---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Religion can be both good and bad - it is…"
description: "\"Religion can be both good and bad - it is spirituality that counts.\" — Pat Buckley"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efa/pat-buckley-26912_bad_religion-can-be-both-good-and-bad-it-is_1787533.jpg"
---

#  Religion can be both good and bad - it is spirituality…

![“Religion can be both good and bad - it is spirituality that counts.” quote by Pat Buckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efa/pat-buckley-26912_bad_religion-can-be-both-good-and-bad-it-is_1787533.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efa/pat-buckley-26912_bad_religion-can-be-both-good-and-bad-it-is_1787533.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efa/pat-buckley-26912_bad_religion-can-be-both-good-and-bad-it-is_1787533.jpg)

> “Religion can be both good and bad - it is spirituality that counts.”

[Pat Buckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buckley/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Religion can have positive and negative impacts; true value lies in personal spirituality.

**In simple terms:** Religion has pros and cons; spirituality matters.

Key Takeaway

Focus on personal spiritual growth.

Themes

religion spirituality morality

Mood

thoughtful reflective

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- community service
- personal reflection
- interfaith dialogue

Key Concepts

faith personal meaning ethical impact

Questions to Reflect On

- How does personal spirituality guide your actions?
- Can religion be separated from personal belief?

A Different Perspective

Religion alone cannot guarantee moral behavior.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Bad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad/) [Bad Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-spirituality-1438806/) [Both](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/both/) [Counts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/counts/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [Good and bad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-and-bad/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religion Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion-good/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) [Spirituality Counts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality-counts-1916604/)

## Related quotes

> [The 2 extremes, neither one worse than the other: the result of bad religion is self-loathing and violence; the result of bad spirituality is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/the-2-extremes-neither-one-worse-than-the-other-the-result-of-bad/)

[Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/)

> [“Office life is bad for spirituality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhaidev/office-life-is-bad-for-spirituality/)

[Abhaidev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhaidev/)

> [The goal of socialism is a fairer allocation of economic resources, which its advocates often claim will also be a less wasteful one. Socialism…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-postrel/the-goal-of-socialism-is-a-fairer-allocation-of-economic-resources/)

[Virginia Postrel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-postrel/)

> [I like England more than I did when I left. It's become a bit of a better country in the last ten years, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-thompson/i-like-england-more-than-i-did-when-i-left-it-s-become-a-bit-of-a/)

[Teddy Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-thompson/)

> [The truth of the matter is that I have lasted a long time, and with it comes both good and bad things. One of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-prince/the-truth-of-the-matter-is-that-i-have-lasted-a-long-time-and-with-it/)

[Harold Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-prince/)

> [ \[The disestablishment of religion\] may not have been such a good idea. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-olasky/the-disestablishment-of-religion-may-not-have-been-such-a-good-idea/)

[Marvin Olasky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-olasky/)

> [“Religion can be a good thing. Churches did black folks good after Reconstruction. It was the only place people like Nat Turner and Douglass…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaunda-micheaux-nelson/religion-can-be-a-good-thing-churches-did-black-folks-good-after/)

[Vaunda Micheaux Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaunda-micheaux-nelson/)

> [With or without religion, you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weinberg/with-or-without-religion-you-would-have-good-people-doing-good-things/)

[Steven Weinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weinberg/)

> [ “\[ When asked 'Given the chance, how would you change the world ?'\] It's a big question. Getting rid of religion would be a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjork/when-asked-given-the-chance-how-would-you-change-the-world-it-s-a-big/)

[Björk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjork/)

> [As a teenager, I increasingly had questions about religion to which I found no good answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-baggini/as-a-teenager-i-increasingly-had-questions-about-religion-to-which-i/)

[Julian Baggini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-baggini/)

> [I judge a religion as being good or bad based on whether its adherents become better people as a result of practicing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-mullally/i-judge-a-religion-as-being-good-or-bad-based-on-whether-its/)

[Joe Mullally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-mullally/)

> [Overall, we think religion is a good thing. I mean, if we were godless society, we would have many other problems; the communists found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-hsien-loong/overall-we-think-religion-is-a-good-thing-i-mean-if-we-were-godless/)

[Lee Hsien Loong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-hsien-loong/)

> [If you have a particular faith or religion, that is good. But you can survive without it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/if-you-have-a-particular-faith-or-religion-that-is-good-but-you-can/)

[Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/)

> [To realize the spirit as spirit is practical religion. Everything else is good so far as it leads to this one grand idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/to-realize-the-spirit-as-spirit-is-practical-religion-everything-else/)

[Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/)

> [From what I have seen, I am driven to the conclusion that religion is only good for good people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-mccarthy/from-what-i-have-seen-i-am-driven-to-the-conclusion-that-religion-is/)

[Mary McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-mccarthy/)

## More by Pat Buckley

> [I hold that religion and faith are two different things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buckley/i-hold-that-religion-and-faith-are-two-different-things/)

[Pat Buckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buckley/)

> [I believe that God and reality are too big for my poor words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buckley/i-believe-that-god-and-reality-are-too-big-for-my-poor-words/)

[Pat Buckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buckley/)

> [I believe that dogma is often evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buckley/i-believe-that-dogma-is-often-evil/)

[Pat Buckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buckley/)

> [I believe that I am only at a beginning, only knocking at a door, and I believe that the best is yet to come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buckley/i-believe-that-i-am-only-at-a-beginning-only-knocking-at-a-door-and-i/)

[Pat Buckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buckley/)

> [I believe that there may be intelligent life on other planets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buckley/i-believe-that-there-may-be-intelligent-life-on-other-planets/)

[Pat Buckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buckley/)

> [There is no one true church.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buckley/there-is-no-one-true-church/)

