--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Every established fact which is too bad…" description: "\"Every established fact which is too bad to admit of any other defence is always presented to us as an injunction of religion.\" — John Stuart Mill" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/462/john-stuart-mill-477_atheism_every-established-fact-which-is-too-bad_1951321.png" --- # Every established fact which is too bad to admit of any… ![“Every established fact which is too bad to admit of any other defence is always presented to us as an injunction of religion.” quote by John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/462/john-stuart-mill-477_atheism_every-established-fact-which-is-too-bad_1951321.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/462/john-stuart-mill-477_atheism_every-established-fact-which-is-too-bad_1951321.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/462/john-stuart-mill-477_atheism_every-established-fact-which-is-too-bad_1951321.png) > “Every established fact which is too bad to admit of any other defence is always presented to us as an injunction of religion.” [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When a fact is so unpleasant that it cannot be defended, it is often cloaked as a religious command to avoid scrutiny. **In simple terms:** Bad facts are hidden as religious rules. Key Takeaway Question assumptions behind religious justifications. Themes critical thinking religion truth power ethics Mood skeptical analytical Type philosophical critical When to use this quote - debates on science vs faith - policy making - education curricula - media analysis Key Concepts Skepticism social control cognitive bias Questions to Reflect On - What evidence challenges this claim? - How does this affect personal belief systems? A Different Perspective Religious framing can sometimes protect vulnerable groups from harsh truths. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Admit Defence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/admit-defence-3168526/) [Atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheism/) [Defence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defence/) [Established Fact](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/established-fact-1552850/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Injunction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/injunction-1804540/) [Injunction Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/injunction-religion-3168525/) [Positive atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/positive-atheism/) [Presented Injunction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presented-injunction-3168527/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) ## Related quotes > [“is a pretty well established fact that many a brutal officer fell in battle, from being shot other than by the enemy. Shortly”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-pierce-alleman/is-a-pretty-well-established-fact-that-many-a-brutal-officer-fell-in/) [Matilda Pierce Alleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-pierce-alleman/) > [We are told dogmatically that Evolution is an established fact; but we are never told who has established it, and by what means. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-smith/we-are-told-dogmatically-that-evolution-is-an-established-fact-but-we/) [Wolfgang Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-smith/) > [“The popular view that scientists proceed inexorably from well-established fact to well-established fact, never being influenced by any unproved conjecture, is quite mistaken. Provided…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-hodges/the-popular-view-that-scientists-proceed-inexorably-from-well/) [Andrew Hodges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-hodges/) > [The Assembly has witnessed over the last weeks how historical truth is established; once an allegation has been repeated a few times, it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dag-hammarskj-ld/the-assembly-has-witnessed-over-the-last-weeks-how-historical-truth/) [Dag Hammarskjold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dag-hammarskj-ld/) > [Necessity is not an established fact, but an interpretation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/necessity-is-not-an-established-fact-but-an-interpretation/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Every hour has its immediate duty, its special injunction which dominates all others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marguerite-yourcenar/every-hour-has-its-immediate-duty-its-special-injunction-which/) [Marguerite Yourcenar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marguerite-yourcenar/) > [They may well say not only is this not true, but I will put in an injunction to prevent publication. No, stories don't go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-hislop/they-may-well-say-not-only-is-this-not-true-but-i-will-put-in-an/) [Ian Hislop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-hislop/) > [We, the generation that faces the next century, can add the solemn injunction ''If we don't do the impossible, we shall be faced with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/petra-kelly/we-the-generation-that-faces-the-next-century-can-add-the-solemn/) [Petra Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/petra-kelly/) > [You take out an injunction against somebody or some organisation and immediately news of that injunction and the people involved and the story behind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-clarkson/you-take-out-an-injunction-against-somebody-or-some-organisation-and/) [Jeremy Clarkson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-clarkson/) > [“Of course I'm smart. What were you expecting-'Lordy, Mr. Lawyer Man, I don't know nuthin' 'bout filin' no injunction'? Please," Alayna muttered.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karyn-langhorne/of-course-i-m-smart-what-were-you-expecting-lordy-mr-lawyer-man-i-don/) [Karyn Langhorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karyn-langhorne/) > [Part of the reason there's an injunction to the truth, for example, is that if you're in a circumstance of extreme uncertainty, your best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-peterson/part-of-the-reason-there-s-an-injunction-to-the-truth-for-example-is/) [Jordan Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-peterson/) > [I care not who makes th' laws iv a nation, if I can get out an injunction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finley-peter-dunne/i-care-not-who-makes-th-laws-iv-a-nation-if-i-can-get-out-an/) [Finley Peter Dunne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finley-peter-dunne/) > [A Supreme Court justice must convince at least four colleagues to bind the federal government nationwide, whereas a district court judge issuing a nationwide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barr/a-supreme-court-justice-must-convince-at-least-four-colleagues-to/) [William Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barr/) > [When a nationwide injunction constrains a significant executive policy, the Justice Department has little choice but to seek emergency relief.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barr/when-a-nationwide-injunction-constrains-a-significant-executive/) [William Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barr/) > [If you contemplate the Golden Rule, it turns out to be an injunction to live by grace rather than by what you think other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/if-you-contemplate-the-golden-rule-it-turns-out-to-be-an-injunction/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) ## More by John Stuart Mill > [The average condition of the people improving or deteriorating, depends upon whether population is advancing faster than improvement, or improvement than population.