---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: An anecdote is related of Sir Anthony…"
description: "\"An anecdote is related of Sir Anthony Ashley Cooper (1621-1683), who, in speaking of religion, said, \"People differ in their discourse and profession a..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/462/gilbert-burnet-47659_anecdote_an-anecdote-is-related-of-sir-anthony-as_761528.jpg"
---

#  An anecdote is related of Sir Anthony Ashley Cooper…

![“An anecdote is related of Sir Anthony Ashley Cooper (1621-1683), who, in speaking of religion, said, &quot;People differ in their discourse and profession about these matters, but men of sense are really but of one religion.&quot; To the inquiry of &quot;What religion?&quot; the Earl said, &quot;Men of sense never tell it.&quot;” quote by Gilbert Burnet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/462/gilbert-burnet-47659_anecdote_an-anecdote-is-related-of-sir-anthony-as_761528.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/462/gilbert-burnet-47659_anecdote_an-anecdote-is-related-of-sir-anthony-as_761528.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/462/gilbert-burnet-47659_anecdote_an-anecdote-is-related-of-sir-anthony-as_761528.jpg)

> “An anecdote is related of Sir Anthony Ashley Cooper (1621-1683), who, in speaking of religion, said, "People differ in their discourse and profession about these matters, but men of sense are really but of one religion." To the inquiry of "What religion?" the Earl said, "Men of sense never tell it."”

[Gilbert Burnet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-burnet/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The writer suggests that rational people share a common underlying belief, even if they differ in outward religious expressions.

**In simple terms:** Reasonable people share core values despite differing labels.

Key Takeaway

Seek common ground beyond labels.

Themes

religion reason tolerance unity philosophy

Mood

thoughtful hopeful

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- interfaith meetings
- public policy
- education
- community building

Key Concepts

ecumenism secularism interfaith dialogue

Questions to Reflect On

- What core principles unite diverse beliefs?
- How can societies foster respectful dialogue?

A Different Perspective

Differences in practice can still cause division.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Anecdote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anecdote/) [Anecdote Related](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anecdote-related-5904830/) [Anecdotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anecdotes/) [Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ashley/) [Discourse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discourse/) [Inquiry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inquiry/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Profession](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/profession/) [Related](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/related/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religion Earl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion-earl-5904831/) [Religion Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion-said-853891/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Speaking Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speaking-religion-609635/)

## Related quotes

> [Practically speaking, your religion is the story you tell about your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-greeley/practically-speaking-your-religion-is-the-story-you-tell-about-your/)

[Andrew Greeley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-greeley/)

> [“I couldn’t understand what the Taliban were trying to do. “They are abusing our religion,” I said in interviews. “How will you accept Islam…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/i-couldn-t-understand-what-the-taliban-were-trying-to-do-they-are/)

[Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/)

> [“There isn’t a single eastern religion,” said Berlioz, “in which, as a rule, a chaste virgin doesn’t give birth to a god. And without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-bulgakov/there-isn-t-a-single-eastern-religion-said-berlioz-in-which-as-a-rule/)

[Mikhail Bulgakov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-bulgakov/)

> [The true religion, it is said, is service to mankind; but this service seems to take the form of securing for him an unconditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-weaver/the-true-religion-it-is-said-is-service-to-mankind-but-this-service/)

[Richard M. Weaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-weaver/)

> [There is nothing in which deduction is so necessary as in religion," said he, leaning with his back against the shutters. "It can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-is-nothing-in-which-deduction-is-so-necessary-as-in-religion/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“The Fremen have a simple, practical religion,” he said. “Nothing about religion is simple.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/the-fremen-have-a-simple-practical-religion-he-said-nothing-about/)

[Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/)

> [I do not criticize religion as such, but I criticize the concept and the definition of "religion" - as I said in Genealogies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talal-asad/i-do-not-criticize-religion-as-such-but-i-criticize-the-concept-and/)

[Talal Asad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talal-asad/)

> [“Real religion,” said Macmurray, has a different maxim: “Fear not; the things you are afraid of are quite likely to happen to you, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-martin/real-religion-said-macmurray-has-a-different-maxim-fear-not-the/)

[James Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-martin/)

