--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I often say that I'm a…" description: "\"I often say that I'm a Buddhist-Episcopalian. I say that partly to annoy people.I like to annoy people who think that a religion can contain the whole ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/902/ninian-smart-29892_accepting_i-often-say-that-i-m-a-buddhist-episcopa_222726.jpg" --- # I often say that I'm a Buddhist-Episcopalian. I say that… ![“I often say that I'm a Buddhist-Episcopalian. I say that partly to annoy people.I like to annoy people who think that a religion can contain the whole truth. No religion, it seems to me, contains the whole truth. I think it's mad to think that there is nothing to learn from other traditions and…” quote by Ninian Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/902/ninian-smart-29892_accepting_i-often-say-that-i-m-a-buddhist-episcopa_222726.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/902/ninian-smart-29892_accepting_i-often-say-that-i-m-a-buddhist-episcopa_222726.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/902/ninian-smart-29892_accepting_i-often-say-that-i-m-a-buddhist-episcopa_222726.jpg) > “I often say that I'm a Buddhist-Episcopalian. I say that partly to annoy people.I like to annoy people who think that a religion can contain the whole truth. No religion, it seems to me, contains the whole truth. I think it's mad to think that there is nothing to learn from other traditions and civilizations. If you accept that other religions have something to offer and you learn from them, that is what you become: a Buddhist-Episcopalian or a Hindu-Muslim or whatever.” [Ninian Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninian-smart/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker argues that no single religion holds all truth and that learning from multiple traditions enriches personal belief. **In simple terms:** No religion has all truth; learn from many. Key Takeaway Embrace multiple traditions for broader understanding. Themes religious pluralism open‑mindedness interfaith dialogue Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal spiritual growth - academic study of religion - interfaith events - educational curricula Key Concepts syncretism humility cultural learning Questions to Reflect On - How can you integrate insights from different faiths? - What challenges arise when blending traditions? A Different Perspective May overlook deep doctrinal differences that cause conflict. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Buddhism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buddhism/) [Buddhist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buddhist/) [Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilization/) [Episcopalians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/episcopalians/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Tradition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tradition/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Whole truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole-truth/) ## Related quotes > [To put it a little crudely, these days nobody is afraid of excommunication. If they decide they don't want to be Catholic anymore and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninian-smart/to-put-it-a-little-crudely-these-days-nobody-is-afraid-of/) [Ninian Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninian-smart/) > [Perhaps not one religion contains all of the truth of the world. Perhaps every religion contains fragments of the truth, and it is our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-paolini/perhaps-not-one-religion-contains-all-of-the-truth-of-the-world/) [Christopher Paolini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-paolini/) > [Every religion contains, in varying degrees, elements of the soft and the hard. For the sake of world peace, dialogue within religions and among…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johan-galtung/every-religion-contains-in-varying-degrees-elements-of-the-soft-and/) [Johan Galtung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johan-galtung/) > [“Perhaps no one religion contains all the truth of the world. Perhaps every religion contains fragments of the truth and it is our responsibility…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-paolini/perhaps-no-one-religion-contains-all-the-truth-of-the-world-perhaps/) [Christopher Paolini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-paolini/) > [Episcopalians have always preferred the flying buttress to the pillar of the church.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-king/episcopalians-have-always-preferred-the-flying-buttress-to-the-pillar/) [Florence King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-king/) > [I know. I seriously need to just give up men entirely. I wonder if Episcopalians can enter convents?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/i-know-i-seriously-need-to-just-give-up-men-entirely-i-wonder-if/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [My father was from a secular Jewish family and my mother from a nominally Christian (Episcopalian) one. They were not religious as adults. