--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: while religion is ethical, it by no means…" description: "\"while religion is ethical, it by no means follows that ethics is religion.\" — Georgia Harkness" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cd/georgia-harkness-21903_ethical_while-religion-is-ethical-it-by-no-means_909989.jpg" --- # while religion is ethical, it by no means follows that… ![“while religion is ethical, it by no means follows that ethics is religion.” quote by Georgia Harkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cd/georgia-harkness-21903_ethical_while-religion-is-ethical-it-by-no-means_909989.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cd/georgia-harkness-21903_ethical_while-religion-is-ethical-it-by-no-means_909989.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cd/georgia-harkness-21903_ethical_while-religion-is-ethical-it-by-no-means_909989.jpg) > “while religion is ethical, it by no means follows that ethics is religion.” [Georgia Harkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-harkness/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ethics can be independent of religion; moral reasoning does not require religious belief. **In simple terms:** Morals don’t need religion. Key Takeaway Separate moral judgments from religious doctrine. Themes ethics religion philosophy independence Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical critical When to use this quote - debates on law - public policy - personal decisions Key Concepts secular morality ethical reasoning Questions to Reflect On - Can secular ethics address all moral dilemmas? - How do cultural traditions affect moral reasoning? A Different Perspective Religious frameworks can still influence moral views. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ethical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethical/) [Ethical Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethical-means-1324801/) [Ethics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethics/) [Ethics Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethics-religion-680553/) [Follows Ethics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/follows-ethics-1324802/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religion Ethical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion-ethical-1324800/) ## Related quotes > [“First,try to solve the problem by peaceful, non-violent means, but if it fails, take recourse to all other moral and ethical means, even violent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-nandan-p-sinha/first-try-to-solve-the-problem-by-peaceful-non-violent-means-but-if/) [Ram Nandan P. Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-nandan-p-sinha/) > [“Perhaps it is time for humanity to realize that noble ends can only be attained through ethical means.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sahar-el-nadi/perhaps-it-is-time-for-humanity-to-realize-that-noble-ends-can-only/) [Sahar El-Nadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sahar-el-nadi/) > [All the world’s major religions, with their emphasis on love, compassion, patience, tolerance and forgiveness, can and do promote inner values. But the reality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/all-the-world-s-major-religions-with-their-emphasis-on-love/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [Ethics and religion differ herein; that the one is the system of human duties commencing from man; the other, from God. Religion includes the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/ethics-and-religion-differ-herein-that-the-one-is-the-system-of-human/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [You can't deny that religion has done some good. It organizes lots of anti-poverty programs and soup kitchens and missionary work. But I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/you-can-t-deny-that-religion-has-done-some-good-it-organizes-lots-of/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [I regard monotheism as the greatest disaster ever to befall the human race. I see no good in Judaism, Christianity, or Islam - good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/i-regard-monotheism-as-the-greatest-disaster-ever-to-befall-the-human-2/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [(Because) the notion of absolute truth is difficult to sustain outside the context of religion, ethical conduct is not something we engage in because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/because-the-notion-of-absolute-truth-is-difficult-to-sustain-outside/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [The meaning of life is pretty clear: Living things strive to pass their genes into the future. The claim that we would not have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-nye/the-meaning-of-life-is-pretty-clear-living-things-strive-to-pass/) [Bill Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-nye/) > [“Without morality and ethics there is no religion (dharma), the foundation of religion is morality and ethics.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/without-morality-and-ethics-there-is-no-religion-dharma-the/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“Authors as diverse as Matthew Arnold and George Orwell have given thought to the serious question: what is to be done about morals and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/authors-as-diverse-as-matthew-arnold-and-george-orwell-have-given/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [I consider ethics, as well as religion, as supplements to law in the government of man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/i-consider-ethics-as-well-as-religion-as-supplements-to-law-in-the/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Ethics and religion must not stay at home when we go to work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/achille-silvestrini/ethics-and-religion-must-not-stay-at-home-when-we-go-to-work/) [Achille Silvestrini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/achille-silvestrini/) > [All the world's major religions, with their emphasis on love, compassion, patience, tolerance, and forgiveness can and do promote inner values. But the