--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: { Wells discussing his experiences with…" description: "\"“{ Wells discussing his experiences with Christianity } I realised as if for the first time, the menace of these queer shaven men in lace and petticoat..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee1/h-g-wells-2-1299_agony_wells-discussing-his-experiences-with-ch_2231065.jpg" --- # { Wells discussing his experiences with Christianity } I… ![“{ Wells discussing his experiences with Christianity } I realised as if for the first time, the menace of these queer shaven men in lace and petticoats who had been intoning, responding, and going through ritual gestures at me. I realised something dreadful about them. They were thrusting an…” quote by H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee1/h-g-wells-2-1299_agony_wells-discussing-his-experiences-with-ch_2231065.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee1/h-g-wells-2-1299_agony_wells-discussing-his-experiences-with-ch_2231065.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee1/h-g-wells-2-1299_agony_wells-discussing-his-experiences-with-ch_2231065.jpg) > ““{ Wells discussing his experiences with Christianity } I realised as if for the first time, the menace of these queer shaven men in lace and petticoats who had been intoning, responding, and going through ritual gestures at me. I realised something dreadful about them. They were thrusting an incredible and ugly lie upon the world and the world was making no such resistance as I was disposed to make to this enthronement of cruelty. Either I had to come into this immense luminous coop and submit, or I had to declare the Catholic Church, the core and substance of Christendom with all its divines, sages, saints, and martyrs, with successive thousands of believers, age after age, wrong. ...I found my doubt of his essential integrity, and the shadow of contempt it cast, spreading out from him to the whole Church and religion of which he with his wild spoutings about the agonies of Hell, had become the symbol. I felt ashamed to be sitting there in such a bath of credulity.”” [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Wells describes a profound disillusionment with the Catholic Church, seeing it as a source of cruelty and falsehood that he feels compelled to reject. **In simple terms:** He feels the Church is cruel and lies, and he must resist it. Key Takeaway Question the authority of institutions that conflict with personal truth. Themes religion skepticism authority illusion faith Mood conflicted critical reflective Type philosophical critical personal When to use this quote - personal crisis - academic study - public debate - interfaith dialogue Key Concepts existential doubt institutional critique moral integrity Questions to Reflect On - What evidence would change your view of the Church? - How do personal experiences shape religious belief? A Different Perspective Wells' intense emotional response may overlook nuanced theological perspectives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Agony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agony/) [Believers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believers/) [Catholic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/catholic/) [Catholic church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/catholic-church/) [Catholicism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/catholicism/) [Christendom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christendom/) [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church/) [Contempt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contempt/) [Coop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coop/) [Cruelty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cruelty/) [Hell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hell/) [Integrity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/integrity/) [Lie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lie/) [Martyrs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/martyrs/) [Realization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realization/) [Ritual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ritual/) [Sages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sages/) [Shame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shame/) [Submission](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/submission/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [My sufferings I can compare to nothing else than the burning agonies of hell!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solomon-northup/my-sufferings-i-can-compare-to-nothing-else-than-the-burning-agonies/) [Solomon Northup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solomon-northup/) > [“pause,” Rip said. “Then Coop”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-jane-trent/pause-rip-said-then-coop/) Emily Jane Trent > [The networks are not some chicken-coop manufacturing lobby whose calls nobody returns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-nader/the-networks-are-not-some-chicken-coop-manufacturing-lobby-whose/) [Ralph Nader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-nader/) > [“So… this business trip of yours?” “What about it?” “Are you and Coop sharing a room?” She raised her eyebrows, then said, “Right back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-bond/so-this-business-trip-of-yours-what-about-it-are-you-and-coop-sharing/) [Stephanie Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-bond/) > [“I’d hate to be responsible for removing one of Ephemeral’s star players from the roster. I’ll stay as far away from Coop as possible.