--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Man, being not only a religious, but also…" description: "\"Man, being not only a religious, but also a social being, requires for the promotion of his rational happiness religious institutions, which, while the..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/445/hosea-ballou-3245_devotion_man-being-not-only-a-religious-but-also_304703.png" --- # Man, being not only a religious, but also a social being… ![“Man, being not only a religious, but also a social being, requires for the promotion of his rational happiness religious institutions, which, while they give a proper direction to devotion, at the same time make a wise and profitable improvement of his social feelings.” quote by Hosea Ballou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/445/hosea-ballou-3245_devotion_man-being-not-only-a-religious-but-also_304703.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/445/hosea-ballou-3245_devotion_man-being-not-only-a-religious-but-also_304703.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/445/hosea-ballou-3245_devotion_man-being-not-only-a-religious-but-also_304703.png) > “Man, being not only a religious, but also a social being, requires for the promotion of his rational happiness religious institutions, which, while they give a proper direction to devotion, at the same time make a wise and profitable improvement of his social feelings.” [Hosea Ballou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hosea-ballou/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Religious institutions should guide rational happiness and also enhance social bonds, making faith both moral and socially beneficial. **In simple terms:** Faith should promote personal happiness and improve social relations. Key Takeaway Seek communities that foster both spiritual growth and social well‑being. Themes religion community rational happiness social improvement morality Mood thoughtful inspirational Type theological social When to use this quote - church groups - faith‑based charities - study circles - interfaith dialogues Key Concepts theology social ethics human flourishing Questions to Reflect On - Can faith be both rational and socially enriching? - How to avoid institutional rigidity? A Different Perspective Institutions may become dogmatic, limiting rational happiness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Devotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devotion/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Happiness Religious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness-religious-2903929/) [Improvement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/improvement/) [Institutions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/institutions/) [Man Religious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-religious-444330/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Profitable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/profitable/) [Promotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/promotion/) [Rational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rational/) [Rational Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rational-happiness-2903931/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious/) [Religious Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious-social-2903930/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Social being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-being/) [Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise/) ## Related quotes > [Whoever uncouples the religious and the social life has not understood Jesus. Whoever sets any bounds for the reconstructive power of the religious life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-rauschenbusch/whoever-uncouples-the-religious-and-the-social-life-has-not/) [Walter Rauschenbusch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-rauschenbusch/) > [He was sick of God and God's religion, sick of all the little religious social clubs that didn't seem to make any real difference…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/he-was-sick-of-god-and-god-s-religion-sick-of-all-the-little/) [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) > [A kernel of truth lurks at the heart of religion, because spiritual experience, ethical behavior, and strong communities are essential for human happiness. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/a-kernel-of-truth-lurks-at-the-heart-of-religion-because-spiritual/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [Who does not see that we are likely to ascertain the distinctive significance of religious melancholy and happiness, or of religious trances, far better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/who-does-not-see-that-we-are-likely-to-ascertain-the-distinctive/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [Warm-heartedne ss and concern for others’ well-being are a condition for happiness, whether you are religious or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/warm-heartedne-ss-and-concern-for-others-well-being-are-a-condition/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [ Satire exists for the purpose of killing the social being \[for the sake of\] the true individual, the real human being. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-h-lawrence/satire-exists-for-the-purpose-of-killing-the-social-being-for-the/) [D. H. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-h-lawrence/) > [And I was to find out then, as I found out so many times, over and over again, that women especially are social beings,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-day/and-i-was-to-find-out-then-as-i-found-out-so-many-times-over-and-over/) [Dorothy Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-day/) > [Just as man as a social being, cannot in the long run exist without a tie to the community, so the individual will never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/just-as-man-as-a-social-being-cannot-in-the-long-run-exist-without-a/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) > [Individual liberty is allowed to man only to a certain extent. He cannot forget that he is a social being and his individual liberty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/individual-liberty-is-allowed-to-man-only-to-a-certain-extent-he/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Dear Lord, I've been asked, nay commanded, to thank Thee for the Christmas turkey before us... a turkey which was no doubt a lively,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/berkeley-breathed/dear-lord-i-ve-been-asked-nay-commanded-to-thank-thee-for-the/) [Berkeley Breathed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/berkeley-breathed/) > [Man is, at one and the same time, a solitary being and a social being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/man-is-at-one-and-the-same-time-a-solitary-being-and-a-social-being-2/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The training is a set of interpersonal interactions that lead to emotional and intellectual experiences that provide a circumstance and an intrument for self…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/humberto-maturana/the-training-is-a-set-of-interpersonal-interactions-that-lead-to/) [Humberto Maturana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/humberto-maturana/) > [Man is, at one and the same time, a solitary being and a social being. As a solitary being, he attempts to protect his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/man-is-at-one-and-the-same-time-a-solitary-being-and-a-social-being/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [We are social beings and our brains grow in a social environment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-jensen/we-are-social-beings-and-our-brains-grow-in-a-social-environment/) [Eric Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-jensen/) > [At the same time, as social beings, we are moved in the relations with our fellow beings by such feelings as sympathy, pride, hate,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/at-the-same-time-as-social-beings-we-are-moved-in-the-relations-with/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) ## More by Hosea Ballou > [Purity in person and in morals is true godliness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hosea-ballou/purity-in-person-and-in-morals-is-true-godliness/) [Hosea Ballou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hosea-ballou/) > [Envy may justly be called "the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity;" it is the most acid fruit that grows on the stock…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hosea-ballou/envy-may-justly-be-called-the-gall-of-bitterness-and-bond-of-iniquity/) [Hosea Ballou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hosea-ballou/) > [Be circumspect in your dealings, and let the seed you plant be the offspring of prudence and care; thus fruit follows the fair blossom,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hosea-ballou/be-circumspect-in-your-dealings-and-let-the-seed-you-plant-be-the/) [Hosea Ballou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hosea-ballou/) > [Honest and courageous people have very little to say about either their courage or their honesty. The sun has no need to boast of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hosea-ballou/honest-and-courageous-people-have-very-little-to-say-about-either/) [Hosea Ballou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hosea-ballou/) > [The cloudy weather melts at length into beauty, and the brightest smiles of the heart are born of its tears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hosea-ballou/the-cloudy-weather-melts-at-length-into-beauty-and-the-brightest/) [Hosea Ballou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hosea-ballou/) > [Servility is disgusting to a truly noble character, and engenders only contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hosea-ballou/servility-is-disgusting-to-a-truly-noble-character-and-engenders-only/) [Hosea Ballou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hosea-ballou/) > [Obedience sums up our entire duty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hosea-ballou/obedience-sums-up-our-entire-duty/) [Hosea Ballou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hosea-ballou/) > [Too many people embrace religion from the same motives that they take a companion in wedlock, not from true love of the person, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hosea-ballou/too-many-people-embrace-religion-from-the-same-motives-that-they-take/) [Hosea Ballou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hosea-ballou/) > [Brevity and conciseness are the parents of correction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hosea-ballou/brevity-and-conciseness-are-the-parents-of-correction/) [Hosea Ballou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hosea-ballou/) > [There is one court whose findings are incontrovertible, and whose sessions are held in the chambers of our own breast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hosea-ballou/there-is-one-court-whose-findings-are-incontrovertible-and-whose/) [Hosea Ballou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hosea-ballou/) > [“Kecurigaan selalu menjadi musuh kebahagiaan.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hosea-ballou/kecurigaan-selalu-menjadi-musuh-kebahagiaan/) [Hosea Ballou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hosea-ballou/) > [Mystery and innocence are not akin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hosea-ballou/mystery-and-innocence-are-not-akin/) [Hosea Ballou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hosea-ballou/) > [Obedience and resignation are our personal offerings upon the altar of duty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hosea-ballou/obedience-and-resignation-are-our-personal-offerings-upon-the-altar/) [Hosea Ballou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hosea-ballou/) > [Liberality should be tempered with judgment, not with profuseness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hosea-ballou/liberality-should-be-tempered-with-judgment-not-with-profuseness/) [Hosea Ballou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hosea-ballou/) > [“Moderation is the key of lasting enjoyment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hosea-ballou/moderation-is-the-key-of-lasting-enjoyment/) [Hosea Ballou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hosea-ballou/) [Explore all 135 Hosea Ballou quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hosea-ballou/) ## More