--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Religious ideas about good and evil tend…" description: "\"Religious ideas about good and evil tend to focus on how to achieve well-being in the next life, and this makes them terrible guides to securing it in ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e41/sam-harris-457_about_religious-ideas-about-good-and-evil-tend_1870517.jpg" --- # Religious ideas about good and evil tend to focus on how… ![“Religious ideas about good and evil tend to focus on how to achieve well-being in the next life, and this makes them terrible guides to securing it in this one. Of course, there are a few gems to be found in every religious tradition, but insofar as these precepts are wise and useful they are not…” quote by Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e41/sam-harris-457_about_religious-ideas-about-good-and-evil-tend_1870517.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e41/sam-harris-457_about_religious-ideas-about-good-and-evil-tend_1870517.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e41/sam-harris-457_about_religious-ideas-about-good-and-evil-tend_1870517.jpg) > “Religious ideas about good and evil tend to focus on how to achieve well-being in the next life, and this makes them terrible guides to securing it in this one. Of course, there are a few gems to be found in every religious tradition, but insofar as these precepts are wise and useful they are not, in principle, religious.” [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Religious moral teachings often focus on afterlife rewards, making them poor guides for present‑day well‑being. **In simple terms:** Religions prioritize future benefits over current happiness. Key Takeaway Seek present‑focused ethics. Themes ethics religion well‑being Mood critical thoughtful Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - personal decision‑making - policy design - mental health counseling - education curricula Key Concepts philosophy psychology pragmatism Questions to Reflect On - How can secular frameworks emulate beneficial aspects of religion? - What present‑day values should guide our actions? A Different Perspective Some religious communities provide strong social support, which can aid current well‑being. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [About](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) [Achieve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/achieve/) [Course](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/course/) [Every](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Few](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/few/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Found](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/found/) [Gems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gems/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [Good and evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-and-evil/) [Good evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-evil/) [Guides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guides/) [How](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/how/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Insofar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insofar/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Makes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/makes/) [Next](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next/) [Next life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next-life/) [Precepts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/precepts/) [Precepts Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/precepts-wise-2577931/) [Principle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principle/) [Principle Religious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principle-religious-720757/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious/) [Religious Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious-ideas-284602/) [Tend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tend/) [Terrible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrible/) [Them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/them/) [Tradition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tradition/) [Useful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/useful/) [Well being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/well-being/) [Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise/) ## Related quotes > [“... 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