--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Each religion necessarily contradicts…" description: "\"Each religion necessarily contradicts every other religion, and probably contradicts itself. Religions, like languages, are necessary rivals. What reli..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ec/george-santayana-478_accidents_each-religion-necessarily-contradicts-ev_2479806.png" --- # Each religion necessarily contradicts every other… ![“Each religion necessarily contradicts every other religion, and probably contradicts itself. Religions, like languages, are necessary rivals. What religion a man shall have is a historical accident, quite as much as what language he shall speak.” quote by George Santayana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ec/george-santayana-478_accidents_each-religion-necessarily-contradicts-ev_2479806.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ec/george-santayana-478_accidents_each-religion-necessarily-contradicts-ev_2479806.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ec/george-santayana-478_accidents_each-religion-necessarily-contradicts-ev_2479806.png) > “Each religion necessarily contradicts every other religion, and probably contradicts itself. Religions, like languages, are necessary rivals. What religion a man shall have is a historical accident, quite as much as what language he shall speak.” [George Santayana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-santayana/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Religions, like languages, inherently conflict with each other and themselves, making belief a matter of historical chance. **In simple terms:** Religions clash like rival languages, chosen by accident. Key Takeaway Recognize belief as a cultural accident. Themes religion culture conflict history Mood thoughtful analytical curious Type philosophical reflective analytical When to use this quote - interfaith dialogue - education on world religions - personal belief exploration - policy on religious freedom Key Concepts pluralism relativism identity formation Questions to Reflect On - What role does historical accident play in your beliefs? - How can rival belief systems coexist peacefully? A Different Perspective Not all contradictions are harmful; they can foster dialogue. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accidents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accidents/) [Historical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historical/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Rivals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rivals/) ## Related quotes > [Each religion, so dear to those whose life it sanctifies, and fulfilling so necessary a function in the society that has adopted it, necessarily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-santayana/each-religion-so-dear-to-those-whose-life-it-sanctifies-and/) [George Santayana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-santayana/) > [It is...idle to pretend, as many do, that there is no contradiction between religion and science. Science contradicts religion as surely as Judaism contradicts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-appleyard/it-is-idle-to-pretend-as-many-do-that-there-is-no-contradiction/) [Bryan Appleyard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-appleyard/) > [Belief Systems contradict both science and ordinary "common sense." B.S. contradicts science, because it claims certitude and science can never achieve certitude: it can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-anton-wilson/belief-systems-contradict-both-science-and-ordinary-common-sense-b-s/) [Robert Anton Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-anton-wilson/) > [Towers in a modern town are a frill and a survival; they seem like the raised hands of the various churches, afraid of being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-santayana/towers-in-a-modern-town-are-a-frill-and-a-survival-they-seem-like-the/) [George Santayana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-santayana/) > [“Everything you say,' Geno said rather irritably, 'contradicts itself.' 'Of course it does,' the screech owl rejoined obscurely. 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It only weakens the appeal of their faith and contradicts any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/i-have-always-marveled-that-so-many-religions-exact-such-revenge/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [All true knowledge contradicts common sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandell-creighton/all-true-knowledge-contradicts-common-sense/) Mandell Creighton ## More by George Santayana > [Perhaps the universe is nothing but an equilibrium of idiocies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-santayana/perhaps-the-universe-is-nothing-but-an-equilibrium-of-idiocies/) [George Santayana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-santayana/) > [The combative instinct is a savage prompting by which one man's good is found in another's evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-santayana/the-combative-instinct-is-a-savage-prompting-by-which-one-man-s-good/) [George Santayana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-santayana/) > [Sanctity and genius are as rebellious as vice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-santayana/sanctity-and-genius-are-as-rebellious-as-vice/) [George Santayana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-santayana/) > [To attempt to be religious without practicing a specific religion is as possible as attempting to speak without a specific language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-santayana/to-attempt-to-be-religious-without-practicing-a-specific-religion-is/) [George Santayana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-santayana/) > [“The contemporary world has turned its back on the attempt and even on the desire to live reasonably.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-santayana/the-contemporary-world-has-turned-its-back-on-the-attempt-and-even-on/) [George Santayana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-santayana/) > [The pride of the artisan in his art and its uses is pride in himself...It is in his skill and ability to make things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-santayana/the-pride-of-the-artisan-in-his-art-and-its-uses-is-pride-in-himself/) [George Santayana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-santayana/) > [If pain could have cured us we should long ago have been saved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-santayana/if-pain-could-have-cured-us-we-should-long-ago-have-been-saved/) [George Santayana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-santayana/) > [Towers in a modern town are a frill and a survival; 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