--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have an opinion about holy war, which…" description: "\"“I have an opinion about holy war, which in general I must keep to myself. I have no wish to be known as a heretic. It is…that if a war can be holy, th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/881/louis-de-bernieres-5492_holy-war_i-have-an-opinion-about-holy-war-which-i_3134185.jpg" --- # I have an opinion about holy war, which in general I must… ![“I have an opinion about holy war, which in general I must keep to myself. I have no wish to be known as a heretic. It is…that if a war can be holy, then God cannot. At best a war can only be necessary.” quote by Louis de Bernières](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/881/louis-de-bernieres-5492_holy-war_i-have-an-opinion-about-holy-war-which-i_3134185.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/881/louis-de-bernieres-5492_holy-war_i-have-an-opinion-about-holy-war-which-i_3134185.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/881/louis-de-bernieres-5492_holy-war_i-have-an-opinion-about-holy-war-which-i_3134185.jpg) > ““I have an opinion about holy war, which in general I must keep to myself. I have no wish to be known as a heretic. It is…that if a war can be holy, then God cannot. At best a war can only be necessary.”” [Louis de Bernières](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-bernieres/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author argues that if a war can be deemed holy, it undermines the concept of a divine moral authority; wars may at most be necessary. **In simple terms:** Holy war contradicts divine goodness. Key Takeaway Question the morality of war. Themes ethics war religion Mood critical inquisitive Type philosophical political When to use this quote - political debate - religious discourse - military strategy Key Concepts morality necessity theodicy Questions to Reflect On - Can a war ever be both holy and necessary? - What defines a "necessary" war? A Different Perspective The claim may oversimplify complex theological views. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Holy war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holy-war/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [“The color of hatred is not the rage in a woman’s eyes, jilted by her lover in the eleventh hour. It is the deployment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valentine-okolo/the-color-of-hatred-is-not-the-rage-in-a-woman-s-eyes-jilted-by-her/) Valentine Okolo > [In these days of intellectual awakening and steadily asserting public opinion, the holy places of the Hindus, their condition, and method of work have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/in-these-days-of-intellectual-awakening-and-steadily-asserting-public/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [I'm of the opinion that we're always on holy ground and some days it's just more apparent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-gray/i-m-of-the-opinion-that-we-re-always-on-holy-ground-and-some-days-it/) [Jason Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-gray/) > [“If war is not holy man is nothing but antic clay.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/if-war-is-not-holy-man-is-nothing-but-antic-clay/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [Only in war are you holy, and when you are robbers and cruel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/only-in-war-are-you-holy-and-when-you-are-robbers-and-cruel/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [When established identities become outworn or unfinished ones threaten to remain incomplete, special crises compel men to wage holy wars, by the cruelest means,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-established-identities-become-outworn-or-unfinished-ones/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The call to “take the land” ...is not a call to a new political, cultural or geographical dominance. It is Kingdom of God territory.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-baker/the-call-to-take-the-land-is-not-a-call-to-a-new-political-cultural/) Ken Baker > [“One of history's most dangerous games begins with dividing the world into the good guys and the bad guys and ends with using any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-prothero/one-of-history-s-most-dangerous-games-begins-with-dividing-the-world/) [Stephen Prothero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-prothero/) > [“Their concept of knowledge was eloquently expressed, for instance, by Muâdh b. Jabal (d. 18/639, one of the trusted lieutenants of the Prophet, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/their-concept-of-knowledge-was-eloquently-expressed-for-instance-by/) [Franz Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/) > [“I remember one Gentleman objected to the Christian Faith, that it made Men insolent, quarrelsom and ill-natur'd. From whence I concluded, (as I told…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-stephens/i-remember-one-gentleman-objected-to-the-christian-faith-that-it-made/) William Stephens > [Banks are the temples of America. This is a holy war. Our economy is our religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giannina-braschi/banks-are-the-temples-of-america-this-is-a-holy-war-our-economy-is/) [Giannina Braschi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giannina-braschi/) > [It is not coincidental that for so-called religious fundamentalists - whether they are Western or Eastern, Muslim or Christian - rigid male dominance and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riane-eisler/it-is-not-coincidental-that-for-so-called-religious-fundamentalists/) [Riane Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riane-eisler/) > [Probably no one of us has the True Religion. But all of us together - if we are allowed to be free - are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-j-boorstin/probably-no-one-of-us-has-the-true-religion-but-all-of-us-together-if/) [Daniel J. Boorstin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-j-boorstin/) > [“Pilgrim's