--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Learning is a good thing, but unless it's…" description: "\"Learning is a good thing, but unless it's tempered by faith and a love of freedom, it can be very dangerous indeed.\" — Paul Kengor" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a1f/paul-kengor-14302_dangerous_learning-is-a-good-thing-but-unless-it-s_991405.jpg" --- # Learning is a good thing, but unless it's tempered by… ![“Learning is a good thing, but unless it's tempered by faith and a love of freedom, it can be very dangerous indeed.” quote by Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a1f/paul-kengor-14302_dangerous_learning-is-a-good-thing-but-unless-it-s_991405.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a1f/paul-kengor-14302_dangerous_learning-is-a-good-thing-but-unless-it-s_991405.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a1f/paul-kengor-14302_dangerous_learning-is-a-good-thing-but-unless-it-s_991405.jpg) > “Learning is a good thing, but unless it's tempered by faith and a love of freedom, it can be very dangerous indeed.” [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Learning without faith or love of freedom can become harmful. **In simple terms:** Knowledge needs moral grounding. Key Takeaway Balance learning with values. Themes knowledge faith freedom danger Mood cautious reflective Type philosophical advisory When to use this quote - education policy - personal development - political discourse - null Key Concepts ethics responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How can we ensure education promotes both insight and liberty? - What values should guide learning? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on faith may limit critical inquiry. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Good things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-things/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [“Freedom is dangerous but it's precious, too. You can't just throw it away or let it slip away. You can't sell it for bread…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-e-butler/freedom-is-dangerous-but-it-s-precious-too-you-can-t-just-throw-it/) [Octavia E. Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-e-butler/) > [“My own experience has been that there is no field where one who is in earnest about learning to do good work can make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothea-brande/my-own-experience-has-been-that-there-is-no-field-where-one-who-is-in/) [Dorothea Brande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothea-brande/) > [Every home is a house of learning either for good or otherwise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-b-wirthlin/every-home-is-a-house-of-learning-either-for-good-or-otherwise/) [Joseph B. Wirthlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-b-wirthlin/) > [“Everyone is pretty good at learning. Very few are good at doing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richie-norton/everyone-is-pretty-good-at-learning-very-few-are-good-at-doing/) [Richie Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richie-norton/) > [Learning how to be a good parent was easy in the end because I'd basically had the What Not To Do manual.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cassidy/learning-how-to-be-a-good-parent-was-easy-in-the-end-because-i-d/) [David Cassidy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cassidy/) > [I've studied all my musical life, but learning is only good if you do something constructive with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-williams/i-ve-studied-all-my-musical-life-but-learning-is-only-good-if-you-do/) [Tony Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-williams/) > [Education is learning to grow, learning what to grow toward, learning what is good and bad, learning what is desirable and undesirable, learning what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-maslow/education-is-learning-to-grow-learning-what-to-grow-toward-learning/) [Abraham Maslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-maslow/) > [Learning is a good medicine: but no medicine is powerful enough to preserve itself from taint and corruption independently of defects in the jar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/learning-is-a-good-medicine-but-no-medicine-is-powerful-enough-to/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [“Neither living nor learning was good without order.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/neither-living-nor-learning-was-good-without-order/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [Learning is good in and of itself...the mothers of the Jewish ghettoes of the east would pour honey on a book so the children…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/learning-is-good-in-and-of-itself-the-mothers-of-the-jewish-ghettoes/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [When I cook, I generally stick with what I know, what I'm comfortable with, and what I feel I've paid my dues learning, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/when-i-cook-i-generally-stick-with-what-i-know-what-i-m-comfortable/) [Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) > [“capitalization learning”: we get good at something by building on the strengths that we are naturally given.