--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In vain, without the Bible, we increase…" description: "\"In vain, without the Bible, we increase penal laws and draw entrenchments around our institutions.\" — James McHenry" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fa/james-mchenry-69556_around_in-vain-without-the-bible-we-increase-pe_1449739.jpg" --- # In vain, without the Bible, we increase penal laws and… ![“In vain, without the Bible, we increase penal laws and draw entrenchments around our institutions.” quote by James McHenry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fa/james-mchenry-69556_around_in-vain-without-the-bible-we-increase-pe_1449739.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fa/james-mchenry-69556_around_in-vain-without-the-bible-we-increase-pe_1449739.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fa/james-mchenry-69556_around_in-vain-without-the-bible-we-increase-pe_1449739.jpg) > “In vain, without the Bible, we increase penal laws and draw entrenchments around our institutions.” James McHenry ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Increasing laws without moral guidance leads to oppressive institutions. **In simple terms:** Laws without ethics create oppression. Key Takeaway Balance law with moral principles. Themes law ethics government society Mood concerned reflective Type political philosophical When to use this quote - legislative drafting - judicial review - civil rights advocacy Key Concepts authority institutionalism legalism Questions to Reflect On - How can laws reflect shared moral values? - What safeguards prevent institutional oppression? A Different Perspective Legal frameworks need ethical foundations to avoid tyranny. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) [Institutions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/institutions/) [Laws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laws/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Vain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vain/) ## Related quotes > [“The fantastical idea of virtue and the public good being a sufficient security to the state against the commission of crimes...was never mine. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-fantastical-idea-of-virtue-and-the-public-good-being-a-sufficient-2/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Books that cannot bear examination, certainly ought not to be established as divine inspiration by penal laws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/books-that-cannot-bear-examination-certainly-ought-not-to-be/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [How cruel the Penal Laws are which exclude me from a fair trial with men whom I look upon as so much my inferiors...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-o-connell/how-cruel-the-penal-laws-are-which-exclude-me-from-a-fair-trial-with/) [Daniel O'Connell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-o-connell/) > [I dish the dirt out, and I can take it. But why should my mother and children have to take it? In 20 years,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-clarkson/i-dish-the-dirt-out-and-i-can-take-it-but-why-should-my-mother-and/) [Jeremy Clarkson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-clarkson/) > [I've always been a draw-er, all throughout elementary school I was the "kid who draws".](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-prince/i-ve-always-been-a-draw-er-all-throughout-elementary-school-i-was-the/) [Liz Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-prince/) > [I learned how to draw from being bored in school. I would doodle on the margins of my paper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-nealon/i-learned-how-to-draw-from-being-bored-in-school-i-would-doodle-on/) [Kevin Nealon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-nealon/) > [I love spilling my creativity on paper. I just draw.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jabari-parker/i-love-spilling-my-creativity-on-paper-i-just-draw/) [Jabari Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jabari-parker/) > [I came out of the womb drawing on everything; I used to draw on my mother's white furniture and her white walls with her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldis-hodge/i-came-out-of-the-womb-drawing-on-everything-i-used-to-draw-on-my/) [Aldis Hodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldis-hodge/) > [“It is not until you draw something, whether it is an object, a building or an activity, that you really begin to understand it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-salisbury/it-is-not-until-you-draw-something-whether-it-is-an-object-a-building/) Martin Salisbury > [It is truly vital for the United States to assure that it is not attacked with weapons of mass destruction; to prevent wars in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/it-is-truly-vital-for-the-united-states-to-assure-that-it-is-not/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) > [Except for me, no one in my family could draw.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-barbera/except-for-me-no-one-in-my-family-could-draw/) [Joseph Barbera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-barbera/) > [What I would say to filmmakers, if I may be so bold or so arrogant, is to draw inspiration from other filmmakers, but go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-bender/what-i-would-say-to-filmmakers-if-i-may-be-so-bold-or-so-arrogant-is/) [Lawrence Bender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-bender/) > [I've just always loved really good projects. The things that draw me into a new project have very little to do with genre and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jewel-staite/i-ve-just-always-loved-really-good-projects-the-things-that-draw-me/) [Jewel Staite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jewel-staite/) > [It is the common defect of modern art study. Too many students do not know why they draw.