--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The moment you say that any idea system…" description: "\"“The moment you say that any idea system is sacred, whether it’s a religious belief system or a secular ideology, the moment you declare a set of ideas..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6d/salman-rushdie-153_criticism_the-moment-you-say-that-any-idea-system_1760385.jpg" --- # The moment you say that any idea system is sacred, whether… ![“The moment you say that any idea system is sacred, whether it’s a religious belief system or a secular ideology, the moment you declare a set of ideas to be immune from criticism, satire, derision, or contempt, freedom of thought becomes impossible.” quote by Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6d/salman-rushdie-153_criticism_the-moment-you-say-that-any-idea-system_1760385.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6d/salman-rushdie-153_criticism_the-moment-you-say-that-any-idea-system_1760385.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6d/salman-rushdie-153_criticism_the-moment-you-say-that-any-idea-system_1760385.jpg) > ““The moment you say that any idea system is sacred, whether it’s a religious belief system or a secular ideology, the moment you declare a set of ideas to be immune from criticism, satire, derision, or contempt, freedom of thought becomes impossible.”” [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote warns that declaring any idea system sacred blocks criticism, ending freedom of thought. **In simple terms:** Sacred ideas stop free thought. Key Takeaway Never make ideas immune to critique. Themes freedom criticism ideology Mood cautious defensive Type philosophical political When to use this quote - political debate - academic discourse - media analysis Key Concepts censorship intellectual liberty Questions to Reflect On - How can we critique without disrespect? - What protects ideas from harmful attacks? A Different Perspective May ignore the need for respectful dialogue. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Belief System](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief-system/) [Criticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticism/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Freedom of thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom-of-thought/) [Idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea/) [Ideology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideology/) [Philosophy of Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-mind/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Sacred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacred/) [Satire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/satire/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“The moment you say that any idea system is sacred, whether it’s a religious belief system or a secular ideology, the moment you declare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/the-moment-you-say-that-any-idea-system-is-sacred-whether-it-s-a-2/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [The moment you declare a set of ideas to be immune from criticism, satire, derision, or contempt, freedom of thought becomes impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/the-moment-you-declare-a-set-of-ideas-to-be-immune-from-criticism/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [The idea of the sacred is quite simply one of the most conservative notions in any culture, because it seeks to turn other ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/the-idea-of-the-sacred-is-quite-simply-one-of-the-most-conservative/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [My father decided that he was such a admirer of Ibn Rushd's philosophy, thinking that he changed the family name to Rushdie. I realized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/my-father-decided-that-he-was-such-a-admirer-of-ibn-rushd-s/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [Books choose their authors; the act of creation is not entirely a rational and conscious one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/books-choose-their-authors-the-act-of-creation-is-not-entirely-a-2/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [I do not read the works of Salman Rushdie, I write them. By the time I have finished writing them all I can think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/i-do-not-read-the-works-of-salman-rushdie-i-write-them-by-the-time-i/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [“The Pakistani film International Gorillay (International guerillas), produced by Sajjad Gul, told the story of a group of local heroes - of the type…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/the-pakistani-film-international-gorillay-international-guerillas/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [“Nobody ever wanted to go to war, but if a war came your way, it might as well be the right war, about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/nobody-ever-wanted-to-go-to-war-but-if-a-war-came-your-way-it-might/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [“Also, on account of the odd relationship between time and space, the people who do manage to time-jump sometimes space-jump at the same time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/also-on-account-of-the-odd-relationship-between-time-and-space-the/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [“The police arrived and went to question the driver of the truck, who was still sitting in his cab, scratching his head. 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Dispense with safety nets.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/what-rushdie-took-away-from-reading-gunter-grass-s-the-tin-drum-go/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [One of the reasons my name is Rushdie is that my father was an admirer of Ibn Rush'd, the 12th century Arab philosopher known…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/one-of-the-reasons-my-name-is-rushdie-is-that-my-father-was-an/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [She's no flibberti-gibberti mamzell, but a whir-stir-get-lost-sir bundla dynamite!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/she-s-no-flibberti-gibberti-mamzell-but-a-whir-stir-get-lost-sir/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [So India’s problem turns out to be the world’s problem. What happened in India has happened in God’s name. The problem’s name is God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/so-india-s-problem-turns-out-to-be-the-world-s-problem-what-happened/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [I have been with the Congress because I believe in a secular ideology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nagma/i-have-been-with-the-congress-because-i-believe-in-a-secular-ideology/) [Nagma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nagma/) ## More by Salman Rushdie > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [It's a terrible thing that your life turns into a good story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/it-s-a-terrible-thing-that-your-life-turns-into-a-good-story/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [Sometimes by a woodland stream he watched the water rush over the pebbled bed, its tiny modulations of bounce and flow. A woman's body…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/sometimes-by-a-woodland-stream-he-watched-the-water-rush-over-the/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [I want to write novels. I want to write stories. 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I think people are conditioned to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-tyrnauer/i-reject-criticism-because-the-last-thing-i-wanted-was-to-sit-there/) [Matt Tyrnauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-tyrnauer/) > [I'm more comfortable modelling as a man because I don't get any criticism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rain-dove/i-m-more-comfortable-modelling-as-a-man-because-i-don-t-get-any/) [Rain Dove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rain-dove/) > [I don't mind positive criticism, but when it is negative and personal, it is quite hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inzamam-ul-haq/i-don-t-mind-positive-criticism-but-when-it-is-negative-and-personal/) [Inzamam-ul-Haq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/inzamam-ul-haq/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Everything is allowable in literature, but what is not allowable in criticism is objection on the grounds of probability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-jacobson/everything-is-allowable-in-literature-but-what-is-not-allowable-in/) [Howard Jacobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-jacobson/) > [Lots of relationships fail because we spend more time pointing out each other's mistakes and not enough time enjoying each other's company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/lots-of-relationships-fail-because-we-spend-more-time-pointing-out/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If our aim is to praise, we should forget to criticize; if our aim is to criticize, we should remember to praise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/if-our-aim-is-to-praise-we-should-forget-to-criticize-if-our-aim-is/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [No man can be criticised but by a greater than he. 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I come from a - I wouldn't say mean, but you've got to have tough skin to be in my family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saweetie/i-welcome-criticism-i-come-from-a-i-wouldn-t-say-mean-but-you-ve-got/) [Saweetie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saweetie/) > [The good author is he who contemplates without marked joy or excessive sorrow the adventures of his soul amongst criticisms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/the-good-author-is-he-who-contemplates-without-marked-joy-or/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) [Browse all 3,954 Criticism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The moment you say that any idea system is sacred, whether it’s a religious belief system or a secular ideology, the moment you declare a set of ideas to be immune from criticism, satire, derision, or contempt, freedom of thought becomes impossible.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Salman Rushdie" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/the-moment-you-say-that-any-idea-system-is-sacred-whether-it-s-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Criticism" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/the-moment-you-say-that-any-idea-system-is-sacred-whether-it-s-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6d/salman-rushdie-153_criticism_the-moment-you-say-that-any-idea-system_1760385.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6d/salman-rushdie-153_criticism_the-moment-you-say-that-any-idea-system_1760385.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6d/salman-rushdie-153_criticism_the-moment-you-say-that-any-idea-system_1760385.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The moment you say that any idea system is sacred, whether it’s a religious belief system or a secular…” — Salman Rushdie", "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": "Salman Rushdie", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The moment you say that any...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/the-moment-you-say-that-any-idea-system-is-sacred-whether-it-s-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/the-moment-you-say-that-any-idea-system-is-sacred-whether-it-s-a/#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 } } ] } ```