--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We want to create, never mind the leaders…" description: "\"We want to create, never mind the leaders or the bishops or chief rabbis or imams, or Popes. We want to create a grassroots movement where people will ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c3/karen-armstrong-1053_bishops_we-want-to-create-never-mind-the-leaders_53677.jpg" --- # We want to create, never mind the leaders or the bishops… ![“We want to create, never mind the leaders or the bishops or chief rabbis or imams, or Popes. We want to create a grassroots movement where people will become attuned to uncompassionate discourse in the same way as we are now attuned to sort of gender imbalance in our speech.” quote by Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c3/karen-armstrong-1053_bishops_we-want-to-create-never-mind-the-leaders_53677.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c3/karen-armstrong-1053_bishops_we-want-to-create-never-mind-the-leaders_53677.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c3/karen-armstrong-1053_bishops_we-want-to-create-never-mind-the-leaders_53677.jpg) > “We want to create, never mind the leaders or the bishops or chief rabbis or imams, or Popes. We want to create a grassroots movement where people will become attuned to uncompassionate discourse in the same way as we are now attuned to sort of gender imbalance in our speech.” [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. Advocates for a bottom‑up cultural shift that makes people sensitive to harsh, dehumanizing language, similar to growing awareness of gender bias in communication. **In simple terms:** Promotes grassroots awareness of uncivil discourse. Key Takeaway Cultivate empathy toward language use. Themes social change communication ethics grassroots activism gender bias religious authority cultural awareness Mood hopeful critical inspirational Type call to action observational philosophical When to use this quote - community workshops - online forums - educational curricula - media analysis - policy discussions Key Concepts compassion discursive norms social consciousness Practical Applications - training programs for inclusive dialogue - campaigns highlighting language impact Questions to Reflect On - How does language shape power dynamics? - What steps can individuals take to challenge uncivil speech? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bishops](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bishops/) [Chiefs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chiefs/) [Create Grassroots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/create-grassroots-753159/) [Discourse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discourse/) [Feminism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/) [Gender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gender/) [Gender Imbalance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gender-imbalance-753160/) [Grassroots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grassroots/) [Grassroots Movement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grassroots-movement-553776/) [Grassroots movements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grassroots-movements/) [Imbalance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imbalance/) [Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Movement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movement/) [Movement People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movement-people-677118/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pope/) [Rabbi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rabbi/) [Speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speech/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [Anytime there's an actual grassroots movement that isn't funded by people trying to create a grassroots movement, I find that interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/anytime-there-s-an-actual-grassroots-movement-that-isn-t-funded-by/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [ \[Fighting Climate Change\] is important for every single person on the planet, which is why it has to be the greatest grassroots movement of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-thompson/fighting-climate-change-is-important-for-every-single-person-on-the/) [Emma Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-thompson/) > [We're the end of the baby boomers, and we participated in many social changes. Who would of thought, for example, when the AIDS epidemic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-haynes/we-re-the-end-of-the-baby-boomers-and-we-participated-in-many-social/) [Todd Haynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-haynes/) > [Well you know I'm very supportive of what the Tea Party is trying to do. They're very concerned with spending, the deficit, the bailouts,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boozman/well-you-know-i-m-very-supportive-of-what-the-tea-party-is-trying-to/) [John Boozman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boozman/) > [If you understand the Black Lives Matter movement, there's no central leadership of the movement. This is an organic, grassroots movement all around America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-booker/if-you-understand-the-black-lives-matter-movement-there-s-no-central/) [Cory Booker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-booker/) > [If we're going to be successful in taking on the billionaire class, we need a strong national grassroots movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/if-we-re-going-to-be-successful-in-taking-on-the-billionaire-class-we/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [I mean, people who say that the Tea Party isn't a grassroots movement, I think, are incorrect. I think in some respects, it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-taibbi/i-mean-people-who-say-that-the-tea-party-isn-t-a-grassroots-movement/) [Matt Taibbi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-taibbi/) > [There is a massive gender imbalance on TV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-o-porter/there-is-a-massive-gender-imbalance-on-tv/) [Dawn O'Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-o-porter/) > [In some instances, a gender imbalance is indeed a manifestation of sexism. In others, it is not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gad-saad/in-some-instances-a-gender-imbalance-is-indeed-a-manifestation-of/) [Gad Saad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gad-saad/) > [Clearly, there is a gender imbalance when it comes to venture capital and entrepreneurship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cohen/clearly-there-is-a-gender-imbalance-when-it-comes-to-venture-capital/) [David Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cohen/) > [I know there is gender imbalance in the spec fic field, and it concerns me very much. We live in a gender-biased world. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vandana-singh/i-know-there-is-gender-imbalance-in-the-spec-fic-field-and-it/) [Vandana Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vandana-singh/) > [From the Rabbis of the early Talmudic age I learned that there is never a last word on God. There's, you always continue to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/from-the-rabbis-of-the-early-talmudic-age-i-learned-that-there-is/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [When I moved to Minnesota, I found there was a thriving and determined movement, a grassroots movement, to revitalize the Ojibwe language. And I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-erdrich/when-i-moved-to-minnesota-i-found-there-was-a-thriving-and-determined/) [Louise Erdrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-erdrich/) > [No matter what the issues are, it has to be handled at the grassroots. When you take part in something, even though that movement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/no-matter-what-the-issues-are-it-has-to-be-handled-at-the-grassroots/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [It's essential that we build a grassroots movement and we say to Trump to the president-elect, stop, you can't go over this line again.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrod-brown/it-s-essential-that-we-build-a-grassroots-movement-and-we-say-to/) [Sherrod Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrod-brown/) ## 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/) > [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/) > [If we try to hold on to our partial glimpses of the divine, we cut it down to our own size and close our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/if-we-try-to-hold-on-to-our-partial-glimpses-of-the-divine-we-cut-it/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) [Explore all 296 Karen Armstrong quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) ## More Bishops quotes > [The good Bishop of Assisi expressed a sort of horror at the hard life which the Little Brothers lived at the Portiuncula, without comforts,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-good-bishop-of-assisi-expressed-a-sort-of-horror-at-the-hard-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My last two characters have been Denethor and Walter Bishop. Both will be hard acts to follow. That sits in the hands of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-noble/my-last-two-characters-have-been-denethor-and-walter-bishop-both-will/) [John Noble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-noble/) > [The one thing that the Catholic Church desires, and that I seek as Bishop of Rome, “the Church which presides in charity”, is communion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/the-one-thing-that-the-catholic-church-desires-and-that-i-seek-as/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [And the bigger the fall, the bigger the joke. It would be better fun to throw a custard pie at a bishop than at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/and-the-bigger-the-fall-the-bigger-the-joke-it-would-be-better-fun-to/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [I don't see Jesus as rescuing the fallen; I see Jesus as expanding the potential of life. The primary reason the old idea of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/i-don-t-see-jesus-as-rescuing-the-fallen-i-see-jesus-as-expanding-the/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [It was a blonde. A blonde to make a bishop kick a hole in a stained-glass window.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-chandler/it-was-a-blonde-a-blonde-to-make-a-bishop-kick-a-hole-in-a-stained/) [Raymond Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-chandler/) > [Only a good bishop can be sacrificed, a bad bishop can only be lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuri-razuvaev/only-a-good-bishop-can-be-sacrificed-a-bad-bishop-can-only-be-lost/) [Yuri Razuvaev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuri-razuvaev/) > [Archbishop Milingo is a good Bishop and his contention that there are satanists in Rome is completely correct. Anybody who is acquainted with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malachi-martin/archbishop-milingo-is-a-good-bishop-and-his-contention-that-there-are/) [Malachi Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malachi-martin/) > [The future belongs to he who has the bishops.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siegbert-tarrasch/the-future-belongs-to-he-who-has-the-bishops/) [Siegbert Tarrasch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siegbert-tarrasch/) > [Inherent in the ordination to be bishop is both the right and the obligation to be directed by inspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boyd-k-packer/inherent-in-the-ordination-to-be-bishop-is-both-the-right-and-the/) [Boyd K. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boyd-k-packer/) > [Our bishops storehouses are not intended to stock enough commodities to care for all the members of the Church. Storehouses are only established to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/our-bishops-storehouses-are-not-intended-to-stock-enough-commodities/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [The kids kept walking, moving through the Henley's halls like a tide, but when Kat turned to leave, she walked in the opposite directions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-carter/the-kids-kept-walking-moving-through-the-henley-s-halls-like-a-tide/) [Ally Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-carter/) > [The Jackdaw sat in the Cardinal's chair! Bishop and Abbot and Prior were there, Many a monk and many a friar, Many a knight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-harris-barham/the-jackdaw-sat-in-the-cardinal-s-chair-bishop-and-abbot-and-prior/) [Richard Harris Barham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-harris-barham/) > [The first proof of charity in a priest, especially a bishop, is poverty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/the-first-proof-of-charity-in-a-priest-especially-a-bishop-is-poverty/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Commemoration of Brooke Foss Westcott, Bishop of Durham, Teacher, 1901 Be not afraid to pray... to pray is right. Pray if thou canst with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hartley-coleridge/commemoration-of-brooke-foss-westcott-bishop-of-durham-teacher-1901/) [Hartley Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hartley-coleridge/) [Browse all 323 Bishops quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bishops/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We want to create, never mind the leaders or the bishops or chief rabbis or imams, or Popes. 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