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-berenstain/my-father-was-from-a-secular-jewish-family-and-my-mother-from-a/) [Mike Berenstain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-berenstain/) > [If God allows us to remain Methodist, Baptist, or Episcopalian, it may be on account of the unconverted, that they may be without excuse;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-horace-lorimer/if-god-allows-us-to-remain-methodist-baptist-or-episcopalian-it-may/) [George Horace Lorimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-horace-lorimer/) > [Learn what not to expect. Irish catholic they get sh\*\*\*\* little rings. Irish women get crappy rings. Baptist get the worst because they get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/learn-what-not-to-expect-irish-catholic-they-get-sh-little-rings/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [SACERDOTALIST, n. One who holds the belief that a clergyman is a priest. Denial of this momentous doctrine is the hardest challenge that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/sacerdotalist-n-one-who-holds-the-belief-that-a-clergyman-is-a-priest/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [“I would celebrate the Holy Communion service in my pajamas if I thought it would help someone to find faith.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-stacey/i-would-celebrate-the-holy-communion-service-in-my-pajamas-if-i/) Nicholas Stacey > [As to my political faith- I have never voted. My father was a Democrat, my mother a Republican, and I am an Episcopalian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-marshall/as-to-my-political-faith-i-have-never-voted-my-father-was-a-democrat/) [George C. Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-marshall/) > [I was born again. It happens to Episcopalians. Sometimes it doesn't hit you till you're 47 years old. It changed my whole life for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-b-davis/i-was-born-again-it-happens-to-episcopalians-sometimes-it-doesn-t-hit/) [Ann B. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-b-davis/) > [John Wesley tells of a dream he had. In the dream, he was ushered to the gates of Hell. There he asked, "Are there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-whitefield/john-wesley-tells-of-a-dream-he-had-in-the-dream-he-was-ushered-to/) [George Whitefield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-whitefield/) > [“It’s like what some Episcopalians say about themselves today: get four in a room and you’ll find five opinions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bart-d-ehrman/it-s-like-what-some-episcopalians-say-about-themselves-today-get-four/) [Bart D. Ehrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bart-d-ehrman/) ## More by Ninian Smart > [I think the Buddhist ethic is clearer and more systematic in some ways. The Buddhist notion is that our chief problems are greed, hatred…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninian-smart/i-think-the-buddhist-ethic-is-clearer-and-more-systematic-in-some/) [Ninian Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninian-smart/) > [Buddhism and Christianity are incompatible because there is no God in Buddhism - particularly in Theravada Buddhism. But they are also allies because their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninian-smart/buddhism-and-christianity-are-incompatible-because-there-is-no-god-in/) [Ninian Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninian-smart/) > [Life is very difficult and we owe it to our fellow human beings to be as cheerful as we can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninian-smart/life-is-very-difficult-and-we-owe-it-to-our-fellow-human-beings-to-be/) [Ninian Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninian-smart/) > [One of the effects of religions getting together is that they borrow from one another. An example is the growing number of Catholics who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninian-smart/one-of-the-effects-of-religions-getting-together-is-that-they-borrow/) [Ninian Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninian-smart/) > [I've often admired the way many Catholics who have left the priesthood, for example, have nevertheless remained sincere Catholics. They voted with their feet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninian-smart/i-ve-often-admired-the-way-many-catholics-who-have-left-the/) [Ninian Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninian-smart/) > [A central feature of the ceremonial associated with Mithras was the taurobolium, the ritual slaughter of a bull which commemorated and repeated Mithras' primeval…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninian-smart/a-central-feature-of-the-ceremonial-associated-with-mithras-was-the/) [Ninian Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninian-smart/) > [People now have their own particular religion - a denomination of one. I suppose it's a part of the new age phenomenon, but it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninian-smart/people-now-have-their-own-particular-religion-a-denomination-of-one-i/) [Ninian Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninian-smart/) > [Children become more liberal partly as a reaction to their parents and partly through education. Education tends to make people a bit softer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninian-smart/children-become-more-liberal-partly-as-a-reaction-to-their-parents/) [Ninian Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninian-smart/) > [Syncretism can be disturbing to people. They have often been taught, "You have to have solid faith and must be sure of your religion,"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninian-smart/syncretism-can-be-disturbing-to-people-they-have-often-been-taught/) [Ninian Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninian-smart/) > [I don't regard fundamentalism in the United States or in Europe as a terrible threat, partly because it is a self-curing disease. The younger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninian-smart/i-don-t-regard-fundamentalism-in-the-united-states-or-in-europe-as-a/) [Ninian Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninian-smart/) > [I would like to see an agreement that recognizes that we live on the same planet and that some interests, such as human rights,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninian-smart/i-would-like-to-see-an-agreement-that-recognizes-that-we-live-on-the/) [Ninian Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninian-smart/) > [I don't think religions will merge into a great global faith. But I do believe we're moving toward a global ideology that has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninian-smart/i-don-t-think-religions-will-merge-into-a-great-global-faith-but-i-do/) [Ninian Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninian-smart/) > [Tolerance has been a very important feature of Christianity from its very roots, despite all the other things that have gone on since. