--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The toppling of idols - even respectable…" description: "\"The toppling of idols - even respectable, admired, best-practice, fastest-growing idols - is always the road to liberation.\" — John Ortberg" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b32/john-ortberg-932_admired_the-toppling-of-idols-even-respectable-a_2124251.png" --- # The toppling of idols - even respectable, admired… ![“The toppling of idols - even respectable, admired, best-practice, fastest-growing idols - is always the road to liberation.” quote by John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b32/john-ortberg-932_admired_the-toppling-of-idols-even-respectable-a_2124251.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b32/john-ortberg-932_admired_the-toppling-of-idols-even-respectable-a_2124251.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b32/john-ortberg-932_admired_the-toppling-of-idols-even-respectable-a_2124251.png) > “The toppling of idols - even respectable, admired, best-practice, fastest-growing idols - is always the road to liberation.” [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Toppling revered idols, even successful ones, leads to personal liberation and growth. **In simple terms:** Questioning admired figures can free you. Key Takeaway Challenge accepted idols to discover new paths. Themes spirituality growth liberation iconoclasm self-improvement Mood thoughtful motivational Type spiritual self-help When to use this quote - career transitions - personal crises - cultural shifts - leadership changes Key Concepts deconstruction identity freedom Questions to Reflect On - What idols in your life might be limiting you? - How can you honor lessons while moving beyond them? A Different Perspective Risk of discarding valuable lessons alongside the idol. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Admired](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/admired/) [Always](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) [Even](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/even/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Growing Idols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-idols-4348801/) [Idols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idols/) [Idols Respectable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idols-respectable-4348800/) [Idols Road](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idols-road-4348802/) [Liberation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberation/) [Respectable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respectable/) [Road](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/road/) [Toppling Idols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/toppling-idols-4348799/) ## Related quotes > [Jesus' life as a foot-washing servant would eventually lead to the adoption of humility as a widely admired virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/jesus-life-as-a-foot-washing-servant-would-eventually-lead-to-the/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [I have loved, adored and admired Irrfan Khan's work. 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I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/the-creation-of-george-smiley-the-retired-spy-recalled-to-hunt-for/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [Most women you know are very much interested in the man who is reputed to be deeply admired by other women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-desmond/most-women-you-know-are-very-much-interested-in-the-man-who-is/) [Arthur Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-desmond/) > [To me, true style icons have been few and far between. Elizabeth Taylor comes to mind. I never got to meet her while she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coco-rocha/to-me-true-style-icons-have-been-few-and-far-between-elizabeth-taylor/) [Coco Rocha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coco-rocha/) ## More by John Ortberg > [“What do we do in the dark night? We do nothing. We wait. We remember that we are not God. We hold on. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/what-do-we-do-in-the-dark-night-we-do-nothing-we-wait-we-remember/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [If we are serious about loving God, we must begin with people, all people. And especially we must learn to love those that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/if-we-are-serious-about-loving-god-we-must-begin-with-people-all/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [True repentance never leads to despair. Its leads home. 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You must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/hurry-is-the-great-enemy-of-spiritual-life-in-our-day-you-must/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [In reality, each thought we have carries with it a little spiritual power, a tug toward or away from God. No thought is purely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/in-reality-each-thought-we-have-carries-with-it-a-little-spiritual/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [The miracle of Sunday is that a dead man lives. The miracle of Saturday is that the eternal Son of God lies dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/the-miracle-of-sunday-is-that-a-dead-man-lives-the-miracle-of/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [“The most important thing about you,” Dallas would often say, “is not the things that you achieve; it is the person that you become.