--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Belief in immortality is harmful because…" description: "\"“Belief in immortality is harmful because it is not in our power to conceive of the soul as really incorporeal. So this belief is in fact a belief in t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f51/simone-weil-544_belief_belief-in-immortality-is-harmful-because_1961922.jpg" --- # Belief in immortality is harmful because it is not in our… ![“Belief in immortality is harmful because it is not in our power to conceive of the soul as really incorporeal. So this belief is in fact a belief in the prolongation of life, and it robs death of its purpose.” quote by Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f51/simone-weil-544_belief_belief-in-immortality-is-harmful-because_1961922.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f51/simone-weil-544_belief_belief-in-immortality-is-harmful-because_1961922.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f51/simone-weil-544_belief_belief-in-immortality-is-harmful-because_1961922.jpg) > ““Belief in immortality is harmful because it is not in our power to conceive of the soul as really incorporeal. So this belief is in fact a belief in the prolongation of life, and it robs death of its purpose.”” [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Belief in an afterlife distracts from confronting mortality, turning death into a goal rather than a natural end. **In simple terms:** Thinking about immortality can prevent us from accepting death. Key Takeaway Accept death’s role, focus on present life. Themes mortality philosophy meaning existence Mood contemplative serious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - grief counseling - end‑of‑life planning - personal reflection - ethical debates Key Concepts existentialism spirituality psychology Questions to Reflect On - How does belief in an afterlife affect your daily choices? - Can meaning be found without it? A Different Perspective It may comfort some, providing hope rather than despair. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) [Belief Immortality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief-immortality-504781/) [Belief Prolongation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief-prolongation-3243699/) [Body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Dying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dying/) [Eternity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eternity/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Gravity-and-grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gravity-and-grace-75828/) [Immortality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immortality/) [Immortality Harmful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immortality-harmful-3243697/) [Incorporeal Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incorporeal-belief-3243698/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Simone-weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simone-weil-170603/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) ## Related quotes > [“Piety in regard to the dead: to do everything for what does not exist.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/piety-in-regard-to-the-dead-to-do-everything-for-what-does-not-exist/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [“Attachment is the great fabricator of illusions; reality can be obtained only by someone who is detached. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/attachment-is-the-great-fabricator-of-illusions-reality-can-be-2/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [“To love purely is to consent to distance, it is to adore the distance between ourselves and that which we love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/to-love-purely-is-to-consent-to-distance-it-is-to-adore-the-distance/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [“At the very best, a mind enclosed in language is in prison. It is limited to the number of relations which words can make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/at-the-very-best-a-mind-enclosed-in-language-is-in-prison-it-is/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [“I want you to know, if you ever read this, there was a time when I would rather have had you by my side…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-nelson/i-want-you-to-know-if-you-ever-read-this-there-was-a-time-when-i/) [Maggie Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-nelson/) > [All spiritual things must have in them a childlike quality. The belief in immortality rests not very much on the hope of going on.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heywood-broun/all-spiritual-things-must-have-in-them-a-childlike-quality-the-belief/) [Heywood Broun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heywood-broun/) > [The belief in immortality has always seemed cowardly to me. When very young I learned that all things die, and all that we wish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-belief-in-immortality-has-always-seemed-cowardly-to-me-when-very/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“If you were to destroy in mankind the belief in immortality, not only love but every living force maintaining the life of the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/if-you-were-to-destroy-in-mankind-the-belief-in-immortality-not-only/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [For thirty years I have leaned toward the theory of Reincarnation. It seems a most reasonable philosophy and explains many things. No, I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/for-thirty-years-i-have-leaned-toward-the-theory-of-reincarnation-it/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) > [I have heard that death takes us away from ill things, not from good. I have heard that when we pronounce the name of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/i-have-heard-that-death-takes-us-away-from-ill-things-not-from-good-i/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“The belief in immortality is based on the strong instinct of self-preservation that calls forth an insatiable longing for longevity. It is another form…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaiten-nukariya/the-belief-in-immortality-is-based-on-the-strong-instinct-of-self/) [Kaiten Nukariya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaiten-nukariya/) > [If you were to destroy the belief in immortality in mankind, not only love but every living force on which the continuation of all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/if-you-were-to-destroy-the-belief-in-immortality-in-mankind-not-only/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [ “The belief in the immortality of man is the belief in the divinity of man\[.\]” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-feuerbach/the-belief-in-the-immortality-of-man-is-the-belief-in-the-divinity-of/) [Ludwig Feuerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-feuerbach/) > [“I have long ago lost my belief in immortality also my interest in it… I have sampled this life and it is sufficient… Annihilation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-t-joshi/i-have-long-ago-lost-my-belief-in-immortality-also-my-interest-in-it/) [S.T. Joshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-t-joshi/) > [The belief of immortality is impressed upon all men, and all men act under an impression of it, however they may talk, and though,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-belief-of-immortality-is-impressed-upon-all-men-and-all-men-act/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) ## More by Simone Weil > [Oppression that is clearly inexorable and invincible does not give rise to revolt but to submission.