtful Type critical satirical When to use this quote - church debates - political discourse - academic analysis Key Concepts theology institutional critique satire Questions to Reflect On - How does humility affect leadership? - What are the limits of institutional authority? A Different Perspective The comparison may oversimplify complex institutional roles. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Annoying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/annoying/) [Asking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asking/) [Astronomers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/astronomers/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Certain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain/) [Confessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confessing/) [Confessing Ignorance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confessing-ignorance-1019327/) [Council](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/council/) [Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Dogma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dogma/) [Dogma Papal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dogma-papal-1019325/) [Dust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dust/) [Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence/) [Famous Dogma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/famous-dogma-1019326/) [Finals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finals/) [Historical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historical/) [Ignorance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignorance/) [Infallibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/infallibility/) [Infallibility Far](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/infallibility-far-1019328/) [Infallible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/infallible/) [Information](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/information/) [Judging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judging/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Knees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knees/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [Medical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/medical/) [Modest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modest/) [Papal Infallibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/papal-infallibility-1019324/) [Parliament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parliament/) [Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pope/) [Pretension](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pretension/) [Protestants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protestants/) [Reader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reader/) [Source](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/source/) [Taken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taken/) [Thrones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thrones/) ## Related quotes > [I'm not religious anymore, but I think it's like papal infallibility, which is a ridiculous man-made tenet, like what I believe most religious tenets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janeane-garofalo/i-m-not-religious-anymore-but-i-think-it-s-like-papal-infallibility/) [Janeane Garofalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janeane-garofalo/) > [Papal infallibility and biblical inerrancy are the two ecclesiastical versions of this human idolatry. Both papal infallibility and biblical inerrancy require widespread and unchallenged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/papal-infallibility-and-biblical-inerrancy-are-the-two-ecclesiastical/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [Isn't the essential pillar of Catholicism papal infallibility? Well, then how can the church ever change its mind about anything unless God gets confused…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-foley/isn-t-the-essential-pillar-of-catholicism-papal-infallibility-well/) [Dave Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-foley/) > [“It was no surprise when, in 1950, Pius became the first pope to invoke 'papal infallibility' – the doctrine whereby certain papal declarations, delivered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyrus-shahrad/it-was-no-surprise-when-in-1950-pius-became-the-first-pope-to-invoke/) [Cyrus Shahrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyrus-shahrad/) > [People cheat when they are afraid. When there is no cost to being wrong or confessing ignorance, there is no reason to cheat or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leah-hager-cohen/people-cheat-when-they-are-afraid-when-there-is-no-cost-to-being/) [Leah Hager Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leah-hager-cohen/) > [“doctrines like papal infallibility and the Catholic teaching on marriage and social morality are believed with a conviction that scandalizes those who do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-a-hardon/doctrines-like-papal-infallibility-and-the-catholic-teaching-on/) [John A. Hardon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-a-hardon/) > [You're only infallible about your own nervous system. You know what's going on in your own nervous system, whatever realities you're creating out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-anton-wilson/you-re-only-infallible-about-your-own-nervous-system-you-know-what-s/) [Robert Anton Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-anton-wilson/) > [Science makes no claim to infallibility; it leaves that claim to be made by theologians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/science-makes-no-claim-to-infallibility-it-leaves-that-claim-to-be/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [Science alone of all the subjects contains within itself the lesson of the danger of belief in the infallibility of the greatest teachers of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/science-alone-of-all-the-subjects-contains-within-itself-the-lesson/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [The persecution of the innovator and protestant has always been inspired by fear on the part of constituted authority of having its infallibility questioned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/the-persecution-of-the-innovator-and-protestant-has-always-been/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [An infallible Remedy for the Tooth-ach, viz Wash the Root of an aching Tooth, in Elder Vinegar, and let it dry half an hour…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/an-infallible-remedy-for-the-tooth-ach-viz-wash-the-root-of-an-aching/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“I have had too much experience of life to believe in the infallibility of doctors. Some of them are clever men and some of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/i-have-had-too-much-experience-of-life-to-believe-in-the/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [ “\[For people\] to refuse a hearing to an opinion, because they are sure that it is false, is to assume that their certainty is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/for-people-to-refuse-a-hearing-to-an-opinion-because-they-are-sure/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [knowledge, absolutely sure of its infallibility, is faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yevgeny-zamyatin/knowledge-absolutely-sure-of-its-infallibility-is-faith/) [Yevgeny Zamyatin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yevgeny-zamyatin/) > [A common fallacy in much of the adverse criticism to which science is subjected today is that it claims certainty, infallibility and complete emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/a-common-fallacy-in-much-of-the-adverse-criticism-to-which-science-is/) [Cyril Norman Hinshelwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/) ## More by George Bernard Shaw > [I love little children too but I don't cut off their heads and stick them in vases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/i-love-little-children-too-but-i-don-t-cut-off-their-heads-and-stick/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [Blasphemy and sedition (meaning the truth about Church and State).](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/blasphemy-and-sedition-meaning-the-truth-about-church-and-state/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [In the arts of life, man invents nothing; but in the