--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Is civilization only a higher form of…" description: "\"Is civilization only a higher form of idolatry, that man should bow down to a flesh-brush, to flannels, to baths, diet, exercise, and air?\" — Mary Bake..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f8/mary-baker-eddy-3714_air_is-civilization-only-a-higher-form-of-id_2730876.png" --- # Is civilization only a higher form of idolatry, that man… ![“Is civilization only a higher form of idolatry, that man should bow down to a flesh-brush, to flannels, to baths, diet, exercise, and air?” quote by Mary Baker Eddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f8/mary-baker-eddy-3714_air_is-civilization-only-a-higher-form-of-id_2730876.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f8/mary-baker-eddy-3714_air_is-civilization-only-a-higher-form-of-id_2730876.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f8/mary-baker-eddy-3714_air_is-civilization-only-a-higher-form-of-id_2730876.png) > “Is civilization only a higher form of idolatry, that man should bow down to a flesh-brush, to flannels, to baths, diet, exercise, and air?” [Mary Baker Eddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-baker-eddy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She questions whether modern comforts become new idols that dominate humanity. **In simple terms:** Modern comforts may become idols. Key Takeaway Critically evaluate reliance on material comforts. Themes materialism spirituality critique of modernity Mood reflective skeptical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal budgeting - technology use - health habits - environmental choices Key Concepts idolatry consumerism human autonomy Questions to Reflect On - What comforts might you be over‑valuing? - How can you maintain balance? A Different Perspective Not all comforts are harmful; context matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Air](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/air/) [Baths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baths/) [Bows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bows/) [Brushes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brushes/) [Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilization/) [Civilization Higher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilization-higher-2952659/) [Diets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diets/) [Exercise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exercise/) [Fitness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitness/) [Flannels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flannels/) [Flesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flesh/) [Form](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/form/) [Form Idolatry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/form-idolatry-1485210/) [Higher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/higher/) [Idolatry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idolatry/) [Idolatry Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idolatry-man-2117343/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) ## Related quotes > [Idolatry is in a man's own thought, not in the opinion of another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/idolatry-is-in-a-man-s-own-thought-not-in-the-opinion-of-another/) [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) > [Many of us do not believe in any form of idolatry; but they have no right to object when others do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/many-of-us-do-not-believe-in-any-form-of-idolatry-but-they-have-no/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [The limner's art may trace the absent feature, And give the eye of distant weeping faith To view the form of its idolatry; But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-robert-maturin/the-limner-s-art-may-trace-the-absent-feature-and-give-the-eye-of/) [Charles Robert Maturin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-robert-maturin/) > [“In fact, the death of a dream is often a subtle form of idolatry. We lose faith in the God who gave us the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-batterson/in-fact-the-death-of-a-dream-is-often-a-subtle-form-of-idolatry-we/) [Mark Batterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-batterson/) > [If we would reach a degree of civilization higher and grander than any yet attained, we should welcome to our ample continent all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/if-we-would-reach-a-degree-of-civilization-higher-and-grander-than/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [The darkest secret of this country, I am afraid, is that too many of its citizens imagine that they belong to a much higher…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/the-darkest-secret-of-this-country-i-am-afraid-is-that-too-many-of-2/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [The longer a region is in contact with modern civilization, the higher the degree to which the society in the region is civilized.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ko-wen-je/the-longer-a-region-is-in-contact-with-modern-civilization-the-higher/) [Ko Wen-je](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ko-wen-je/) > [“The darkest secret of this country, I am afraid, is that too many of its citizens imagine that they belong to a much higher…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/the-darkest-secret-of-this-country-i-am-afraid-is-that-too-many-of/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [I'd love to get pajamas. Good, nice and warm flannel ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlize-theron/i-d-love-to-get-pajamas-good-nice-and-warm-flannel-ones/) [Charlize Theron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlize-theron/) > [If it weren’t so off-putting for my co-workers. 