--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The sort of morality which the priests…" description: "\"The sort of morality which the priests inculcate is a very subtle policy, far finer than the politicians', and the world is very successfully ruled by ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/800/henry-david-thoreau-20_character_the-sort-of-morality-which-the-priests-i_2676356.jpg" --- # The sort of morality which the priests inculcate is a very… ![“The sort of morality which the priests inculcate is a very subtle policy, far finer than the politicians', and the world is very successfully ruled by them as the policemen.” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/800/henry-david-thoreau-20_character_the-sort-of-morality-which-the-priests-i_2676356.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/800/henry-david-thoreau-20_character_the-sort-of-morality-which-the-priests-i_2676356.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/800/henry-david-thoreau-20_character_the-sort-of-morality-which-the-priests-i_2676356.jpg) > “The sort of morality which the priests inculcate is a very subtle policy, far finer than the politicians', and the world is very successfully ruled by them as the policemen.” [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Religious morality subtly governs society, often more effectively than politics, acting as unseen law enforcers. **In simple terms:** Religious morals subtly control society. Key Takeaway Recognize hidden moral influences. Themes morality power society Mood reflective critical Type philosophical political When to use this quote - lawmaking - public policy - religious institutions - media Key Concepts ethics political theory Questions to Reflect On - How do religious morals shape law? - Can secular ethics replace them? A Different Perspective Moral authority can be manipulative. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Clergy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clergy/) [Morality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morality/) [Policemen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/policemen/) [Politician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politician/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Priests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/priests/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [How an individual's reputation is protected online is too important and subtle a policy matter to be legislated by a high court, which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-zittrain/how-an-individual-s-reputation-is-protected-online-is-too-important/) [Jonathan Zittrain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-zittrain/) > [I have much to learn of the Indian, nothing of the missionary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-have-much-to-learn-of-the-indian-nothing-of-the-missionary/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [When you travel to the Celestial City, carry no letter of introduction. When you knock, ask to see God,--none of the servants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/when-you-travel-to-the-celestial-city-carry-no-letter-of-introduction/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [In respect to religion and the healing art, all nations are still in a state of barbarism. In the most civilized countries the priest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-respect-to-religion-and-the-healing-art-all-nations-are-still-in-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Let no one think that I do not love the old ministers. They were, probably, the best men in their generation, and they deserve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/let-no-one-think-that-i-do-not-love-the-old-ministers-they-were/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Methinks some creeds in vestries and churches do forget the hunter wrapped in furs by the Great Slave Lake, and that the Esquimauxsledges are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/methinks-some-creeds-in-vestries-and-churches-do-forget-the-hunter/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Priests and physicians should never look one another in the face. They have no common ground, nor is there any to mediate betweenthem. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/priests-and-physicians-should-never-look-one-another-in-the-face-they/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Good religious men, with the love of men in their hearts, and the means to pay their toll in their pockets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/good-religious-men-with-the-love-of-men-in-their-hearts-and-the-means/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [An ordinary man will work every day for a year at shoveling dirt to support his body, or a family of bodies; but he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/an-ordinary-man-will-work-every-day-for-a-year-at-shoveling-dirt-to/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I have heard of a minister, who had been a fisherman, being settled in Bridgewater for as long a time as he could tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-have-heard-of-a-minister-who-had-been-a-fisherman-being-settled-in/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The inhabitants of Canada appeared to be suffering between two fires,--the soldiery and the priesthood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-inhabitants-of-canada-appeared-to-be-suffering-between-two-fires/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [It is remarkable that among all the preachers there are so few moral teachers. The prophets are employed in excusing the ways of men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/it-is-remarkable-that-among-all-the-preachers-there-are-so-few-moral/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The great object was to get rid of Christianity, and to convert our churches into halls of science. The plan was not to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orestes-brownson/the-great-object-was-to-get-rid-of-christianity-and-to-convert-our/) [Orestes Brownson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orestes-brownson/) > [Every sensible man, every honorable man, must hold the Christian sect in horror." "Christianity is the most ridiculous, the most absurd and bloody religion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/every-sensible-man-every-honorable-man-must-hold-the-christian-sect/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Rulers who wished to subvert the public liberty, may have found an established Clergy convenient auxiliaries. A just