[Pat Buckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buckley/)

> [I believe that God made this wonderful universe and all that exists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buckley/i-believe-that-god-made-this-wonderful-universe-and-all-that-exists/)

[Pat Buckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buckley/)

> [The only sexual act that is sinful is the one that uses or abuses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buckley/the-only-sexual-act-that-is-sinful-is-the-one-that-uses-or-abuses/)

[Pat Buckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buckley/)

> [I believe that life is a journey towards God, and that no one has the right to insist that you go a certain road.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buckley/i-believe-that-life-is-a-journey-towards-god-and-that-no-one-has-the/)

[Pat Buckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buckley/)

> [I believe in the freedom of God's sons and daughters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buckley/i-believe-in-the-freedom-of-god-s-sons-and-daughters/)

[Pat Buckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buckley/)

> [I believe in the power of weakness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buckley/i-believe-in-the-power-of-weakness/)

[Pat Buckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buckley/)

> [I can find God in nature, in animals, in birds and the environment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buckley/i-can-find-god-in-nature-in-animals-in-birds-and-the-environment/)

[Pat Buckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buckley/)

> [I believe in people, especially suffering people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buckley/i-believe-in-people-especially-suffering-people/)

[Pat Buckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buckley/)

> [I believe in a packed Heaven and an empty Hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buckley/i-believe-in-a-packed-heaven-and-an-empty-hell/)

[Pat Buckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buckley/)

> [I believe that in this world it is impossible to understand God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buckley/i-believe-that-in-this-world-it-is-impossible-to-understand-god/)

[Pat Buckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buckley/)

[Explore all 21 Pat Buckley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buckley/)

## More Bad quotes

> [If I am going to be phased out by whatever powers, then I want people to know that it is not because I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parvathy/if-i-am-going-to-be-phased-out-by-whatever-powers-then-i-want-people/)

[Parvathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parvathy/)

> [Sometimes I'm in a bad mood, sometimes I'm in a good mood. It's like everyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tricky/sometimes-i-m-in-a-bad-mood-sometimes-i-m-in-a-good-mood-it-s-like/)

[Tricky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tricky/)

> [Unfortunately, we all go through bad phases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sushmita-sen/unfortunately-we-all-go-through-bad-phases/)

[Sushmita Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sushmita-sen/)

> [The Derby experience had not been good for me and the way it finished left a very bad taste in my mouth so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-pearson/the-derby-experience-had-not-been-good-for-me-and-the-way-it-finished/)

[Nigel Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-pearson/)

> [What people tend to forget is the journey that I had getting to Formula One. There were plenty of years where I had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-hamilton/what-people-tend-to-forget-is-the-journey-that-i-had-getting-to/)

[Lewis Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-hamilton/)

> [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/)

[Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/)

> [I listen to heavy metal thanks to my son. When I argue with him on the kind of music he is listening to, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zeenat-aman/i-listen-to-heavy-metal-thanks-to-my-son-when-i-argue-with-him-on-the/)

[Zeenat Aman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zeenat-aman/)

> [I've said it before, good people are forced to do bad things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-cloud/i-ve-said-it-before-good-people-are-forced-to-do-bad-things/)

[Angus Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-cloud/)

> [“If any woman opens her legs for you, don't feel so lucky to be fed with nonsense, she has been a bitch for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/if-any-woman-opens-her-legs-for-you-don-t-feel-so-lucky-to-be-fed/)

[Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/)

> [One thing I always tell players is that there are three bad things: Nothing good happens after midnight, nothing good happens when you're around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/one-thing-i-always-tell-players-is-that-there-are-three-bad-things/)

[Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/)

> [Everybody has bad days, but how you respond to it is a testament to whether you are a winner or a loser.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-gordon/everybody-has-bad-days-but-how-you-respond-to-it-is-a-testament-to/)

[Aaron Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-gordon/)

> [Obviously I'm very grateful 'Bad Guy' is doing so well - it's shocking and surprising and gratifying - but I do think it's important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finneas/obviously-i-m-very-grateful-bad-guy-is-doing-so-well-it-s-shocking/)

[Finneas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finneas/)

> [I felt pretty good growing up. I didnt feel a lot of prejudice or racism. But I do remember, if there was going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-henry-hwang/i-felt-pretty-good-growing-up-i-didnt-feel-a-lot-of-prejudice-or/)

[David Henry Hwang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-henry-hwang/)

> [If you read 'Lord of the Rings' and dismiss it as a lie because it has orcs and elves, you're missing the whole point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-tennapel/if-you-read-lord-of-the-rings-and-dismiss-it-as-a-lie-because-it-has/)

[Doug TenNapel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-tennapel/)

> [My conscience is really active. So I feel bad about spending excess amount of money on things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syd/my-conscience-is-really-active-so-i-feel-bad-about-spending-excess/)

[Syd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syd/)

[Browse all 7,973 Bad quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Religion can be both good and bad - it is spirituality that counts.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Pat Buckley"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buckley/religion-can-be-both-good-and-bad-it-is-spirituality-that-counts/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Bad"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buckley/religion-can-be-both-good-and-bad-it-is-spirituality-that-counts/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efa/pat-buckley-26912_bad_religion-can-be-both-good-and-bad-it-is_1787533.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efa/pat-buckley-26912_bad_religion-can-be-both-good-and-bad-it-is_1787533.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efa/pat-buckley-26912_bad_religion-can-be-both-good-and-bad-it-is_1787533.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Religion can be both good and bad - it is spirituality that counts.” — Pat Buckley",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Pat Buckley",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buckley/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Religion can be both good and...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buckley/religion-can-be-both-good-and-bad-it-is-spirituality-that-counts/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buckley/religion-can-be-both-good-and-bad-it-is-spirituality-that-counts/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
