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Catholic Quote by Marina Warner

“The price the Virgin demanded was purity, and the way the educators of Catholic children have interpreted this for nearly two thousand years is sexual chastity. Impurity, we were taught, follows from many sins, but all are secondary to the principal impulse of the devil in the soul--lust.” quote by Marina Warner
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“The price the Virgin demanded was purity, and the way the educators of Catholic children have interpreted this for nearly two thousand years is sexual chastity. Impurity, we were taught, follows from many sins, but all are secondary to the principal impulse of the devil in the soul--lust.”

Marina Warner

About This Quote

Source Book: The Virgin in the Culture by Marina Warner, 1995

Historical religious teachings linked purity with sexual chastity, framing impurity as sinful and driven by lust.

In simple terms: Purity tied to chastity in Catholic teaching.

Key Takeaway

Question how purity ideals shape moral views.

Themes

religion purity sexuality

Mood

critical thoughtful

Type

analytical historical

When to use this quote

  • faith education
  • family counseling
  • ethical debates
  • personal belief systems

Key Concepts

theology cultural history gender studies

Questions to Reflect On

  • How does this view affect personal morality?
  • What alternatives exist to this purity narrative?
A Different Perspective

Modern perspectives may reject these doctrines.

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