--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There are many persons of combative…" description: "\"There are many persons of combative tendencies, who read for ammunition, and dig out of the Bible iron for balls. They read, and they find nitre and ch..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cc/henry-ward-beecher-175_ammunition_there-are-many-persons-of-combative-tend_942167.jpg" --- # There are many persons of combative tendencies, who read… ![“There are many persons of combative tendencies, who read for ammunition, and dig out of the Bible iron for balls. They read, and they find nitre and charcoal and sulphur for powder. They read, and they find cannon. They read, and they make portholes and embrasures. And if a man does not believe as…” quote by Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cc/henry-ward-beecher-175_ammunition_there-are-many-persons-of-combative-tend_942167.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cc/henry-ward-beecher-175_ammunition_there-are-many-persons-of-combative-tend_942167.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cc/henry-ward-beecher-175_ammunition_there-are-many-persons-of-combative-tend_942167.jpg) > “There are many persons of combative tendencies, who read for ammunition, and dig out of the Bible iron for balls. They read, and they find nitre and charcoal and sulphur for powder. They read, and they find cannon. They read, and they make portholes and embrasures. And if a man does not believe as they do, they look upon him as an enemy, and let fly the Bible at him to demolish him. So men turn the word of God into a vast arsenal, filled with all manner of weapons, offensive and defensive.” [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He warns that people weaponize scripture, turning it into tools for aggression and division. **In simple terms:** People turn the Bible into weapons against others. Key Takeaway Guard against using faith to justify hostility. Themes religion interpretation conflict weaponization Mood inspirational cautionary Type sermon philosophical When to use this quote - debating religious texts - teaching inclusive theology - addressing extremist rhetoric - promoting interfaith dialogue Key Concepts theology rhetoric social control Questions to Reflect On - How can scripture be used for peace? - What safeguards prevent misuse? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on literalism can fuel intolerance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ammunition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ammunition/) [Arsenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arsenal/) [Balls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balls/) [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) [Bible Demolish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible-demolish-1617943/) [Bible Iron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible-iron-1617944/) [Cannons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cannons/) [Charcoal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/charcoal/) [Demolish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demolish/) [Dig Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dig-bible-1617947/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) [Filled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/filled/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Iron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iron/) [Look up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/look-up/) [Looks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looks/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Offensive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/offensive/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Persons Combative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons-combative-1617945/) [Powder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/powder/) [Read Ammunition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/read-ammunition-1617946/) [Tendencies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tendencies/) [Turns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turns/) [Weapons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weapons/) [Word of god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/word-of-god/) ## Related quotes > [“The Bible in Iron, 3rd ed. (Doylestown, Pa., 1961), plates 167-68, quoted in William A. Hunter, Forts on the Pennsylvania Frontier 1753-1758 (Harrisburg, Pa.,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-fox/the-bible-in-iron-3rd-ed-doylestown-pa-1961-plates-167-68-quoted-in/) [Francis Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-fox/) > [In Detroit there are a lot of houses they are going to demolish because no one is taking care of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sixto-rodriguez/in-detroit-there-are-a-lot-of-houses-they-are-going-to-demolish/) [Sixto Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sixto-rodriguez/) > [My main contribution was to demolish the myths that India couldn't economically afford nuclear weapons. Of course I made these political arguments too, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subramanian-swamy/my-main-contribution-was-to-demolish-the-myths-that-india-couldn-t/) [Subramanian Swamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subramanian-swamy/) > [Every high C accurately struck demolishes the theory that we are the irresponsible puppets of fate or chance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/every-high-c-accurately-struck-demolishes-the-theory-that-we-are-the/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [We crave a world of either/or, but the Dream says, Both/and. We build a wall between our social persona and our inner selves; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-ian-barasch/we-crave-a-world-of-either-or-but-the-dream-says-both-and-we-build-a/) [Marc Ian Barasch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-ian-barasch/) > [Some people who meet me might think I starve myself, because there's such an assumption that being thin involves putting yourself through torture and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamsin-egerton/some-people-who-meet-me-might-think-i-starve-myself-because-there-s/) [Tamsin Egerton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamsin-egerton/) > [Once I am in, I can demolish any side because that is my strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shikhar-dhawan/once-i-am-in-i-can-demolish-any-side-because-that-is-my-strength/) [Shikhar Dhawan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shikhar-dhawan/) > [ In 1982, when Alexander Haig and \[Ariel\] Sharon put this plan to invade the south of Lebanon and Beirut, they imagined that in two… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasser-arafat/in-1982-when-alexander-haig-and-ariel-sharon-put-this-plan-to-invade/) [Yasser Arafat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasser-arafat/) > [An art form requires genius. People of genius are always troublemakers, meaning they start from scratch, demolish accepted norms and rebuild a new world.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-langlois/an-art-form-requires-genius-people-of-genius-are-always-troublemakers/) [Henri Langlois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-langlois/) > [The catastrophist constructs theories, the uniformitarian demolishes them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-whewell/the-catastrophist-constructs-theories-the-uniformitarian-demolishes/) [William Whewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-whewell/) > [“Apparently you’re only allowed to demolish Wolverhampton if you’re a property developer like Donald Trump. Crawling eldritch horrors don’t get planning permission unless they’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stross/apparently-you-re-only-allowed-to-demolish-wolverhampton-if-you-re-a/) [Charles Stross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stross/) > [What did not demolish me simply polished me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/india-arie-2/what-did-not-demolish-me-simply-polished-me/) [India.Arie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/india-arie-2/) > [We had the city trying to demolish two of our exhibition spaces, which was at first pretty disturbing. But following the freak-out is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsha-kaechele/we-had-the-city-trying-to-demolish-two-of-our-exhibition-spaces-which/) [Kirsha Kaechele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsha-kaechele/) > [We study health, and we deliberate upon our meats and drink and air and exercises, and we hew and we polish every stone that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-donne/we-study-health-and-we-deliberate-upon-our-meats-and-drink-and-air/) [John Donne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-donne/) > [The problem was Le Corbusier was a genius and an enormous artist, but he tried to resolve problems to which there is no solution.