--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Believers are right when they say that to…" description: "\"Believers are right when they say that to understand a religion properly you need to get under its skin. But to understand it fully, you cannot stay th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2a/julian-baggini-3081_believer_believers-are-right-when-they-say-that-t_346866.png" --- # Believers are right when they say that to understand a… ![“Believers are right when they say that to understand a religion properly you need to get under its skin. But to understand it fully, you cannot stay there: you have to take a more objective view, too.” quote by Julian Baggini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2a/julian-baggini-3081_believer_believers-are-right-when-they-say-that-t_346866.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2a/julian-baggini-3081_believer_believers-are-right-when-they-say-that-t_346866.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2a/julian-baggini-3081_believer_believers-are-right-when-they-say-that-t_346866.png) > “Believers are right when they say that to understand a religion properly you need to get under its skin. But to understand it fully, you cannot stay there: you have to take a more objective view, too.” [Julian Baggini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-baggini/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Understanding religion requires both immersion and detached analysis. **In simple terms:** Both experience and objectivity are needed to grasp religion. Key Takeaway Balance empathy with critical distance. Themes religion understanding objectivity empathy Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - personal study - interfaith dialogue - academic research - travel Key Concepts philosophy of religion epistemology Questions to Reflect On - How can you practice empathy without losing critical insight? - What methods help maintain balance? A Different Perspective Over‑emphasis on one approach can bias perception. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believer/) [Believers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believers/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) ## Related quotes > [We live life looking forward and only understand it fully looking backward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-live-life-looking-forward-and-only-understand-it-fully-looking/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You will remember some of what you hear; much of what you read; more of what you see, and almost all of what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-l-moore/you-will-remember-some-of-what-you-hear-much-of-what-you-read-more-of/) [Keith L. Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-l-moore/) > [If I say something which you understand fully in this regard, I probably made a mistake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/if-i-say-something-which-you-understand-fully-in-this-regard-i/) [Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/) > [When we can say no not only to things that are wrong and sinful, but also to things pleasant, profitable, and good which would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-warren-stoddard/when-we-can-say-no-not-only-to-things-that-are-wrong-and-sinful-but/) Charles Warren Stoddard > [“Out of this sorrowful experience I understand more fully all human strivings, thwarted ambitions, and the infinite capacity of hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/out-of-this-sorrowful-experience-i-understand-more-fully-all-human/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [“But now I understand something more fully that I once only understood abstractly. I see how utterly ridiculous it is to think that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-tucker/but-now-i-understand-something-more-fully-that-i-once-only-understood/) [Jeffrey Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-tucker/) > [“Pope Alexander smiled. He seemed more amused with the story than horrified. "The Baglioni are true believers," he said. "They believe in paradise. Such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-puzo/pope-alexander-smiled-he-seemed-more-amused-with-the-story-than/) [Mario Puzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-puzo/) > [We have become dangerously comfortable- believers ooze with wealth and let their addictions to comfort and security numb the radical urgency of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/we-have-become-dangerously-comfortable-believers-ooze-with-wealth-and/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [God expects believers to improve their attitude in giving as well as their giving itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-anders/god-expects-believers-to-improve-their-attitude-in-giving-as-well-as/) [Max Anders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-anders/) > [... if we are ashamed to imitate our Lord's sufferings, which He endured for us, and to suffer as He suffered, it is obvious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/symeon-the-new-theologian/if-we-are-ashamed-to-imitate-our-lord-s-sufferings-which-he-endured/) [Symeon the New Theologian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/symeon-the-new-theologian/) > [It takes practice to use one's eyes, even when God has opened them. And there are some believers who never get beyond confounding a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-clay-trumbull/it-takes-practice-to-use-one-s-eyes-even-when-god-has-opened-them-and/) [Henry Clay Trumbull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-clay-trumbull/) > [Scripture is not inerrant; believers are called to interpret biblical texts in light of tradition and reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-meacham/scripture-is-not-inerrant-believers-are-called-to-interpret-biblical/) [Jon Meacham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-meacham/) > [I don't think the problem that we have today is overzealous believers. I think the problem we have is underzealous believers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-laurie/i-don-t-think-the-problem-that-we-have-today-is-overzealous-believers/) [Greg Laurie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-laurie/) > [Believers in political faith-healing enjoy a supreme immunity from doubt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-repplier/believers-in-political-faith-healing-enjoy-a-supreme-immunity-from/) [Agnes Repplier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-repplier/) > [There are believers who by God's grace, have climbed the mountains of full assurance and near communion, their place is with the eagle in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/there-are-believers-who-by-god-s-grace-have-climbed-the-mountains-of/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) ## More by Julian Baggini > [I don't think there is ever a direct connection between the philosophical community and the wider populus. I'm very aware of this because I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-baggini/i-don-t-think-there-is-ever-a-direct-connection-between-the/) [Julian Baggini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-baggini/) > [Anger clearly has its proper place at work, which is neither wholly absent nor ever present. The manager who is an emotional blank is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-baggini/anger-clearly-has-its-proper-place-at-work-which-is-neither-wholly/) [Julian Baggini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-baggini/) > [I don't feel proprietorial about the problems of philosophy. History has taught us that many philosophical issues can grow up, leave home and live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-baggini/i-don-t-feel-proprietorial-about-the-problems-of-philosophy-history/) [Julian Baggini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-baggini/) > [True respect means taking other people's beliefs seriously and assuming they are adult and intelligent enough to be able to cope with it if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-baggini/true-respect-means-taking-other-people-s-beliefs-seriously-and/) [Julian Baggini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-baggini/) > [We do wrong willfully when we fail to think hard about whether what we're doing is right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-baggini/we-do-wrong-willfully-when-we-fail-to-think-hard-about-whether-what/) [Julian Baggini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-baggini/) > [It may not have the virtuous ring of the golden rule, but the maxim 'never say never' is one of the most important in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-baggini/it-may-not-have-the-virtuous-ring-of-the-golden-rule-but-the-maxim/) [Julian Baggini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-baggini/) > [I'm not one of these people who is sour about academia. I'm very lucky not to be in academia, but I am an absolute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-baggini/i-m-not-one-of-these-people-who-is-sour-about-academia-i-m-very-lucky/) [Julian Baggini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-baggini/) > [“Working out whether or not the claims you make in your premises are true, while important, is simply not enough to ensure that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-baggini/working-out-whether-or-not-the-claims-you-make-in-your-premises-are/) [Julian Baggini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-baggini/) > [Real life is about accepting ups and downs, the good and the bad, the possibility of failure as well as the ambition to succeed.