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/capitalization-learning-we-get-good-at-something-by-building-on-the/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [All are agreed, that the increase of learning and good morals are great blessings to society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-lancaster/all-are-agreed-that-the-increase-of-learning-and-good-morals-are/) [Joseph Lancaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-lancaster/) > [“An uneducated people don't know what freedom is for that It is very dangerous when uneducated voters are allowed to vote, they will affect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beta-metani-marashi/an-uneducated-people-don-t-know-what-freedom-is-for-that-it-is-very/) [Beta Metani' Marashi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beta-metani-marashi/) > [Learning how to be a good reader is what makes you a writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/learning-how-to-be-a-good-reader-is-what-makes-you-a-writer/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) ## More by Paul Kengor > [The American founding is not just about a group of people, a group of men. It is about an ideal: Both a vision and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/the-american-founding-is-not-just-about-a-group-of-people-a-group-of/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) > [Maybe the most interesting find in my research is that it is clear that Ronald Reagan, among all modern presidents, plainly rediscovered the founders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/maybe-the-most-interesting-find-in-my-research-is-that-it-is-clear/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) > [“Only when people are free to worship, create, and build, only when they can decide their destiny and benefit from their own risks—only then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/only-when-people-are-free-to-worship-create-and-build-only-when-they/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) > [As has been reported, and is unmistakably evident to all but the most naïve, federal employees have been ordered to exploit this crisis, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/as-has-been-reported-and-is-unmistakably-evident-to-all-but-the-most/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) > [ It is quite sad, to me, that that ideal, that vision and understanding \[of American founding \], doesn't seem to be a part of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/it-is-quite-sad-to-me-that-that-ideal-that-vision-and-understanding/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) > [ The presidents varied in the degree to which they cited the founders. Some, like JFK, LBJ, \[Richard\] Nixon, and \[Bill\] Clinton, cited them somewhat… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/the-presidents-varied-in-the-degree-to-which-they-cited-the-founders/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) > [ I was a child or didn't live through those presidents prior to \[Ronald\] Reagan, and thus didn't realize how little attention they had paid… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/i-was-a-child-or-didn-t-live-through-those-presidents-prior-to-ronald/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) > [In the middle of Hillary Clinton's push for national healthcare in 1993, Bill Clinton cited Thomas Jefferson's concern for health issues as, somehow, apparently…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/in-the-middle-of-hillary-clinton-s-push-for-national-healthcare-in/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) > [ If our presidents, or potential presidents, don't know this or don't articulate \[an America ideal\], that's a blown opportunity. The president can teach as… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/if-our-presidents-or-potential-presidents-don-t-know-this-or-don-t/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) > [“Only in the detached from reality world of goofy Hollywood and modern academia could a mass murderer like Che Guevara be turned into something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/only-in-the-detached-from-reality-world-of-goofy-hollywood-and-modern/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) > [Throughout American history our presidents have invoked our nation's founding fathers. This is particularly true of recent presidents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/throughout-american-history-our-presidents-have-invoked-our-nation-s/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) > [ Which founders have these presidents cited - and why? What did, say, President \[Ronald\] Reagan's view of George Washington, or President \[Bill\] Clinton's view… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/which-founders-have-these-presidents-cited-and-why-what-did-say/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) > [“Ultimately, Reagan presided over the largest tax cut in American history, and accomplished it working in tandem with (rather than against) a huge Democratic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/ultimately-reagan-presided-over-the-largest-tax-cut-in-american/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) > [ Ronald Reagan \[ cite the founders\] on behalf of emphasizing the faith of our founders, of limited government, of the uniqueness and exceptionalism of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/ronald-reagan-cite-the-founders-on-behalf-of-emphasizing-the-faith-of/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) > [In part, it's almost surely a failure of modern education, whether K through 12 or higher education, or really both. Barack Obama went to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/in-part-it-s-almost-surely-a-failure-of-modern-education-whether-k/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) [Explore all 47 Paul Kengor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) ## More Dangerous quotes > [So the fool, as distinct from the scoundrel, is completely self- satisfied; in fact, he can easily become dangerous, as it does not take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/so-the-fool-as-distinct-from-the-scoundrel-is-completely-self/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [Every