> [“Mother was just as glad to have me out of the house and harm’s way. She did give me some advice. You can always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-joy-fowler/mother-was-just-as-glad-to-have-me-out-of-the-house-and-harm-s-way/)

[Karen Joy Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-joy-fowler/)

> [“And an old priest said, Speak to us of Religion. And he said: Have I spoken this day of aught else? Is not religion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/and-an-old-priest-said-speak-to-us-of-religion-and-he-said-have-i/)

[Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/)

> [Dad always said that he had enough trouble sorting the fiction out of so-called facts, without reading fiction. He always said that science was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-thompson/dad-always-said-that-he-had-enough-trouble-sorting-the-fiction-out-of/)

[Jim Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-thompson/)

> [On the 'Revenge' set, even if they're not showing my feet, I'll still wear my heels because it gets me in the feeling of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-madekwe/on-the-revenge-set-even-if-they-re-not-showing-my-feet-i-ll-still/)

[Ashley Madekwe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-madekwe/)

> [I wasn't put on the cover of Sports Illustrated as a plus-size model, I was put on the cover of Sports Illustrated as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-graham/i-wasn-t-put-on-the-cover-of-sports-illustrated-as-a-plus-size-model/)

[Ashley Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-graham/)

> [Campaigning actress ASHLEY JUDD refuses to 'breed' with her racing star husband DARIO FRANCHITTI while there are starving children in the world. . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-judd/campaigning-actress-ashley-judd-refuses-to-breed-with-her-racing-star/)

[Ashley Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-judd/)

> [“But maybe that isn't so bad. You can't love anyone that way more than once in a lifetime. It's too hard and it hurts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/but-maybe-that-isn-t-so-bad-you-can-t-love-anyone-that-way-more-than/)

[Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/)

## More by Gilbert Burnet

> [One of the strangest catastrophes that is in any history. A great king, with strong armies and mighty fleets, a great treasure and powerful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-burnet/one-of-the-strangest-catastrophes-that-is-in-any-history-a-great-king/)

[Gilbert Burnet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-burnet/)

> [The Duke of Buckingham gave me once a short but severe character of the two brothers. It was the more severe, because it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-burnet/the-duke-of-buckingham-gave-me-once-a-short-but-severe-character-of/)

[Gilbert Burnet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-burnet/)

> [There is no lasting pleasure but contemplation; all others grow flat and insipid upon frequent use; and when a man hath run through a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-burnet/there-is-no-lasting-pleasure-but-contemplation-all-others-grow-flat/)

[Gilbert Burnet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-burnet/)

> [...learning chiefly in mathematical sciences can so swallow up and fix one's thought, as to possess it entirely for some time; but when that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-burnet/learning-chiefly-in-mathematical-sciences-can-so-swallow-up-and-fix/)

[Gilbert Burnet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-burnet/)

> [Let us be adventurers for another world. It is at least a fair and noble chance; and there is nothing in this worth our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-burnet/let-us-be-adventurers-for-another-world-it-is-at-least-a-fair-and/)

[Gilbert Burnet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-burnet/)

> [. . . for the most part the worst instructed, and the least knowing of any of their rank, I ever went amongst.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-burnet/for-the-most-part-the-worst-instructed-and-the-least-knowing-of-any/)

[Gilbert Burnet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-burnet/)

> [The law of England is the greatest grievance of the nation, very expensive and dilatory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-burnet/the-law-of-england-is-the-greatest-grievance-of-the-nation-very/)

[Gilbert Burnet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-burnet/)

[Explore all 8 Gilbert Burnet quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-burnet/)

## More Anecdote quotes

> [Art to me is an anecdote of the spirit,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-rothko/art-to-me-is-an-anecdote-of-the-spirit/)

[Mark Rothko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-rothko/)

> [Art isn't anecdote. It's the consciousness we bring to bear in our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/art-isn-t-anecdote-it-s-the-consciousness-we-bring-to-bear-in-our/)

[Cheryl Strayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-strayed/)

> [Sometimes I get the start of a story from a memory, an anecdote, but that gets lost and is usually unrecognizable in the final…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/sometimes-i-get-the-start-of-a-story-from-a-memory-an-anecdote-but/)

[Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/)