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/addison-moore/i-d-hate-to-be-responsible-for-removing-one-of-ephemeral-s-star/) [Addison Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/addison-moore/) > [“I got religion in the third grade, and jeepers, did I need it. The devil was in me, and Hardy Biesterveld wasn't helping.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-perry/i-got-religion-in-the-third-grade-and-jeepers-did-i-need-it-the-devil/) [Michael Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-perry/) > [We are made mysteries to ourselves by the Rooster Coop we are locked in,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aravind-adiga/we-are-made-mysteries-to-ourselves-by-the-rooster-coop-we-are-locked/) [Aravind Adiga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aravind-adiga/) > [I was disappointed in Coop. He hated being bored and so did I. He was always looking for different things to do and coming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-was-disappointed-in-coop-he-hated-being-bored-and-so-did-i-he-was/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Her body was designed for pleasure, not speed, and Coop intended to take his time with it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-spencer-pape/her-body-was-designed-for-pleasure-not-speed-and-coop-intended-to/) Cindy Spencer Pape > [“I had once left Coop because I wanted to see if I could be the best, if I could make my own way in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/i-had-once-left-coop-because-i-wanted-to-see-if-i-could-be-the-best/) [Jodi picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [Nuff car a likkle boo boo in the new coop. Waan prop down waist like Dem true loop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aidonia/nuff-car-a-likkle-boo-boo-in-the-new-coop-waan-prop-down-waist-like/) [Aidonia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aidonia/) > [The coop is guarded from the inside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aravind-adiga/the-coop-is-guarded-from-the-inside/) [Aravind Adiga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aravind-adiga/) ## More by H.G. Wells > [“I was grotesque to the theatrical pitch, a stage miser, but I was certainly not a physical impossibility”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/i-was-grotesque-to-the-theatrical-pitch-a-stage-miser-but-i-was/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“Eight-and-twenty years,' said I, 'I have lived, and never a ghost have I seen as yet.' The old woman sat staring hard into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/eight-and-twenty-years-said-i-i-have-lived-and-never-a-ghost-have-i/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“That is the germ of my great discovery. But you are wrong to say that we cannot move about in Time. For instance, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/that-is-the-germ-of-my-great-discovery-but-you-are-wrong-to-say-that/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“What was needed now was not bravery, but circumspection.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/what-was-needed-now-was-not-bravery-but-circumspection/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [ “The thing \[Henry James'\] novel is about is always there. It is like a church lit but without a congregation to distract you, with… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/the-thing-henry-james-novel-is-about-is-always-there-it-is-like-a/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“Don't follow you,' said Filby.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/don-t-follow-you-said-filby/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“We must remember what ruthless and utter destruction our own species has wrought, not only upon animals, such as vanished bison and the dodo,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/we-must-remember-what-ruthless-and-utter-destruction-our-own-species/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“I grieved to think how brief the dream of the human intellect had been. It had committed suicide. It had set itself steadfastly towards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/i-grieved-to-think-how-brief-the-dream-of-the-human-intellect-had/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“Because this island is full of inimical phenomena.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/because-this-island-is-full-of-inimical-phenomena/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“What right have they to hope? They work ill and they want the reward of those who work well. The hope of mankind -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/what-right-have-they-to-hope-they-work-ill-and-they-want-the-reward/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“So long as you are alive you are just the moment, perhaps, but when you are dead then you are all your life from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/so-long-as-you-are-alive-you-are-just-the-moment-perhaps-but-when-you/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“An unpleasant odour would not be objected to, it is not objected to now in many continental hotels.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/an-unpleasant-odour-would-not-be-objected-to-it-is-not-objected-to/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“In the early evening time Dr. Kemp was sitting in his study in the belvedere on the hill overlooking Burdock. It was a pleasant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/in-the-early-evening-time-dr-kemp-was-sitting-in-his-study-in-the/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“The whole world will be intelligent, educated, and co-operating; things will move faster and faster towards the subjugation of Nature. In the end, wisely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/the-whole-world-will-be-intelligent-educated-and-co-operating-things/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“For three centuries the life of the Hebrews was like the life of a man who insists upon living in the middle of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/for-three-centuries-the-life-of-the-hebrews-was-like-the-life-of-a/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) [Explore all 246 H.G. Wells quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) ## More Agony quotes > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [“aaron would not come out aaron entered into agony.