--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: nothing has contributed so much to the…" description: "\"“nothing has contributed so much to the obscuring of Christian truth in the eyes of the heathen, and has hindered so much the diffusion of Christianity..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b01/leo-tolstoy-55_christian-truth_nothing-has-contributed-so-much-to-the-o_428484.png" --- # nothing has contributed so much to the obscuring of… ![“nothing has contributed so much to the obscuring of Christian truth in the eyes of the heathen, and has hindered so much the diffusion of Christianity through the world, as the disregard of [non-resistance] by men calling themselves Christians, and the permission of war and violence to Christians.” quote by Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b01/leo-tolstoy-55_christian-truth_nothing-has-contributed-so-much-to-the-o_428484.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b01/leo-tolstoy-55_christian-truth_nothing-has-contributed-so-much-to-the-o_428484.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b01/leo-tolstoy-55_christian-truth_nothing-has-contributed-so-much-to-the-o_428484.png) > ““nothing has contributed so much to the obscuring of Christian truth in the eyes of the heathen, and has hindered so much the diffusion of Christianity through the world, as the disregard of \[non-resistance\] by men calling themselves Christians, and the permission of war and violence to Christians.”” [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Tolstoy argues that Christians who ignore non‑resistance and accept war obscure the faith and hinder its spread. **In simple terms:** Christians embracing violence hide truth and block Christianity’s growth. Key Takeaway Practice non‑violence and compassion. Themes faith violence truth mission ethics Mood reflective concerned Type ethical theological When to use this quote - church leadership - peace activism - interfaith dialogue - personal conduct Key Concepts non‑resistance Christian doctrine moral integrity Questions to Reflect On - How can believers reconcile pacifism with real‑world conflicts? - What steps can communities take to embody non‑violence? A Different Perspective War may be seen as a necessary defense, complicating pure non‑resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christian truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian-truth/) [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Christians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christians/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [“It is just the same with the so-called criminals living in our midst. To bring these people under the sway of Christianity there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/it-is-just-the-same-with-the-so-called-criminals-living-in-our-midst/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Satre found atheism 'cruel', Camus 'dreadful', and Nietzsche 'maddening'. Atheists who consistently try to live without God tend to commit suicide or go insane.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-geisler/satre-found-atheism-cruel-camus-dreadful-and-nietzsche-maddening/) [Norman Geisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-geisler/) > [Feast of Patrick, Bishop of Armagh, Missionary, Patron of Ireland, c.460 The evidence for Christian truth is not exhaustive, but it is sufficient. Too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/os-guinness/feast-of-patrick-bishop-of-armagh-missionary-patron-of-ireland-c-460/) [Os Guinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/os-guinness/) > [If we are going to save America and evangelize the world, we cannot accommodate secular philosophies that are diametrically opposed to Christian truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-falwell/if-we-are-going-to-save-america-and-evangelize-the-world-we-cannot/) [Jerry Falwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-falwell/) > [“to some parts of biblical teaching,” and “B” beliefs, which contradict Christian truth (“B” doctrines) and “lead listeners to find some Christian doctrines implausible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/to-some-parts-of-biblical-teaching-and-b-beliefs-which-contradict/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“Here Tolkien states, in indirect form, one of the deepest of Christian truths: all love that is not ordered to the love of God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-c-wood/here-tolkien-states-in-indirect-form-one-of-the-deepest-of-christian/) [Ralph C. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-c-wood/) > [To those who have no personal experience of this revolutionary aspect of Christian truth, but who see only the outer crust of dead, human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/to-those-who-have-no-personal-experience-of-this-revolutionary-aspect/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [We have a lowest-common-denominator Christianity being taught in so many denominations that has produced a people who simply do not know some of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-mohler/we-have-a-lowest-common-denominator-christianity-being-taught-in-so/) [Albert Mohler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-mohler/) > [“Certainty is an unrealistic and unattainable ideal. We need to have pastors who are schooled in apologetics and engaged intellectually with our culture so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lane-craig/certainty-is-an-unrealistic-and-unattainable-ideal-we-need-to-have/) [William Lane Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lane-craig/) > [“We cannot lead in a way that is faithful to Christ and effective for Christ’s people if we are not deeply invested in Christian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-mohler/we-cannot-lead-in-a-way-that-is-faithful-to-christ-and-effective-for/) [Albert Mohler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-mohler/) > [A man may carry the whole scheme of Christian truth in his mind from boyhood to old age without the slightest effect upon his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-g-holland/a-man-may-carry-the-whole-scheme-of-christian-truth-in-his-mind-from/) [J. G. