--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Religion is still parasitic in the…" description: "\"Religion is still parasitic in the interstices of our knowledge which have not yet been filled. Like bed-bugs in the cracks of walls and furniture, mir..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b1/john-b-s-haldane-10480_allies_religion-is-still-parasitic-in-the-inter_2510878.jpg" --- # Religion is still parasitic in the interstices of our… ![“Religion is still parasitic in the interstices of our knowledge which have not yet been filled. Like bed-bugs in the cracks of walls and furniture, miracles lurk in the lacunae of science. The scientist plasters up these cracks in our knowledge; the more militant Rationalist swats the bugs in the…” quote by John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b1/john-b-s-haldane-10480_allies_religion-is-still-parasitic-in-the-inter_2510878.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b1/john-b-s-haldane-10480_allies_religion-is-still-parasitic-in-the-inter_2510878.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b1/john-b-s-haldane-10480_allies_religion-is-still-parasitic-in-the-inter_2510878.jpg) > “Religion is still parasitic in the interstices of our knowledge which have not yet been filled. Like bed-bugs in the cracks of walls and furniture, miracles lurk in the lacunae of science. The scientist plasters up these cracks in our knowledge; the more militant Rationalist swats the bugs in the open. Both have their proper sphere and they should realize that they are allies.” [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote compares gaps in scientific knowledge to cracks infested with parasites, urging both rationalists and believers to see themselves as allies rather than enemies. **In simple terms:** Science and religion each fill different gaps, and should cooperate. Key Takeaway Recognize the value of both perspectives. Themes science religion cooperation Mood thoughtful optimistic Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - policy making - education reform - public health communication - ethical debates - research funding Key Concepts epistemology interdisciplinary dialogue Questions to Reflect On - How can we foster dialogue between opposing worldviews? - What examples show successful collaboration? A Different Perspective Overcoming entrenched biases can be difficult. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Allies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/allies/) [Atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheism/) [Bed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bed/) [Bugs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bugs/) [Cracks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cracks/) [Cracks Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cracks-knowledge-1155080/) [Filled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/filled/) [Furniture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/furniture/) [Knowledge Militant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge-militant-1155079/) [Militant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/militant/) [Militant Rationalist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/militant-rationalist-1155081/) [Miracle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miracle/) [Plasters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plasters/) [Rationalist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rationalist/) [Realizing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realizing/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religion Parasitic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion-parasitic-1155078/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Scientist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scientist/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Spheres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spheres/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wall/) ## Related quotes > [Ideas are 10 a penny. 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Freedom is one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/there-are-all-too-many-who-on-account-of-their-notorious-ineptitude/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) ## More by John B. S. Haldane > [My final word, before I'm done, Is "Cancer can be rather fun"- Provided one confronts the tumour with a sufficient sense of humour. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/my-final-word-before-i-m-done-is-cancer-can-be-rather-fun-provided/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [Shelley and Keats were the last English poets who were at all up to date in their chemical knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/shelley-and-keats-were-the-last-english-poets-who-were-at-all-up-to/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [A discussion between Haldane and a friend began to take a predictable turn. The friend said with a sigh, 'It's no use going on.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/a-discussion-between-haldane-and-a-friend-began-to-take-a-predictable/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [The extreme socialists desire to run every nation as a single business concern.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/the-extreme-socialists-desire-to-run-every-nation-as-a-single/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [To the biologist the problem of socialism appears largely as a problem of size.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/to-the-biologist-the-problem-of-socialism-appears-largely-as-a/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [A fairly bright boy is far more intelligent and far better company than the average adult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/a-fairly-bright-boy-is-far-more-intelligent-and-far-better-company/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [Capitalism, though it may not always give the scientific worker a living wage, will always protect him, as being one of the geese which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/capitalism-though-it-may-not-always-give-the-scientific-worker-a/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [There are 400,000 species of beetles on this planet, but only 8,000 species of mammals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/there-are-400-000-species-of-beetles-on-this-planet-but-only-8-000/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [There is no great invention, from fire to flying, which has not been hailed as an insult to some god.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/there-is-no-great-invention-from-fire-to-flying-which-has-not-been/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [Man armed with science is like a baby with a box of matches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/man-armed-with-science-is-like-a-baby-with-a-box-of-matches/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [There can be no truce between science and religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/there-can-be-no-truce-between-science-and-religion/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [Science is vastly more stimulating to the imagination than the classics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/science-is-vastly-more-stimulating-to-the-imagination-than-the/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [The future will be no primrose path. It will have its own problems. Some will be the secular problems of the past, giant flowers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/the-future-will-be-no-primrose-path-it-will-have-its-own-problems/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [Haldane was engaged in discussion with an eminent theologian. "What inference," asked the latter, "might one draw about the nature of God from a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/haldane-was-engaged-in-discussion-with-an-eminent-theologian-what/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [So far from being an isolated phenomenon the late war is only an example of the disruptive result that we may constantly expect from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/so-far-from-being-an-isolated-phenomenon-the-late-war-is-only-an/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) [Explore all 65 John B. S. Haldane quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) ## More Allies quotes > [I genuinely did not expect more than half our nation to choose to walk away from our long-term allies into the arms of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-reade/i-genuinely-did-not-expect-more-than-half-our-nation-to-choose-to/) [Brian Reade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-reade/) > [If the women in the factories stopped work for twenty minutes, the Allies would lose the war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-joffre/if-the-women-in-the-factories-stopped-work-for-twenty-minutes-the/) [Joseph Joffre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-joffre/) > [As far as Japan is concerned, I want to help all of our allies, but we are losing billions and billions of dollars. 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