--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The time must come inevitably when…" description: "\"The time must come inevitably when mankind shall surmount the imbecility of religion, as it has surmounted the imbecility of religion's ally, magic. It..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a3/h-l-mencken-245_adopting_the-time-must-come-inevitably-when-manki_2512221.jpg" --- # The time must come inevitably when mankind shall surmount… ![“The time must come inevitably when mankind shall surmount the imbecility of religion, as it has surmounted the imbecility of religion's ally, magic. It is impossible to imagine this world being really civilized so long as so much nonsense survives. In even its highest forms religion embraces…” quote by H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a3/h-l-mencken-245_adopting_the-time-must-come-inevitably-when-manki_2512221.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a3/h-l-mencken-245_adopting_the-time-must-come-inevitably-when-manki_2512221.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a3/h-l-mencken-245_adopting_the-time-must-come-inevitably-when-manki_2512221.jpg) > “The time must come inevitably when mankind shall surmount the imbecility of religion, as it has surmounted the imbecility of religion's ally, magic. It is impossible to imagine this world being really civilized so long as so much nonsense survives. In even its highest forms religion embraces concepts that run counter to all common sense. It can be defended only by making assumptions and adopting rules of logic that are never heard of in any other field of human thinking.” [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Religion’s irrationality will be overcome like magic, but its persistence hinders civilization. **In simple terms:** Religion is seen as irrational and obstructive to progress. Key Takeaway Question and challenge irrational beliefs. Themes religion rationality civilization Mood critical skeptical Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - education - public discourse - policy making Key Concepts philosophy of belief critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - What alternatives replace religious frameworks? - Can rationalism address existential needs? A Different Perspective Some may find comfort and meaning in religion despite its flaws. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Allies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/allies/) [Assumption](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assumption/) [Being real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-real/) [Common sense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common-sense/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Imbecility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imbecility/) [Logic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/logic/) [Magic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magic/) [Making Assumptions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-assumptions/) [Mankind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mankind/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Nonsense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nonsense/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“I'd long wondered if I were really a civilized person, though I kept striving to be one. I knew that at the moment I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlaine-harris/i-d-long-wondered-if-i-were-really-a-civilized-person-though-i-kept/) [Charlaine Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlaine-harris/) > [I think being interested is really what being civilized is about. I mean, you have to be conscious of everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schjeldahl/i-think-being-interested-is-really-what-being-civilized-is-about-i/) [Peter Schjeldahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schjeldahl/) > [“If an Elder shall give us a lecture upon astronomy, chemistry, or geology, our religion embraces it all. It matters not what the subject…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigham-young/if-an-elder-shall-give-us-a-lecture-upon-astronomy-chemistry-or/) [Brigham Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigham-young/) > [A truly religious man does not embrace a religion; and he who embraces one has no religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-truly-religious-man-does-not-embrace-a-religion-and-he-who-embraces/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [That which we call the Hindu religion is really the Eternal religion because it embraces all others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-aurobindo/that-which-we-call-the-hindu-religion-is-really-the-eternal-religion/) [Sri Aurobindo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-aurobindo/) > [Treat with utmost respect your power of forming opinions, for this power alone guards you against making assumptions that are contrary to nature and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/treat-with-utmost-respect-your-power-of-forming-opinions-for-this/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [“I'm being careful with here," Harlow told me, apparently irritated by something I hadn't even had the time to say yet. She was making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-joy-fowler/i-m-being-careful-with-here-harlow-told-me-apparently-irritated-by/) [Karen Joy Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-joy-fowler/) > [“Based on this data, Trichopoulou published a landmark article in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) in 2003, in which she concluded that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-teicholz/based-on-this-data-trichopoulou-published-a-landmark-article-in-the/) [Nina Teicholz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-teicholz/) > [All of the sadness and drama you have lived in your life was rooted in the making of assumptions and taking things personally. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/all-of-the-sadness-and-drama-you-have-lived-in-your-life-was-rooted/) [Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/) > [“You asked how I'd define prejudice. That's it. Making assumptions about people you've never met.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-horwitz/you-asked-how-i-d-define-prejudice-that-s-it-making-assumptions-about/) [Tony Horwitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-horwitz/) > [“People who always have problems in life and give other people problems. Are people who jump into conclusion and who are always making assumptions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/de-philosopher-dj-kyos/people-who-always-have-problems-in-life-and-give-other-people/) De philosopher DJ Kyos > [Making assumptions taught me a lot as a producer, because it's something I never do now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-beats/making-assumptions-taught-me-a-lot-as-a-producer-because-it-s/) [Kenny Beats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-beats/) > [“Making assumptions in our relationships is really asking for problems. Often we make the assumption that our partners know what we think and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-ruiz/making-assumptions-in-our-relationships-is-really-asking-for-problems/) [Miguel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-ruiz/) > [“The problem with making assumptions is that we believe they are the truth. We could swear they are real.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-ruiz/the-problem-with-making-assumptions-is-that-we-believe-they-are-the/) [Miguel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-ruiz/) > [Life becomes much easier when you stop jumping to conclusions and stop making assumptions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-becomes-much-easier-when-you-stop-jumping-to-conclusions-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by H. L. Mencken > [Alimony - the ransom that the happy pay to the devil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/alimony-the-ransom-that-the-happy-pay-to-the-devil/) [H. L. 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They get pleasure out of the conversation of children in arms and men in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/women-have-simple-tastes-they-get-pleasure-out-of-the-conversation-of/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [The critic, to interpret his artist, even to understand his artist, must be able to get into the mind of his artist; he must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/the-critic-to-interpret-his-artist-even-to-understand-his-artist-must/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [There is, in fact, nothing about religious opinions that entitles them to any more respect than other opinions get. On the contrary, they tend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/there-is-in-fact-nothing-about-religious-opinions-that-entitles-them/) [H. L. 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Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [Philosophy first constructs a scheme of happiness and then tries to fit the world to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/philosophy-first-constructs-a-scheme-of-happiness-and-then-tries-to/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [For it is the natural tendency of the ignorant to believe what is not true. In order to overcome that tendency it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/for-it-is-the-natural-tendency-of-the-ignorant-to-believe-what-is-not/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) [Explore all 827 H. L. Mencken quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) ## More Adopting quotes > [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [Somehow destiny comes into play. These children end up with you and you end up with them. It's something quite magical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-kidman/somehow-destiny-comes-into-play-these-children-end-up-with-you-and/) [Nicole Kidman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-kidman/) > [I'm definitely not opposed to adopting. I think that would be marvellous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-frost/i-m-definitely-not-opposed-to-adopting-i-think-that-would-be/) [Jo Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-frost/) > [I know a lot of people want to buy puppies, but adopting a dog who needs a home is doing something good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manu-ginobili/i-know-a-lot-of-people-want-to-buy-puppies-but-adopting-a-dog-who/) [Manu Ginobili](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manu-ginobili/) > [I'm not at all against white people adopting black children, because we're all human beings who need to give love and be nurtured in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kola-boof/i-m-not-at-all-against-white-people-adopting-black-children-because/) [Kola Boof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kola-boof/) > [There are many examples of companies and countries that have improved their competitiveness and efficiency by adopting open source strategies. 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