--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: On this rock we had built our church. We…" description: "\"“On this rock we had built our church. We had founded our idealism on the most nihilistic implications of science, our socialism on crass self-interest..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f8/ken-macleod-19320_freedom_on-this-rock-we-had-built-our-church-we_954407.jpg" --- # On this rock we had built our church. We had founded our… ![“On this rock we had built our church. We had founded our idealism on the most nihilistic implications of science, our socialism on crass self-interest, our peace on our capacity for mutual destruction, and our liberty on determinism. We had replaced morality with convention, bravery with safety…” quote by Ken MacLeod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f8/ken-macleod-19320_freedom_on-this-rock-we-had-built-our-church-we_954407.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f8/ken-macleod-19320_freedom_on-this-rock-we-had-built-our-church-we_954407.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f8/ken-macleod-19320_freedom_on-this-rock-we-had-built-our-church-we_954407.jpg) > ““On this rock we had built our church. We had founded our idealism on the most nihilistic implications of science, our socialism on crass self-interest, our peace on our capacity for mutual destruction, and our liberty on determinism. We had replaced morality with convention, bravery with safety, frugality with plenty, philosophy with science, stoicism with anaesthetics and piety with immortality. The universal acid of the true knowledge had burned away a world of words, and exposed a universe of things.”” [Ken MacLeod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-macleod/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A critique of how modern societies replace deep moral values with pragmatic, often nihilistic, scientific and economic foundations, eroding authentic meaning. **In simple terms:** Societies trade true values for convenience and certainty. Key Takeaway Recognize and protect genuine moral principles. Themes philosophy science morality society nihilism Mood reflective critical skeptical Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - political discourse - academic debate - personal reflection Key Concepts determinism convention materialism existentialism Questions to Reflect On - What values have you sacrificed for convenience? - How can we balance scientific progress with moral depth? A Different Perspective Critics argue that some traditions still provide essential meaning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Idealism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idealism/) [Materialism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/materialism/) [Nihilistic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nihilistic/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Skepticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skepticism/) [True knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-knowledge/) ## Related quotes > [I don't find R.E.M. to be nihilistic. There is a constant undertone of joyous optimism. I'm not going to kill myself to Patti Smith…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-stipe/i-don-t-find-r-e-m-to-be-nihilistic-there-is-a-constant-undertone-of/) [Michael Stipe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-stipe/) > [Professors and students claim to be on a quest for truth while denying that it exists or that anyone could identify it if it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-hunt/professors-and-students-claim-to-be-on-a-quest-for-truth-while/) [Dave Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-hunt/) > [I am religious by nature, I'm not a nihilist. I don't follow, I don't even know what the tenets of things like deconstructionism are,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/i-am-religious-by-nature-i-m-not-a-nihilist-i-don-t-follow-i-don-t/) [Mark Helprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-helprin/) > [I attacked those Western playwrights who use their influence and affluence to preach to the world the nihilistic doctrine that life is pointless and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-tynan/i-attacked-those-western-playwrights-who-use-their-influence-and/) [Kenneth Tynan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-tynan/) > [I don't like being pessimistic. I don't like living my life with a nihilistic mindset.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lowery/i-don-t-like-being-pessimistic-i-don-t-like-living-my-life-with-a/) [David Lowery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lowery/) > [I have a nihilistic attitude so it's like, the new gay... it's popular.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-way/i-have-a-nihilistic-attitude-so-it-s-like-the-new-gay-it-s-popular/) [Gerard Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-way/) > [“In all of its operations, cinema ceaselessly strives, and fails, to make present a world hopelessly beyond grasp. For this reason cinema is, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-marmysz/in-all-of-its-operations-cinema-ceaselessly-strives-and-fails-to-make/) [John Marmysz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-marmysz/) > [I think people have always misinterpreted my self-destructive nature as nihilistic, because if you don't care about the world, you can't create art. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-manson/i-think-people-have-always-misinterpreted-my-self-destructive-nature/) [Marilyn Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-manson/) > [“The hope that fuels the pursuit of endless economic growth – that billions of consumers in India & China will one day enjoy the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pankaj-mishra/the-hope-that-fuels-the-pursuit-of-endless-economic-growth-that/) [Pankaj Mishra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pankaj-mishra/) > [“Nothing was holy to us. Our movement was neither mystical, communistic nor anarchistic. All of these movements had some sort of program, but ours…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/nothing-was-holy-to-us-our-movement-was-neither-mystical-communistic/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The punk scene in NY was so gritty and nihilistic & I was like ooh I want to do that](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-hagedorn/the-punk-scene-in-ny-was-so-gritty-and-nihilistic-i-was-like-ooh-i/) [Jessica Hagedorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-hagedorn/) > [But it's not only: What are you going to do about touring, it's: What are you going to do with your life? Is there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/but-it-s-not-only-what-are-you-going-to-do-about-touring-it-s-what/) [Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/) > [ “Zen\[FN#195\] is neither idealistic nor nihilistic. Zen makes use of the nihilistic idea of Hinayana