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-g-holland/) > [We do not consider ourselves a Christian nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-do-not-consider-ourselves-a-christian-nation/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [You cannot coherently affirm the Christian-truth claim and the dominant model of evolutionary theory at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-mohler/you-cannot-coherently-affirm-the-christian-truth-claim-and-the/) [Albert Mohler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-mohler/) > [“It is like the distinction between war and peace: just as war takes place for the sake of peace, thus every kind of activity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/it-is-like-the-distinction-between-war-and-peace-just-as-war-takes/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) > [“What if many listeners hold a profoundly different understanding of the concepts of God, truth, right and wrong, freedom, virtue, and sin? What if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/what-if-many-listeners-hold-a-profoundly-different-understanding-of/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) ## More by Leo Tolstoy > [These joys were so trifling as to be as imperceptible as grains of gold among the sand, and in moments of depression she saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/these-joys-were-so-trifling-as-to-be-as-imperceptible-as-grains-of/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [The only significance of life consists in helping to establish the kingdom of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/the-only-significance-of-life-consists-in-helping-to-establish-the/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“I already love in you your beauty, but I am only beginning to love in you that which is eternal and ever precious –…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-already-love-in-you-your-beauty-but-i-am-only-beginning-to-love-in/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Energy rests upon love; and come as it will, there's no forcing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/energy-rests-upon-love-and-come-as-it-will-there-s-no-forcing-it/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“If you only knew what those society women are, and women in general! My father is right. Selfish, vain, stupid, trivial in everything—that's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/if-you-only-knew-what-those-society-women-are-and-women-in-general-my/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [To evoke in oneself a feeling one has once experienced, and having evoked it in oneself, then by means of movements, lines, colors, sounds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/to-evoke-in-oneself-a-feeling-one-has-once-experienced-and-having/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [To speak of it would be giving importance to that which has none.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/to-speak-of-it-would-be-giving-importance-to-that-which-has-none/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Once we're thrown off our habitual paths, we think all is lost, but it's only here that the new and the good begins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/once-we-re-thrown-off-our-habitual-paths-we-think-all-is-lost-but-it/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“He knew she was there by the rapture and the terror that seized on his heart. She was standing talking to a lady at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/he-knew-she-was-there-by-the-rapture-and-the-terror-that-seized-on/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Rest, nature, books, music...such is my idea of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/rest-nature-books-music-such-is-my-idea-of-happiness/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“He was not to blame for being born with an irrepressible charachter and a mind some how constrained.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/he-was-not-to-blame-for-being-born-with-an-irrepressible-charachter/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [I ask one thing only: I ask for the right to hope, to suffer as I do. But if even that cannot be, command…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-ask-one-thing-only-i-ask-for-the-right-to-hope-to-suffer-as-i-do/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [The idea shared by many that life is a vale of tears is just as false as the idea shared by the great majority,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/the-idea-shared-by-many-that-life-is-a-vale-of-tears-is-just-as-false/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [To say that a work of art is good, but incomprehensible to the majority of men, is the same as saying of some kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/to-say-that-a-work-of-art-is-good-but-incomprehensible-to-the/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [True life is lived when tiny changes occur.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/true-life-is-lived-when-tiny-changes-occur/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) [Explore all 1,754 Leo Tolstoy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) ## More Christian truth quotes > [“What if many listeners hold a profoundly different understanding of the concepts of God, truth, right and wrong, freedom, virtue, and sin? 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G. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-g-holland/) > [“We cannot lead in a way that is faithful to Christ and effective for Christ’s people if we are not deeply invested in Christian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-mohler/we-cannot-lead-in-a-way-that-is-faithful-to-christ-and-effective-for/) [Albert Mohler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-mohler/) > [“Certainty is an unrealistic and unattainable ideal. We need to have pastors who are schooled in apologetics and engaged intellectually with our culture so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lane-craig/certainty-is-an-unrealistic-and-unattainable-ideal-we-need-to-have/) [William Lane Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lane-craig/) > [We have a lowest-common-denominator Christianity being taught in so many denominations that has produced a people who simply do not know some of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-mohler/we-have-a-lowest-common-denominator-christianity-being-taught-in-so/) [Albert Mohler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-mohler/) > [To those who have no personal experience of this revolutionary aspect of Christian truth, but who see only the outer crust of dead, human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/to-those-who-have-no-personal-experience-of-this-revolutionary-aspect/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [“Here Tolkien states, in indirect form, one of the deepest of Christian truths: all love that is not ordered to the love of God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-c-wood/here-tolkien-states-in-indirect-form-one-of-the-deepest-of-christian/) [Ralph C. 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