Government instituted to secure & perpetuate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/rulers-who-wished-to-subvert-the-public-liberty-may-have-found-an/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) ## More by Henry David Thoreau > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“Men say they know many things; But lo! they have taken wings, — The arts and sciences, And a thousand appliances; The wind that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/men-say-they-know-many-things-but-lo-they-have-taken-wings-the-arts/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“This spending of the best part of one's life earning money in order to enjoy a questionable liberty during the least valuable part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/this-spending-of-the-best-part-of-one-s-life-earning-money-in-order/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-doing-good-that-is-one-of-the-professions-which-is-full/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [A traveler who looks at things with an impartial eye may see what the oldest inhabitant has not observed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-traveler-who-looks-at-things-with-an-impartial-eye-may-see-what-the/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [In proportion as our inward life fails, we go more constantly and desperately to the post office. You may depend on it, that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-proportion-as-our-inward-life-fails-we-go-more-constantly-and/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I had three chairs in my house; one for solitude, two for friendship, three for society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-had-three-chairs-in-my-house-one-for-solitude-two-for-friendship/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The still youthful energies of the globe have only to be directed in their proper channel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-still-youthful-energies-of-the-globe-have-only-to-be-directed-in/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Concord's little arch does not span all our fate, nor is what transpires under it law for the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/concord-s-little-arch-does-not-span-all-our-fate-nor-is-what/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The lumberers rarely trouble themselves to put out their fires, such is the dampness of the primitive forest; and this is one cause, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-lumberers-rarely-trouble-themselves-to-put-out-their-fires-such/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“When he has obtained those things which are necessary to life, there is another alternative than to obtain the superfluities; and that is, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/when-he-has-obtained-those-things-which-are-necessary-to-life-there/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Wealth is measured by the level of experience in all aspects of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/wealth-is-measured-by-the-level-of-experience-in-all-aspects-of-life/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Explore all 3,376 Henry David Thoreau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## More Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I'm often moved by the circumstances around some of my characters, but I don't think I've actually cried watching myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-m-often-moved-by-the-circumstances-around-some-of-my-characters-but/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [When you're on a daytime drama you get one page, you better damn well know your character. You better know what she would do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hudgins/when-you-re-on-a-daytime-drama-you-get-one-page-you-better-damn-well/) David Hudgins > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [If you are well-mannered towards those whose views are similar to yours, you may be said to exhibit a fairly good character. But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [In the fight between biology and morality, biology has commonly won in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/in-the-fight-between-biology-and-morality-biology-has-commonly-won-in/) [Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/) > [Your looks don't make you pretty, it's the person inside who makes you pretty!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-chan/your-looks-don-t-make-you-pretty-it-s-the-person-inside-who-makes-you/) [Aaron Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-chan/) > [I'm not a huge social media kind of guy, so I don't really know, I don't really ever get... at least in real life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-stroma/i-m-not-a-huge-social-media-kind-of-guy-so-i-don-t-really-know-i-don/) [Freddie Stroma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-stroma/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) [Browse all 32,707 Character quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The sort of morality which the priests inculcate is a very subtle policy, far finer than the politicians', and the world is very successfully ruled by them as the policemen.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henry David Thoreau" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-sort-of-morality-which-the-priests-inculcate-is-a-very-subtle/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Character" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-sort-of-morality-which-the-priests-inculcate-is-a-very-subtle/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/800/henry-david-thoreau-20_character_the-sort-of-morality-which-the-priests-i_2676356.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/800/henry-david-thoreau-20_character_the-sort-of-morality-which-the-priests-i_2676356.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/800/henry-david-thoreau-20_character_the-sort-of-morality-which-the-priests-i_2676356.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The sort of morality which the priests inculcate is a very subtle policy, far finer than the politicians'…” — Henry David Thoreau", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Henry David Thoreau", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The sort of morality which the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-sort-of-morality-which-the-priests-inculcate-is-a-very-subtle/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-sort-of-morality-which-the-priests-inculcate-is-a-very-subtle/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```