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/the-average-condition-of-the-people-improving-or-deteriorating/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [Liberty lies in the rights of that person whose views you find most odious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/liberty-lies-in-the-rights-of-that-person-whose-views-you-find-most/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [Truth emerges from the clash of adverse ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/truth-emerges-from-the-clash-of-adverse-ideas/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [“No longer enslaved or made dependent by force of law, the great majority are so by force of poverty; they are still chained to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/no-longer-enslaved-or-made-dependent-by-force-of-law-the-great/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [All acts suppose certain dispositions, and habits of mind and heart, which may be in themselves states of enjoyment or of wretchedness, and which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/all-acts-suppose-certain-dispositions-and-habits-of-mind-and-heart/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [Unfortunately for the good sense of mankind, the fact of their fallibility is far from carrying the weight in their practical judgement, which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/unfortunately-for-the-good-sense-of-mankind-the-fact-of-their/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [“In history, as in traveling, men usually see only what they already had in their own minds; and few learn much from history, who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/in-history-as-in-traveling-men-usually-see-only-what-they-already-had/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [All errors which a man is likely to commit against advice are far outweighed by the evil of allowing others to constrain him for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/all-errors-which-a-man-is-likely-to-commit-against-advice-are-far/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [Every great movement must experience three stages: ridicule, discussion, adoption.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/every-great-movement-must-experience-three-stages-ridicule-discussion/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [The successful conduct of an industrial enterprise requires two quite distinct qualifications: fidelity and zeal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/the-successful-conduct-of-an-industrial-enterprise-requires-two-quite/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [ “\[For people\] to refuse a hearing to an opinion, because they are sure that it is false, is to assume that their certainty is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/for-people-to-refuse-a-hearing-to-an-opinion-because-they-are-sure/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [This is what writers mean when they say that the notion of cause involves the idea of necessity. If there be any meaning which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/this-is-what-writers-mean-when-they-say-that-the-notion-of-cause/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [“Protection, therefore, against tyranny of the magistrate is not enough: there needs protection also against the tyranny of the prevailing opinion and feeling; against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/protection-therefore-against-tyranny-of-the-magistrate-is-not-enough/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [Landlords grow rich in their sleep without working, risking or economizing. The increase in the value of land, arising as it does from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/landlords-grow-rich-in-their-sleep-without-working-risking-or/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [There is one characteristic of the present direction of public opinion, peculiarly calculated to make it intolerant of any marked demonstration of individuality. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/there-is-one-characteristic-of-the-present-direction-of-public/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) [Explore all 524 John Stuart Mill quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) ## More Atheism quotes > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [No philosophy, no religion, has ever brought so glad a message to the world as this good news of Atheism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-besant/no-philosophy-no-religion-has-ever-brought-so-glad-a-message-to-the/) [Annie Besant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-besant/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [The inner defenses are unconscious. They consist of a kind of magic aura which the mind builds around cherished belief. Arguments which penetrate into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-inner-defenses-are-unconscious-they-consist-of-a-kind-of-magic/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [God speaks through me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/god-speaks-through-me/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [A knowledge of the existence of something we cannot penetrate, of the manifestations of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty - it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/a-knowledge-of-the-existence-of-something-we-cannot-penetrate-of-the/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [You cannot ... transmute some incoherent mixture of words into sense merely by introducing the three-letter word "God" to be its grammatical subject.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-flew/you-cannot-transmute-some-incoherent-mixture-of-words-into-sense/) [Antony Flew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-flew/) > [Many humanists have argued that happiness involves a combination of hedonism and creative moral development; that an exuberant life fuses excellence and enjoyment, meaning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kurtz/many-humanists-have-argued-that-happiness-involves-a-combination-of/) [Paul Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kurtz/) > [If, with all the time at my disposal, with all the wealth of the resources of this vast universe, to do with as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/if-with-all-the-time-at-my-disposal-with-all-the-wealth-of-the/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [Do you think that was kind? Do you think it was godlike? What would you think of a physician, if a woman came to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-h-gardener/do-you-think-that-was-kind-do-you-think-it-was-godlike-what-would-you/) [Helen H. Gardener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-h-gardener/) > [Science can destroy religion by ignoring it as well as by disproving its tenets. No one ever demonstrated, so far as I am aware,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/science-can-destroy-religion-by-ignoring-it-as-well-as-by-disproving/) [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) > [Honest investigation is utterly impossible within the pale of any church, for the reason, that if you think the church is right you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/honest-investigation-is-utterly-impossible-within-the-pale-of-any/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) [Browse all 4,769 Atheism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Every established fact which is too bad to admit of any other defence is always presented to us as an injunction of religion.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Stuart Mill" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/every-established-fact-which-is-too-bad-to-admit-of-any-other-defence/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Atheism" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/every-established-fact-which-is-too-bad-to-admit-of-any-other-defence/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/462/john-stuart-mill-477_atheism_every-established-fact-which-is-too-bad_1951321.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/462/john-stuart-mill-477_atheism_every-established-fact-which-is-too-bad_1951321.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/462/john-stuart-mill-477_atheism_every-established-fact-which-is-too-bad_1951321.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Every established fact which is too bad to admit of any other defence is always presented to us as an…” — John Stuart Mill", "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 Stuart Mill", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Every established fact which is too...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/every-established-fact-which-is-too-bad-to-admit-of-any-other-defence/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/every-established-fact-which-is-too-bad-to-admit-of-any-other-defence/#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 } } ] } ```