--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Watch out for people who call themselves…" description: "\"Watch out for people who call themselves religious; make sure you know what they mean––make sure they know what they mean!\" — John Irving" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/479/john-irving-337_mean_watch-out-for-people-who-call-themselves_7851.jpg" --- # Watch out for people who call themselves religious; make… ![“Watch out for people who call themselves religious; make sure you know what they mean––make sure they know what they mean!” quote by John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/479/john-irving-337_mean_watch-out-for-people-who-call-themselves_7851.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/479/john-irving-337_mean_watch-out-for-people-who-call-themselves_7851.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/479/john-irving-337_mean_watch-out-for-people-who-call-themselves_7851.jpg) > “Watch out for people who call themselves religious; make sure you know what they mean––make sure they know what they mean!” [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Caution against assuming shared definitions of faith; verify both parties' interpretations before engaging. **In simple terms:** Beware of assumed religious labels. Key Takeaway Clarify meaning first. Themes interpretation trust communication belief authority Mood skeptical thoughtful Type advice warning When to use this quote - interfaith dialogue - political debate - community leadership - personal relationships Key Concepts semantic clarity social dynamics Practical Applications - conflict resolution - educational workshops Questions to Reflect On - How do you confirm shared definitions? - What risks arise from misaligned beliefs? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious/) ## Related quotes > [Life becomes religious whenever we make it so: when some new light is seen, when some deeper appreciation is felt, when some larger outlook…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-lyon-fahs/life-becomes-religious-whenever-we-make-it-so-when-some-new-light-is/) [Sophia Lyon Fahs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-lyon-fahs/) > [If you want to make the government take a religious side, then make the case, it should be Christian republic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/if-you-want-to-make-the-government-take-a-religious-side-then-make/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [It is interesting to ask whether there's any general reason why being religious might make you do nice things or indeed nasty things. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/it-is-interesting-to-ask-whether-there-s-any-general-reason-why-being/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Obviously, you don't have to be religious to be moral, and beastly people are sometimes religious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hamel/obviously-you-don-t-have-to-be-religious-to-be-moral-and-beastly/) [Gary Hamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hamel/) > [51% of the French people - who are not very religious - were thinking that what "Charlie Hebdo" did was unwise. They aren't asking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/51-of-the-french-people-who-are-not-very-religious-were-thinking-that/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [I make fun of people who are religious, because they're fundamentally weak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/i-make-fun-of-people-who-are-religious-because-they-re-fundamentally/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [Music, among those who were styled the chosen people, was a religious art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/music-among-those-who-were-styled-the-chosen-people-was-a-religious/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [For many people who were never religious or who leave the religion of their childhood behind, it's the experience of having children of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krista-tippett/for-many-people-who-were-never-religious-or-who-leave-the-religion-of/) [Krista Tippett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krista-tippett/) > [ We are all God's people; we have to get along and the \[religious leaders\] have to lead the way. If they don't do it,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-john/we-are-all-god-s-people-we-have-to-get-along-and-the-religious/) [Elton John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-john/) > [I think people who are religious are more likely to want one around, but it's a very secular position.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-think-people-who-are-religious-are-more-likely-to-want-one-around/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [There are many very educated people who are religious, but they're not creationists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/there-are-many-very-educated-people-who-are-religious-but-they-re-not/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [“Undoubtedly the most important source of religion is fear; this can be seen in the present day, since anything that causes alarm is apt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/undoubtedly-the-most-important-source-of-religion-is-fear-this-can-be/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“People religious enough to want to live in a world dominated by faith were also religious enough to guard their souls against doctrinal error,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-jon-williams/people-religious-enough-to-want-to-live-in-a-world-dominated-by-faith/) [Walter Jon Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-jon-williams/) > [In fact, because people are religious, they think they can do bad things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/in-fact-because-people-are-religious-they-think-they-can-do-bad-things/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [I think that if you were to probe a lot of people's religious opinions, they would not be as religious as the numbers would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/i-think-that-if-you-were-to-probe-a-lot-of-people-s-religious/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) ## More by John Irving > [Your memory is a monster; you forget - it doesn't. 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