one knows that the exercise of military power is forever dangerous to civil rights; and we have had recent instances of violences that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-adams/every-one-knows-that-the-exercise-of-military-power-is-forever/) [Samuel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-adams/) > [ Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three \[great teachers\] did not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-the-arts-since-the-medium-is/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [We're not very dangerous animals; we don't have a horn like a rhino or quills like a porcupine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-fisher/we-re-not-very-dangerous-animals-we-don-t-have-a-horn-like-a-rhino-or/) [Helen Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-fisher/) > [“It is dangerous to lock oneself away and lose track of what is happening outside.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hardinge/it-is-dangerous-to-lock-oneself-away-and-lose-track-of-what-is/) [Frances Hardinge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hardinge/) > [Its extremely dangerous to compare anyone else to Shakespeare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-spacey/its-extremely-dangerous-to-compare-anyone-else-to-shakespeare/) [Kevin Spacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-spacey/) > [In my youth-team days, I was always a left-winger who would stay close to the byline and put crosses in the box, so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arjen-robben/in-my-youth-team-days-i-was-always-a-left-winger-who-would-stay-close/) [Arjen Robben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arjen-robben/) > [The temptations of God were always more dangerous for mankind than those of Satan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-temptations-of-god-were-always-more-dangerous-for-mankind-than/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [When you start talking about elections being rigged, you're pushing people beyond democratic governance. And it's a very, very dangerous thing to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/when-you-start-talking-about-elections-being-rigged-you-re-pushing/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [The Patriot Act is certainly a concern; all of those things are dangerous. I think more important than me preaching is that we as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/the-patriot-act-is-certainly-a-concern-all-of-those-things-are/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [Die gefährlichste Weltanschauung ist die Weltanschauung derer, die die Welt nie angeschaut haben. (The most dangerous worldview is the worldview of those who have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-von-humboldt/die-gef-hrlichste-weltanschauung-ist-die-weltanschauung-derer-die-die/) [Alexander von Humboldt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-von-humboldt/) > [The most dangerous creature here would have to be me. So maybe I'm just scared of my own shadow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/the-most-dangerous-creature-here-would-have-to-be-me-so-maybe-i-m/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [The more people that learn about you, even if you're an underdog, then you can come under fire a lot and the more attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-way/the-more-people-that-learn-about-you-even-if-you-re-an-underdog-then/) [Gerard Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-way/) > [Anyone who maintains absolute standards of good and evil is dangerous. As dangerous as a maniac with a loaded revolver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/anyone-who-maintains-absolute-standards-of-good-and-evil-is-dangerous/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [The proliferation of right-to-carry laws throughout the states has drawn plaintive complaints from the criminal element. They feel that it makes their profession too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/the-proliferation-of-right-to-carry-laws-throughout-the-states-has/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) Browse all 6,450 Dangerous quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Learning is a good thing, but unless it's tempered by faith and a love of freedom, it can be very dangerous indeed.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Paul Kengor" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/learning-is-a-good-thing-but-unless-it-s-tempered-by-faith-and-a-love/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dangerous" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/learning-is-a-good-thing-but-unless-it-s-tempered-by-faith-and-a-love/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a1f/paul-kengor-14302_dangerous_learning-is-a-good-thing-but-unless-it-s_991405.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a1f/paul-kengor-14302_dangerous_learning-is-a-good-thing-but-unless-it-s_991405.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a1f/paul-kengor-14302_dangerous_learning-is-a-good-thing-but-unless-it-s_991405.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Learning is a good thing, but unless it's tempered by faith and a love of freedom, it can be very dangerous…” — Paul Kengor", "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": "Paul Kengor", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Learning is a good thing, but...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/learning-is-a-good-thing-but-unless-it-s-tempered-by-faith-and-a-love/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/learning-is-a-good-thing-but-unless-it-s-tempered-by-faith-and-a-love/#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 } } ] } ```