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-goldman/aaron-would-not-come-out-aaron-entered-into-agony/) [William Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-goldman/) > [ “\[W\]e must learn to accommodate ourselves to the discovery that some of those cunningly-fashioned instruments called human souls have only a very limited range… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/w-e-must-learn-to-accommodate-ourselves-to-the-discovery-that-some-of/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [As we look upon that agony and those tearful prayers, let us not only look with thankfulness; but let that kneeling Saviour teach us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-maclaren/as-we-look-upon-that-agony-and-those-tearful-prayers-let-us-not-only/) [Alexander MacLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-maclaren/) > [Love masters agony; the soul that seemed Forsaken feels her present God again And in her Father's arms Contented dies away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keble/love-masters-agony-the-soul-that-seemed-forsaken-feels-her-present/) [John Keble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keble/) > [I have seen war. I have seen war on land and sea. I have seen blood running from the wounded. I have seen men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/i-have-seen-war-i-have-seen-war-on-land-and-sea-i-have-seen-blood/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [“Anger was a reliable defense, but one that allowed no chance of final victory. Anger was a medicine but never a cure, briefly numbing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/anger-was-a-reliable-defense-but-one-that-allowed-no-chance-of-final/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [The cure is in the house, not brought by other hands from distant places, but by its own, in agony and blood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/the-cure-is-in-the-house-not-brought-by-other-hands-from-distant/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [Sometimes, a lie is told in kindness. I don't believe it ever works kindly. The quick pain of truth can pass away, but the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/sometimes-a-lie-is-told-in-kindness-i-don-t-believe-it-ever-works/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [The young man shivered. He rolled the stock themes of fantasy over in his mind: cars and stockbrokers and commuters, housewives and police, agony…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/the-young-man-shivered-he-rolled-the-stock-themes-of-fantasy-over-in/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [Being ill like this combines shock - this time I will die - with a pain and agony that are unfamiliar, that wrench me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-brodkey/being-ill-like-this-combines-shock-this-time-i-will-die-with-a-pain/) [Harold Brodkey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-brodkey/) > [One often learns more from ten days of agony than ten years of contentment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merle-shain/one-often-learns-more-from-ten-days-of-agony-than-ten-years-of/) [Merle Shain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merle-shain/) > [There’s been a problem, a problem eating away at me from the inside out. I’ve become weak, I’ve shown human compassion, and it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kane/there-s-been-a-problem-a-problem-eating-away-at-me-from-the-inside/) [Kane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kane/) > [Pay special attention to their agony so I might take some pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euripides/pay-special-attention-to-their-agony-so-i-might-take-some-pleasure/) [Euripides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euripides/) > [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/) [Browse all 813 Agony quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agony/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“{ Wells discussing his experiences with Christianity } I realised as if for the first time, the menace of these queer shaven men in lace and petticoats who had been intoning, responding, and going through ritual gestures at me. I realised something dreadful about them. They were thrusting an incredible and ugly lie upon the world and the world was making no such resistance as I was disposed to make to this enthronement of cruelty. Either I had to come into this immense luminous coop and submit, or I had to declare the Catholic Church, the core and substance of Christendom with all its divines, sages, saints, and martyrs, with successive thousands of believers, age after age, wrong. ...I found my doubt of his essential integrity, and the shadow of contempt it cast, spreading out from him to the whole Church and religion of which he with his wild spoutings about the agonies of Hell, had become the symbol. I felt ashamed to be sitting there in such a bath of credulity.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "H.G. 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