Atheism Quote by Henry Thomas Buckle
“The clergy, with a few honorable exceptions, have in all modern countries been the avowed enemies of the diffusion of knowledge, the danger of which to their own profession they, by a certain instinct, seem always to have perceived.”
About This Quote
Source Book: History of Civilization, 1857
Clergy often resist spreading knowledge because it threatens their authority.
In simple terms: Clergy fear losing power when knowledge spreads.
Key Takeaway
Challenge the status quo and support open education.
Themes
knowledge
authority
education
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- academic publishing
- public lectures
- online courses
- policy advocacy
Key Concepts
institutional resistance
intellectual freedom
Questions to Reflect On
- How does knowledge empower individuals?
- What safeguards can protect professional integrity?
A Different Perspective
Resistance may be rooted in genuine concerns about societal disruption.
![“Unconscious, perhaps, of the remote tendency of his own labours, he [Joseph Black] undermined that doctrine of material heat, which he seemed to support. For, by his advocacy of latent heat, he taught that its movements constantly battle, not only some of our senses, but all of them; and that…” quote by Henry Thomas Buckle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c31/henry-thomas-buckle-29673_force_unconscious-perhaps-of-the-remote-tenden_1377449.jpg)