Regress (Sonnet 2324) Mirage mistaken as message, when ethnic cleansing feels enlightened, Sinai becomes septic, Bethlehem becomes Bedlam. Dogma decreed as divine, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/pilgrim-s-regress-sonnet-2324-mirage-mistaken-as-message-when-ethnic/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“Last-Minute Message For a Time Capsule I have to tell you this, whoever you are: that on one summer morning here, the ocean pounded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-appleman/last-minute-message-for-a-time-capsule-i-have-to-tell-you-this/) [Philip Appleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-appleman/) ## More by Louis de Bernières > [Family law is institutionally anti-male. I've been lobbying MPs, and I'm not going to give up campaigning for equality until I get equality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-bernieres/family-law-is-institutionally-anti-male-i-ve-been-lobbying-mps-and-i/) [Louis de Bernieres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-bernieres/) > [“The dead can read tears.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-bernieres/the-dead-can-read-tears/) [Louis de Bernières](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-bernieres/) > [...but then the general trouble with ignorance is always that the ignorant person has no idea that that's what they are. You can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-bernieres/but-then-the-general-trouble-with-ignorance-is-always-that-the/) [Louis de Bernieres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-bernieres/) > [Love delayed is lust augmented.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-bernieres/love-delayed-is-lust-augmented/) [Louis de Bernieres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-bernieres/) > [No man is a man until he has been a soldier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-bernieres/no-man-is-a-man-until-he-has-been-a-soldier/) [Louis de Bernieres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-bernieres/) > [Did you know that childhood is the only time in our lives when insanity is not only permitted to us, but expected?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-bernieres/did-you-know-that-childhood-is-the-only-time-in-our-lives-when/) [Louis de Bernieres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-bernieres/) > [God is an oppressor, He is incapable of human sympathy; behind a smiling face He hides an evil heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-bernieres/god-is-an-oppressor-he-is-incapable-of-human-sympathy-behind-a/) [Louis de Bernieres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-bernieres/) > [Your lips are like sugar And your cheeks an apple Your breasts are paradise And your body a lily. O, to kiss the sugar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-bernieres/your-lips-are-like-sugar-and-your-cheeks-an-apple-your-breasts-are/) [Louis de Bernieres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-bernieres/) > [When you fall in love, it is a temporary madness. It erupts like an earthquake, and then it subsides. And when it subsides, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-bernieres/when-you-fall-in-love-it-is-a-temporary-madness-it-erupts-like-an/) [Louis de Bernieres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-bernieres/) > [The De Bernieres were very military. I broke the military tradition but I was terribly proud of my father being a soldier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-bernieres/the-de-bernieres-were-very-military-i-broke-the-military-tradition/) [Louis de Bernieres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-bernieres/) > [We should care for each other more than we care for ideas, or else we will end up killing each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-bernieres/we-should-care-for-each-other-more-than-we-care-for-ideas-or-else-we/) [Louis de Bernieres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-bernieres/) > [“Pelagia put her hands on her hips, taking advantage of the superiority implicit in the fact that she was standing and he lying down.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-bernieres/pelagia-put-her-hands-on-her-hips-taking-advantage-of-the-superiority/) [Louis de Bernières](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-bernieres/) > [“There comes a point in life where each one of us who survives begins to feel like a ghost that has forgotten to die…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-bernieres/there-comes-a-point-in-life-where-each-one-of-us-who-survives-begins/) [Louis de Bernières](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-bernieres/) > [“Men are sometimes driven by things that to a women make no sense, but she did know that Corelli had to be with his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-bernieres/men-are-sometimes-driven-by-things-that-to-a-women-make-no-sense-but/) [Louis de Bernières](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-bernieres/) > [“All their lovers' talk began with the phrase "After the war". After the war, when we're married, shall we live in Italy? There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-bernieres/all-their-lovers-talk-began-with-the-phrase-after-the-war-after-the/) [Louis de Bernières](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-bernieres/) [Explore all 99 Louis de Bernières quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-bernieres/) ## More Holy war quotes > [“The call to “take the land” ...is not a call to a new political, cultural or geographical dominance. It is Kingdom of God territory.