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninian-smart/tolerance-has-been-a-very-important-feature-of-christianity-from-its/) [Ninian Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninian-smart/) > [The fact of the matter is that Buddhism has changed a lot. When St. Francis of Xavier arrived in Japan, he wrote back to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninian-smart/the-fact-of-the-matter-is-that-buddhism-has-changed-a-lot-when-st/) [Ninian Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninian-smart/) > [If you were going to be attracted to a mystical faith which involved the contemplative life, Buddhism would be quite reasonable. But then, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninian-smart/if-you-were-going-to-be-attracted-to-a-mystical-faith-which-involved/) [Ninian Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninian-smart/) [Explore all 18 Ninian Smart quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninian-smart/) ## More Accepting quotes > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [Laughing, laughing, laughing, laughing! It is the jester! A voice from the Void, to cheer poor Cicero! I accept your gift, dearest Night Mother.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/laughing-laughing-laughing-laughing-it-is-the-jester-a-voice-from-the/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [This duo inside of me causes the perfect opportunity to live and learn twice as fast as those who choose to accept simplicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/this-duo-inside-of-me-causes-the-perfect-opportunity-to-live-and/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [Don't be bitter. Everybody suffers. If you can accept your suffering then you will understand other people better. Be grateful for pain. Love life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/don-t-be-bitter-everybody-suffers-if-you-can-accept-your-suffering/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [It takes an unusually philosophic mind to accept that all one’s suffering might be to no end, really, in the larger scheme of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-takes-an-unusually-philosophic-mind-to-accept-that-all-one-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [No nation being under another nation can accept gifts, and kick at the responsibility attached to those gifts, imposed by the conquering nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/no-nation-being-under-another-nation-can-accept-gifts-and-kick-at-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Even with clothing naked animals, there were people who wanted to send in money. A woman in Santa Barbara, California, sent a $40,000 check.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-abel/even-with-clothing-naked-animals-there-were-people-who-wanted-to-send/) [Alan Abel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-abel/) > [Society understands the architecture of academia and knows there are relevant qualifications in different fields, and the media accepts the idea of specialisations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-griffiths/society-understands-the-architecture-of-academia-and-knows-there-are/) [Jay Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-griffiths/) > [Whatever your conscious mind assumes and believes to be true, your subconscious mind will accept and bring to pass. Believe in good fortune, divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/whatever-your-conscious-mind-assumes-and-believes-to-be-true-your/) [Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/) > [Losing someone is easy, but accepting it is hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/losing-someone-is-easy-but-accepting-it-is-hard/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [… and so he tried to accept the ache in his heart as what Dr. Larch would call the common symptoms of normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/and-so-he-tried-to-accept-the-ache-in-his-heart-as-what-dr-larch/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [I think what was special about 'Music by Prudence' was the classic story of the title subject's life path - from being an outcast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-think-what-was-special-about-music-by-prudence-was-the-classic/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [As my films are born at the moment when they are reflected into another person's mind and memories, there are no misconceptions. I totally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pirjo-honkasalo/as-my-films-are-born-at-the-moment-when-they-are-reflected-into/) [Pirjo Honkasalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pirjo-honkasalo/) Browse all 6,788 Accepting quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I often say that I'm a Buddhist-Episcopalian. I say that partly to annoy people.I like to annoy people who think that a religion can contain the whole truth. No religion, it seems to me, contains the whole truth. I think it's mad to think that there is nothing to learn from other traditions and civilizations. 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