--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: [...] like any human practices, those of…" description: "\"“[...] like any human practices, those of religions are not exempt from ethical questioning. Rituals and rites in groups change behavior, sometimes for..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c1/simon-blackburn-14689_behavior_like-any-human-practices-those-of-religi_1597316.jpg" --- # \[...\] like any human practices, those of religions are not… ![“[...] like any human practices, those of religions are not exempt from ethical questioning. Rituals and rites in groups change behavior, sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. For the madness of crowds is a very close cousin to the fervor or congregations and the martial spirit of…” quote by Simon Blackburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c1/simon-blackburn-14689_behavior_like-any-human-practices-those-of-religi_1597316.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c1/simon-blackburn-14689_behavior_like-any-human-practices-those-of-religi_1597316.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c1/simon-blackburn-14689_behavior_like-any-human-practices-those-of-religi_1597316.jpg) > ““\[...\] like any human practices, those of religions are not exempt from ethical questioning. Rituals and rites in groups change behavior, sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. For the madness of crowds is a very close cousin to the fervor or congregations and the martial spirit of armies.”” [Simon Blackburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-blackburn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Religious practices, like any human activity, are subject to moral scrutiny; they can inspire both positive and negative collective behavior. **In simple terms:** Religion can be both good and bad. Key Takeaway Critically evaluate rituals and their societal impact. Themes ethics religion crowd behavior morality social influence Mood analytical thoughtful critical Type ethical sociological When to use this quote - community meetings - policy debates - educational curricula - media analysis - activism Key Concepts moral philosophy group dynamics political theory Questions to Reflect On - What criteria should guide ethical assessment of rituals? - How can societies balance freedom of belief with moral responsibility? A Different Perspective Not all religious expressions are harmful; context matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Behavior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behavior/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Congregation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/congregation/) [Crowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crowd/) [Ethical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethical/) [Ethical Questioning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethical-questioning-1759067/) [Ethics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethics/) [Fervor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fervor/) [Military](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/military/) [Morals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morals/) [Practices Religions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practices-religions-6066544/) [Questioning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/questioning/) [Questioning Rituals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/questioning-rituals-6066543/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) ## Related quotes > [“The question is, how do I balance narratives that are wonderful with narratives of wounds and self-loathing? 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