---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Self-absorption is always a temptation to…"
description: "\"Self-absorption is always a temptation to young people, and if their religion is of a sort to add to this self-absorption, I feel that it is a serious ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24a/hannah-whitall-smith-8136_absorption_self-absorption-is-always-a-temptation-t_1617624.jpg"
---

#  Self-absorption is always a temptation to young people…

![“Self-absorption is always a temptation to young people, and if their religion is of a sort to add to this self-absorption, I feel that it is a serious mistake. If I had my way, the whole subject of feelings and emotions in the religious life would be absolutely ignored. Feelings there will be…” quote by Hannah Whitall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24a/hannah-whitall-smith-8136_absorption_self-absorption-is-always-a-temptation-t_1617624.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24a/hannah-whitall-smith-8136_absorption_self-absorption-is-always-a-temptation-t_1617624.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24a/hannah-whitall-smith-8136_absorption_self-absorption-is-always-a-temptation-t_1617624.jpg)

> “Self-absorption is always a temptation to young people, and if their religion is of a sort to add to this self-absorption, I feel that it is a serious mistake. If I had my way, the whole subject of feelings and emotions in the religious life would be absolutely ignored. Feelings there will be, doubtless, but they must not be in the least depended on, nor in any sense taken as the test or gauge of one's religion. They ought to be left out of the calculation entirely. You may feel good or you may feel bad, but neither the good feeling nor the bad feeling affects the real thing.”

[Hannah Whitall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-whitall-smith/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

She warns against letting emotions dictate religion, urging a focus on objective faith rather than feelings.

**In simple terms:** Avoid letting feelings guide faith.

Key Takeaway

Prioritize doctrine over emotion.

Themes

faith emotion discipline

Mood

critical inquisitive

Type

spiritual philosophical

When to use this quote

- personal devotion
- church teaching
- spiritual counseling

Key Concepts

spirituality psychology religious practice

Questions to Reflect On

- Should feelings be excluded from faith?
- How to balance emotion and doctrine?

A Different Perspective

Emotions can be integral to authentic faith.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Emotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotion/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Feelings and emotions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings-and-emotions/) [Good feeling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-feeling/) [Left out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/left-out/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious/) [Religious life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious-life/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self absorption](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-absorption/) [Serious mistakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serious-mistakes/) [Temptation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/temptation/) [Tests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tests/) [Young people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-people/)

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