--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have been reluctant to lobby on other…" description: "\"I have been reluctant to lobby on other issues I most care about - nuclear weapons (against), religion (atheist), capital punishment (anti), AIDS (fund..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/849/ian-mckellen-1396_against-religion_i-have-been-reluctant-to-lobby-on-other_1180599.jpg" --- # I have been reluctant to lobby on other issues I most care… ![“I have been reluctant to lobby on other issues I most care about - nuclear weapons (against), religion (atheist), capital punishment (anti), AIDS (fund-raiser) because I don't want to be forever spouting, diluting the impact of addressing my most urgent concern - legal and social equality for gay…” quote by Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/849/ian-mckellen-1396_against-religion_i-have-been-reluctant-to-lobby-on-other_1180599.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/849/ian-mckellen-1396_against-religion_i-have-been-reluctant-to-lobby-on-other_1180599.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/849/ian-mckellen-1396_against-religion_i-have-been-reluctant-to-lobby-on-other_1180599.jpg) > “I have been reluctant to lobby on other issues I most care about - nuclear weapons (against), religion (atheist), capital punishment (anti), AIDS (fund-raiser) because I don't want to be forever spouting, diluting the impact of addressing my most urgent concern - legal and social equality for gay people worldwide.” [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Balancing advocacy across multiple causes can dilute impact on one's primary passion for equality. **In simple terms:** Too many causes weaken focus on core issue. Key Takeaway Prioritize and concentrate on one cause at a time. Themes activism focus prioritization Mood determined reflective Type advice strategic When to use this quote - human rights campaigns - policy lobbying - community organizing Key Concepts social justice strategic advocacy resource allocation Questions to Reflect On - Which cause could you most effectively champion now? - How can you support other issues without diluting your main effort? A Different Perspective Focusing on one issue may neglect other urgent problems. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Against religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/against-religion/) [Atheist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheist/) [Capital punishment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capital-punishment/) [Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) [Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gay/) [Gay people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gay-people/) [Impact](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impact/) [Issues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/issues/) [Nuclear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nuclear/) [Nuclear weapons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nuclear-weapons/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Punishment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/punishment/) [Reluctant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reluctant/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Social equality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-equality/) [Weapons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weapons/) ## Related quotes > [When I went to lobby Nelson Mandela while the post-apartheid constitution was being drafted, I asked him to endorse making it illegal to discriminate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/when-i-went-to-lobby-nelson-mandela-while-the-post-apartheid/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [Richard Dawkins says he can't be sure God doesn't exist. Well, you know what I do when I'm not sure about something? I go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-j-fleming/richard-dawkins-says-he-can-t-be-sure-god-doesn-t-exist-well-you-know/) [Frank J. Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-j-fleming/) > [Of all the animosities which have existed among mankind, those which are caused by a difference of sentiments in religion appear to be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/of-all-the-animosities-which-have-existed-among-mankind-those-which/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [The Bible is not my book nor Christianity my profession. I could never give assent to the long, complicated statements of Christian dogma.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/the-bible-is-not-my-book-nor-christianity-my-profession-i-could-never/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I don't believe in heaven and hell. I don't know if I believe in God. All I know is that as an individual, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/i-don-t-believe-in-heaven-and-hell-i-don-t-know-if-i-believe-in-god/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [If you are asking me if my more global purpose is a battle against religion, it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/if-you-are-asking-me-if-my-more-global-purpose-is-a-battle-against/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Religious controversies are always productive of more acrimony and irreconcilable hatreds than those which spring from any other cause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/religious-controversies-are-always-productive-of-more-acrimony-and/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [ The rebellious mood of the country during those \[60th\] years allowed me to plug right back into my old hatreds. I could scream and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/the-rebellious-mood-of-the-country-during-those-60th-years-allowed-me/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [The day will come when the mystical generation of Jesus, by the Supreme Being as his father, in the womb of a virgin, will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-day-will-come-when-the-mystical-generation-of-jesus-by-the/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [I am for religion, against religions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/i-am-for-religion-against-religions/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Ridicule is the only weapon which can be used against unintelligible propositions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/ridicule-is-the-only-weapon-which-can-be-used-against-unintelligible/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [y feelings as a Christian points me to my Lord and Savior as a fighter. It points me to the man who once in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/y-feelings-as-a-christian-points-me-to-my-lord-and-savior-as-a/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [I am an intransigent atheist, though not a militant one. This means that I am not fighting against religion - I am fighting for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/i-am-an-intransigent-atheist-though-not-a-militant-one-this-means/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [What I have against religion is that they start you when you are so defenseless. I mean, I was three when they started pumping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/what-i-have-against-religion-is-that-they-start-you-when-you-are-so/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [We were convinced that the people need and require this faith. We have therefore undertaken the fight against the atheistic movement, and that not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/we-were-convinced-that-the-people-need-and-require-this-faith-we-have/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) ## More by Ian Mckellen > [I've always longed for the theatre and acting to be popular. No actor wants to play to an empty house. We only do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/i-ve-always-longed-for-the-theatre-and-acting-to-be-popular-no-actor/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [It's my impression that I've done every job that I've been asked to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/it-s-my-impression-that-i-ve-done-every-job-that-i-ve-been-asked-to-do/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [I'm fortunate to be famous for two rather imposing characters like Magneto and Gandalf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/i-m-fortunate-to-be-famous-for-two-rather-imposing-characters-like/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [Tolkien is as good as Dickens at sketching a scene.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/tolkien-is-as-good-as-dickens-at-sketching-a-scene/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [If you are playing King Lear you are the centre of attention anyway. You don't need to draw attention to yourself. It's all laid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/if-you-are-playing-king-lear-you-are-the-centre-of-attention-anyway/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [Godot is whatever it is in life that you are waiting for: 'I'm waiting to win the lottery. I'm waiting to fall in love'.