--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can certainly destroy enough of…" description: "\"You can certainly destroy enough of humanity so that only the greatest act of faith can persuade you that what's left will be human.\" — J. Robert Oppen..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/993/j-robert-oppenheimer-6978_enough_you-can-certainly-destroy-enough-of-huma_358628.jpg" --- # You can certainly destroy enough of humanity so that only… ![“You can certainly destroy enough of humanity so that only the greatest act of faith can persuade you that what's left will be human.” quote by J. Robert Oppenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/993/j-robert-oppenheimer-6978_enough_you-can-certainly-destroy-enough-of-huma_358628.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/993/j-robert-oppenheimer-6978_enough_you-can-certainly-destroy-enough-of-huma_358628.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/993/j-robert-oppenheimer-6978_enough_you-can-certainly-destroy-enough-of-huma_358628.jpg) > “You can certainly destroy enough of humanity so that only the greatest act of faith can persuade you that what's left will be human.” [J. Robert Oppenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-robert-oppenheimer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humanity's destruction forces a profound reliance on faith to recognize remaining humanity. **In simple terms:** Destruction makes faith essential to see humanity. Key Takeaway Cultivate empathy despite catastrophe. Themes faith humanity existential ethics destruction Mood somber reflective Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - war aftermath - ethical debates - personal reflection - policy making Key Concepts Existentialism moral philosophy faith under crisis Questions to Reflect On - Can faith endure after mass loss? - What defines humanity after catastrophe? A Different Perspective Faith may not survive extreme loss; skepticism persists. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanity/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) ## Related quotes > [If the US were to attack North Korea, they'd certainly destroy North Korea, but South Korea would be pretty well wiped out too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-the-us-were-to-attack-north-korea-they-d-certainly-destroy-north/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [We will not be silent. We will not obey. We will not allow our government to destroy our humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-kokesh/we-will-not-be-silent-we-will-not-obey-we-will-not-allow-our/) Adam Kokesh > [Capitalism is destroying Mother Earth, and to destroy Mother Earth is to destroy humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evo-morales/capitalism-is-destroying-mother-earth-and-to-destroy-mother-earth-is/) [Evo Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evo-morales/) > [“Almost all religions are created for the good of humanity, but in this approach, they are ready to completely destroy humanity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/almost-all-religions-are-created-for-the-good-of-humanity-but-in-this/) [Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/) > [Abstract work, if one wishes to do it well, must be allowed to destroy one's humanity; one raises a monument which is at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/abstract-work-if-one-wishes-to-do-it-well-must-be-allowed-to-destroy/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Humanity is at its greatest perfection in the race of the whites.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/humanity-is-at-its-greatest-perfection-in-the-race-of-the-whites/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [“When no one violates the rights of others, humanity will be in the greatest peace and well-being.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamaran-ihsan-salih/when-no-one-violates-the-rights-of-others-humanity-will-be-in-the/) [Kamaran Ihsan Salih](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamaran-ihsan-salih/) > [Our culture is biased against quiet and reserved people, but introverts are responsible for some of humanity's greatest achievements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/our-culture-is-biased-against-quiet-and-reserved-people-but/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [Humanity is the greatest religion to follow and the most pious way to show your love for the god !!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/humanity-is-the-greatest-religion-to-follow-and-the-most-pious-way-to/) Senoraroy > [“Humanity's greatest achievement will come when the happiness of some will no longer be the sadness of others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-stinger/humanity-s-greatest-achievement-will-come-when-the-happiness-of-some/) [Mario Stinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-stinger/) > [Humanity's greatest desire is to belong and connect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-russell/humanity-s-greatest-desire-is-to-belong-and-connect/) [Jason Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-russell/) > [You know what's wrong with humanity?... The greatest gift we were given is our free will, and we keep misusing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/you-know-what-s-wrong-with-humanity-the-greatest-gift-we-were-given/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [Dreaming is one of humanity’s greatest gifts - it champions aspiration, spurs innovation, leads to change, and propels the world forward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/dreaming-is-one-of-humanity-s-greatest-gifts-it-champions-aspiration/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [“Humanity greatest need is God's grace.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/humanity-greatest-need-is-god-s-grace/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Scrabble - The game is available in Braille. That’s a nice fact. This makes me feel better about humanity for some reason. I can’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/scrabble-the-game-is-available-in-braille-that-s-a-nice-fact-this/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by J. Robert Oppenheimer > [In some sort of crude sense, which no vulgarity, no humor, no overstatement can quite extinguish, the physicists have known sin; and this is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-robert-oppenheimer/in-some-sort-of-crude-sense-which-no-vulgarity-no-humor-no/) [J. Robert Oppenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-robert-oppenheimer/) > [Discovery follows discovery, each both raising and answering questions, each ending a long search, and each providing the new instruments for a new search.