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-krier/the-problem-was-le-corbusier-was-a-genius-and-an-enormous-artist-but/) [Leon Krier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-krier/) ## More by Henry Ward Beecher > [Astronomers have built telescopes which can show myriads of stars unseen before; but when a man looks through a tear in his own eye,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/astronomers-have-built-telescopes-which-can-show-myriads-of-stars/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [A lie always needs a truth for a handle to it. The worst lies are those whose blade is false, but whose handle is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/a-lie-always-needs-a-truth-for-a-handle-to-it-the-worst-lies-are/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Miracles are like candles lit up until the sun rises, and then blown out. Therefore, I am amused when I hear sects and churches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/miracles-are-like-candles-lit-up-until-the-sun-rises-and-then-blown/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Even a liar tells a hundred truths to one lie; he has to, to make the lie good for anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/even-a-liar-tells-a-hundred-truths-to-one-lie-he-has-to-to-make-the/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Laws are not masters but servants, and he rules them who obey them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/laws-are-not-masters-but-servants-and-he-rules-them-who-obey-them/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Our sweetest experiences of affection are meant to be suggestions of that realm which is the home of the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/our-sweetest-experiences-of-affection-are-meant-to-be-suggestions-of/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [In America there is not one single element of civilization that is not made to depend, in the end, upon public opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/in-america-there-is-not-one-single-element-of-civilization-that-is/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [The best lessons a man ever learns are from his mistakes. It is not for want of schoolmasters that we are still ignorant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/the-best-lessons-a-man-ever-learns-are-from-his-mistakes-it-is-not/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [I never knew an early-rising, hard-working, prudent man, careful of his earnings, and strictly honest who complained of bad luck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/i-never-knew-an-early-rising-hard-working-prudent-man-careful-of-his/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [THERE are joys which long to be ours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/there-are-joys-which-long-to-be-ours/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [People may talk about the equality of the sexes! They are not equal. The silent smile of a sensible, loving woman will vanquish ten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/people-may-talk-about-the-equality-of-the-sexes-they-are-not-equal/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Mirthfulness is in the mind and you cannot get it out. It is just as good in its place as conscience or veneration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/mirthfulness-is-in-the-mind-and-you-cannot-get-it-out-it-is-just-as/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Mirth is God's medicine. Everybody ought to bathe in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/mirth-is-god-s-medicine-everybody-ought-to-bathe-in-it/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Some of God's noblest sons, I think, will be selected from those that know how to take wealth, with all its temptations, and maintain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/some-of-god-s-noblest-sons-i-think-will-be-selected-from-those-that/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [You have seen a ship out on the bay, swinging with the tide, and seeming as if it would follow it; and yet it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/you-have-seen-a-ship-out-on-the-bay-swinging-with-the-tide-and/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) [Explore all 990 Henry Ward Beecher quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) ## More Ammunition quotes > [We will make sure our troops have all that is necessary to complete their missions. That's why I went to the Congress last September…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/we-will-make-sure-our-troops-have-all-that-is-necessary-to-complete/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [“You should also make fresh supplies available to him immediately after he surmounts a challenge that costs him a lot of resources, as Chapter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-adams/you-should-also-make-fresh-supplies-available-to-him-immediately/) [Ernest Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-adams/) > [I am out of money,we are all out of money,but we dont need money down here- Dont need anything but Men , Muskets, Ammunition,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-connolly/i-am-out-of-money-we-are-all-out-of-money-but-we-dont-need-money-down/) [James A. Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-connolly/) > [It was psychobabbler Abraham Maslow who wrote of the phenomena of self-actualization. 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I try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rico-lebrun/occasionally-i-like-to-select-a-mentor-a-master-and-let-him-guide-me/) [Rico Lebrun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rico-lebrun/) > [The NRA appears to have evolved into the lobby for gun and ammunition manufacturers rather than gun owners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolphus-busch/the-nra-appears-to-have-evolved-into-the-lobby-for-gun-and-ammunition/) [Adolphus Busch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolphus-busch/) > [In the earlier days of history, kings and leaders went to the battlefield with their men; but today, those who determine that a nation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/in-the-earlier-days-of-history-kings-and-leaders-went-to-the/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [We have concerns whenever we see people who have large stockpiles of weapons, or appear to be in the process of accumulating weapons and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-have-concerns-whenever-we-see-people-who-have-large-stockpiles-of/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I repeat Sturgeon's Revelation, which was wrung out of me after twenty years of wearying defense of science fiction against attacks of people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-sturgeon/i-repeat-sturgeon-s-revelation-which-was-wrung-out-of-me-after-twenty/) [Theodore Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-sturgeon/) > [“when I look at people fighting with ammunition and weapons of all kind I ponder within me;somehow as a cynic. Ammunition's and weapons are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-agyemang-yeboah/when-i-look-at-people-fighting-with-ammunition-and-weapons-of-all/) [Ernest Agyemang Yeboah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-agyemang-yeboah/) > [Every ounce of information we can extract from a killer about his mind and methods gives us more ammunition to track the next one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ressler/every-ounce-of-information-we-can-extract-from-a-killer-about-his/) [Robert Ressler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ressler/) > [“Waldrip is donning an ammunition belt that”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/waldrip-is-donning-an-ammunition-belt-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The United States does not have a monopoly on crazy people. It's not the only country that has psychosis. 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