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/godot-is-whatever-it-is-in-life-that-you-are-waiting-for-i-m-waiting/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [I'm only an actor. I'm not a writer. I'm not going to leave any legacy. All I've ever done is learn the lines and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/i-m-only-an-actor-i-m-not-a-writer-i-m-not-going-to-leave-any-legacy/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [I'd never read 'Lord of the Rings' until I was asked to play Gandalf, so I didn't really know it was a frightfully famous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/i-d-never-read-lord-of-the-rings-until-i-was-asked-to-play-gandalf-so/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [You might be surprised by how interested young people are in older people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/you-might-be-surprised-by-how-interested-young-people-are-in-older/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [The strength of British theatre should be that these actors in their middle years know what they're doing and are good at it. Not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/the-strength-of-british-theatre-should-be-that-these-actors-in-their/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [Until I came out, my acting was all about disguise, and thereafter it became about telling the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/until-i-came-out-my-acting-was-all-about-disguise-and-thereafter-it/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [Elijah looks angelic but his beauty of spirit is what makes his Frodo leap out of the screen. Unalloyed goodness is one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/elijah-looks-angelic-but-his-beauty-of-spirit-is-what-makes-his-frodo/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > ['The Lego Movie?' I've never heard of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/the-lego-movie-i-ve-never-heard-of-it/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [When I appeared in 'Coronation Street,' I lived in Manchester and enjoyed it very much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/when-i-appeared-in-coronation-street-i-lived-in-manchester-and/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [Before acting, I wanted to become a journalist. I also toyed with the idea of being a chef - but that's only when people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/before-acting-i-wanted-to-become-a-journalist-i-also-toyed-with-the/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) [Explore all 247 Ian Mckellen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) ## More Against religion quotes > [We were convinced that the people need and require this faith. We have therefore undertaken the fight against the atheistic movement, and that not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/we-were-convinced-that-the-people-need-and-require-this-faith-we-have/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [What I have against religion is that they start you when you are so defenseless. I mean, I was three when they started pumping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/what-i-have-against-religion-is-that-they-start-you-when-you-are-so/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [I am an intransigent atheist, though not a militant one. This means that I am not fighting against religion - I am fighting for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/i-am-an-intransigent-atheist-though-not-a-militant-one-this-means/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [y feelings as a Christian points me to my Lord and Savior as a fighter. It points me to the man who once in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/y-feelings-as-a-christian-points-me-to-my-lord-and-savior-as-a/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [Ridicule is the only weapon which can be used against unintelligible propositions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/ridicule-is-the-only-weapon-which-can-be-used-against-unintelligible/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [I am for religion, against religions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/i-am-for-religion-against-religions/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [The day will come when the mystical generation of Jesus, by the Supreme Being as his father, in the womb of a virgin, will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-day-will-come-when-the-mystical-generation-of-jesus-by-the/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [ The rebellious mood of the country during those \[60th\] years allowed me to plug right back into my old hatreds. I could scream and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/the-rebellious-mood-of-the-country-during-those-60th-years-allowed-me/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [Religious controversies are always productive of more acrimony and irreconcilable hatreds than those which spring from any other cause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/religious-controversies-are-always-productive-of-more-acrimony-and/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [If you are asking me if my more global purpose is a battle against religion, it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/if-you-are-asking-me-if-my-more-global-purpose-is-a-battle-against/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [I don't believe in heaven and hell. I don't know if I believe in God. All I know is that as an individual, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/i-don-t-believe-in-heaven-and-hell-i-don-t-know-if-i-believe-in-god/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [The Bible is not my book nor Christianity my profession. I could never give assent to the long, complicated statements of Christian dogma.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/the-bible-is-not-my-book-nor-christianity-my-profession-i-could-never/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Of all the animosities which have existed among mankind, those which are caused by a difference of sentiments in religion appear to be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/of-all-the-animosities-which-have-existed-among-mankind-those-which/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [Richard Dawkins says he can't be sure God doesn't exist. Well, you know what I do when I'm not sure about something? I go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-j-fleming/richard-dawkins-says-he-can-t-be-sure-god-doesn-t-exist-well-you-know/) [Frank J. Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-j-fleming/) > [This determined bias against religion, especially Christianity, is clearly evident when viewed against the religious heritage of American culture as revealed in the Church…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mathew-staver/this-determined-bias-against-religion-especially-christianity-is/) [Mathew Staver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mathew-staver/) [Browse all 43 Against religion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/against-religion/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have been reluctant to lobby on other issues I most care about - nuclear weapons (against), religion (atheist), capital punishment (anti), AIDS (fund-raiser) because I don't want to be forever spouting, diluting the impact of addressing my most urgent concern - legal and social equality for gay people worldwide.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ian Mckellen" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/i-have-been-reluctant-to-lobby-on-other-issues-i-most-care-about/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Against religion" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/i-have-been-reluctant-to-lobby-on-other-issues-i-most-care-about/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/849/ian-mckellen-1396_against-religion_i-have-been-reluctant-to-lobby-on-other_1180599.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/849/ian-mckellen-1396_against-religion_i-have-been-reluctant-to-lobby-on-other_1180599.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/849/ian-mckellen-1396_against-religion_i-have-been-reluctant-to-lobby-on-other_1180599.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I have been reluctant to lobby on other issues I most care about - nuclear weapons (against), religion…” — Ian Mckellen", "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": "Ian Mckellen", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I have been reluctant to lobby...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/i-have-been-reluctant-to-lobby-on-other-issues-i-most-care-about/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/i-have-been-reluctant-to-lobby-on-other-issues-i-most-care-about/#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 } } ] } ```