arts of death he outdoes Nature herself, and produces by chemistry and machinery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/in-the-arts-of-life-man-invents-nothing-but-in-the-arts-of-death-he/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [“My religious convictions and scientific views cannot at present be more specifically defined than as those of a believer in creative evolution. I desire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/my-religious-convictions-and-scientific-views-cannot-at-present-be/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [What a man believes may be ascertained, not from his creed, but from the assumptions on which he habitually acts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/what-a-man-believes-may-be-ascertained-not-from-his-creed-but-from/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [You are my inspiration and my folly. You are my light across the sea, my million nameless joys, and my day's wage. You are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/you-are-my-inspiration-and-my-folly-you-are-my-light-across-the-sea/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [Men have to do some awfully mean things to keep up their respectability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/men-have-to-do-some-awfully-mean-things-to-keep-up-their/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [The schoolmaster is the person who takes the children off the parents' hands for a consideration. That is to say, he establishes a child…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/the-schoolmaster-is-the-person-who-takes-the-children-off-the-parents/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [As long as I have a want, I have a reason for living. Satisfaction is death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/as-long-as-i-have-a-want-i-have-a-reason-for-living-satisfaction-is/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [The camera can represent flesh so superbly that, if I dared, I would never photograph a figure without asking that figure to take its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/the-camera-can-represent-flesh-so-superbly-that-if-i-dared-i-would/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [A man who is not a communist at the age of twenty is a fool. Any man who is still communist at the age…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/a-man-who-is-not-a-communist-at-the-age-of-twenty-is-a-fool-any-man/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [But to admire a strong person and to live under that strong person’s thumb are two different things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/but-to-admire-a-strong-person-and-to-live-under-that-strong-person-s/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [Socialism is the same as Communism, only better English.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/socialism-is-the-same-as-communism-only-better-english/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [The person who is ignorant enough to believe that his nourishment depends on meat is in a horrible dilemma.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/the-person-who-is-ignorant-enough-to-believe-that-his-nourishment/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [In the arts of peace Man is a bungler.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/in-the-arts-of-peace-man-is-a-bungler/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) [Explore all 1,640 George Bernard Shaw quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) ## More Annoying quotes > [Why couldn't Jesus command us to obsess over everything, to try to control and manipulate people, to try not to breathe at all, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/why-couldn-t-jesus-command-us-to-obsess-over-everything-to-try-to/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [The trouble is. . .that everybody sneers at restrictions and demands freedom, till something annoying happens; then they demand angrily what has become of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/the-trouble-is-that-everybody-sneers-at-restrictions-and-demands/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [At Epcot Center the Disney corporation has focused its attention on two things greatly in need of Disneyfication: the tedious future and the annoying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/at-epcot-center-the-disney-corporation-has-focused-its-attention-on/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [The book it reminded me of most is Henry Miller’s The Books in My Life. Like Miller, Shields manages to convey his affection for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-alexis/the-book-it-reminded-me-of-most-is-henry-miller-s-the-books-in-my/) [Andre Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-alexis/) > [When you're standing around for an hour doing stand up it's no big deal but when you're standing around watching a show for an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-rogan/when-you-re-standing-around-for-an-hour-doing-stand-up-it-s-no-big/) [Joe Rogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-rogan/) > [Belief is a good thing in principle, but an annoying thing in human beings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-wurtzel/belief-is-a-good-thing-in-principle-but-an-annoying-thing-in-human/) [Elizabeth Wurtzel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-wurtzel/) > [Shut the fuck up ur so annoying and you think your the shit lmao sit the fuck down](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/shut-the-fuck-up-ur-so-annoying-and-you-think-your-the-shit-lmao-sit/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The only kind of freedom that the mob can imagine is freedom to annoy and oppress its betters, and that is precisely the kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-kind-of-freedom-that-the-mob-can-imagine-is-freedom-to-annoy/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Die, enemies of Ra!" Sekhemet yelled. "Perish in agony!" "She's almost as annoying as you," I told Horus. "Impossible," Horus said. "No one bests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/die-enemies-of-ra-sekhemet-yelled-perish-in-agony-she-s-almost-as/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [My middle finger is used when words aren't enough for people to understand that they're annoying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-middle-finger-is-used-when-words-aren-t-enough-for-people-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [...Be grateful for what you have to be thankful for instead of complaining about the little things that annoy you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/be-grateful-for-what-you-have-to-be-thankful-for-instead-of/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [Would you want people walking up to you and pointing at your d--k? I can't believe I'm still talking about this. But I've worn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-hamm/would-you-want-people-walking-up-to-you-and-pointing-at-your-d-k-i/) [Jon Hamm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-hamm/) > [I ceased in the year 1764 to believe that one can convince one’s opponents with arguments printed in books. It is not to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/i-ceased-in-the-year-1764-to-believe-that-one-can-convince-one-s/) [Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/) > [WikiLeaks is irritating and annoying for Germany, but not a threat. From an international perspective, I see their actions as totally irresponsible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-de-maiziere/wikileaks-is-irritating-and-annoying-for-germany-but-not-a-threat/) [Thomas de Maiziere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-de-maiziere/) > [It doesn't annoy me but I think of myself as a presenter who is gay, rather than a gay presenter. It's a subtle distinction,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-davis/it-doesn-t-annoy-me-but-i-think-of-myself-as-a-presenter-who-is-gay/) [Evan Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-davis/) [Browse all 1,217 Annoying quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/annoying/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Perhaps I had better inform my Protestant readers that the famous Dogma of Papal Infallibility is by far the most modest pretension of the kind in existence. 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