--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Any interpretation of scripture that bred…" description: "\"“Any interpretation of scripture that bred hatred or disdain for others was illegitimate,”\" — Karen Armstrong" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c8/karen-armstrong-1053_bible_any-interpretation-of-scripture-that-bre_3197130.jpg" --- # Any interpretation of scripture that bred hatred or… ![“Any interpretation of scripture that bred hatred or disdain for others was illegitimate,” quote by Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c8/karen-armstrong-1053_bible_any-interpretation-of-scripture-that-bre_3197130.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c8/karen-armstrong-1053_bible_any-interpretation-of-scripture-that-bre_3197130.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c8/karen-armstrong-1053_bible_any-interpretation-of-scripture-that-bre_3197130.jpg) > ““Any interpretation of scripture that bred hatred or disdain for others was illegitimate,”” [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Interpretations that incite hatred are morally invalid and betray true spiritual insight. **In simple terms:** Hatredful readings are wrong. Key Takeaway Seek compassionate understanding. Themes religion ethics interpretation Mood thoughtful hopeful Type ethical inspirational When to use this quote - interfaith dialogue - education - media analysis - community building Key Concepts compassion moral integrity Questions to Reflect On - How can we identify hateful interpretations? - What practices foster compassionate reading? A Different Perspective Some may argue intent matters more than outcome. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) [Disdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disdain/) [Disdain Illegitimate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disdain-illegitimate-5920909/) [Hatred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hatred/) [Hatred Disdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hatred-disdain-5920910/) [Illegitimate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illegitimate/) [Red hat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/red-hat/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) ## Related quotes > [If you are Iraqi, you know who I am... and you know that I do not tire. I am the president of Iraq and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saddam-hussein/if-you-are-iraqi-you-know-who-i-am-and-you-know-that-i-do-not-tire-i/) [Saddam Hussein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saddam-hussein/) > [I refuse to admit that I am more than fifty-two, even if that does make my sons illegitimate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-astor/i-refuse-to-admit-that-i-am-more-than-fifty-two-even-if-that-does/) [Nancy Astor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-astor/) > [The Americans are the illegitimate children of the English.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/the-americans-are-the-illegitimate-children-of-the-english/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [For some, the very act of intelligence gathering seems illegitimate when applied to the crime of terrorism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-kelly/for-some-the-very-act-of-intelligence-gathering-seems-illegitimate/) [Raymond Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-kelly/) > [What innocence, may I ask, is being played here when it is known that this virtuous damsel has already got a dozen illegitimate children?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikita-khrushchev/what-innocence-may-i-ask-is-being-played-here-when-it-is-known-that/) [Nikita Khrushchev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikita-khrushchev/) > [“There have always been two standards,” Rutledge answered. “People called Fiona a whore, but there’s no name for a man who has an illegitimate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-todd/there-have-always-been-two-standards-rutledge-answered-people-called/) [Charles Todd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-todd/) > [“Any law that makes self-defense illegal or impractical is an illegitimate law, because such a law ultimately subjects people to the criminal element. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charl-van-wyk/any-law-that-makes-self-defense-illegal-or-impractical-is-an/) [Charl Van Wyk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charl-van-wyk/) > [I refuse to admit that I am more than 52, even if that makes my children illegitimate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-astor/i-refuse-to-admit-that-i-am-more-than-52-even-if-that-makes-my/) [Nancy Astor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-astor/) > [“So you've not only somehow married Fraser's wife, but you've accidentally been raising his illegitimate son for the last fifteen years?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/so-you-ve-not-only-somehow-married-fraser-s-wife-but-you-ve/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [There are no illegitimate children, only illegitimate parents-if the term is to be used at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernadette-devlin/there-are-no-illegitimate-children-only-illegitimate-parents-if-the/) [Bernadette Devlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernadette-devlin/) > [But if writing about people who are not yourself is illegitimate, then the only legitimate work is autobiography; and as a reader and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-boo/but-if-writing-about-people-who-are-not-yourself-is-illegitimate-then/) [Katherine Boo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-boo/) > [There are illegitimate parents, but I don't believe there are any illegitimate children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/there-are-illegitimate-parents-but-i-don-t-believe-there-are-any/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [“There is no such thing as illegitimate children, only illegitimate parents.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-adam-snyder/there-is-no-such-thing-as-illegitimate-children-only-illegitimate/) [J.Adam Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-adam-snyder/) > [A full-blooded encounter for a number of reasons, many of them illegitimate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-champion/a-full-blooded-encounter-for-a-number-of-reasons-many-of-them/) [Jon Champion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-champion/) > [The results have no relation to reality. We won't give legitimacy to something that is illegitimate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayman-nour/the-results-have-no-relation-to-reality-we-won-t-give-legitimacy-to/) [Ayman Nour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayman-nour/) ## More by Karen Armstrong > [If it is written and read with serious attention, a novel, like a myth or any great work of art, can become an initiation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/if-it-is-written-and-read-with-serious-attention-a-novel-like-a-myth/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [A gentleman is not born but crafted. He had to work on himself in the same way as a sculptor shaped a rough