reality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/all-the-world-s-major-religions-with-their-emphasis-on-love-2/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [Christianity is the only system of faith which combines religious beliefs with corresponding principles of morality. It builds ethics on religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-phelps/christianity-is-the-only-system-of-faith-which-combines-religious/) [Austin Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-phelps/) > [Socrates claimed famously that one never loses by doing the right thing. Stephen Post and his contributors claim, a little less boldly, that at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holmes-rolston-iii/socrates-claimed-famously-that-one-never-loses-by-doing-the-right/) [Holmes Rolston III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holmes-rolston-iii/) ## More by Georgia Harkness > [To discover, or recover, the sense of religious certainty one must worship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-harkness/to-discover-or-recover-the-sense-of-religious-certainty-one-must/) [Georgia Harkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-harkness/) > [... we all know how to pray better than we practice what we know!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-harkness/we-all-know-how-to-pray-better-than-we-practice-what-we-know/) [Georgia Harkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-harkness/) > [Life is a continual alternation of rest and action, of the need of comfort and the need of power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-harkness/life-is-a-continual-alternation-of-rest-and-action-of-the-need-of/) [Georgia Harkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-harkness/) > [The sooner the doctrine of original sin disappears, the better it is for theology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-harkness/the-sooner-the-doctrine-of-original-sin-disappears-the-better-it-is/) [Georgia Harkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-harkness/) > [the truth is seldom found in extremes. Central truths can be revolutionary if put to work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-harkness/the-truth-is-seldom-found-in-extremes-central-truths-can-be/) [Georgia Harkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-harkness/) > [The perpetual danger which besets religion is that it may substitute gentility and aestheticism for prophetic insight and power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-harkness/the-perpetual-danger-which-besets-religion-is-that-it-may-substitute/) [Georgia Harkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-harkness/) > [the most common type of pessimism is neither philosophical nor religious: it is the pessimism of thwarted desire. ... It is the cynical sneer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-harkness/the-most-common-type-of-pessimism-is-neither-philosophical-nor/) [Georgia Harkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-harkness/) > [churches, like all the rest of our major institutions, are rooted in capitalism. For a church to attack capitalism is to 'bite the hand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-harkness/churches-like-all-the-rest-of-our-major-institutions-are-rooted-in/) [Georgia Harkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-harkness/) > [One can be coerced to church, but not to worship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-harkness/one-can-be-coerced-to-church-but-not-to-worship/) [Georgia Harkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-harkness/) > [The great danger is that in the confession of any collective sin, one shall confess the sins of others and forget our own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-harkness/the-great-danger-is-that-in-the-confession-of-any-collective-sin-one/) [Georgia Harkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-harkness/) > [religion is perhaps its own worst enemy. For religion, masquerading under the guise of archaic creeds, and impossible literalisms, and ecclesiasticism indifferent to human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-harkness/religion-is-perhaps-its-own-worst-enemy-for-religion-masquerading/) [Georgia Harkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-harkness/) > [Nature, left to itself, defeats nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-harkness/nature-left-to-itself-defeats-nature/) [Georgia Harkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-harkness/) > [love is always in danger of being sentimentalized.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-harkness/love-is-always-in-danger-of-being-sentimentalized/) [Georgia Harkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-harkness/) > [To keep God at the center of one's life requires frequent renewal of power through prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-harkness/to-keep-god-at-the-center-of-one-s-life-requires-frequent-renewal-of/) [Georgia Harkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-harkness/) > [Prayer is essentially a process by which ideals are enabled to become operative in our lives. It may be more than this, but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-harkness/prayer-is-essentially-a-process-by-which-ideals-are-enabled-to-become/) [Georgia Harkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-harkness/) [Explore all 28 Georgia Harkness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-harkness/) ## More Ethical quotes > [The concept of humanity is an especially useful ideological instrument of imperialist expansion, and in its ethical-humanitarian form it is a specific vehicle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-schmitt/the-concept-of-humanity-is-an-especially-useful-ideological/) [Carl Schmitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-schmitt/) > [My hope is that if people have the knowledge, and if they actually see where their food comes from and have access to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/my-hope-is-that-if-people-have-the-knowledge-and-if-they-actually-see/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) > [Design certainly has a cosmetic, aesthetic aim. 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