--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But to unite in a permanent religious…" description: "\"“But to unite in a permanent religious institution which is not to be subject to doubt before the public even in the lifetime of one man, and thereby t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/972/immanuel-kant-532_buddhism_but-to-unite-in-a-permanent-religious-in_2023464.jpg" --- # But to unite in a permanent religious institution which is… ![“But to unite in a permanent religious institution which is not to be subject to doubt before the public even in the lifetime of one man, and thereby to make a period of time fruitless in the progress of mankind toward improvement, thus working to the disadvantage of posterity - that is absolutely…” quote by Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/972/immanuel-kant-532_buddhism_but-to-unite-in-a-permanent-religious-in_2023464.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/972/immanuel-kant-532_buddhism_but-to-unite-in-a-permanent-religious-in_2023464.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/972/immanuel-kant-532_buddhism_but-to-unite-in-a-permanent-religious-in_2023464.jpg) > ““But to unite in a permanent religious institution which is not to be subject to doubt before the public even in the lifetime of one man, and thereby to make a period of time fruitless in the progress of mankind toward improvement, thus working to the disadvantage of posterity - that is absolutely forbidden. For himself (and only for a short time) a man may postpone enlightenment in what he ought to know, but to renounce it for posterity is to injure and trample on the rights of mankind .”” [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Kant argues that delaying enlightenment for personal gain harms future generations; true progress requires open inquiry. **In simple terms:** Delaying truth harms future generations. Key Takeaway Promote open inquiry now. Themes enlightenment progress future generations Mood reflective serious Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - education reform - scientific research - policy making - public discourse Key Concepts ethical responsibility public reason Questions to Reflect On - How can societies balance individual liberty with collective progress? - What mechanisms ensure public reason? A Different Perspective Balancing individual freedom with collective good is complex. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Buddhism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buddhism/) [Disadvantage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disadvantage/) [Disadvantage Posterity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disadvantage-posterity-3677656/) [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Enlightenment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enlightenment/) [Enlightenment Ought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enlightenment-ought-3677654/) [Forbidden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forbidden/) [Fruitless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fruitless/) [Improvement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/improvement/) [Injure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/injure/) [Posterity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/posterity/) [Postpone Enlightenment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/postpone-enlightenment-3677653/) [Progress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progress/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Renounce Posterity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/renounce-posterity-3677655/) [Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“If you waste time watering a fruitless tree, fruitful ones may die of thirst.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/if-you-waste-time-watering-a-fruitless-tree-fruitful-ones-may-die-of/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [To exist in an echo chamber and only talk to people with whom we agree is fruitless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tomi-lahren/to-exist-in-an-echo-chamber-and-only-talk-to-people-with-whom-we/) [Tomi Lahren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tomi-lahren/) > [Never think of any right effort as being fruitless. All right effort bears fruit, whether we see the results or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peace-pilgrim/never-think-of-any-right-effort-as-being-fruitless-all-right-effort/) [Peace Pilgrim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peace-pilgrim/) > [“You just cannot reason with a turnip. It's fruitless.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hays/you-just-cannot-reason-with-a-turnip-it-s-fruitless/) [Gary Hays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hays/) > [“How weak and fruitless must be any word of mine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/how-weak-and-fruitless-must-be-any-word-of-mine/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Think of the 40 years of confrontation. What is it we gained?...The old style has exposed itself: it is fruitless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergey-akhromeyev/think-of-the-40-years-of-confrontation-what-is-it-we-gained-the-old/) [Sergey Akhromeyev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergey-akhromeyev/) > [The prayer that is faithless is fruitless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-watson/the-prayer-that-is-faithless-is-fruitless/) [Thomas Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-watson/) > [“But to this Orc-work such a life as we lead has brought us. Lawless and fruitless all our deeds have been, serving only ourselves,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/but-to-this-orc-work-such-a-life-as-we-lead-has-brought-us-lawless/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) > [Knowledge is vain and fruitless which is not reduced to practice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henry/knowledge-is-vain-and-fruitless-which-is-not-reduced-to-practice/) [Matthew Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-henry/) > [“He was a vegetable, so trying to change his mind was fruitless.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/he-was-a-vegetable-so-trying-to-change-his-mind-was-fruitless/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [Fruitless striving breeds less despair than inaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/fruitless-striving-breeds-less-despair-than-inaction/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [If there is no effort towards the relationship, it's like irrigating a fruitless trees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nino-jobo-lucy/if-there-is-no-effort-towards-the-relationship-it-s-like-irrigating-a/) [Nino Jobo Lucy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nino-jobo-lucy/) > [I speak of the war as fruitless; for it is clear that, prosecuted upon the basis of the proclamations of September 22d and September…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-pierce/i-speak-of-the-war-as-fruitless-for-it-is-clear-that-prosecuted-upon/) [Franklin Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-pierce/) > [Trying to get without first giving is as fruitless as trying to reap without having sown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/trying-to-get-without-first-giving-is-as-fruitless-as-trying-to-reap/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [The omnipotence of evil has never resulted in anything but fruitless efforts. Our thoughts always escape from whoever tries to smother them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/the-omnipotence-of-evil-has-never-resulted-in-anything-but-fruitless/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) ## More by Immanuel Kant > [Even if a civil society were to be dissolved by the consent of all its members (e.g., if a people inhabiting an island decided…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/even-if-a-civil-society-were-to-be-dissolved-by-the-consent-of-all/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [How then is perfection to be sought? Wherein lies our hope? In education, and in nothing else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/how-then-is-perfection-to-be-sought-wherein-lies-our-hope-in/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [Heaven has given human beings three things to balance the odds of life: hope, sleep, and laughter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/heaven-has-given-human-beings-three-things-to-balance-the-odds-of/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [Beauty presents an indeterminate concept of Understanding, the sublime an indeterminate concept of Reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/beauty-presents-an-indeterminate-concept-of-understanding-the-sublime/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [Freedom is that faculty that enlarges the usefulness of all other faculties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/freedom-is-that-faculty-that-enlarges-the-usefulness-of-all-other/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [Philosophical knowledge is the knowledge gained by reason from concepts ; mathematical knowledge is the knowledge gained by reason from the construction of concepts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/philosophical-knowledge-is-the-knowledge-gained-by-reason-from/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [A categorical imperative would be one which represented an action as objectively necessary in itself, without reference to any other purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/a-categorical-imperative-would-be-one-which-represented-an-action-as/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [When I could have used a wife, I could not support one; and when I could support one, I no longer needed any](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/when-i-could-have-used-a-wife-i-could-not-support-one-and-when-i/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [Enlightenment is the liberation of man from his self-caused state of minority... Supere aude! Dare to use your own understanding!is thus the motto of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/enlightenment-is-the-liberation-of-man-from-his-self-caused-state-of/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [The ideal of the supreme being is nothing but a regulative principle of reason which directs us to look upon all connection in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/the-ideal-of-the-supreme-being-is-nothing-but-a-regulative-principle/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [“Jeg skal alltid handle slik at den regelen jeg handler etter kunne gjelde som allmenn lov.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/jeg-skal-alltid-handle-slik-at-den-regelen-jeg-handler-etter-kunne/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [Deaths, births, and marriages, considering how much they are separately dependent on the freedom of the human will, should seem to be subject to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/deaths-births-and-marriages-considering-how-much-they-are-separately/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [It is precisely in knowing its limits that philosophy consists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/it-is-precisely-in-knowing-its-limits-that-philosophy-consists/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [A society that is not willing to demand a life of somebody who has taken somebody else’s life is simply immoral.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/a-society-that-is-not-willing-to-demand-a-life-of-somebody-who-has/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [. . . as to moral feeling, this supposed special sense, the appeal to it is indeed superficial when those who cannot think believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/as-to-moral-feeling-this-supposed-special-sense-the-appeal-to-it-is/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) [Explore all 476 Immanuel Kant quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) ## More Buddhism quotes > [There are places that are very draining. There are places where there is another dimensional crossover but to a dimension that is not powerful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/there-are-places-that-are-very-draining-there-are-places-where-there/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Enlightenment is lightening up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-myers/enlightenment-is-lightening-up/) [Mike Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-myers/) > [The very best players, when they are practicing, put everything they've got into it. But then they leave it for a while. And it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/the-very-best-players-when-they-are-practicing-put-everything-they-ve/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) > [Everyone will admire you when you do well. What a horrible thing to do to someone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/everyone-will-admire-you-when-you-do-well-what-a-horrible-thing-to-do/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Nirvana is a word that means enlightenment, being beyond the illusion of birth and death, the illusion of pain, the illusion of love, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/nirvana-is-a-word-that-means-enlightenment-being-beyond-the-illusion/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [I think the most miraculous thing is learning. I get out of the way and let the students learn. Then you get to watch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/i-think-the-most-miraculous-thing-is-learning-i-get-out-of-the-way/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“Exactly. I think the original tantric Buddhists took notice of was some very wise old people who never studied in their youth, but took…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-niemczura/exactly-i-think-the-original-tantric-buddhists-took-notice-of-was/) [Joe Niemczura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-niemczura/) > [A human being can only absorb a small amount of the mystical kundalini, you can be exposed again and again to it, but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/a-human-being-can-only-absorb-a-small-amount-of-the-mystical/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [One of the things I regret about not putting in that book or I think it's there but I didn't really elaborate on it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-warner/one-of-the-things-i-regret-about-not-putting-in-that-book-or-i-think/) [Brad Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-warner/) > [My mom and my aunties are really devout Christians. 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