Common decency Quote by H.L. Mencken
““ONE OF the most irrational of all the conventions of modern society is the one to the effect that religious opinions should be respected. It is largely to blame, I suspect, for the slowness with which sound ideas are disseminated in the world. The minute a new one bobs up some faction or other of theologians falls upon it furiously, seeking to put it down. The most effective way to defend it, of course, would be to fall upon the theologians, for the only really useful defense is an all-out offensive. But the convention aforesaid protects them, and so they proceed with their blather unwhipped and almost unmolested, to the great damage of common sense and common decency. That they should have this immunity is an outrage. There is nothing in religious ideas, as a class, to lift them above other ideas. On the contrary, they are always dubious and often quite silly. Nor is there any visible intellectual dignity in theologians. Few of them know anything that is worth knowing, and not many of them are even honest.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: “The Religion of the Times,” 1917
Religious ideas receive undue protection, hindering the spread of rational thought and allowing dubious doctrines to persist.
In simple terms: Religion is shielded from criticism, slowing truth.
Key Takeaway
Question the immunity given to religious ideas.
Themes
religion
free speech
intellectual honesty
skepticism
Mood
skeptical
provocative
Type
philosophical
critical
When to use this quote
- academic debate
- media critique
- policy on religious exemptions
Key Concepts
censorship
dogma
public discourse
Questions to Reflect On
- Should religious ideas be treated like any other belief?
- How to balance respect and critique?
A Different Perspective
Some argue religious freedom is essential for personal liberty.
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