--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Church worked hard at it night and…" description: "\"The Church worked hard at it night and day during nine centuries and imprisoned, tortured, hanged, and burned whole hordes and armies of witches, and w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/354/mark-twain-22_army_the-church-worked-hard-at-it-night-and-d_1166666.png" --- # The Church worked hard at it night and day during nine… ![“The Church worked hard at it night and day during nine centuries and imprisoned, tortured, hanged, and burned whole hordes and armies of witches, and washed the Christian world clean with their foul blood. Then it was discovered that there was no such thing as witches, and never had been. One…” quote by Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/354/mark-twain-22_army_the-church-worked-hard-at-it-night-and-d_1166666.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/354/mark-twain-22_army_the-church-worked-hard-at-it-night-and-d_1166666.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/354/mark-twain-22_army_the-church-worked-hard-at-it-night-and-d_1166666.png) > “The Church worked hard at it night and day during nine centuries and imprisoned, tortured, hanged, and burned whole hordes and armies of witches, and washed the Christian world clean with their foul blood. Then it was discovered that there was no such thing as witches, and never had been. One doesn't know whether to laugh or to cry. Who discovered that there was no such thing as a witch - the priest, the parson? No, these never discover anything.” [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The Church historically persecuted alleged witches, only later to realize the accusations were baseless, highlighting the danger of institutional dogma. **In simple terms:** The Church once hunted witches, later learning they didn’t exist. Key Takeaway Question authority and seek evidence. Themes persecution dogma truth history injustice Mood critical reflective Type historical social philosophical When to use this quote - historical study - social critique - education Key Concepts institutional power mass hysteria skepticism Questions to Reflect On - What mechanisms allow institutions to admit past errors? - How can societies prevent similar mass persecutions? A Different Perspective The quote may simplify complex religious and social dynamics. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/army/) [Blood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blood/) [Burned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/burned/) [Century](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/century/) [Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) [Christian atheist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian-atheist/) [Christian church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian-church/) [Christian morality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian-morality/) [Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church/) [Clean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clean/) [Cry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cry/) [Foul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foul/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Horde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/horde/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Laughing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laughing/) [Morality and religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morality-and-religion/) [Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night/) [Nine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nine/) [Philosophy and religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-and-religion/) [Philosophy of religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-religion/) [Priests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/priests/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religion and war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion-and-war-157030/) [Religion god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion-god/) [Religion war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion-war/) [Religious philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious-philosophy/) [Science and religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science-and-religion/) [Science god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science-god/) [Science religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science-religion/) [Whole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole/) [Witch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/witch/) [Witch Priest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/witch-priest-3364432/) [Witches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/witches/) [Witches Doesn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/witches-doesn-3364431/) [Witches Washed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/witches-washed-3364433/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Man is a Religious Animal. 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