stone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/a-gentleman-is-not-born-but-crafted-he-had-to-work-on-himself-in-the/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [I was a lousy nun. I couldn't do it. I couldn't find God. It wasn't suitable for me. It is suitable for very few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/i-was-a-lousy-nun-i-couldn-t-do-it-i-couldn-t-find-god-it-wasn-t/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [I have become convinced, through my studies, that the only way to achieve a safe, just and viable world is to live by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/i-have-become-convinced-through-my-studies-that-the-only-way-to/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [In the past some of the most influential Jewish, Christian and Muslim theologians, such as Maimonides, Aquinas and Ibn Sina, made it clear that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/in-the-past-some-of-the-most-influential-jewish-christian-and-muslim/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [The great task of our time is to build a global society, where people can live together in peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/the-great-task-of-our-time-is-to-build-a-global-society-where-people/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [We want to create, never mind the leaders or the bishops or chief rabbis or imams, or Popes. We want to create a grassroots…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/we-want-to-create-never-mind-the-leaders-or-the-bishops-or-chief/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [If we don't manage to implement the Golden Rule globally, so that we treat all peoples, wherever and whoever they may be, as though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/if-we-don-t-manage-to-implement-the-golden-rule-globally-so-that-we/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [After I left the convent, for 15 years I was worn out with religion, I wanted nothing whatever to do with it. I felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/after-i-left-the-convent-for-15-years-i-was-worn-out-with-religion-i/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [“As we have seen, so many of the things we once took for granted have proved unreliable that we may have to “forget” old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/as-we-have-seen-so-many-of-the-things-we-once-took-for-granted-have/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [Yet a personal God can become a grave liability. He can be a mere idol carved in our own image, a projection of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/yet-a-personal-god-can-become-a-grave-liability-he-can-be-a-mere-idol/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [“I discovered that I felt at home and alive in the silence, which compelled me to enter my interior world and around there. Without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/i-discovered-that-i-felt-at-home-and-alive-in-the-silence-which/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [Each of the world religions has its own particular genius, its own special insight into the nature and requirements of compassion, and has something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/each-of-the-world-religions-has-its-own-particular-genius-its-own/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [“all rightly guided religion that submitted wholly to God, refused to worship man-made deities and preached that justice and equality came from the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/all-rightly-guided-religion-that-submitted-wholly-to-god-refused-to/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [“advocates of evolutionary theory since Thomas H. Huxley (1825–95) have found altruism problematic.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/advocates-of-evolutionary-theory-since-thomas-h-huxley-1825-95-have/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) [Explore all 296 Karen Armstrong quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) ## More Bible quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [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/) > [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. He hates it so much that He was willing to take on human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/god-hates-hell-he-hates-the-idea-of-people-going-there-he-hates-it-so/) [Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/) > [“The Devil can cite Scripture for his purpose, Sergeant,’ Anthony Payne replied. ‘That is from The Merchant of Venice, but it holds great truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arnold/the-devil-can-cite-scripture-for-his-purpose-sergeant-anthony-payne/) [Michael Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arnold/) > [When you put your hand on the Bible, you are saying something much stronger than just telling your peers that you're going to tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-greenwood/when-you-put-your-hand-on-the-bible-you-are-saying-something-much/) [Lee Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-greenwood/) > [“Scripture also teaches that human beings are morally responsible creatures”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-peterson/scripture-also-teaches-that-human-beings-are-morally-responsible/) [Robert A. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-peterson/) > [“The wife of a junior officer cooped up in a horrible canvas partition in steerage for five months wrote: "I had enjoyed much peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-taylor/the-wife-of-a-junior-officer-cooped-up-in-a-horrible-canvas-partition/) [Stephen Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-taylor/) > [O Word of God incarnate . . . It is the golden casket Where gems of truth are stored; It is the heaven-drawn picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walsham-how/o-word-of-god-incarnate-it-is-the-golden-casket-where-gems-of-truth/) [Walsham How](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walsham-how/) > [How can I trust that the Bible is reliable?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/how-can-i-trust-that-the-bible-is-reliable/) [Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/) > [Every plant which my heavenly father has not planted with be uprooted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesus-christ/every-plant-which-my-heavenly-father-has-not-planted-with-be-uprooted/) [Jesus Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesus-christ/) > [Where I come from you're not raised to think on your own. It's not that you're pushed to read the Bible. The Bible is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abel-ferrara/where-i-come-from-you-re-not-raised-to-think-on-your-own-it-s-not/) [Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/) > [“I felt like praying or something, when I was in bed, but I couldn't do it. I can't always pray when I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-felt-like-praying-or-something-when-i-was-in-bed-but-i-couldn-t-do/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [What comes to mind when you think of heaven? 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