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-baker/the-call-to-take-the-land-is-not-a-call-to-a-new-political-cultural/) Ken Baker > [Banks are the temples of America. This is a holy war. Our economy is our religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giannina-braschi/banks-are-the-temples-of-america-this-is-a-holy-war-our-economy-is/) [Giannina Braschi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giannina-braschi/) > [When established identities become outworn or unfinished ones threaten to remain incomplete, special crises compel men to wage holy wars, by the cruelest means,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-established-identities-become-outworn-or-unfinished-ones/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Pilgrim's Regress (Sonnet 2324) Mirage mistaken as message, when ethnic cleansing feels enlightened, Sinai becomes septic, Bethlehem becomes Bedlam. Dogma decreed as divine, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/pilgrim-s-regress-sonnet-2324-mirage-mistaken-as-message-when-ethnic/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [Probably no one of us has the True Religion. But all of us together - if we are allowed to be free - are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-j-boorstin/probably-no-one-of-us-has-the-true-religion-but-all-of-us-together-if/) [Daniel J. Boorstin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-j-boorstin/) > [It is not coincidental that for so-called religious fundamentalists - whether they are Western or Eastern, Muslim or Christian - rigid male dominance and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riane-eisler/it-is-not-coincidental-that-for-so-called-religious-fundamentalists/) [Riane Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riane-eisler/) > [“Last-Minute Message For a Time Capsule I have to tell you this, whoever you are: that on one summer morning here, the ocean pounded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-appleman/last-minute-message-for-a-time-capsule-i-have-to-tell-you-this/) [Philip Appleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-appleman/) > [“I remember one Gentleman objected to the Christian Faith, that it made Men insolent, quarrelsom and ill-natur'd. From whence I concluded, (as I told…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-stephens/i-remember-one-gentleman-objected-to-the-christian-faith-that-it-made/) William Stephens > [“Their concept of knowledge was eloquently expressed, for instance, by Muâdh b. Jabal (d. 18/639, one of the trusted lieutenants of the Prophet, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/their-concept-of-knowledge-was-eloquently-expressed-for-instance-by/) [Franz Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/) > [“One of history's most dangerous games begins with dividing the world into the good guys and the bad guys and ends with using any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-prothero/one-of-history-s-most-dangerous-games-begins-with-dividing-the-world/) [Stephen Prothero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-prothero/) > [Abu Musab al Zarqawi had such a view of holy war. More barbaric, more monstrous even than Osama bin Laden. So much so that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ware/abu-musab-al-zarqawi-had-such-a-view-of-holy-war-more-barbaric-more/) [Michael Ware](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ware/) > [“That image of Joan of Arc burning up in a fire burned inside me like a new religion. Her face skyward. Her faith muscled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lidia-yuknavitch/that-image-of-joan-of-arc-burning-up-in-a-fire-burned-inside-me-like/) [Lidia Yuknavitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lidia-yuknavitch/) > [“When we reclaim the biblical story of God’s purpose to bless, reconcile, and heal the nations through his international, multiethnic kingdom, the subtopic of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-ryan-butler/when-we-reclaim-the-biblical-story-of-god-s-purpose-to-bless/) [Joshua Ryan Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-ryan-butler/) > [Jihad is not holy war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupe-fiasco/jihad-is-not-holy-war/) [Lupe Fiasco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupe-fiasco/) > [I wish those people who write so glibly about this being a holy war and the orators who talk so much about going on,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-brittain/i-wish-those-people-who-write-so-glibly-about-this-being-a-holy-war/) [Vera Brittain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-brittain/) [Browse all 70 Holy war quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holy-war/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I have an opinion about holy war, which in general I must keep to myself. I have no wish to be known as a heretic. It is…that if a war can be holy, then God cannot. At best a war can only be necessary.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Louis de Bernières" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-bernieres/i-have-an-opinion-about-holy-war-which-in-general-i-must-keep-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Holy war" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-bernieres/i-have-an-opinion-about-holy-war-which-in-general-i-must-keep-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/881/louis-de-bernieres-5492_holy-war_i-have-an-opinion-about-holy-war-which-i_3134185.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/881/louis-de-bernieres-5492_holy-war_i-have-an-opinion-about-holy-war-which-i_3134185.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/881/louis-de-bernieres-5492_holy-war_i-have-an-opinion-about-holy-war-which-i_3134185.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I have an opinion about holy war, which in general I must keep to myself. I have no wish to be known as a…” — Louis de Bernières", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Louis de Bernières", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-bernieres/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I have an opinion about holy...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-bernieres/i-have-an-opinion-about-holy-war-which-in-general-i-must-keep-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-bernieres/i-have-an-opinion-about-holy-war-which-in-general-i-must-keep-to/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```