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Most men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-abboud/the-most-important-thing-that-i-think-we-ve-done-this-season-is-to/) [Joseph Abboud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-abboud/) > [I can go all over the world with just three outfits: a blue blazer and gray flannel pants, a gray flannel suit, and black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-cardin/i-can-go-all-over-the-world-with-just-three-outfits-a-blue-blazer-and/) [Pierre Cardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-cardin/) > [Frogs will eat red-flannel worms fed to them by biologists; this proves a great deal about both parties concerned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-cuppy/frogs-will-eat-red-flannel-worms-fed-to-them-by-biologists-this/) [Will Cuppy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-cuppy/) ## More by Mary Baker Eddy > [A wicked mortal is not the idea of God. He is little else than the expression of error. To suppose that sin, lust, hatred,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-baker-eddy/a-wicked-mortal-is-not-the-idea-of-god-he-is-little-else-than-the/) [Mary Baker Eddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-baker-eddy/) > [Give up the belief that mind is, even temporarily, compressed within the skull, and you will quickly become more manly or womanly. You will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-baker-eddy/give-up-the-belief-that-mind-is-even-temporarily-compressed-within/) [Mary Baker Eddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-baker-eddy/) > [There is too much animal courage in society and not sufficient moral courage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-baker-eddy/there-is-too-much-animal-courage-in-society-and-not-sufficient-moral/) [Mary Baker Eddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-baker-eddy/) > [Mankind thinks either too much or too little of sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-baker-eddy/mankind-thinks-either-too-much-or-too-little-of-sin/) [Mary Baker Eddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-baker-eddy/) > [Ideas are spiritual, harmonious and eternal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-baker-eddy/ideas-are-spiritual-harmonious-and-eternal/) [Mary Baker Eddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-baker-eddy/) > [Disease is an experience of a so-called mortal mind. It is fear made manifest on the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-baker-eddy/disease-is-an-experience-of-a-so-called-mortal-mind-it-is-fear-made/) [Mary Baker Eddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-baker-eddy/) > [Error tills its own barren soil and buries itself in the ground, since ground and dust stand for nothingness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-baker-eddy/error-tills-its-own-barren-soil-and-buries-itself-in-the-ground-since/) [Mary Baker Eddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-baker-eddy/) > [Truth has no beginning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-baker-eddy/truth-has-no-beginning/) [Mary Baker Eddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-baker-eddy/) > [God is incorporeal, divine, supreme, infinite Mind, Spirit, Soul, Principle, life, Truth, Love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-baker-eddy/god-is-incorporeal-divine-supreme-infinite-mind-spirit-soul-principle/) [Mary Baker Eddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-baker-eddy/) > [Remember, thou canst be brought into no condition, be it ever so severe, where Love has not been before thee and where its tender…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-baker-eddy/remember-thou-canst-be-brought-into-no-condition-be-it-ever-so-severe/) [Mary Baker Eddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-baker-eddy/) > [Nothing save divine power is capable of doing so much for man as he can for himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-baker-eddy/nothing-save-divine-power-is-capable-of-doing-so-much-for-man-as-he/) [Mary Baker Eddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-baker-eddy/) > [A little more grace, a motive made pure, a few truths tenderly told, a heart softened, a character subdued, a life consecrated, would restore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-baker-eddy/a-little-more-grace-a-motive-made-pure-a-few-truths-tenderly-told-a/) [Mary Baker Eddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-baker-eddy/) > [God is universal; confined to no spot, defined by no dogma, appropriated by no sect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-baker-eddy/god-is-universal-confined-to-no-spot-defined-by-no-dogma-appropriated/) [Mary Baker Eddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-baker-eddy/) > [The time for thinkers has come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-baker-eddy/the-time-for-thinkers-has-come/) [Mary Baker Eddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-baker-eddy/) > [The physical universe expresses the conscious and unconscious thoughts of mortals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-baker-eddy/the-physical-universe-expresses-the-conscious-and-unconscious/) [Mary Baker Eddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-baker-eddy/) [Explore all 123 Mary Baker Eddy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-baker-eddy/) ## More Air quotes > [I will be a tireless advocate for our District's defense priorities including Sheppard Air Force Base, Pantex, Bell Helicopter, universities conducting important research, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronny-jackson/i-will-be-a-tireless-advocate-for-our-district-s-defense-priorities/) [Ronny Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronny-jackson/) > [I have lifted my plane . . . for perhaps a thousand flights and I have never felt her wheels glide from the Earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beryl-markham/i-have-lifted-my-plane-for-perhaps-a-thousand-flights-and-i-have/) [Beryl Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beryl-markham/) > [If U.S. air, naval, missile, and ground forces were not in and around Korea, and if we were not treaty-bound to fight alongside South…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/if-u-s-air-naval-missile-and-ground-forces-were-not-in-and-around/) [Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/) > [The cooler days have brought a wistful mood upon him. 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