--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You may depend upon it, religion is, in…" description: "\"You may depend upon it, religion is, in its essence, the most gentlemanly thing in the world. It will alone gentilize, if unmixed with cant; and I know..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e98/samuel-taylor-coleridge-425_army_you-may-depend-upon-it-religion-is-in-it_1661166.jpg" --- # You may depend upon it, religion is, in its essence, the… ![“You may depend upon it, religion is, in its essence, the most gentlemanly thing in the world. It will alone gentilize, if unmixed with cant; and I know nothing else that will, alone. Certainly not the army, which is thought to be the grand embellisher of manners.” quote by Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e98/samuel-taylor-coleridge-425_army_you-may-depend-upon-it-religion-is-in-it_1661166.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e98/samuel-taylor-coleridge-425_army_you-may-depend-upon-it-religion-is-in-it_1661166.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e98/samuel-taylor-coleridge-425_army_you-may-depend-upon-it-religion-is-in-it_1661166.jpg) > “You may depend upon it, religion is, in its essence, the most gentlemanly thing in the world. It will alone gentilize, if unmixed with cant; and I know nothing else that will, alone. Certainly not the army, which is thought to be the grand embellisher of manners.” [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Religion, when pure, can civilize humanity, unlike institutions like the army that may not foster true manners. **In simple terms:** Pure religion can civilize people. Key Takeaway Seek genuine spirituality. Themes religion civilization ethics Mood thoughtful critical Type philosophical historical When to use this quote - education - community building - personal ethics Key Concepts moral philosophy social influence Questions to Reflect On - Can religion truly be free of cant? - What other forces civilize society? A Different Perspective Religion can be co‑opted by power, losing its purity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/army/) [Essence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/essence/) [Gentleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gentleman/) [Gentlemanly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gentlemanly/) [Manners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manners/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Religion is the most gentlemanly thing in the world. It alone will gentilize, if unmixed with cant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/religion-is-the-most-gentlemanly-thing-in-the-world-it-alone-will/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [“The devil, depend upon it, can sometimes do a very gentlemanly thing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/the-devil-depend-upon-it-can-sometimes-do-a-very-gentlemanly-thing/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [The Devil, can sometimes do a very gentlemanly thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/the-devil-can-sometimes-do-a-very-gentlemanly-thing/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [I know it's the gentlemanly thing to let the wife file. 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