> [ “\[The cats\] scamper in front of my legs, causing me to fall and face plant into whatever furniture is closest. They especially like to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/weston-locher/the-cats-scamper-in-front-of-my-legs-causing-me-to-fall-and-face/)

[Weston Locher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/weston-locher/)

> [Meanwhile with the help of an anecdote I fell in love. Words caravaggio. They have a power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ondaatje/meanwhile-with-the-help-of-an-anecdote-i-fell-in-love-words/)

[Michael Ondaatje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ondaatje/)

> [Somewhere, there, is an analogy, in a small way, if you have the patience for it. But I guess it isn't a very good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/somewhere-there-is-an-analogy-in-a-small-way-if-you-have-the-patience/)

[Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/)

> [“The usual short story cannot have a complex plot, but it often has a simple one resembling a chain with two or three links.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-howe/the-usual-short-story-cannot-have-a-complex-plot-but-it-often-has-a/)

[Irving Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-howe/)

> [“She wondered if she was in the midst of an anecdote that, for reasons of proximity, she was not yet able to perceive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-fisher/she-wondered-if-she-was-in-the-midst-of-an-anecdote-that-for-reasons/)

[Carrie Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-fisher/)

> [Sometimes ... the short short appears to rest on nothing more than a fragile anecdote which the writer has managed to drape with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-howe/sometimes-the-short-short-appears-to-rest-on-nothing-more-than-a/)

[Irving Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-howe/)

> [“In the middle section of the book Mirabelle breaks into not one, but two houses near Belgravia Books. I had fun scoping these out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-sheridan/in-the-middle-section-of-the-book-mirabelle-breaks-into-not-one-but/)

[Sara Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-sheridan/)

> [“I was fired ignominiously from the Junior School Choir for being so off tune that the choir mistress declared she couldn't even bear to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-sheridan/i-was-fired-ignominiously-from-the-junior-school-choir-for-being-so/)

[Sara Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-sheridan/)

> [The plural of anecdote is not data.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-bekoff/the-plural-of-anecdote-is-not-data/)

[Marc Bekoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-bekoff/)

> [“After all, this was the place where I’d had my first meaningful conversation with a female, it was the site of a football’s first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/weston-locher/after-all-this-was-the-place-where-i-d-had-my-first-meaningful/)

[Weston Locher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/weston-locher/)

> [I have one anecdote about the FBI breaking into an embassy in Washington, and under Hoover, they had this sort of ruse whereby they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-kessler/i-have-one-anecdote-about-the-fbi-breaking-into-an-embassy-in/)

[Ronald Kessler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-kessler/)

> [“The anecdote was funny, but as my father gazed across the river at the university of his youth, his Russian life was in his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paullina-simons/the-anecdote-was-funny-but-as-my-father-gazed-across-the-river-at-the/)

[Paullina Simons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paullina-simons/)

[Browse all 54 Anecdote quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anecdote/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "An anecdote is related of Sir Anthony Ashley Cooper (1621-1683), who, in speaking of religion, said, \"People differ in their discourse and profession about these matters, but men of sense are really but of one religion.\" To the inquiry of \"What religion?\" the Earl said, \"Men of sense never tell it.\"",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Gilbert Burnet"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-burnet/an-anecdote-is-related-of-sir-anthony-ashley-cooper-1621-1683-who-in/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Anecdote"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-burnet/an-anecdote-is-related-of-sir-anthony-ashley-cooper-1621-1683-who-in/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/462/gilbert-burnet-47659_anecdote_an-anecdote-is-related-of-sir-anthony-as_761528.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/462/gilbert-burnet-47659_anecdote_an-anecdote-is-related-of-sir-anthony-as_761528.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/462/gilbert-burnet-47659_anecdote_an-anecdote-is-related-of-sir-anthony-as_761528.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“An anecdote is related of Sir Anthony Ashley Cooper (1621-1683), who, in speaking of religion, said, \"People…” — Gilbert Burnet",
                "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": "Gilbert Burnet",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-burnet/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "An anecdote is related of Sir...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-burnet/an-anecdote-is-related-of-sir-anthony-ashley-cooper-1621-1683-who-in/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-burnet/an-anecdote-is-related-of-sir-anthony-ashley-cooper-1621-1683-who-in/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
