--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Subtract miracles from Islam, Buddhism…" description: "\"Subtract miracles from Islam, Buddhism, Confucianism, or Toaism, and you have essentially the same religion left. Subtract miracles from Christianity, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ba/peter-kreeft-820_buddhism_subtract-miracles-from-islam-buddhism-co_2417622.jpg" --- # Subtract miracles from Islam, Buddhism, Confucianism, or… ![“Subtract miracles from Islam, Buddhism, Confucianism, or Toaism, and you have essentially the same religion left. Subtract miracles from Christianity, and you have nothing but the cliches and platitudes most American Christians get weekly (and weakly) from their pulpits.” quote by Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ba/peter-kreeft-820_buddhism_subtract-miracles-from-islam-buddhism-co_2417622.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ba/peter-kreeft-820_buddhism_subtract-miracles-from-islam-buddhism-co_2417622.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ba/peter-kreeft-820_buddhism_subtract-miracles-from-islam-buddhism-co_2417622.jpg) > “Subtract miracles from Islam, Buddhism, Confucianism, or Toaism, and you have essentially the same religion left. Subtract miracles from Christianity, and you have nothing but the cliches and platitudes most American Christians get weekly (and weakly) from their pulpits.” [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Removing miracles reveals similar core ethics across religions; Christianity without miracles feels empty to some. **In simple terms:** Miracles differentiate religions; without them, doctrines converge. Key Takeaway Recognize common moral foundations. Themes religion miracles comparative theology secularism Mood thoughtful analytical Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - interfaith dialogue - academic study - personal belief assessment Key Concepts philosophy theology cultural critique Questions to Reflect On - Do miracles define a religion’s value? - How can shared ethics unite diverse faiths? A Different Perspective Some find miracles essential for faith, making the comparison less persuasive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American Christians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-christians-237369/) [Buddhism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buddhism/) [Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Cliche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cliche/) [Confucianism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confucianism/) [Essentially Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/essentially-religion-3551388/) [Islam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/islam/) [Left](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/left/) [Miracle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miracle/) [Miracles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miracles/) [Miracles Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miracles-christianity-6107943/) [Platitudes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/platitudes/) [Pulpit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pulpit/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religion Left](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion-left-364756/) [Subtract Miracles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subtract-miracles-6107942/) ## Related quotes > [And so it is true in this sense that there is essentially but one religion, the religion of the living God. For to live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-trine/and-so-it-is-true-in-this-sense-that-there-is-essentially-but-one/) [Ralph Waldo Trine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-trine/) > [I get the feeling more and more that religion is being left behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/i-get-the-feeling-more-and-more-that-religion-is-being-left-behind/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Politics might be religion for the Left, but conservatives understand there is more to life than politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-knowles/politics-might-be-religion-for-the-left-but-conservatives-understand/) [Michael J. Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-knowles/) > [Religion is something left over from the infancy of our intelligence, it will fade away as we adopt reason and science as our guidelines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/religion-is-something-left-over-from-the-infancy-of-our-intelligence/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [American Christians have been woefully silent on important issues. I am an American citizens now, and I love this country, but I see symptoms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-von-trapp/american-christians-have-been-woefully-silent-on-important-issues-i/) [Maria von Trapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-von-trapp/) > [“Part of the scandal of American Christianity is that statistically the U.S. is the most Christian country in the world, and yet as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-borg/part-of-the-scandal-of-american-christianity-is-that-statistically/) [Marcus Borg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-borg/) > [There are all kinds of great things that megachurches and successful fundraising appeals can allow you to do, especially in terms of overseas charity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-douthat/there-are-all-kinds-of-great-things-that-megachurches-and-successful/) [Ross Douthat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-douthat/) > [“American Christians don’t want to experience community. Or, at least, they want other things more.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-c-wilson/american-christians-don-t-want-to-experience-community-or-at-least/) [Jared C. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-c-wilson/) > [Too many American (and other) Christians revel in feelings and/or morality and don't care to develop a biblically-shaped Zeitgeist or worldview. The result is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-e-olson/too-many-american-and-other-christians-revel-in-feelings-and-or/) [Roger E. Olson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-e-olson/) > [Early America does not deserve to be considered uniquely, distinctly or even predominantly Christian... There is no lost Golden Age to which American Christians…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-noll/early-america-does-not-deserve-to-be-considered-uniquely-distinctly/) [Mark Noll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-noll/) > [“If Jesus viewed the desire to acquire political power to be a temptation of the devil, why do so many American Christians fight to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-giles/if-jesus-viewed-the-desire-to-acquire-political-power-to-be-a/) [Keith Giles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-giles/) > [“Here is a statistic that does matter: Three quarters of Americans believe the Bible teaches that “God helps those who help themselves.” That is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/here-is-a-statistic-that-does-matter-three-quarters-of-americans/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) > [Can you imagine the impact on our own culture if American Christians began using their riches as if they belonged to God?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stearns/can-you-imagine-the-impact-on-our-own-culture-if-american-christians/) [Richard Stearns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stearns/) > [My work in Africa was paid for mostly by American Christians, and I am so thankful for their giving hearts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhard-bonnke/my-work-in-africa-was-paid-for-mostly-by-american-christians-and-i-am/) [Reinhard Bonnke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhard-bonnke/) > [“The church's primary purpose is not to make America more Christian, but to make American Christians less American and Rwandan Christians less Rwandan. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuel-katongole/the-church-s-primary-purpose-is-not-to-make-america-more-christian/) [Emmanuel Katongole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuel-katongole/) ## More by Peter Kreeft > [“I strongly suspect that if we saw all the difference even the tiniest of our prayers to God make, and all the people those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/i-strongly-suspect-that-if-we-saw-all-the-difference-even-the-tiniest/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [The most total opposite of pleasure is not pain but boredom, for we are willing to risk pain to make a boring life interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/the-most-total-opposite-of-pleasure-is-not-pain-but-boredom-for-we/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [God's love is as objective as light. Because the sun in a sense is light, or the source of light rather than being lit,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/god-s-love-is-as-objective-as-light-because-the-sun-in-a-sense-is/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [The self is like a baseball. Throw it back to the divine pitcher who pitched it to you in the first place, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/the-self-is-like-a-baseball-throw-it-back-to-the-divine-pitcher-who/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [How will the Tower of Babel be undone? How will we understand each other in Heaven? Will we all speak English or Dutch or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/how-will-the-tower-of-babel-be-undone-how-will-we-understand-each/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [Humility is the marriage bond of Heaven. Pride is the frigidity of Hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/humility-is-the-marriage-bond-of-heaven-pride-is-the-frigidity-of-hell/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [“Socrates says we must be either fools because we think we are wise, or wise because we know we are fools. Christ says we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/socrates-says-we-must-be-either-fools-because-we-think-we-are-wise-or/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [No sane person wants hell to exist. No sane person wants evil to exist. But hell is just evil eternalized. If there is evil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/no-sane-person-wants-hell-to-exist-no-sane-person-wants-evil-to-exist/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [Science only answers the question, How does it work? Or at most, What's there? Science asks what and how, philosophy asks why, myth and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/science-only-answers-the-question-how-does-it-work-or-at-most-what-s/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [The most compelling evidence for God's existence is Christ. If God does not exist, then Christ was the biggest fool who ever lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/the-most-compelling-evidence-for-god-s-existence-is-christ-if-god/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [“One moment of prayer, of weak worship, confused contrition, tepid thanksgiving, or pitiful petition will bring us closer to God than all the books…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/one-moment-of-prayer-of-weak-worship-confused-contrition-tepid/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [God's interventions are miracles: events that cannot happen by merely natural agents but only by a supernatural agent. They no more interfere with our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/god-s-interventions-are-miracles-events-that-cannot-happen-by-merely/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [“And what is consensus? It means a majority of the individuals in a society coming together and agreeing to make their values into laws,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/and-what-is-consensus-it-means-a-majority-of-the-individuals-in-a/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [Love is the binding force on every level of existence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/love-is-the-binding-force-on-every-level-of-existence/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [We can't believe what we believe to be untrue, and we can't love what we believe to be unreal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/we-can-t-believe-what-we-believe-to-be-untrue-and-we-can-t-love-what/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) [Explore