--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Napoleon once dismissed religion as 'what…" description: "\"“Napoleon once dismissed religion as 'what keeps the poor from murdering the rich.' Meaning, without the fear of God--or literally the hell we might ha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c06/mitch-albom-187_fear_napoleon-once-dismissed-religion-as-what_1027560.png" --- # Napoleon once dismissed religion as 'what keeps the poor… ![“Napoleon once dismissed religion as 'what keeps the poor from murdering the rich.' Meaning, without the fear of God--or literally the hell we might have to pay--the rest of us would just take what we wanted.” quote by Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c06/mitch-albom-187_fear_napoleon-once-dismissed-religion-as-what_1027560.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c06/mitch-albom-187_fear_napoleon-once-dismissed-religion-as-what_1027560.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c06/mitch-albom-187_fear_napoleon-once-dismissed-religion-as-what_1027560.png) > ““Napoleon once dismissed religion as 'what keeps the poor from murdering the rich.' Meaning, without the fear of God--or literally the hell we might have to pay--the rest of us would just take what we wanted.”” [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Religion may act as a deterrent against violent greed by invoking fear of divine punishment. **In simple terms:** Fear of divine judgment can curb violent greed. Key Takeaway Consider moral motivations beyond fear. Themes religion morality power social control Mood thoughtful critical Type philosophical social When to use this quote - policy making - personal ethics - social reform Key Concepts deterrence theory ethical motivation Questions to Reflect On - Is fear an effective long‑term moral guide? - Can secular ethics replace religious deterrence? A Different Perspective Fear alone may not sustain lasting ethical behavior. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dismissed Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dismissed-religion-2327482/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Fear god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear-god/) [Napoleon Dismissed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/napoleon-dismissed-2327483/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religion Keeps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion-keeps-1737884/) ## Related quotes > [Our religion keeps reminding us that we aren't just will and thoughts. We're also sand and wind and thunder. Rain. The seasons. All those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-least-heat-moon/our-religion-keeps-reminding-us-that-we-aren-t-just-will-and-thoughts/) [William Least Heat-Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-least-heat-moon/) > [Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/religion-is-what-keeps-the-poor-from-murdering-the-rich/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [Religion is what keeps the poor man from murdering the rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/religion-is-what-keeps-the-poor-man-from-murdering-the-rich/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [“This’ is not called a religion, ‘This’ is called vignan (science). Religion keeps changing, science does not change.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/this-is-not-called-a-religion-this-is-called-vignan-science-religion/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“Religion is excellent stuff for keeping common people quiet. Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/religion-is-excellent-stuff-for-keeping-common-people-quiet-religion/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [Religion keeps society divided. Spirituality unites it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/religion-keeps-society-divided-spirituality-unites-it/) [Sri Sri Ravi Shankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/) > [Always have the fear of God in your heart, and remember that God is always with you, everywhere, whether you are walking or sitting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennadius-of-constantinople/always-have-the-fear-of-god-in-your-heart-and-remember-that-god-is/) [Gennadius of Constantinople](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennadius-of-constantinople/) > [In order to the attaining of all useful knowledge this is most necessary, that we fear God; we are not qualified to profit by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henry/in-order-to-the-attaining-of-all-useful-knowledge-this-is-most/) [Matthew Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-henry/) > [People don't do right because of the fear of God or love of him. You do right because the world doesn't make sense if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-allison/people-don-t-do-right-because-of-the-fear-of-god-or-love-of-him-you/) [Dorothy Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-allison/) > [There is no sin so prevalent, so insidious, and so deep as the sin of fearing people more than we fear God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/there-is-no-sin-so-prevalent-so-insidious-and-so-deep-as-the-sin-of/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) > [“As many as thirty or as few as ten years later, lying exhausted and still, eyes open in the dark long after the three…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-doria-russell/as-many-as-thirty-or-as-few-as-ten-years-later-lying-exhausted-and/) [Mary Doria Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-doria-russell/) > [“Even though I don’t fear God or respect man, 5 yet because this widow keeps pestering me, I will give her justice, so she doesn’t wear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/even-though-i-don-t-fear-god-or-respect-man-5-yet-because-this-widow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Fear God, and offend not the Prince nor his laws, and keep thyself out of the magistrate's claws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-tusser/fear-god-and-offend-not-the-prince-nor-his-laws-and-keep-thyself-out/) [Thomas Tusser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-tusser/) > [You can do all them push-ups to pump up your chest, I got a 12 gauge Mossberg to pump up your chest, Have you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-jackson/you-can-do-all-them-push-ups-to-pump-up-your-chest-i-got-a-12-gauge/) [Curtis Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-jackson/) > [The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solomon/the-fear-of-the-lord-is-the-beginning-of-wisdom/) [Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solomon/) ## More by Mitch Albom > [“He wondered how it was fair that your dying should depend so much on when you were born.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/he-wondered-how-it-was-fair-that-your-dying-should-depend-so-much-on/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [the words people do not speak are louder than the ones they do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/the-words-people-do-not-speak-are-louder-than-the-ones-they-do/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [“Once, lovers on faraway shores sat by candlelight and dipped ink to parchment, writing words that could not be erased. They took an evening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/once-lovers-on-faraway-shores-sat-by-candlelight-and-dipped-ink-to/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [Giving to other people makes me feel alive. Not my car or my house. Not what I look like in the mirror. When I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/giving-to-other-people-makes-me-feel-alive-not-my-car-or-my-house-not/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [Life goes quickly, doesn't it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/life-goes-quickly-doesn-t-it/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [As children grow, they gravitate to their fates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/as-children-grow-they-gravitate-to-their-fates/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [“If the only thing wrong with Moses is that he's not yours; if the only thing wrong with Jesus is that he's not yours;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/if-the-only-thing-wrong-with-moses-is-that-he-s-not-yours-if-the-only/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [“Sometimes your kids will say the nastiest things, won't they, Rose? You want to ask,'Whose child is this?'" Rose chuckled. "But usually, they're just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/sometimes-your-kids-will-say-the-nastiest-things-won-t-they-rose-you/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [“whisper their good-byes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/whisper-their-good-byes/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [“I had also developed my own culture. Work. Over the years, I had taken labor as my companion and had moved everything else to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/i-had-also-developed-my-own-culture-work-over-the-years-i-had-taken/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [When we are most alone is when we embrace another's loneliness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/when-we-are-most-alone-is-when-we-embrace-another-s-loneliness/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [“You didn’t get it. Sacrifice is a part of life. It’s supposed to be. It’s not something to regret. It’s something to aspire to.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/you-didn-t-get-it-sacrifice-is-a-part-of-life-it-s-supposed-to-be-it/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [I give myself a good cry if I need it. But then I concentrate on the good things still in my life. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/i-give-myself-a-good-cry-if-i-need-it-but-then-i-concentrate-on-the/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [It was sad, the imbalance of it all. Why do kids assume so much from one parent and hold the other to a lower,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/it-was-sad-the-imbalance-of-it-all-why-do-kids-assume-so-much-from/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) [Explore all 962 Mitch Albom quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) ## More Fear quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [“That horrible stinging sensation returned, the muscles behind my eyes straining as the first tear began to fall. “I’m scared, too. 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