--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To defend something is always to…" description: "\"“To defend something is always to discredit it. Let a man have a warehouse full of gold, let him be willing to give away a ducat to every one of the po..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/746/s-ren-kierkegaard-1686_quote_to-defend-something-is-always-to-discred_1338042.jpg" --- # To defend something is always to discredit it. Let a man… ![“To defend something is always to discredit it. Let a man have a warehouse full of gold, let him be willing to give away a ducat to every one of the poor - but let him also be stupid enough to begin this charitable undertaking of his with a defence in which he offers three good reasons in…” quote by Søren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/746/s-ren-kierkegaard-1686_quote_to-defend-something-is-always-to-discred_1338042.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/746/s-ren-kierkegaard-1686_quote_to-defend-something-is-always-to-discred_1338042.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/746/s-ren-kierkegaard-1686_quote_to-defend-something-is-always-to-discred_1338042.jpg) > ““To defend something is always to discredit it. Let a man have a warehouse full of gold, let him be willing to give away a ducat to every one of the poor - but let him also be stupid enough to begin this charitable undertaking of his with a defence in which he offers three good reasons in justification; and it will almost come to the point of people finding it doubtful whether indeed he is doing something good. But now for Christianity. Yes, the person who defends that has never believed in it. If he does believe, then the enthusiasm of faith is not a defence, no, it is the assault and the victory; a believer is a victor.”” [Søren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ren-kierkegaard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Defending something often masks true motives; genuine belief drives action, not rational justifications. **In simple terms:** Defending hides intent; belief fuels action. Key Takeaway Seek authentic belief over clever arguments. Themes faith authenticity motivation defense Mood thoughtful critical inquisitive Type philosophical reflective theological When to use this quote - religious debate - personal conviction - ethical decision making - public policy - charitable actions Key Concepts Existentialism theology psychology Questions to Reflect On - What motivates your defenses? - Can belief be expressed without argument? A Different Perspective Defenses can be self‑deceptive, obscuring real impact. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Defend Discredit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defend-discredit-2227468/) [Defends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defends/) [Defends Believed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defends-believed-2227469/) [Faith Defence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith-defence-4511204/) [Person Defends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/person-defends-2227470/) ## Related quotes > [To defend something is always to discredit it. Let a man have a warehouse full of gold, let him be willing to give away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/to-defend-something-is-always-to-discredit-it-let-a-man-have-a-2/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [I'm not a person who defends myself very often. I kind of let my actions speak for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-brady/i-m-not-a-person-who-defends-myself-very-often-i-kind-of-let-my/) [Tom Brady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-brady/) > [The World Trade Organization is an organization that defends trade interests. I think the problem is less that they exist. The problem is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noreena-hertz/the-world-trade-organization-is-an-organization-that-defends-trade/) [Noreena Hertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noreena-hertz/) > [Man only honors what he conquers or defends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-goebbels/man-only-honors-what-he-conquers-or-defends/) [Joseph Goebbels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-goebbels/) > [For me, what makes Liverpool special is that they are a team that works very well on the lines, very compact, in which everyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bojan-krkic/for-me-what-makes-liverpool-special-is-that-they-are-a-team-that/) [Bojan Krkic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bojan-krkic/) > [No science ever defends its first principles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/no-science-ever-defends-its-first-principles/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [I never seem to be able to sell my films correctly in the U.S. The U.S. defends itself on its own turf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-ocelot/i-never-seem-to-be-able-to-sell-my-films-correctly-in-the-u-s-the-u-s/) [Michel Ocelot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-ocelot/) > [A true friend is one who upon seeing a fault gives you advice and defends you in your absence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narenkumar/a-true-friend-is-one-who-upon-seeing-a-fault-gives-you-advice-and/) [Narenkumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narenkumar/) > [Exercise thy lasting youth defends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gay/exercise-thy-lasting-youth-defends/) [John Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gay/) > [Ecuador is a country which defends the right to life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-correa/ecuador-is-a-country-which-defends-the-right-to-life/) [Rafael Correa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-correa/) > [God loves and defends those with the least economic and social power, and so should we.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/god-loves-and-defends-those-with-the-least-economic-and-social-power/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [Republicans constantly claim to be the party that defends the Constitution. We have no legitimate right to that claim until we get right on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mckinnon/republicans-constantly-claim-to-be-the-party-that-defends-the/) [Mark McKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mckinnon/) > [The length of this document defends it well against the risk of its being read.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-length-of-this-document-defends-it-well-against-the-risk-of-its/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [Every nation makes decisions based on self-interest and defends them on the basis of morality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-sloane-coffin/every-nation-makes-decisions-based-on-self-interest-and-defends-them/) [William Sloane Coffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-sloane-coffin/) > [Truth is treasurer.You have not to defend it.Truth always defends itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dranil-kr-sinha/truth-is-treasurer-you-have-not-to-defend-it-truth-always-defends/) [DrAnil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dranil-kr-sinha/) ## More by Søren Kierkegaard > [“At vove er at miste fodfæstet et kort øjeblik - ikke at vove er at miste sig selv.