--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: we contrive to make revenge itself look…" description: "\"we contrive to make revenge itself look like religion. We call down thunder on many a head under pretence, that those on whom we invoke it are God's en..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/511/hannah-more-2695_enemy_we-contrive-to-make-revenge-itself-look_1330112.png" --- # we contrive to make revenge itself look like religion. We… ![“we contrive to make revenge itself look like religion. We call down thunder on many a head under pretence, that those on whom we invoke it are God's enemies, when perhaps we invoke it because they are ours.” quote by Hannah More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/511/hannah-more-2695_enemy_we-contrive-to-make-revenge-itself-look_1330112.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/511/hannah-more-2695_enemy_we-contrive-to-make-revenge-itself-look_1330112.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/511/hannah-more-2695_enemy_we-contrive-to-make-revenge-itself-look_1330112.png) > “we contrive to make revenge itself look like religion. We call down thunder on many a head under pretence, that those on whom we invoke it are God's enemies, when perhaps we invoke it because they are ours.” [Hannah More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-more/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Revenge is disguised as divine justice, using religious language to justify personal vendettas. **In simple terms:** Revenge pretends to be holy. Key Takeaway Beware of using faith to mask personal grudges. Themes justice religion revenge Mood critical analytical Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - legal systems - personal conflicts - spiritual discourse Key Concepts moral hypocrisy ethical manipulation Questions to Reflect On - When have you seen morality weaponized? - How can we distinguish true justice from revenge? A Different Perspective Religious justification can be misused. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) [God Enemies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-enemies-773470/) [Invoke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invoke/) [Looks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looks/) [Make Revenge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-revenge-3560282/) [Pretence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pretence/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religion Thunder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion-thunder-4460687/) [Revenge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revenge/) [Revenge Look](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revenge-look-2203540/) [Thunder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thunder/) ## Related quotes > [“The witch knew who had killed her and she snatched pieces of time, here and there, from the business of dying, to make her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-link/the-witch-knew-who-had-killed-her-and-she-snatched-pieces-of-time/) [Kelly Link](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-link/) > [The best revenge is to look good. Always dress like you're going to see your worst enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-best-revenge-is-to-look-good-always-dress-like-you-re-going-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When being around ppl who don't like you, the best revenge is to look hot af to give them a reason to talk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina-beaubian/when-being-around-ppl-who-don-t-like-you-the-best-revenge-is-to-look/) [Sabrina Beaubian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabrina-beaubian/) > [“Two things you should never do in a hurry: make up and revenge.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iveta-cherneva/two-things-you-should-never-do-in-a-hurry-make-up-and-revenge/) [Iveta Cherneva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iveta-cherneva/) > [“The Bible says we were God’s enemies, but never says God was our enemy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hidalgo/the-bible-says-we-were-god-s-enemies-but-never-says-god-was-our-enemy/) [Michael Hidalgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hidalgo/) > [We thank God that our enemies are idiots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahmoud-ahmadinejad/we-thank-god-that-our-enemies-are-idiots/) [Mahmoud Ahmadinejad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahmoud-ahmadinejad/) > [No human being is safe from the blessing and the favor of God around us. We have no enemies except for the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/no-human-being-is-safe-from-the-blessing-and-the-favor-of-god-around/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The saddest consequence which attends the prosperity and success of God’s enemies in the world, is their pride and blasphemy against God, his truth,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gurnall/the-saddest-consequence-which-attends-the-prosperity-and-success-of/) [William Gurnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gurnall/) > [Friends die one by one, but so, thank God, do enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-de-mille/friends-die-one-by-one-but-so-thank-god-do-enemies/) [Agnes de Mille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-de-mille/) > [It took me a long time to understand that God is not the enemy of my enemies. God is not even the enemy of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-niemoller/it-took-me-a-long-time-to-understand-that-god-is-not-the-enemy-of-my/) [Martin Niemoller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-niemoller/) > [Fear God, and your enemies will fear you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/fear-god-and-your-enemies-will-fear-you/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Do you not know that the largest trees, which have required years to grow, are cut down in one hour? It is foolish to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-becket/do-you-not-know-that-the-largest-trees-which-have-required-years-to/) [Thomas Becket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-becket/) > [ \[Enemies of Syria\] are the enemies of the people and the enemies of God. And the enemies of God will go to hell. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/enemies-of-syria-are-the-enemies-of-the-people-and-the-enemies-of-god/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [Our own distrust gives a fair pretence for the knavery of other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/our-own-distrust-gives-a-fair-pretence-for-the-knavery-of-other-people/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [“The closest she got to pretence was politeness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/the-closest-she-got-to-pretence-was-politeness/) [Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/) ## More by Hannah More > [I am persuaded that there is no affection of the human heart more exquisitely pure, than that which is felt by a grateful son…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-more/i-am-persuaded-that-there-is-no-affection-of-the-human-heart-more/) [Hannah More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-more/) > [Wisdom views with an indifferent eye all finite joys, all blessings born to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-more/wisdom-views-with-an-indifferent-eye-all-finite-joys-all-blessings/) [Hannah More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-more/) > [Yes, thou art ever present, power divine; not circumscribed by time, nor fixed by space, confined to altars, nor to temples bound. In wealth,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-more/yes-thou-art-ever-present-power-divine-not-circumscribed-by-time-nor/) [Hannah More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-more/) > [All reformations seem formidable before they are attempted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-more/all-reformations-seem-formidable-before-they-are-attempted/) [Hannah More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-more/) > [He who has once taken to drink can seldom be said to be guilty of one sin only.