---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm against redefining marriage…"
description: "\"I'm against redefining marriage historically 5,000 years... because then it'll be re-defined. What if it's between a brother and a sister?\" — Rick Warren"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b93/rick-warren-230_brother_i-m-against-redefining-marriage-historic_2441281.png"
---

#  I'm against redefining marriage historically 5,000…

![“I'm against redefining marriage historically 5,000 years... because then it'll be re-defined. What if it's between a brother and a sister?” quote by Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b93/rick-warren-230_brother_i-m-against-redefining-marriage-historic_2441281.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b93/rick-warren-230_brother_i-m-against-redefining-marriage-historic_2441281.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b93/rick-warren-230_brother_i-m-against-redefining-marriage-historic_2441281.png)

> “I'm against redefining marriage historically 5,000 years... because then it'll be re-defined. What if it's between a brother and a sister?”

[Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/)

## About This Quote

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

Redefining marriage historically risks absurd extensions, like incestuous unions.

**In simple terms:** Changing marriage definition can lead to extreme misinterpretations.

Key Takeaway

Guard against overly broad definitions.

Themes

marriage definition social norms

Mood

thoughtful cautious

Type

philosophical debate

When to use this quote

- policy debates
- family counseling
- religious teaching

Key Concepts

ethics cultural relativism legal theory

Questions to Reflect On

- What boundaries should define marriage?
- How do traditions shape legal definitions?

A Different Perspective

Cultural context may limit the analogy’s relevance.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Brother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brother/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/)

## Related quotes

> [At my core, what I think we need to do is to get the basics right again. We need to rebuild our family structure,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-brownback/at-my-core-what-i-think-we-need-to-do-is-to-get-the-basics-right/)

[Sam Brownback](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-brownback/)

> [The activists will not stop in trying to impose their extreme views on the rest of us, and they have now plotted out a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-bunning/the-activists-will-not-stop-in-trying-to-impose-their-extreme-views/)

[Jim Bunning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-bunning/)

> [Marriage is not defined in the federal Constitution at all; it's a matter for the states. And applying the Fourteenth Amendment to the equality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-huckabee/marriage-is-not-defined-in-the-federal-constitution-at-all-it-s-a/)

[Mike Huckabee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-huckabee/)

> [Redefining marriage will have huge implications for what is taught in our schools, and for wider society. It will redefine society since the institution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-o-brien/redefining-marriage-will-have-huge-implications-for-what-is-taught-in/)

[Keith O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-o-brien/)

> [Marriage has historically been in the domain of the States to regulate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corrine-brown/marriage-has-historically-been-in-the-domain-of-the-states-to-regulate/)

[Corrine Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corrine-brown/)

> [Marriage has historically, as long as there's been human history, meant a man and a woman in a relationship for life. Once we change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-huckabee/marriage-has-historically-as-long-as-there-s-been-human-history-meant/)

[Mike Huckabee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-huckabee/)

> [Marriage ... has historically been a battlefield, the site of collisions within and between governments and religions over who should regulate it. But marriage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-wolfson/marriage-has-historically-been-a-battlefield-the-site-of-collisions/)

[Evan Wolfson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-wolfson/)

> [Everyone needs to stop and breathe and look at how redefining marriage will have a hugely chilling effect on religious liberty in America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-metaxas/everyone-needs-to-stop-and-breathe-and-look-at-how-redefining/)

[Eric Metaxas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-metaxas/)

> [Giving public sanction to homosexual marriage ends up redefining marriage, and it's certain to harm children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-cuccinelli/giving-public-sanction-to-homosexual-marriage-ends-up-redefining/)

[Ken Cuccinelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-cuccinelli/)

> [“No one acts in a void. We all take cues from cultural norms, shaped by the law. For the law affects our ideas of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherif-girgis/no-one-acts-in-a-void-we-all-take-cues-from-cultural-norms-shaped-by/)

