Absurdity Quote by H. L. Mencken
“All great religions, in order to escape absurdity, have to admit a dilution of agnosticism. It is only the savage, whether of the African bush or the American gospel tent, who pretends to know the will and intent of God exactly and completely.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: "The Religion of the American People", 1925
Religions avoid absurdity by partially embracing agnosticism; only those claiming absolute knowledge of God truly pretend.
In simple terms: Religions hide uncertainty by claiming certainty; pretenders claim full knowledge of God.
Key Takeaway
Question claims of absolute certainty.
Themes
religion
philosophy
skepticism
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
philosophical
skeptical
When to use this quote
- theological debate
- public discourse
- personal belief systems
Key Concepts
agnosticism
dogma
faith
knowledge
Questions to Reflect On
- Do you think any belief can be fully known?
- How does uncertainty shape faith?
A Different Perspective
Absolute certainty is often unfounded.
![“The idea that we are to be absorbed into the Deity is Gnostic in its origins and is quite antithetical to Christianity." ~R. Alan Woods [2006]” quote by R. Alan Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/014/r-alan-woods-1455_christianity_the-idea-that-we-are-to-be-absorbed-into_43702.jpg)
![“By profession a biologist, [Thomas Henry Huxley] covered in fact the whole field of the exact sciences, and then bulged through its four fences. Absolutely nothing was uninteresting to him. His curiosity ranged from music to theology and from philosophy to history. He didn't simply know something…” quote by H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f46/h-l-mencken-245_absolutely-nothing_by-profession-a-biologist-thomas-henry-h_5368.jpg)