all 361 Peter Kreeft quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) ## More Buddhism quotes > [There are places that are very draining. There are places where there is another dimensional crossover but to a dimension that is not powerful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/there-are-places-that-are-very-draining-there-are-places-where-there/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Enlightenment is lightening up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-myers/enlightenment-is-lightening-up/) [Mike Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-myers/) > [The very best players, when they are practicing, put everything they've got into it. But then they leave it for a while. And it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/the-very-best-players-when-they-are-practicing-put-everything-they-ve/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) > [Everyone will admire you when you do well. What a horrible thing to do to someone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/everyone-will-admire-you-when-you-do-well-what-a-horrible-thing-to-do/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Nirvana is a word that means enlightenment, being beyond the illusion of birth and death, the illusion of pain, the illusion of love, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/nirvana-is-a-word-that-means-enlightenment-being-beyond-the-illusion/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [I think the most miraculous thing is learning. I get out of the way and let the students learn. Then you get to watch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/i-think-the-most-miraculous-thing-is-learning-i-get-out-of-the-way/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“Exactly. I think the original tantric Buddhists took notice of was some very wise old people who never studied in their youth, but took…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-niemczura/exactly-i-think-the-original-tantric-buddhists-took-notice-of-was/) [Joe Niemczura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-niemczura/) > [A human being can only absorb a small amount of the mystical kundalini, you can be exposed again and again to it, but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/a-human-being-can-only-absorb-a-small-amount-of-the-mystical/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [One of the things I regret about not putting in that book or I think it's there but I didn't really elaborate on it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-warner/one-of-the-things-i-regret-about-not-putting-in-that-book-or-i-think/) [Brad Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-warner/) > [My mom and my aunties are really devout Christians. My mom married a Muslim when I was 12, so I got teachings from both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tech-n9ne/my-mom-and-my-aunties-are-really-devout-christians-my-mom-married-a/) [Tech N9ne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tech-n9ne/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“The extraction of discrete parts of Chöd teachings from their broader philosophical contexts is symptomatic of how Chöd has been incorporated into and transmitted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-sorensen/the-extraction-of-discrete-parts-of-ch-d-teachings-from-their-broader/) [Michelle Sorensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-sorensen/) > [Buddhism advises you not to implant feelings that you don’t really have or avoid feelings that you do have. If you are miserable you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/buddhism-advises-you-not-to-implant-feelings-that-you-don-t-really/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“That's all there is, enlightenment on the end of a cock. It doesn't get any more Zen than that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaden-wilkes/that-s-all-there-is-enlightenment-on-the-end-of-a-cock-it-doesn-t-get/) [Jaden Wilkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaden-wilkes/) > [Aging is like enlightenment at gunpoint. Before I had cancer, I lived my life for my art. After I had cancer, I lived my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-halprin/aging-is-like-enlightenment-at-gunpoint-before-i-had-cancer-i-lived/) [Anna Halprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-halprin/) [Browse all 6,100 Buddhism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buddhism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Subtract miracles from Islam, Buddhism, Confucianism, or Toaism, and you have essentially the same religion left. Subtract miracles from Christianity, and you have nothing but the cliches and platitudes most American Christians get weekly (and weakly) from their pulpits.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Peter Kreeft" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/subtract-miracles-from-islam-buddhism-confucianism-or-toaism-and-you/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Buddhism" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/subtract-miracles-from-islam-buddhism-confucianism-or-toaism-and-you/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ba/peter-kreeft-820_buddhism_subtract-miracles-from-islam-buddhism-co_2417622.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ba/peter-kreeft-820_buddhism_subtract-miracles-from-islam-buddhism-co_2417622.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ba/peter-kreeft-820_buddhism_subtract-miracles-from-islam-buddhism-co_2417622.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Subtract miracles from Islam, Buddhism, Confucianism, or Toaism, and you have essentially the same religion…” — Peter Kreeft", "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": "Peter Kreeft", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Subtract miracles from Islam, Buddhism, Confucianism,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/subtract-miracles-from-islam-buddhism-confucianism-or-toaism-and-you/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/subtract-miracles-from-islam-buddhism-confucianism-or-toaism-and-you/#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 } } ] } ```