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-robert-oppenheimer/discovery-follows-discovery-each-both-raising-and-answering-questions/) [J. Robert Oppenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-robert-oppenheimer/) > [There are no secrets about the world of nature. There are secrets about the thoughts and intentions of men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-robert-oppenheimer/there-are-no-secrets-about-the-world-of-nature-there-are-secrets/) [J. Robert Oppenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-robert-oppenheimer/) > [It is proper to the role of the scientist that he not merely find new truth and communicate it to his fellows, but that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-robert-oppenheimer/it-is-proper-to-the-role-of-the-scientist-that-he-not-merely-find-new/) [J. Robert Oppenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-robert-oppenheimer/) > [To try to be happy is to try to build a machine with no other specification than that it shall run noiselessly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-robert-oppenheimer/to-try-to-be-happy-is-to-try-to-build-a-machine-with-no-other/) [J. Robert Oppenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-robert-oppenheimer/) > [We knew the world would not be the same. A few people laughed, a few people cried. Most people were silent. I remembered the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-robert-oppenheimer/we-knew-the-world-would-not-be-the-same-a-few-people-laughed-a-few/) [J. Robert Oppenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-robert-oppenheimer/) > [We hunger for nobility: the rare words and acts that harmonize simplicity and truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-robert-oppenheimer/we-hunger-for-nobility-the-rare-words-and-acts-that-harmonize/) [J. Robert Oppenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-robert-oppenheimer/) > [I saw what the Depression was doing to my students. Often they could get no jobs, or jobs which were wholly inadequate. And through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-robert-oppenheimer/i-saw-what-the-depression-was-doing-to-my-students-often-they-could/) [J. Robert Oppenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-robert-oppenheimer/) > [This world of ours is a new world, in which the unit of knowledge, the nature of human communities, the order of society, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-robert-oppenheimer/this-world-of-ours-is-a-new-world-in-which-the-unit-of-knowledge-the/) [J. Robert Oppenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-robert-oppenheimer/) > [My childhood did not prepare me for the fact that the world is full of cruel and bitter things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-robert-oppenheimer/my-childhood-did-not-prepare-me-for-the-fact-that-the-world-is-full/) [J. Robert Oppenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-robert-oppenheimer/) > [In the spring of 1936, I was introduced by friends to Jean Tatlock. In the autumn, I began to court her. We were at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-robert-oppenheimer/in-the-spring-of-1936-i-was-introduced-by-friends-to-jean-tatlock-in/) [J. Robert Oppenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-robert-oppenheimer/) > [When we deny the EVIL within ourselves, we dehumanize ourselves, and we deprive ourselves not only of our own destiny but of any possibility…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-robert-oppenheimer/when-we-deny-the-evil-within-ourselves-we-dehumanize-ourselves-and-we/) [J. Robert Oppenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-robert-oppenheimer/) > [Pragmatism is an intellectually safe but ultimately sterile philosophy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-robert-oppenheimer/pragmatism-is-an-intellectually-safe-but-ultimately-sterile-philosophy/) [J. Robert Oppenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-robert-oppenheimer/) > [“Knowledge cannot be pursued without morality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-robert-oppenheimer/knowledge-cannot-be-pursued-without-morality/) [J. Robert Oppenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-robert-oppenheimer/) > [“In battle, in forest, at the precipice in the mountains, On the dark great sea, in the midst of javelins and arrows, In sleep,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-robert-oppenheimer/in-battle-in-forest-at-the-precipice-in-the-mountains-on-the-dark/) [J. Robert Oppenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-robert-oppenheimer/) [Explore all 96 J. Robert Oppenheimer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-robert-oppenheimer/) ## More Enough quotes > [I guess at it's very core love is connection that just makes so much sense you wonder how you used to live before you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-stone/i-guess-at-it-s-very-core-love-is-connection-that-just-makes-so-much/) [Benjamin Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-stone/) > [Failures happen. You can't cry over them. You just take it in your stride because you know that you have done your best... Sometimes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/failures-happen-you-can-t-cry-over-them-you-just-take-it-in-your/) [Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) Adam Ant > [I've been lucky enough to, for the most part, surround myself with a lot of people who are more talented than me and who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-franco/i-ve-been-lucky-enough-to-for-the-most-part-surround-myself-with-a/) [Dave Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-franco/) > [I love because there is not enough room in my heart to hate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rena-kornreich-gelissen/i-love-because-there-is-not-enough-room-in-my-heart-to-hate/) Rena Kornreich Gelissen > [We find few historians who have been diligent enough in their search for truth; it is their common method to take on trust what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/we-find-few-historians-who-have-been-diligent-enough-in-their-search/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [Sometimes it's just enough for me to have the idea. I don't need to see it through to the end. When it actually happens,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-sedaris/sometimes-it-s-just-enough-for-me-to-have-the-idea-i-don-t-need-to/) [Amy Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-sedaris/) > [The vast majority of organizations today have more than enough intelligence, experience and knowledge to be successful. What they lack is organizational health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-lencioni/the-vast-majority-of-organizations-today-have-more-than-enough/) [Patrick Lencioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-lencioni/) > [I'm an actor, so I'm never going to feel like I've done enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italia-ricci/i-m-an-actor-so-i-m-never-going-to-feel-like-i-ve-done-enough/) [Italia Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italia-ricci/) > [I've been to Manchester enough to know it's a real place. It's not Factory Records and the Smiths bicycling around. I get it. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-murphy/i-ve-been-to-manchester-enough-to-know-it-s-a-real-place-it-s-not/) [James Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-murphy/) > [Lutherans, whose arguments and mistakes will not be difficult to contest or discover, do not want to attribute any value to works, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-servetus/lutherans-whose-arguments-and-mistakes-will-not-be-difficult-to/) [Michael Servetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-servetus/) > [Sam dropped me off. When she was too far away to see me, I started to cry again. Because she was my friend again.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/sam-dropped-me-off-when-she-was-too-far-away-to-see-me-i-started-to/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/) [Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/) > [I don't want this to be a distraction. This has been distracting enough. I'm not going to rehash this going forward. I'm sure other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-werth/i-don-t-want-this-to-be-a-distraction-this-has-been-distracting/) [Jayson Werth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-werth/) > [New York is large, glamorous, easy-going, kindly and incurious, but above all it is a crucible - because it is large enough to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ford-madox-ford/new-york-is-large-glamorous-easy-going-kindly-and-incurious-but-above/) [Ford Madox Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ford-madox-ford/) Browse all 23,898 Enough quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You can certainly destroy enough of humanity so that only the greatest act of faith can persuade you that what's left will be human.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "J. 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