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ren-kierkegaard/at-vove-er-at-miste-fodf-stet-et-kort-jeblik-ikke-at-vove-er-at-miste/) [Søren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ren-kierkegaard/) > [“Who tricked me into this whole thing and leaves me standing here? Who am I? How did I get into the world? Why was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ren-kierkegaard/who-tricked-me-into-this-whole-thing-and-leaves-me-standing-here-who/) [Søren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ren-kierkegaard/) > [“No woman in maternity confinement can have stranger and more impatient wishes than I have.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ren-kierkegaard/no-woman-in-maternity-confinement-can-have-stranger-and-more/) [Søren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ren-kierkegaard/) > [“If a man had a little button sewn on the inner pocket of his coat 'on principle' his otherwise unimportant and quite serviceable action…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ren-kierkegaard/if-a-man-had-a-little-button-sewn-on-the-inner-pocket-of-his-coat-on/) [Søren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ren-kierkegaard/) > [“I stick my finger in existence — it smells of nothing. Where am I? Who am I? How came I here? What is this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ren-kierkegaard/i-stick-my-finger-in-existence-it-smells-of-nothing-where-am-i-who-am/) [Søren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ren-kierkegaard/) > [“A human being is spirit. But what is spirit? Spirit is the self. But what is the self? The self is a relation that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ren-kierkegaard/a-human-being-is-spirit-but-what-is-spirit-spirit-is-the-self-but/) [Søren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ren-kierkegaard/) > [“I am poor—you are my riches; dark—you are my light; I own nothing, need nothing. And how could I own anything? After all, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ren-kierkegaard/i-am-poor-you-are-my-riches-dark-you-are-my-light-i-own-nothing-need/) [Søren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ren-kierkegaard/) > [“Intohimo ei merkitse sanoja.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ren-kierkegaard/intohimo-ei-merkitse-sanoja/) [Søren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ren-kierkegaard/) > [“But there is a concerned guide, a knowing one, who attracts the attention of the wanderer, who calls out to him that he should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ren-kierkegaard/but-there-is-a-concerned-guide-a-knowing-one-who-attracts-the/) [Søren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ren-kierkegaard/) > [“There is something frightful in the fact that the most dangerous thing of all, playing at Christianity, is never included in the list of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ren-kierkegaard/there-is-something-frightful-in-the-fact-that-the-most-dangerous/) [Søren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ren-kierkegaard/) > [“Yet in another and still more definite sense despair is the sickness unto death. It is indeed very far from being true that, literally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ren-kierkegaard/yet-in-another-and-still-more-definite-sense-despair-is-the-sickness/) [Søren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ren-kierkegaard/) > [“Sitting calmly on a ship in fair weather is not a metaphor for having faith; but when the ship has sprung a leak, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ren-kierkegaard/sitting-calmly-on-a-ship-in-fair-weather-is-not-a-metaphor-for-having/) [Søren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ren-kierkegaard/) > [“Not merely in the realm of commerce but in the world of ideas as well our age is organizing a regular clearance sale. Everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ren-kierkegaard/not-merely-in-the-realm-of-commerce-but-in-the-world-of-ideas-as-well/) [Søren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ren-kierkegaard/) > [“In love with myself, that is what people say I am. 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We have no legitimate right to that claim until we get right on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mckinnon/republicans-constantly-claim-to-be-the-party-that-defends-the/) [Mark McKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mckinnon/) > [God loves and defends those with the least economic and social power, and so should we.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/god-loves-and-defends-those-with-the-least-economic-and-social-power/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [Ecuador is a country which defends the right to life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-correa/ecuador-is-a-country-which-defends-the-right-to-life/) [Rafael Correa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-correa/) > [Exercise thy lasting youth defends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gay/exercise-thy-lasting-youth-defends/) [John Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gay/) > [A true friend is one who upon seeing a fault gives you advice and defends you in your absence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narenkumar/a-true-friend-is-one-who-upon-seeing-a-fault-gives-you-advice-and/) [Narenkumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narenkumar/) > [I never seem to be able to sell my films correctly in the U.S. The U.S. defends itself on its own turf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-ocelot/i-never-seem-to-be-able-to-sell-my-films-correctly-in-the-u-s-the-u-s/) [Michel Ocelot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-ocelot/) > [I'm not a person who defends myself very often. I kind of let my actions speak for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-brady/i-m-not-a-person-who-defends-myself-very-often-i-kind-of-let-my/) [Tom Brady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-brady/) > [No science ever defends its first principles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/no-science-ever-defends-its-first-principles/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [For me, what makes Liverpool special is that they are a team that works very well on the lines, very compact, in which everyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bojan-krkic/for-me-what-makes-liverpool-special-is-that-they-are-a-team-that/) [Bojan Krkic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bojan-krkic/) > [Man only honors what he conquers or defends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-goebbels/man-only-honors-what-he-conquers-or-defends/) [Joseph Goebbels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-goebbels/) > [The World Trade Organization is an organization that defends trade interests. I think the problem is less that they exist. The problem is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noreena-hertz/the-world-trade-organization-is-an-organization-that-defends-trade/) [Noreena Hertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noreena-hertz/) > [This report, by its very length, defends itself against the risk of being read.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/this-report-by-its-very-length-defends-itself-against-the-risk-of/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) [Browse all 36 Defends quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defends/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“To defend something is always to discredit it. 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