Sherif Girgis

> [I'm very scared to do it. What if I don't come back? With the whole light-years thing, what if I come back 10,000 years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paris-hilton/i-m-very-scared-to-do-it-what-if-i-don-t-come-back-with-the-whole/)

[Paris Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paris-hilton/)

> [An adaptable company is one that captures more than its fair share of new opportunities. It's always redefining its 'core business' in ways that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hamel/an-adaptable-company-is-one-that-captures-more-than-its-fair-share-of/)

[Gary Hamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hamel/)

> [MTV has always been about redefining itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-quinn/mtv-has-always-been-about-redefining-itself/)

[Martha Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-quinn/)

> [The problem when arguing with those who believe in atheistic evolution is that they move goal posts by redefining atheism or evolution or the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-comfort/the-problem-when-arguing-with-those-who-believe-in-atheistic/)

[Ray Comfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-comfort/)

> [“All struggles against oppression in the modern woeld begin by redefining what had previously been consideered private, non-public and non-political issues as matters of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seyla-benhabib/all-struggles-against-oppression-in-the-modern-woeld-begin-by/)

Seyla Benhabib

## More by Rick Warren

> [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/)

[Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/)

> [Change always starts in your mind. The way you think determines the way you feel, and the way you feel influences the way you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/change-always-starts-in-your-mind-the-way-you-think-determines-the/)

[Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/)

> [If Jesus is king in heaven then the Kingdom of God is in heaven. If Jesus is king, reign on earth then the Kingdom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/if-jesus-is-king-in-heaven-then-the-kingdom-of-god-is-in-heaven-if/)

[Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/)

> [“The Bible says, “You must make allowance for each other’s faults and forgive the person who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/the-bible-says-you-must-make-allowance-for-each-other-s-faults-and/)

[Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/)

> [If it grows on a plant, it's healthy. If it's made in a plant, don't eat it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/if-it-grows-on-a-plant-it-s-healthy-if-it-s-made-in-a-plant-don-t-eat/)

[Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/)

> [Those that innovate the future understand history the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/those-that-innovate-the-future-understand-history-the-best/)

[Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/)

> [When you jump across a canyon, cautious small steps and vacillation won't work. Sometimes you just have to go for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/when-you-jump-across-a-canyon-cautious-small-steps-and-vacillation/)

[Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/)

> [We often miss hearing God's voice simply because we aren't paying attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/we-often-miss-hearing-god-s-voice-simply-because-we-aren-t-paying/)

[Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/)

> [Law is downstream from culture. By the time you make a law about something, you're reacting, not acting. I'd rather shape the culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/law-is-downstream-from-culture-by-the-time-you-make-a-law-about/)

[Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/)

> [“If you look at the world, you’ll be distressed. If you look within, you’ll be depressed. But if you look at Christ, you’ll be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/if-you-look-at-the-world-you-ll-be-distressed-if-you-look-within-you/)

[Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/)

> [It is mind-boggling to me that the Almighty power created everything I see; the Bible says that God created the entire universe just so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/it-is-mind-boggling-to-me-that-the-almighty-power-created-everything/)

[Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/)

> [The role of the church and the government are fundamentally different. The church must always show compassion - always.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/the-role-of-the-church-and-the-government-are-fundamentally-different/)

[Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/)

> [We become whatever we are committed to](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/we-become-whatever-we-are-committed-to/)

[Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/)

> [“but it does mean God is able to redeem any and all situations and use them for his own good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/but-it-does-mean-god-is-able-to-redeem-any-and-all-situations-and-use/)

[Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/)

> [Well actually I don't think it's a bunch of bad things that send us to hell. I think it is rejection of God's grace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/well-actually-i-don-t-think-it-s-a-bunch-of-bad-things-that-send-us/)

[Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/)

[Explore all 847 Rick Warren quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/)

## More Brother quotes

> [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/)

[Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/)

> [Whatever meaning 'Annie's Song' had for me on a personal level, there was also a larger context. It could just as easily have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-denver/whatever-meaning-annie-s-song-had-for-me-on-a-personal-level-there/)