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/the-most-important-thing-about-you-dallas-would-often-say-is-not-the/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [Jesus had a universal concern for those who suffered that transcended the rules of the ancient world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/jesus-had-a-universal-concern-for-those-who-suffered-that-transcended/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [God is a God of endless opportunities to do good; the God of the open door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/god-is-a-god-of-endless-opportunities-to-do-good-the-god-of-the-open/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [One of the most painful aspects of suffering is the loneliness of it. 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I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/the-creation-of-george-smiley-the-retired-spy-recalled-to-hunt-for/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [I suppose I'm led to do so by the fact of what happened to my contemporaries - people whom I've admired, people who I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-woodcock/i-suppose-i-m-led-to-do-so-by-the-fact-of-what-happened-to-my/) [George Woodcock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-woodcock/) > [I always admired virtue - but I could never imitate it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-always-admired-virtue-but-i-could-never-imitate-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I've always looked at guys who I've admired, like John Williams and Lalo Schifrin and Max Steiner, and looked at the choices they made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-giacchino/i-ve-always-looked-at-guys-who-i-ve-admired-like-john-williams-and/) [Michael Giacchino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-giacchino/) > [Admired as a saint, defined by my rank. Combined with my strength, my time and my length.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-wayne/admired-as-a-saint-defined-by-my-rank-combined-with-my-strength-my/) [Lil Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-wayne/) > [ \[On her father's death:\] Gone was the person who had known me better than anyone else on earth and who had loved and admired… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-brody/on-her-father-s-death-gone-was-the-person-who-had-known-me-better/) [Jane Brody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-brody/) > [I've always admired actors such as Tabu, Nandita Das and Shabana Azmi and I'd like to do the kind of roles that they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanam-saeed/i-ve-always-admired-actors-such-as-tabu-nandita-das-and-shabana-azmi/) [Sanam Saeed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanam-saeed/) > [In life, if you are intelligent then you will be admired but if you are prominent then you are envied meanwhile if you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeka/in-life-if-you-are-intelligent-then-you-will-be-admired-but-if-you/) [Jeka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeka/) > [ He \[A. J. Balfour\] was eminently one of the Cole Porter school of famous men, who only fell to rise again. Picking himself up… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-balfour/he-a-j-balfour-was-eminently-one-of-the-cole-porter-school-of-famous/) [Arthur Balfour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-balfour/) > [She never felt sorry for herself, and that was something I decided I admired most in people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-walls/she-never-felt-sorry-for-herself-and-that-was-something-i-decided-i/) [Jeannette Walls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-walls/) > [Celebrity is never more admired than by the negligent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/celebrity-is-never-more-admired-than-by-the-negligent/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I have loved, adored and admired Irrfan Khan's work. Some of his movies are remarkable. So, working with him has been an honor and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiku-sharda/i-have-loved-adored-and-admired-irrfan-khan-s-work-some-of-his-movies/) [Kiku Sharda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiku-sharda/) > [What! nothing grand and noble to be admired, obeyed, copied? Ah, the lack is not without you, but within you!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-mcnair-wright/what-nothing-grand-and-noble-to-be-admired-obeyed-copied-ah-the-lack/) [Julia McNair Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-mcnair-wright/) [Browse all 392 Admired quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/admired/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The toppling of idols - even respectable, admired, best-practice, fastest-growing idols - is always the road to liberation.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Ortberg" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/the-toppling-of-idols-even-respectable-admired-best-practice-fastest/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Admired" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/the-toppling-of-idols-even-respectable-admired-best-practice-fastest/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b32/john-ortberg-932_admired_the-toppling-of-idols-even-respectable-a_2124251.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b32/john-ortberg-932_admired_the-toppling-of-idols-even-respectable-a_2124251.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b32/john-ortberg-932_admired_the-toppling-of-idols-even-respectable-a_2124251.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The toppling of idols - even respectable, admired, best-practice, fastest-growing idols - is always the road…” — John Ortberg", "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": "John Ortberg", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The toppling of idols - even...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/the-toppling-of-idols-even-respectable-admired-best-practice-fastest/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/the-toppling-of-idols-even-respectable-admired-best-practice-fastest/#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 } } ] } ```