--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Saul is a devout believer only in…" description: "\"“Saul is a devout believer only in himself, and he was convinced that the religious faith of others, if manipulated skillfully, was an excellent path t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20e/rysa-walker-14032_faith_saul-is-a-devout-believer-only-in-himsel_922166.jpg" --- # Saul is a devout believer only in himself, and he was… ![“Saul is a devout believer only in himself, and he was convinced that the religious faith of others, if manipulated skillfully, was an excellent path to the power he sought. He was studying religions of the world in order to pick up tips on how to build his own.” quote by Rysa Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20e/rysa-walker-14032_faith_saul-is-a-devout-believer-only-in-himsel_922166.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20e/rysa-walker-14032_faith_saul-is-a-devout-believer-only-in-himsel_922166.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20e/rysa-walker-14032_faith_saul-is-a-devout-believer-only-in-himsel_922166.jpg) > ““Saul is a devout believer only in himself, and he was convinced that the religious faith of others, if manipulated skillfully, was an excellent path to the power he sought. He was studying religions of the world in order to pick up tips on how to build his own.”” [Rysa Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rysa-walker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A manipulative leader uses others’ faith as a tool for personal power, studying religions to exploit them. **In simple terms:** Leaders may exploit faith for power. Key Takeaway Beware of manipulation. Themes power religion manipulation leadership Mood cautious critical Type political psychological When to use this quote - political campaigns - cult recruitment - corporate branding - media messaging Key Concepts political theory psychology Questions to Reflect On - How can we discern sincere belief from exploitation? - What safeguards protect against religious manipulation? A Different Perspective Not all religious study is manipulative; many seek genuine understanding. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religious faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious-faith/) ## Related quotes > [You start Saul, and end up Paul,' my grandfather had often said. 'When you're a youngun, you Saul, but let life whup your head…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-start-saul-and-end-up-paul-my-grandfather-had-often-said-when-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I was working with Bryan Cranston in 'All the Way.' 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In one moment of emotion, our lips…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-payne/never-had-we-ever-kissed-as-lovers-if-we-touched-lips-it-was-as/) [Roman Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-payne/) > [“SAUL: 'We made love outdoors, my favorite place to make love, assuming the weather be fair and balmy, and the earth beneath be clean.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-payne/saul-we-made-love-outdoors-my-favorite-place-to-make-love-assuming/) [Roman Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-payne/) > [Saul Bellow never took my advice when he was my friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-fiedler/saul-bellow-never-took-my-advice-when-he-was-my-friend/) [Leslie Fiedler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-fiedler/) > [“Israel's first king, Saul, looked like he was born for the role. He was tall, handsome, intelligent, and sensitive to God's leading. But he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swindoll-charles-r/israel-s-first-king-saul-looked-like-he-was-born-for-the-role-he-was/) [Swindoll Charles R](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swindoll-charles-r/) > ['Son of Saul' film is extremely emotional; you're watching people walk in, you're watching people die. It centers around a child that goes into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bun-b/son-of-saul-film-is-extremely-emotional-you-re-watching-people-walk/) [Bun B](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bun-b/) > [David, Moses, Saul of Tarsus, these were all people who did terrible terrible things - they were murderers. The Bible would be a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-claiborne/david-moses-saul-of-tarsus-these-were-all-people-who-did-terrible/) [Shane Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-claiborne/) > [ \[at CMC West Coast 2011, on 1 Samuel 14\] If just a few of you would step up and be like Jonathan ... as… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/at-cmc-west-coast-2011-on-1-samuel-14-if-just-a-few-of-you-would-step/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [“Saul, the first king of the Israelites, and Nebuchadnezzar, the mighty king of Babylon, both offended Yahweh, and both received a terrible punishment for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-scull/saul-the-first-king-of-the-israelites-and-nebuchadnezzar-the-mighty/) [Andrew Scull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-scull/) > [“Saul tapped his wife's obstinate chin. "Mrs. Benedict, you certainly are. You promised to obey." "That was thirty years ago! Before the wedding ceremony…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-stirling/saul-tapped-his-wife-s-obstinate-chin-mrs-benedict-you-certainly-are/) [Joss Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-stirling/) > [“ACT9.21 But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/act9-21-but-all-that-heard-him-were-amazed-and-said-is-not-this-he/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Have you heard of the most evil things done by people in their lifetime? They have coveted men's wives, killed hundreds of Christians and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/have-you-heard-of-the-most-evil-things-done-by-people-in-their/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) ## More by Rysa Walker > [“Having your existence completely erased has to qualify as a life-changing event, by anyone’s definition.