---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They bury their dead with their heads…"
description: "\"“They bury their dead with their heads directly downward, because they hold an opinion, that in eleven thousand moons they are all to rise again; in wh..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/910/jonathan-swift-433_nature_they-bury-their-dead-with-their-heads-di_518346.jpg"
---

#  They bury their dead with their heads directly downward…

![“They bury their dead with their heads directly downward, because they hold an opinion, that in eleven thousand moons they are all to rise again; in which period the earth (which they conceive to be flat) will turn upside down, and by this means they shall, at their resurrection, be found ready…” quote by Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/910/jonathan-swift-433_nature_they-bury-their-dead-with-their-heads-di_518346.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/910/jonathan-swift-433_nature_they-bury-their-dead-with-their-heads-di_518346.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/910/jonathan-swift-433_nature_they-bury-their-dead-with-their-heads-di_518346.jpg)

> ““They bury their dead with their heads directly downward, because they hold an opinion, that in eleven thousand moons they are all to rise again; in which period the earth (which they conceive to be flat) will turn upside down, and by this means they shall, at their resurrection, be found ready standing on their feet.””

[Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The absurd belief in a future reversal of the world reflects human folly and blind faith in impossible doctrines.

**In simple terms:** Blind faith in impossible ideas leads to absurd conclusions.

Key Takeaway

Question beliefs that contradict reality.

Themes

faith absurdity skepticism belief future

Mood

skeptical ironic thought‑provoking

Type

satirical philosophical

When to use this quote

- religious doctrine
- political ideology
- conspiracy theories
- personal convictions

Key Concepts

satire philosophy critical thinking

Questions to Reflect On

- What beliefs do you hold without evidence?
- How do you balance hope with realism?

A Different Perspective

Blind faith can be comforting but may prevent rational action.

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[Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Resurrection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resurrection/)

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[Mike Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-schmidt/)

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[José Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/)

> ["Let the dead bury the dead." There is not a single word of Christ to which the Christian religion has paid less attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/let-the-dead-bury-the-dead-there-is-not-a-single-word-of-christ-to/)

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## More by Jonathan Swift

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> [I never wonder to see men wicked, but I often wonder to see them not ashamed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/i-never-wonder-to-see-men-wicked-but-i-often-wonder-to-see-them-not/)

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> [It is indeed a surprising and fortunate fact that nature can be expressed by relatively low-order mathematical functions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-carnap/it-is-indeed-a-surprising-and-fortunate-fact-that-nature-can-be/)

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