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/oppression-that-is-clearly-inexorable-and-invincible-does-not-give/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [At the centre of the human heart is the longing for an absolute good, a longing which is always there and is never appeased…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/at-the-centre-of-the-human-heart-is-the-longing-for-an-absolute-good/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [One should identify oneself with the universe itself. Everything that is less than the universe is subjected to suffering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/one-should-identify-oneself-with-the-universe-itself-everything-that/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [In a general way, the literature of the twentieth century is essentially psychological; and psychology consists of describing states of the soul by displaying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/in-a-general-way-the-literature-of-the-twentieth-century-is/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [What a country calls its vital economic interests are not the things which enable its citizens to live, but the things which enable it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/what-a-country-calls-its-vital-economic-interests-are-not-the-things/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [The intelligent man who is proud of his intelligence is like the condemned man who is proud of his large cell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/the-intelligent-man-who-is-proud-of-his-intelligence-is-like-the/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [The highest ecstasy is the attention at its fullest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/the-highest-ecstasy-is-the-attention-at-its-fullest/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [To be innocent is to bear the weight of the entire universe. It is to throw away the counterweight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/to-be-innocent-is-to-bear-the-weight-of-the-entire-universe-it-is-to/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [Equality is the public recognition, effectively expressed in institutions and manners, of the principle that an equal degree of attention is due to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/equality-is-the-public-recognition-effectively-expressed-in/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [The entire universe is nothing but a great metaphor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/the-entire-universe-is-nothing-but-a-great-metaphor/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [A beautiful woman looking at her image in the mirror may very well believe the image is herself. An ugly woman knows it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/a-beautiful-woman-looking-at-her-image-in-the-mirror-may-very-well/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [Only he who has measured the dominion of force, and knows how not to respect it, is capable of love andjustice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/only-he-who-has-measured-the-dominion-of-force-and-knows-how-not-to/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [Every time that I think of the crucifixion of Christ, I commit the sin of envy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/every-time-that-i-think-of-the-crucifixion-of-christ-i-commit-the-sin/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [A Pharisee is someone who is virtuous out of obedience to the Great Beast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/a-pharisee-is-someone-who-is-virtuous-out-of-obedience-to-the-great/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [Joy is being fully aware of reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/joy-is-being-fully-aware-of-reality/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) [Explore all 443 Simone Weil quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) ## More Belief quotes > [“Cine a ucis stelele? Cine a surpat drumul spre viitor al celor din morminte?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ionel-teodoreanu/cine-a-ucis-stelele-cine-a-surpat-drumul-spre-viitor-al-celor-din/) [Ionel Teodoreanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ionel-teodoreanu/) > [“MIND & GRIND Self-belief and hard work can propel you past more talented peers”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamil-ali/mind-grind-self-belief-and-hard-work-can-propel-you-past-more/) [Kamil Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamil-ali/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [It took me 20 years of hard training to get the physique I have today. what you need is what i had - BELIEF…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/branch-warren/it-took-me-20-years-of-hard-training-to-get-the-physique-i-have-today/) [Branch Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/branch-warren/) > [“Here is a fundamental difference between the man of faith and the man of unbelief. The unbeliever is 'of the world', judges everything by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-w-pink/here-is-a-fundamental-difference-between-the-man-of-faith-and-the-man/) [Arthur W. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-w-pink/) > [“She herself vacillated when it came to belief. She did not particularly believe in God. Or, rather, she didn't believe in a particular God.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allegra-goodman/she-herself-vacillated-when-it-came-to-belief-she-did-not/) [Allegra Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allegra-goodman/) > [Let us remember that every worldview-not just Christianity's-must give an explanation or an answer for evil and suffering...this is not just a problem distinctive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/let-us-remember-that-every-worldview-not-just-christianity-s-must/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [“Rigid traditions capture souls prisons of spiritual thought man’s religion has captured a god grown too small and very weak.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-earle/rigid-traditions-capture-souls-prisons-of-spiritual-thought-man-s/) [David W Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-earle/) > [We can find common qualities and common values that have made Britain the country it is. Our belief in tolerance and liberty which shines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-brown/we-can-find-common-qualities-and-common-values-that-have-made-britain/) [Gordon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-brown/) > [The inner defenses are unconscious. They consist of a kind of magic aura which the mind builds around cherished belief. Arguments which penetrate into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-inner-defenses-are-unconscious-they-consist-of-a-kind-of-magic/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [In business, as in politics, it is never easy to go against the beliefs and attitudes held by the majority. The businessman who moves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-paul-getty/in-business-as-in-politics-it-is-never-easy-to-go-against-the-beliefs/) [J. Paul Getty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-paul-getty/) > [There's no greatest moment in the arts. It's a life; it's a continuity thing. You can't have a great moment because it's spiritual. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-neiman/there-s-no-greatest-moment-in-the-arts-it-s-a-life-it-s-a-continuity/) [LeRoy Neiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-neiman/) > [To preserve an unclouded capacity for the enjoyment of life is an unusual moral and psychological achievement. Contrary to popular belief, it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-branden/to-preserve-an-unclouded-capacity-for-the-enjoyment-of-life-is-an/) [Nathaniel Branden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-branden/) [Browse all 10,268 Belief quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Belief in immortality is harmful because it is not in our power to conceive of the soul as really incorporeal. 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