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-baggini/real-life-is-about-accepting-ups-and-downs-the-good-and-the-bad-the/) [Julian Baggini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-baggini/) > [“Philosophy without criticism is like hunting deer without a shotgun, so, if you want people to like you, avoid robust philosophical debate.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-baggini/philosophy-without-criticism-is-like-hunting-deer-without-a-shotgun/) [Julian Baggini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-baggini/) > [Looking out over the port of Dover, with the endless steam of boats coming in and out, every British citizen is reminded that belonging…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-baggini/looking-out-over-the-port-of-dover-with-the-endless-steam-of-boats/) [Julian Baggini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-baggini/) > [If you believe you are right, then you should believe that you can make the case that you're right. This requires you to deal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-baggini/if-you-believe-you-are-right-then-you-should-believe-that-you-can/) [Julian Baggini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-baggini/) > [“You know what a word means when you know how to use it, not what its definition is. That is why we can understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-baggini/you-know-what-a-word-means-when-you-know-how-to-use-it-not-what-its/) [Julian Baggini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-baggini/) > [Daily life is better when it involves interactions with real people who have a personal investment in their labour, like shopkeepers, than it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-baggini/daily-life-is-better-when-it-involves-interactions-with-real-people/) [Julian Baggini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-baggini/) > [“the meaning of life is not some kind of answer, which, once learned, is forever possessed. For life to stay meaningful it must continue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-baggini/the-meaning-of-life-is-not-some-kind-of-answer-which-once-learned-is/) [Julian Baggini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-baggini/) [Explore all 140 Julian Baggini quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-baggini/) ## More Believer quotes > [I'm a true believer in prayer, a big believer in prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-jackson/i-m-a-true-believer-in-prayer-a-big-believer-in-prayer/) [Janet Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-jackson/) > [I've always been a believer in research. It's great to have an instinctual human reaction to a character, too, of course, but it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiwetel-ejiofor/i-ve-always-been-a-believer-in-research-it-s-great-to-have-an/) [Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/) > [God has given believers the responsibility of spreading the Gospel to all the world, and we need to use all at our disposal to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-epp/god-has-given-believers-the-responsibility-of-spreading-the-gospel-to/) [Theodore Epp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-epp/) > [I am not a great believer in dialectical struggle. I am much more of a fusion person. I see it as a dialogue, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-warner/i-am-not-a-great-believer-in-dialectical-struggle-i-am-much-more-of-a/) [Marina Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-warner/) > [Oh, I'm a great believer in the power of the pause. Radio is a bit brasher now. My style was slower. I just used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-wogan/oh-i-m-a-great-believer-in-the-power-of-the-pause-radio-is-a-bit/) [Terry Wogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-wogan/) > [Jesus taught that the mark of the Christian is the observable love shown among all true believers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-schaeffer/jesus-taught-that-the-mark-of-the-christian-is-the-observable-love/) [Francis Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-schaeffer/) > [I'm a great believer in people and their untapped potential.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-bester/i-m-a-great-believer-in-people-and-their-untapped-potential/) [Alfred Bester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-bester/) > [Revival is the Spirit's passion within the believer to know and to obey the total will of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-ravenhill/revival-is-the-spirit-s-passion-within-the-believer-to-know-and-to/) [Leonard Ravenhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-ravenhill/) > [I'm not a great believer in awards-of course the fact that I've never won one has nothing to do with it at all!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iain-banks/i-m-not-a-great-believer-in-awards-of-course-the-fact-that-i-ve-never/) [Iain Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iain-banks/) > [Intuitionists think that there are cases in which, say, some identity statement between real numbers is neither true nor false, even though we know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-f-heck/intuitionists-think-that-there-are-cases-in-which-say-some-identity/) [Richard F. Heck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-f-heck/) > [The Bible is shallow enough for a new believer to wade in, but deep enough for a theologian to drown in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-j-lawson/the-bible-is-shallow-enough-for-a-new-believer-to-wade-in-but-deep/) [Steven J Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-j-lawson/) > [Christ is our temple, in whom by faith all believers meet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henry/christ-is-our-temple-in-whom-by-faith-all-believers-meet/) [Matthew Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-henry/) > [The problem with Prosperity Theology is not that it promises too much, but that it aims for so little. What God promises us in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-mohler/the-problem-with-prosperity-theology-is-not-that-it-promises-too-much/) [Albert Mohler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-mohler/) > [ I do not make decisions \[as governor\] based on what have I learned through my Bible studies, what have I learned in my religious… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-schwarzenegger/i-do-not-make-decisions-as-governor-based-on-what-have-i-learned/) [Arnold Schwarzenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-schwarzenegger/) > [I'm a great believer in life to saying yes and not saying no, and hopefully making people smile and just having fun in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/i-m-a-great-believer-in-life-to-saying-yes-and-not-saying-no-and/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) [Browse all 2,028 Believer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believer/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Believers are right when they say that to understand a religion properly you need to get under its skin. 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