--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: …such criticism and mockery are largely…" description: "\"“…such criticism and mockery are largely beside the point. All religious belief is a function of nonrational faith. And faith, by its very definition, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ae/jon-krakauer-1557_believe-in-god_such-criticism-and-mockery-are-largely-b_3090086.jpg" --- # …such criticism and mockery are largely beside the point… ![“…such criticism and mockery are largely beside the point. All religious belief is a function of nonrational faith. And faith, by its very definition, tends to be impervious to to intellectual argument or academic criticism. Polls routinely indicate, moreover, that nine out of ten Americans believe…” quote by Jon Krakauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ae/jon-krakauer-1557_believe-in-god_such-criticism-and-mockery-are-largely-b_3090086.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ae/jon-krakauer-1557_believe-in-god_such-criticism-and-mockery-are-largely-b_3090086.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ae/jon-krakauer-1557_believe-in-god_such-criticism-and-mockery-are-largely-b_3090086.jpg) > ““…such criticism and mockery are largely beside the point. All religious belief is a function of nonrational faith. And faith, by its very definition, tends to be impervious to to intellectual argument or academic criticism. Polls routinely indicate, moreover, that nine out of ten Americans believe in God—most of us subscribe to one brand of religion or another. Those who would assail The Book of Mormon should bear in mind that its veracity is no more dubious than the veracity of the Bible, say, or the Qur'an, or the sacred texts of most other religions. The latter texts simply enjoy the considerable advantage of having made their public debut in the shadowy recesses of the ancient past, and are thus much harder to refute.”” [Jon Krakauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-krakauer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Faith operates outside rational debate; religious belief persists despite lack of empirical proof, and all major texts share similar evidentiary challenges. **In simple terms:** Faith is non‑rational and hard to argue against. Key Takeaway Accept that belief often defies logical scrutiny. Themes faith religion skepticism culture Mood thoughtful critical Type philosophical debate When to use this quote - debate - education - interfaith dialogue Key Concepts nonrational belief public perception historical context Questions to Reflect On - How do we balance respect for belief with demand for evidence? - Can faith and reason coexist peacefully? A Different Perspective Faith’s resilience can impede critical inquiry. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believe in god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe-in-god/) [Book Of Mormon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book-of-mormon/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Mormonism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mormonism/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religious belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious-belief/) ## Related quotes > [“All religious belief is a function of nonrational faith. And faith, by its very definition, tends to be impervious to intellectual argument or academic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-krakauer/all-religious-belief-is-a-function-of-nonrational-faith-and-faith-by/) [Jon Krakauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-krakauer/) > [ A good analogy \[Charlie Hebdo\] in lots of ways is "South Park" - the hugely popular American cartoon show - and the things that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-gopnik/a-good-analogy-charlie-hebdo-in-lots-of-ways-is-south-park-the-hugely/) [Adam Gopnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-gopnik/) > [ For 179 years \[The Book of Mormon\] has been examined and attacked, denied and deconstructed, targeted and torn apart like perhaps no other religious… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/for-179-years-the-book-of-mormon-has-been-examined-and-attacked-2/) [Jeffrey R. 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Joseph taught…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-krakauer/but-perhaps-the-greatest-attraction-of-mormonism-was-the-promise-that/) [Jon Krakauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-krakauer/) > [ “...Both Elizabeth \[Smart\] and Ruby \[Jessop\] were fourteen when they were kidnapped, raped and "kept captive by polygamous fanatics." 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