--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Whenever a controversy arises over sexual…" description: "\"“Whenever a controversy arises over sexual or reproductive morals, you can bet that religious leaders from several different faith groups will be promi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d0c/richard-dawkins-115_leadership_whenever-a-controversy-arises-over-sexua_957350.jpg" --- # Whenever a controversy arises over sexual or reproductive… ![“Whenever a controversy arises over sexual or reproductive morals, you can bet that religious leaders from several different faith groups will be prominently represented on influential committees, or on panel discussions on radio or television.” quote by Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d0c/richard-dawkins-115_leadership_whenever-a-controversy-arises-over-sexua_957350.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d0c/richard-dawkins-115_leadership_whenever-a-controversy-arises-over-sexua_957350.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d0c/richard-dawkins-115_leadership_whenever-a-controversy-arises-over-sexua_957350.jpg) > ““Whenever a controversy arises over sexual or reproductive morals, you can bet that religious leaders from several different faith groups will be prominently represented on influential committees, or on panel discussions on radio or television.”” [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Religious groups often dominate moral debates on sexuality and reproduction. **In simple terms:** Faith leaders shape public discourse on sexual ethics. Key Takeaway Recognize diverse influences in policy. Themes religion ethics politics Mood critical analytical Type observational political When to use this quote - legislation - media panels - community forums Key Concepts power dynamics public policy Questions to Reflect On - How balanced is representation? - What impact does this have on policy? A Different Perspective May marginalize secular perspectives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Controversy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/controversy/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religious leaders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious-leaders/) ## Related quotes > [Keeping young people out of community work sponsored by faith groups means an entire generation won't be as well-equipped to think and believe for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-o-toole/keeping-young-people-out-of-community-work-sponsored-by-faith-groups/) [Erin O'Toole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-o-toole/) > [My fundamental concern about the role of faith groups in providing social provision is democratic: how do we hold them to account? To whom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehdi-hasan/my-fundamental-concern-about-the-role-of-faith-groups-in-providing/) [Mehdi Hasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehdi-hasan/) > [I'm a sucker for nice religious leaders. I fall for it every time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/i-m-a-sucker-for-nice-religious-leaders-i-fall-for-it-every-time/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [People sometimes try to score debating points by saying, Evolution is only a theory. That is correct, but it's important to understand what that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/people-sometimes-try-to-score-debating-points-by-saying-evolution-is/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [There are very interesting controversies within evolution; however, whether evolution occurs is not one of them. It definitely does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/there-are-very-interesting-controversies-within-evolution-however/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [But certainly in Uganda, Mozambique and South Africa, people don't really talk about sex and certainly religious leaders - some of them - up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-thompson/but-certainly-in-uganda-mozambique-and-south-africa-people-don-t/) [Emma Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-thompson/) > [Religious leaders and men of science have the same ideals; they want to understand and explain the universe of which they are part; they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-keith/religious-leaders-and-men-of-science-have-the-same-ideals-they-want/) [Arthur Keith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-keith/) > [“In the 1970s, while researching in the Library of Congress, I found an obscure history of religious architecture that assumed a fact as if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/in-the-1970s-while-researching-in-the-library-of-congress-i-found-an/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [I have no religious belief myself, but I don't think we should fight about it. 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Spiritual beliefs are etched deeply on our psyches at a young age…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/it-is-a-messy-process-for-a-culture-to-abandon-its-deities-spiritual/) [Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/) > [Biblically speaking, fear was always used by the clergies to ensure that people would obey the rules that were allegedly bestowed by God upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rev-richard-skaff/biblically-speaking-fear-was-always-used-by-the-clergies-to-ensure/) [Rev Richard Skaff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rev-richard-skaff/) > [The American people intuitively understand this, which is why the majority of Catholics practice birth control and some of those opposed to gay marriage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-american-people-intuitively-understand-this-which-is-why-the/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [God's dream still remains unfulfilled. It was not fulfilled 2,000 years ago, or in the home of any religious leader or any American home,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-myung-moon/god-s-dream-still-remains-unfulfilled-it-was-not-fulfilled-2-000/) [Sun Myung Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-myung-moon/) ## More by Richard Dawkins > [At the deepest level, all living things that have ever been looked at have the same DNA code. And many of the same genes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/at-the-deepest-level-all-living-things-that-have-ever-been-looked-at/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [The word 'mundane' has come to mean 'boring' and 'dull', and it really shouldn't - it should mean the opposite. Because it comes from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/the-word-mundane-has-come-to-mean-boring-and-dull-and-it-really/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [We animals are the most complicated things in the known universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/we-animals-are-the-most-complicated-things-in-the-known-universe/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [“The fundamentalist Kurt Wise proclaims that all the evidence in the universe would not change his mind. The true scientist, however passionately he may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/the-fundamentalist-kurt-wise-proclaims-that-all-the-evidence-in-the/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [“I have found it an amusing strategy, when asked whether I am an atheist, to point out that the questioner is also an atheist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/i-have-found-it-an-amusing-strategy-when-asked-whether-i-am-an/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Religions do make claims about the universe--the same kinds of claims that scientists make, except they're usually false.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/religions-do-make-claims-about-the-universe-the-same-kinds-of-claims/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [“much of the Bible is not systematically evil but just plain weird, as you would expect of a chaotically cobbled-together anthology of disjointed documents,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/much-of-the-bible-is-not-systematically-evil-but-just-plain-weird-as/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [The recurrent laryngeal nerve - which runs from the head to the voice box - goes all the way down into the chest, loops…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/the-recurrent-laryngeal-nerve-which-runs-from-the-head-to-the-voice/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [The Roman Catholic Church is an institution for whose gains the phrase "ill-gotten" might have been specially invented. And of all its money-making rip-offs,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/the-roman-catholic-church-is-an-institution-for-whose-gains-the/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Let us understand what our own selfish genes are up to because we may then at least have the chance to upset their designs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/let-us-understand-what-our-own-selfish-genes-are-up-to-because-we-may/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [What's going to happen when I die? I may be buried, or I may be cremated, I may give my body to science. