--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Bigotry is the sacred disease." description: "\"Bigotry is the sacred disease.\" — Heraclitus" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edc/heraclitus-1050_bigotry_bigotry-is-the-sacred-disease-775597_775597.jpg" --- # Bigotry is the sacred disease. ![“Bigotry is the sacred disease.” quote by Heraclitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edc/heraclitus-1050_bigotry_bigotry-is-the-sacred-disease-775597_775597.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edc/heraclitus-1050_bigotry_bigotry-is-the-sacred-disease-775597_775597.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edc/heraclitus-1050_bigotry_bigotry-is-the-sacred-disease-775597_775597.jpg) > “Bigotry is the sacred disease.” [Heraclitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heraclitus/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Bigotry is a harmful belief that spreads like a disease, corrupting society. **In simple terms:** Intolerance is a societal illness. Key Takeaway Challenge and reject prejudice. Themes prejudice social health morality Mood critical reflective Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - political discourse - education - community building - media narratives Key Concepts philosophy ethics social critique Questions to Reflect On - What causes bigotry to persist? - How can societies heal from intolerance? A Different Perspective Changing deep‑seated biases often meets resistance and requires sustained effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bigotry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigotry/) [Disease](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disease/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [Sacred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacred/) ## Related quotes > [Bigotry is the sacred disease, and self-conceit tells lies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heraclitus/bigotry-is-the-sacred-disease-and-self-conceit-tells-lies/) [Heraclitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heraclitus/) > [Thinking is a sacred disease and sight is deceptive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heraclitus/thinking-is-a-sacred-disease-and-sight-is-deceptive/) [Heraclitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heraclitus/) > [“Rubella, Talipes, Amsterdam dwarfism, Austism, Asthma, Eczema, Epilepsy - the Sacred Disease. Moth madness, Papa calls it. Said Daniel. The Epilepsy, Papa used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-henderson/rubella-talipes-amsterdam-dwarfism-austism-asthma-eczema-epilepsy-the/) Emma Henderson > [In the common esteem, not only are the only good aboriginals dead ones, but all aboriginals are either sacred or contemptible according to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-hunter-austin/in-the-common-esteem-not-only-are-the-only-good-aboriginals-dead-ones/) [Mary Hunter Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-hunter-austin/) > [In the fullness of time, I suspect that bigotry against homosexuals will seem as repugnant as racial prejudice does today. Or so one hopes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-meacham/in-the-fullness-of-time-i-suspect-that-bigotry-against-homosexuals/) [Jon Meacham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-meacham/) > [“A new civil rights movement cannot be organized around the relics of the earlier system of control if it is to address meaningfully the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-alexander/a-new-civil-rights-movement-cannot-be-organized-around-the-relics-of/) [Michelle Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-alexander/) > [“Those who benefit from unearned privilege are too often quick to discount those who don't.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashanne-stokes/those-who-benefit-from-unearned-privilege-are-too-often-quick-to/) [DaShanne Stokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashanne-stokes/) > [Actually I'm more culturally Muslim than religiously but being Muslim is an important part of my identity. As Muslim, I feel it's important to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aasif-mandvi/actually-i-m-more-culturally-muslim-than-religiously-but-being-muslim/) [Aasif Mandvi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aasif-mandvi/) > [I don't draw any distinctions between forms of bigotry or forms of ideology that lose sight of the humanity of people. I can't stand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/i-don-t-draw-any-distinctions-between-forms-of-bigotry-or-forms-of/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [Rest assured that our work is not over because our work has never been only hunting Nazi war criminals. The Simon Wiesenthal Center is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-hier/rest-assured-that-our-work-is-not-over-because-our-work-has-never/) [Marvin Hier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-hier/) > [Fear and Bigotry are bred fom isolation and ignorance. -Shekinah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/fear-and-bigotry-are-bred-fom-isolation-and-ignorance-shekinah/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“This book would be a great addition to a classroom library, especially considering its emphases on timeless and critical topics like discrimination and prejudice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-lovejoy/this-book-would-be-a-great-addition-to-a-classroom-library-especially/) [Sharon Lovejoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-lovejoy/) > [Too small is our world to allow discrimination, bigotry and intolerance to thrive in any corner of it, let alone in the United States…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliot-engel/too-small-is-our-world-to-allow-discrimination-bigotry-and/) [Eliot Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliot-engel/) > [Bigoted people are just scholars who lack any sort of legitimate credentials to answer why they're bigoted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doctavius/bigoted-people-are-just-scholars-who-lack-any-sort-of-legitimate/) Doctavius > [ What are you for? It may be, to a degree, consoling that white brothers and sisters did not vote for \[Donald\] Trump, and do… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eric-dyson/what-are-you-for-it-may-be-to-a-degree-consoling-that-white-brothers/) [Michael Eric Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eric-dyson/) ## More by Heraclitus > [Learning many things does not teach understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heraclitus/learning-many-things-does-not-teach-understanding/) [Heraclitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heraclitus/) > [Dogs, also, bark at what they do not know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heraclitus/dogs-also-bark-at-what-they-do-not-know/) [Heraclitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heraclitus/) > [The fairest harmony springs from discord.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heraclitus/the-fairest-harmony-springs-from-discord/) [Heraclitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heraclitus/) > [“One man is worth thousand if he is extraordinary”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heraclitus/one-man-is-worth-thousand-if-he-is-extraordinary/) [Heraclitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heraclitus/) > [Presumption must be quenched even more than a fire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heraclitus/presumption-must-be-quenched-even-more-than-a-fire/) [Heraclitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heraclitus/) > [Those unmindful when they hear, for all they make of their intelligence, may be regarded as the walking dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heraclitus/those-unmindful-when-they-hear-for-all-they-make-of-their/) [Heraclitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heraclitus/) > [Everything is in flux.