Buddhism, and calls its students' attention to the change… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaiten-nukariya/zen-fn-195-is-neither-idealistic-nor-nihilistic-zen-makes-use-of-the/) [Kaiten Nukariya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaiten-nukariya/) > [I personally don't live a nihilistic life, I don't have any use for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-lee-jones/i-personally-don-t-live-a-nihilistic-life-i-don-t-have-any-use-for-it/) [Tommy Lee Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-lee-jones/) > [If you don't believe what other people believe, then they'll accuse you of being nihilistic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/if-you-don-t-believe-what-other-people-believe-then-they-ll-accuse/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) ## More by Ken MacLeod > [The idea of determinism combined with complete human responsibility struck me as very hard to reconcile with an idea of justice, let alone mercy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-macleod/the-idea-of-determinism-combined-with-complete-human-responsibility/) [Ken MacLeod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-macleod/) > [“That evening, Hope wrote a letter to her MP, Jack Crow. 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Why should it cease to be a struggle if it spreads among the stars?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-macleod/all-life-is-a-struggle-for-existence-why-should-it-cease-to-be-a/) [Ken MacLeod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-macleod/) > [I don't really believe in the Devil, but if the Devil is the Father of Lies, then he certainly invented the Internet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-macleod/i-don-t-really-believe-in-the-devil-but-if-the-devil-is-the-father-of/) [Ken MacLeod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-macleod/) > [The world has become one big grassy knoll, crawling with lone gunmen who think they're the Warren Commission.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-macleod/the-world-has-become-one-big-grassy-knoll-crawling-with-lone-gunmen/) [Ken MacLeod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-macleod/) > [“She read it over, decided it was too complicated for Memo , and ran it through an app called MyTxt4Dummies.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-macleod/she-read-it-over-decided-it-was-too-complicated-for-memo-and-ran-it/) [Ken MacLeod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-macleod/) > [“Comrades and friends,’ he begins, the translation and lip-synch software maxing his street-cred as usual in all the languages of the Community. For this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-macleod/comrades-and-friends-he-begins-the-translation-and-lip-synch-software/) [Ken MacLeod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-macleod/) > [“Green humanism? What's that? Humanism for little green men?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-macleod/green-humanism-what-s-that-humanism-for-little-green-men/) [Ken MacLeod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-macleod/) > [Of all the sciences, astronomy was the one the superstitious liked least.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-macleod/of-all-the-sciences-astronomy-was-the-one-the-superstitious-liked/) [Ken MacLeod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-macleod/) > [Science fiction made me aware of how big and strange the universe was, leaving aside the whole question of aliens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-macleod/science-fiction-made-me-aware-of-how-big-and-strange-the-universe-was/) [Ken MacLeod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-macleod/) > [“That there was no God was a given, as far as Hope was concerned, and being nice to people and making the most of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-macleod/that-there-was-no-god-was-a-given-as-far-as-hope-was-concerned-and/) [Ken MacLeod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-macleod/) > [“Oh, no," Hope said. "I'm not. No, I don't believe in all that , but it's - well, it's two things. One is my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-macleod/oh-no-hope-said-i-m-not-no-i-don-t-believe-in-all-that-but-it-s-well/) [Ken MacLeod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-macleod/) > [The secret of becoming a writer is to write, write and keep on writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-macleod/the-secret-of-becoming-a-writer-is-to-write-write-and-keep-on-writing/) [Ken MacLeod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-macleod/) [Explore all 33 Ken MacLeod quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-macleod/) ## More Freedom quotes > [One is a painter because one wants so-called freedom; one doesn't want to go to the office every morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/one-is-a-painter-because-one-wants-so-called-freedom-one-doesn-t-want/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [If we gave up our freedom as the price of security, we would no longer be the great nation that we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/if-we-gave-up-our-freedom-as-the-price-of-security-we-would-no-longer/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [We live in the greatest country in the world because of the veterans who have sacrificed their lives for our freedom and the security…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-husted/we-live-in-the-greatest-country-in-the-world-because-of-the-veterans/) [Jon Husted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-husted/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [“No one was more surprised than I to realize that my newfound freedom had been purchased by giving up on eternity and settling for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-jessop/no-one-was-more-surprised-than-i-to-realize-that-my-newfound-freedom/) [Carolyn Jessop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-jessop/) > [“In a world of fixed future, there can be no right or wrong. Right and wrong demand freedom of choice, but if each action…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/in-a-world-of-fixed-future-there-can-be-no-right-or-wrong-right-and/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [“In any case, white people, who had robbed black people of their liberty and who profited by this theft every hour that they lived,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/in-any-case-white-people-who-had-robbed-black-people-of-their-liberty/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [“I have to blame myself for not finding any way of reaching him, but I can't feel that either Ruth or I had anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/i-have-to-blame-myself-for-not-finding-any-way-of-reaching-him-but-i/) [Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/) > [“It breaks my heart. 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