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/what-s-going-to-happen-when-i-die-i-may-be-buried-or-i-may-be/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Or why it is acceptable to train fast runners and high jumpers but not to breed them. I can think of some answers, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/or-why-it-is-acceptable-to-train-fast-runners-and-high-jumpers-but/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [We have seen that living things are too improbable and too beautifully 'designed' to have come into existence by chance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/we-have-seen-that-living-things-are-too-improbable-and-too/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [“We will not go quietly away. If in the future that requires violence”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/we-will-not-go-quietly-away-if-in-the-future-that-requires-violence/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [It's a truly disgusting idea that the creator of the universe - capable of inventing the laws of physics and designing the evolutionary process…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/it-s-a-truly-disgusting-idea-that-the-creator-of-the-universe-capable/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) [Explore all 1,239 Richard Dawkins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) ## More Controversy quotes > [If Melanchthon were alive today, he might not weep because of controversies that surround the Lord's Supper, but he might well sorrow because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-w-lutzer/if-melanchthon-were-alive-today-he-might-not-weep-because-of/) [Erwin W. Lutzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-w-lutzer/) > [ As we have seen after every other \[Donald\] Trump controversy, this one only increased their enthusiasm for him. His supporters thought the idea of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-inskeep/as-we-have-seen-after-every-other-donald-trump-controversy-this-one/) [Steve Inskeep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-inskeep/) > [My pride is the length of time I have worked in the industry without any major controversy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sajid-nadiadwala/my-pride-is-the-length-of-time-i-have-worked-in-the-industry-without/) [Sajid Nadiadwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sajid-nadiadwala/) > [Controversy equalizes fools and wise men in the same way - and the fools know it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr-2/controversy-equalizes-fools-and-wise-men-in-the-same-way-and-the/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr-2/) > [Some people want to have controversy between the races.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-rodman/some-people-want-to-have-controversy-between-the-races/) [Dennis Rodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-rodman/) > [Controversy for the sake of controversy is sin. Controversy for the sake of truth is a divine command.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-martin/controversy-for-the-sake-of-controversy-is-sin-controversy-for-the/) [Walter Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-martin/) > [Sometimes as a player you do not want to get into a controversy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sourav-ganguly/sometimes-as-a-player-you-do-not-want-to-get-into-a-controversy/) [Sourav Ganguly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sourav-ganguly/) > [Science does not enter a chaotic society to put order into it anymore, to simplify its composition, and to put an end to controversies.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-latour/science-does-not-enter-a-chaotic-society-to-put-order-into-it-anymore/) [Bruno Latour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-latour/) > [I am disappointed by this controversy surrounding A Million Little Pieces because I rely on the publishers to define the category that a book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/i-am-disappointed-by-this-controversy-surrounding-a-million-little/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [My stress on the truth in sexual stereotypes and on the biologic basis of sex differences is sure to cause controversy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/my-stress-on-the-truth-in-sexual-stereotypes-and-on-the-biologic/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [Controversy sells, politics sell, all that type of stuff sells.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jadakiss/controversy-sells-politics-sell-all-that-type-of-stuff-sells/) [Jadakiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jadakiss/) > [Please don't think that I got married on TV for publicity. I already enjoyed a huge fan following, courtesy my character in Bidaai.' Instead,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-khan/please-don-t-think-that-i-got-married-on-tv-for-publicity-i-already/) [Sara Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-khan/) > [There's a lot of controversy online, some people say i'm a genius and other say i'm hugely talented.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-kindler/there-s-a-lot-of-controversy-online-some-people-say-i-m-a-genius-and/) [Andy Kindler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-kindler/) > [Gossip is never fatal until it is denied. Gossip goes on about every human being alive and about all the dead that are alive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/booth-tarkington/gossip-is-never-fatal-until-it-is-denied-gossip-goes-on-about-every/) [Booth Tarkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/booth-tarkington/) > [I think controversy is an interesting thing in that it usually goes hand in hand with starting conversations that surround taboo or under-discussed topics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-sharp/i-think-controversy-is-an-interesting-thing-in-that-it-usually-goes/) [Alex Sharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-sharp/) [Browse all 604 Controversy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/controversy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Whenever a controversy arises over sexual or reproductive morals, you can bet that religious leaders from several different faith groups will be prominently represented on influential committees, or on panel discussions on radio or television.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Richard Dawkins" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/whenever-a-controversy-arises-over-sexual-or-reproductive-morals-you/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Controversy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/whenever-a-controversy-arises-over-sexual-or-reproductive-morals-you/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d0c/richard-dawkins-115_leadership_whenever-a-controversy-arises-over-sexua_957350.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d0c/richard-dawkins-115_leadership_whenever-a-controversy-arises-over-sexua_957350.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d0c/richard-dawkins-115_leadership_whenever-a-controversy-arises-over-sexua_957350.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Whenever a controversy arises over sexual or reproductive morals, you can bet that religious leaders from…” — Richard Dawkins", "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": "Richard Dawkins", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Whenever a controversy arises over sexual...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/whenever-a-controversy-arises-over-sexual-or-reproductive-morals-you/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/whenever-a-controversy-arises-over-sexual-or-reproductive-morals-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 } } ] } ```