[John Denver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-denver/)

> [Luckily, the bullet that hit my chest never got to me. It was stopped by a silver case I got for my brother's wedding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-doohan/luckily-the-bullet-that-hit-my-chest-never-got-to-me-it-was-stopped/)

[James Doohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-doohan/)

> [“Yeah. You treat him like a son or a soldier, instead of like a brother. He wants you to like him and admire him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faith-hunter/yeah-you-treat-him-like-a-son-or-a-soldier-instead-of-like-a-brother/)

[Faith Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faith-hunter/)

> [“Your relationship with your brother will be, in many ways, the most complex and bewildering of all the interpersonal connections you will form. An…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-currie-jr/your-relationship-with-your-brother-will-be-in-many-ways-the-most/)

[Ron Currie Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-currie-jr/)

> [If I had my brothers I think with just a little bit of the correct marketing, I'd like to be almost exclusively in small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-bozzio/if-i-had-my-brothers-i-think-with-just-a-little-bit-of-the-correct/)

[Terry Bozzio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-bozzio/)

> [There's no publicist, no advertisements, and no one's pushing us. If people are buying our records, it's because big brothers and sisters or friends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-moody/there-s-no-publicist-no-advertisements-and-no-one-s-pushing-us-if/)

Spencer Moody

> [The only way to make sure that the Hand didn't get to you would have been to kill your brother. I could've done it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/the-only-way-to-make-sure-that-the-hand-didn-t-get-to-you-would-have/)

[Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/)

> [“Your favorite son and brother, Shade. Like”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-aveyard/your-favorite-son-and-brother-shade-like/)

[Victoria Aveyard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-aveyard/)

> [Sister + brother = a lovely family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sister-brother-a-lovely-family/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [There ain't no such thing as black Muslims. That's how they tried to cut off all my brothers in the rest of the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/there-ain-t-no-such-thing-as-black-muslims-that-s-how-they-tried-to/)

[Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/)

> [Brothers and Sisters, I bid you beware Of giving your heart to a dog to tear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/brothers-and-sisters-i-bid-you-beware-of-giving-your-heart-to-a-dog/)

[Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/)

> [Like a child exploring the attic of an old house on a rainy day, discovering a trunk full of treasure and then calling all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/like-a-child-exploring-the-attic-of-an-old-house-on-a-rainy-day/)

[Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/)

> [Stephanie could see the greed seep into the watery eyes of her father’s other brother, a horrible little man called Fergus, as he nodded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-landy/stephanie-could-see-the-greed-seep-into-the-watery-eyes-of-her-father/)

[Derek Landy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-landy/)

> [I worked in a barbershop. I used to make the waves in the brother's hair, you know? Like, Nat King Cole, Sugar Ray Robinson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clinton/i-worked-in-a-barbershop-i-used-to-make-the-waves-in-the-brother-s/)

[George Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clinton/)

[Browse all 7,453 Brother quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brother/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I'm against redefining marriage historically 5,000 years... because then it'll be re-defined. What if it's between a brother and a sister?",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Rick Warren"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/i-m-against-redefining-marriage-historically-5-000-years-because-then/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Brother"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/i-m-against-redefining-marriage-historically-5-000-years-because-then/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b93/rick-warren-230_brother_i-m-against-redefining-marriage-historic_2441281.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b93/rick-warren-230_brother_i-m-against-redefining-marriage-historic_2441281.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b93/rick-warren-230_brother_i-m-against-redefining-marriage-historic_2441281.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I'm against redefining marriage historically 5,000 years... because then it'll be re-defined. What if it's…” — Rick Warren",
                "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": "Rick Warren",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I'm against redefining marriage historically 5,000...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/i-m-against-redefining-marriage-historically-5-000-years-because-then/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/i-m-against-redefining-marriage-historically-5-000-years-because-then/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