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heraclitus/everything-is-in-flux/) [Heraclitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heraclitus/) > [The Cosmos was not made by gods but always was and is eternal fire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heraclitus/the-cosmos-was-not-made-by-gods-but-always-was-and-is-eternal-fire/) [Heraclitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heraclitus/) > [ Men who are lovers of wisdom \[i.e., philosophers\] must be inquirers into many things. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heraclitus/men-who-are-lovers-of-wisdom-i-e-philosophers-must-be-inquirers-into/) [Heraclitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heraclitus/) > [We do not step in the same river twice, for the waters have moved on and we too have changed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heraclitus/we-do-not-step-in-the-same-river-twice-for-the-waters-have-moved-on/) [Heraclitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heraclitus/) > [War is the father of all things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heraclitus/war-is-the-father-of-all-things/) [Heraclitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heraclitus/) > [The fairest order in the world is a heap of random sweepings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heraclitus/the-fairest-order-in-the-world-is-a-heap-of-random-sweepings/) [Heraclitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heraclitus/) > [The seeing have the world in common.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heraclitus/the-seeing-have-the-world-in-common/) [Heraclitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heraclitus/) > [All men have the capacity of knowing themselves and acting with moderation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heraclitus/all-men-have-the-capacity-of-knowing-themselves-and-acting-with/) [Heraclitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heraclitus/) > [Those who love wisdom must investigate many things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heraclitus/those-who-love-wisdom-must-investigate-many-things/) [Heraclitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heraclitus/) [Explore all 296 Heraclitus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heraclitus/) ## More Bigotry quotes > [“The mission is, not to replace old world mindlessness with new world mindlessness, but to put an end to all forms of brainless authoritarianism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/the-mission-is-not-to-replace-old-world-mindlessness-with-new-world/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [To take up half on trust, and half to try, Name it not faith but bungling bigotry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/to-take-up-half-on-trust-and-half-to-try-name-it-not-faith-but/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [ What are you for? It may be, to a degree, consoling that white brothers and sisters did not vote for \[Donald\] Trump, and do… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eric-dyson/what-are-you-for-it-may-be-to-a-degree-consoling-that-white-brothers/) [Michael Eric Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eric-dyson/) > [Bigoted people are just scholars who lack any sort of legitimate credentials to answer why they're bigoted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doctavius/bigoted-people-are-just-scholars-who-lack-any-sort-of-legitimate/) Doctavius > [Sadly, we can't eliminate bigotry. But that doesn't mean we have to tolerate it, much less give it a platform on which to thrive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-viner/sadly-we-can-t-eliminate-bigotry-but-that-doesn-t-mean-we-have-to/) [Katharine Viner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-viner/) > [Ideological bigotry has become the norm on even our most prestigious campuses, where students can go for years without reading or hearing anything that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/ideological-bigotry-has-become-the-norm-on-even-our-most-prestigious/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [“People talk about history and things like slavery, genocide, and religious persecution as horrors that happened in the past because we were ignorant. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-matthew-nespoli/people-talk-about-history-and-things-like-slavery-genocide-and/) [J. Matthew Nespoli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-matthew-nespoli/) > [“Remember who you are. This creature wants to take it from you. Do not let him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/remember-who-you-are-this-creature-wants-to-take-it-from-you-do-not/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [“Oh Beautiful For A Land That's Free Where All Can Congregate Together Live With No Degree Of Bigotry And Hate”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-bee/oh-beautiful-for-a-land-that-s-free-where-all-can-congregate-together/) Kathy Bee > [“That’s the problem with indoctrination—the whole point of the First Order’s kind of education is to stop someone from thinking and instead kick their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/delilah-s-dawson/that-s-the-problem-with-indoctrination-the-whole-point-of-the-first/) [Delilah S. Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/delilah-s-dawson/) > [Too small is our world to allow discrimination, bigotry and intolerance to thrive in any corner of it, let alone in the United States…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliot-engel/too-small-is-our-world-to-allow-discrimination-bigotry-and/) [Eliot Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliot-engel/) > [... happily the Government of the United States... gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/happily-the-government-of-the-united-states-gives-to-bigotry-no/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [“This book would be a great addition to a classroom library, especially considering its emphases on timeless and critical topics like discrimination and prejudice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-lovejoy/this-book-would-be-a-great-addition-to-a-classroom-library-especially/) [Sharon Lovejoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-lovejoy/) > [Pat Buchanan... was fired by MSNBC for doing nothing more than voicing his rock-solid conservative thoughts on the otherwise failing network... The real message…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nugent/pat-buchanan-was-fired-by-msnbc-for-doing-nothing-more-than-voicing/) [Ted Nugent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nugent/) > [Fear and Bigotry are bred fom isolation and ignorance. -Shekinah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/fear-and-bigotry-are-bred-fom-isolation-and-ignorance-shekinah/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 661 Bigotry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigotry/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Bigotry is the sacred disease.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Heraclitus" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heraclitus/bigotry-is-the-sacred-disease/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bigotry" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heraclitus/bigotry-is-the-sacred-disease/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edc/heraclitus-1050_bigotry_bigotry-is-the-sacred-disease-775597_775597.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edc/heraclitus-1050_bigotry_bigotry-is-the-sacred-disease-775597_775597.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edc/heraclitus-1050_bigotry_bigotry-is-the-sacred-disease-775597_775597.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Bigotry is the sacred disease.” — Heraclitus", "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": "Heraclitus", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heraclitus/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Bigotry is the sacred disease.", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heraclitus/bigotry-is-the-sacred-disease/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heraclitus/bigotry-is-the-sacred-disease/#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 } } ] } ```