Devotion quotes > [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/) > [Devotion required by the Gita is no soft-hearted effusiveness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/devotion-required-by-the-gita-is-no-soft-hearted-effusiveness/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [In freedom can be found many devotions: a devotion to love, a desire to believe, a willingness to be happy, a perseverance to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-freedom-can-be-found-many-devotions-a-devotion-to-love-a-desire-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can remember coming downstairs before school every day and my mom would be reading her Bible and doing her devotion and praying. Both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-fisher/i-can-remember-coming-downstairs-before-school-every-day-and-my-mom/) [Mike Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-fisher/) > [I have fallen in love with you my angel. I sought nothing of you but only to see that dazzling smile of yours once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahmoud-el-hallab/i-have-fallen-in-love-with-you-my-angel-i-sought-nothing-of-you-but/) [Mahmoud El Hallab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahmoud-el-hallab/) > [The discipline of daily devotion to God undergirds decisions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-louis-cole/the-discipline-of-daily-devotion-to-god-undergirds-decisions/) [Edwin Louis Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-louis-cole/) > [I’d never known it was possible to love as he did— with complete devotion yet devoid of promises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-aguirre/i-d-never-known-it-was-possible-to-love-as-he-did-with-complete/) [Ann Aguirre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-aguirre/) > [Every Holy Mass, heard with devotion, produces in our souls marvelous effects, abundant spiritual and material graces which we, ourselves, do not know...It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pio-of-pietrelcina/every-holy-mass-heard-with-devotion-produces-in-our-souls-marvelous/) [Pio of Pietrelcina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pio-of-pietrelcina/) > [Daily simple, sincere, and mighty prayers lift our lives to a higher spiritual altitude. In our prayers we praise God, give thanks to Him,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dieter-f-uchtdorf/daily-simple-sincere-and-mighty-prayers-lift-our-lives-to-a-higher/) [Dieter F. Uchtdorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dieter-f-uchtdorf/) > [True love is like religion. It is full of devotion and free of doubt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kedar-joshi/true-love-is-like-religion-it-is-full-of-devotion-and-free-of-doubt/) [Kedar Joshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kedar-joshi/) > [Never despise a drink because it is easy to make and/or uses commercial mixes. Unquestioning devotion to authenticity is, in any department of life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-amis/never-despise-a-drink-because-it-is-easy-to-make-and-or-uses/) [Kingsley Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-amis/) > [“It didn’t break the trance. She wasn’t sure that anything could, and briefly wondered if they’d stay like this until flesh rotted away from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashton-morgan/it-didn-t-break-the-trance-she-wasn-t-sure-that-anything-could-and/) [Ashton Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashton-morgan/) > [“Godliness is a devotion to God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/godliness-is-a-devotion-to-god/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Devotion is when your involvement with life is so absolute that you yourself do not matter anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaggi-vasudev/devotion-is-when-your-involvement-with-life-is-so-absolute-that-you/) [Jaggi Vasudev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaggi-vasudev/) > [The general public have a warped view of the speed at which an investigation proceeds. They like to imagine tense conversations going on behind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-aaronovitch/the-general-public-have-a-warped-view-of-the-speed-at-which-an/) [Ben Aaronovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-aaronovitch/) [Browse all 1,481 Devotion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devotion/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Man, being not only a religious, but also a social being, requires for the promotion of his rational happiness religious institutions, which, while they give a proper direction to devotion, at the same time make a wise and profitable improvement of his social feelings.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Hosea Ballou" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hosea-ballou/man-being-not-only-a-religious-but-also-a-social-being-requires-for/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Devotion" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hosea-ballou/man-being-not-only-a-religious-but-also-a-social-being-requires-for/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/445/hosea-ballou-3245_devotion_man-being-not-only-a-religious-but-also_304703.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/445/hosea-ballou-3245_devotion_man-being-not-only-a-religious-but-also_304703.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/445/hosea-ballou-3245_devotion_man-being-not-only-a-religious-but-also_304703.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Man, being not only a religious, but also a social being, requires for the promotion of his rational…” — Hosea Ballou", "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": "Hosea Ballou", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hosea-ballou/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Man, being not only a religious,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hosea-ballou/man-being-not-only-a-religious-but-also-a-social-being-requires-for/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hosea-ballou/man-being-not-only-a-religious-but-also-a-social-being-requires-for/#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 } } ] } ```