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-henri/it-is-the-common-defect-of-modern-art-study-too-many-students-do-not/) [Robert Henri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-henri/) > [You can draw power from everything in your life. In order to do that, everything has to be set up in a proper way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/you-can-draw-power-from-everything-in-your-life-in-order-to-do-that/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) ## More by James McHenry > [Bibles are strong entrenchments. Where they abound, men cannot pursue wicked courses, and at the same time enjoy quiet conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mchenry/bibles-are-strong-entrenchments-where-they-abound-men-cannot-pursue/) James McHenry > [Public utility pleads most forcibly for the general distribution of the Holy Scriptures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mchenry/public-utility-pleads-most-forcibly-for-the-general-distribution-of/) James McHenry > [The Holy Scriptures...can alone secure to society order and peace, and to our courts of justice and constitutions of government, purity, stability, and usefulness…Bibles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mchenry/the-holy-scriptures-can-alone-secure-to-society-order-and-peace-and/) James McHenry Explore all 4 James McHenry quotes ## More Around quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [I guess, it's a father's dream for his daughter to be known around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liza-soberano/i-guess-it-s-a-father-s-dream-for-his-daughter-to-be-known-around-the/) [Liza Soberano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liza-soberano/) > [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/) > [I guess I'm attracted to things that are fun. I guess what is fun about this role in 'Suburgatory' is that there's a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-tudyk/i-guess-i-m-attracted-to-things-that-are-fun-i-guess-what-is-fun/) [Alan Tudyk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-tudyk/) > [When I was a teen, I would draw a really, really long line around my eyes with eyeliner, like Lola Flores.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosalia/when-i-was-a-teen-i-would-draw-a-really-really-long-line-around-my/) [Rosalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosalia/) > [I think the issues around diversity of all kinds are really a huge problem in the startup world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-lyons/i-think-the-issues-around-diversity-of-all-kinds-are-really-a-huge/) [Daniel Lyons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-lyons/) > [You always hear actors say, 'Theater is my first love,' and it is. It's a time when you really get to do what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-landecker/you-always-hear-actors-say-theater-is-my-first-love-and-it-is-it-s-a/) [Amy Landecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-landecker/) > [Not having drops and not taking plays off, if I do that it will make everyone around me better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demaryius-thomas/not-having-drops-and-not-taking-plays-off-if-i-do-that-it-will-make/) [Demaryius Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demaryius-thomas/) > [I can look around a room and tell you if there are hidden cameras or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-ash/i-can-look-around-a-room-and-tell-you-if-there-are-hidden-cameras-or/) [Lauren Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-ash/) > [You couldn't get me to go travel around and sit in a hotel room again. I have no interest in doing that. So everybody's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-everly/you-couldn-t-get-me-to-go-travel-around-and-sit-in-a-hotel-room-again/) [Phil Everly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-everly/) > [I drink maple syrup. Then I'm hyper so I just run around like crazy and work it all off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-mcadams/i-drink-maple-syrup-then-i-m-hyper-so-i-just-run-around-like-crazy/) [Rachel McAdams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-mcadams/) > [Music is almost like a therapy for me. It helps keep me centered and think straight. Before I discovered it, I was walking around,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banks/music-is-almost-like-a-therapy-for-me-it-helps-keep-me-centered-and/) [Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banks/) > [I have to say, I grew up with fashion because my mother was a seamstress, and she had an atelier. She would cut the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donatella-versace/i-have-to-say-i-grew-up-with-fashion-because-my-mother-was-a/) [Donatella Versace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donatella-versace/) > [Curiosity is the essence of human existence. 'Who are we? Where are we? Where do we come from? Where are we going?'... I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/curiosity-is-the-essence-of-human-existence-who-are-we-where-are-we/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I became an MP in 2017 and have been around to watch Liberal Democrat party membership soar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/layla-moran/i-became-an-mp-in-2017-and-have-been-around-to-watch-liberal-democrat/) [Layla Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/layla-moran/) Browse all 7,275 Around quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In vain, without the Bible, we increase penal laws and draw entrenchments around our institutions.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James McHenry" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mchenry/in-vain-without-the-bible-we-increase-penal-laws-and-draw/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Around" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mchenry/in-vain-without-the-bible-we-increase-penal-laws-and-draw/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fa/james-mchenry-69556_around_in-vain-without-the-bible-we-increase-pe_1449739.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fa/james-mchenry-69556_around_in-vain-without-the-bible-we-increase-pe_1449739.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fa/james-mchenry-69556_around_in-vain-without-the-bible-we-increase-pe_1449739.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In vain, without the Bible, we increase penal laws and draw entrenchments around our institutions.” — James McHenry", "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": "James McHenry", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mchenry/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In vain, without the Bible, we...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mchenry/in-vain-without-the-bible-we-increase-penal-laws-and-draw/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mchenry/in-vain-without-the-bible-we-increase-penal-laws-and-draw/#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 } } ] } ```