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-more/he-who-has-once-taken-to-drink-can-seldom-be-said-to-be-guilty-of-one/) [Hannah More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-more/) > [We are too ready to imagine that we are religious, because we know something of religion. We appropriate to ourselves the pious sentiments we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-more/we-are-too-ready-to-imagine-that-we-are-religious-because-we-know/) [Hannah More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-more/) > [A corrupt practice may be abolished, but a soiled imagination is not easily cleansed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-more/a-corrupt-practice-may-be-abolished-but-a-soiled-imagination-is-not/) [Hannah More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-more/) > [A faint endeavor ends in a sure defeat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-more/a-faint-endeavor-ends-in-a-sure-defeat/) [Hannah More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-more/) > [Oh! the joy Of young ideas painted on the mind, In the warm glowing colors fancy spreads On objects not yet known, when all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-more/oh-the-joy-of-young-ideas-painted-on-the-mind-in-the-warm-glowing/) [Hannah More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-more/) > [The world does not require so much to be informed as to be reminded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-more/the-world-does-not-require-so-much-to-be-informed-as-to-be-reminded/) [Hannah More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-more/) > [If we commit any crime, or do any good here, it must be in thought; for our words are few and our deeds none…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-more/if-we-commit-any-crime-or-do-any-good-here-it-must-be-in-thought-for/) [Hannah More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-more/) > [nothing is more common than to mistake the sign for the thing itself; nor is any practice more frequent than that of endeavoring to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-more/nothing-is-more-common-than-to-mistake-the-sign-for-the-thing-itself/) [Hannah More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-more/) > [“Forgiveness spares the expense of anger, the cost of hatred, the waste of spirits.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-more/forgiveness-spares-the-expense-of-anger-the-cost-of-hatred-the-waste/) [Hannah More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-more/) > [How much it is to be regretted, that the British ladies should ever sit down contented to polish, when they are able to reform;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-more/how-much-it-is-to-be-regretted-that-the-british-ladies-should-ever/) [Hannah More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-more/) > [Who are those ever multiplying authors that with unparalleled fecundity are overstocking the world with their quick succeeding progeny? They are novel-writers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-more/who-are-those-ever-multiplying-authors-that-with-unparalleled/) [Hannah More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-more/) [Explore all 154 Hannah More quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-more/) ## More Enemy quotes > [Shall there be truth between us, as two men? Not as friends, but as enemies and equals?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/shall-there-be-truth-between-us-as-two-men-not-as-friends-but-as/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [“Before you were my enemy, you were my best friend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/before-you-were-my-enemy-you-were-my-best-friend/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [It is the rule in war, if our forces are ten to the enemy's one, to surround him; if five to one, to attack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/it-is-the-rule-in-war-if-our-forces-are-ten-to-the-enemy-s-one-to/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [Fear is a man's worst enemy, but love is a man's most powerful weapon against anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/fear-is-a-man-s-worst-enemy-but-love-is-a-man-s-most-powerful-weapon/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The surprise of an army is now next to an impossibility. ... Prearranged surprises are rare and difficult because in order to plan one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-henri-jomini/the-surprise-of-an-army-is-now-next-to-an-impossibility-prearranged/) [Antoine-Henri Jomini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-henri-jomini/) > [“Never let your Enemies become your Advocates.” by A. K. Hasan”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-k-hasan/never-let-your-enemies-become-your-advocates-by-a-k-hasan/) [A.K. Hasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-k-hasan/) > [The concept of humanity is an especially useful ideological instrument of imperialist expansion, and in its ethical-humanitarian form it is a specific vehicle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-schmitt/the-concept-of-humanity-is-an-especially-useful-ideological/) [Carl Schmitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-schmitt/) > [Pain held no terror for him. Pain was, if not friend, then family, something he had grown up with in his crèche, learning to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/pain-held-no-terror-for-him-pain-was-if-not-friend-then-family/) [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) > [To achieve victory we must mass our forces at the hub of all power & movement. The enemy's 'Center of Gravity'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-achieve-victory-we-must-mass-our-forces-at-the-hub-of-all-power/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't see why we and the Chinese should have to be enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/i-don-t-see-why-we-and-the-chinese-should-have-to-be-enemies/) [Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/) > [The invention of gunpowder and the constant improvement of firearms are enough in themselves to show that the advance of civilization has done nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/the-invention-of-gunpowder-and-the-constant-improvement-of-firearms/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [Perfection is the enemy of greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/perfection-is-the-enemy-of-greatness/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [In this business, you find the enemy, then go after and destroy him. Everything else is rubbish!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-rickenbacker/in-this-business-you-find-the-enemy-then-go-after-and-destroy-him/) [Eddie Rickenbacker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-rickenbacker/) > [“Enemies Teach. Friends Preach.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tapan-ghosh/enemies-teach-friends-preach/) [Tapan Ghosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tapan-ghosh/) [Browse all 7,981 Enemy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "we contrive to make revenge itself look like religion. 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