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rysa-walker/having-your-existence-completely-erased-has-to-qualify-as-a-life/) [Rysa Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rysa-walker/) > [“Okay,” I tell Aaron, once I’ve hung up. “Just so you know, Deo will call Dr. Kelsey, the police, the FBI, the entire Avengers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rysa-walker/okay-i-tell-aaron-once-i-ve-hung-up-just-so-you-know-deo-will-call-dr/) [Rysa Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rysa-walker/) > [“But if the coast is clear and we go check out the cabin in the back, do not—” “Touch anything,” Taylor says, tugging on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rysa-walker/but-if-the-coast-is-clear-and-we-go-check-out-the-cabin-in-the-back/) [Rysa Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rysa-walker/) > [“There’s no shower, no paper towels. Just the sink, cold water, and hand soap. Girl, you look like a poster for that Carrie movie.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rysa-walker/there-s-no-shower-no-paper-towels-just-the-sink-cold-water-and-hand/) [Rysa Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rysa-walker/) > [“You cannot hide from your heart, Kate. It always finds you. And, sadly, I cannot hide from mine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rysa-walker/you-cannot-hide-from-your-heart-kate-it-always-finds-you-and-sadly-i/) [Rysa Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rysa-walker/) > [“Someone dropped her off in a shopping mall food court just before her third birthday. Pinned to her dress was a note with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rysa-walker/someone-dropped-her-off-in-a-shopping-mall-food-court-just-before-her/) [Rysa Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rysa-walker/) > [“So I sat at the kitchen table chopping the “holy trinity” of Creole cuisine—bell peppers, celery, and onions—”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rysa-walker/so-i-sat-at-the-kitchen-table-chopping-the-holy-trinity-of-creole/) [Rysa Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rysa-walker/) > [“Timebound is her debut novel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rysa-walker/timebound-is-her-debut-novel/) [Rysa Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rysa-walker/) > [“We’re about five steps down when he says, “I feel like we’ve walked into a horror movie. Two teens sneak down to the basement,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rysa-walker/we-re-about-five-steps-down-when-he-says-i-feel-like-we-ve-walked/) [Rysa Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rysa-walker/) > [“Maybe it’s just the fact that this has been one bitch of a day. Either way, his question annoys me. I kind of want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rysa-walker/maybe-it-s-just-the-fact-that-this-has-been-one-bitch-of-a-day-either/) [Rysa Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rysa-walker/) > [“that increasing the role of religion in society would make things worse, not better.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rysa-walker/that-increasing-the-role-of-religion-in-society-would-make-things/) [Rysa Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rysa-walker/) > [“I nod. “Thanks. Molly was definitely right about one thing, you know.” A grin inches across his face. “That I’m gorgeous?” Yes , I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rysa-walker/i-nod-thanks-molly-was-definitely-right-about-one-thing-you-know-a/) [Rysa Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rysa-walker/) > [“holy trinity” of Creole cuisine—bell peppers, celery, and onions—while”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rysa-walker/holy-trinity-of-creole-cuisine-bell-peppers-celery-and-onions-while/) [Rysa Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rysa-walker/) > [“All major religions have rules against murder. If they didn’t, there would be few converts. 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When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Eternal Trinity... mystery deep as the sea, You could give me no greater gift than the gift of Yourself. For You are a fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-catherine-of-siena/eternal-trinity-mystery-deep-as-the-sea-you-could-give-me-no-greater/) [St. Catherine of Siena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-catherine-of-siena/) > [Keep the faith, and keep going strong!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doreen-virtue/keep-the-faith-and-keep-going-strong/) [Doreen Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doreen-virtue/) > [It’s so important to create in your own voice, to hold onto what makes you unique, and have faith in your vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/it-s-so-important-to-create-in-your-own-voice-to-hold-onto-what-makes/) [John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/) > [Faith gives you a certain structure and meaning to your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riffat-hassan/faith-gives-you-a-certain-structure-and-meaning-to-your-life/) Riffat Hassan > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [“No man is prejudiced in favour of a thing, knowing it to be wrong. He is attached to it on the belief of its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/no-man-is-prejudiced-in-favour-of-a-thing-knowing-it-to-be-wrong-he/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [Holiness sincerity, and faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/holiness-sincerity-and-faith/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [“The only limitations for your life are the limiting beliefs in your mind. —Matt Morris”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-morris-1/the-only-limitations-for-your-life-are-the-limiting-beliefs-in-your/) Matt Morris (1 > [“Just because your faith is shaken doesn’t mean the faith is shaken. 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