--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Oh no, praying is great, without it the…" description: "\"“Oh no, praying is great, without it the thumbscrews and the Iron Maiden probably never would have been invented.”\" — Stephen King" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a41/stephen-king-13_religion_oh-no-praying-is-great-without-it-the-th_922006.jpg" --- # Oh no, praying is great, without it the thumbscrews and… ![“Oh no, praying is great, without it the thumbscrews and the Iron Maiden probably never would have been invented.” quote by Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a41/stephen-king-13_religion_oh-no-praying-is-great-without-it-the-th_922006.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a41/stephen-king-13_religion_oh-no-praying-is-great-without-it-the-th_922006.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a41/stephen-king-13_religion_oh-no-praying-is-great-without-it-the-th_922006.jpg) > ““Oh no, praying is great, without it the thumbscrews and the Iron Maiden probably never would have been invented.”” [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He humorously suggests that fearsome devices like thumbscrews and the Iron Maiden might not exist without religious fervor. **In simple terms:** Fearsome inventions might stem from religious zeal. Key Takeaway Question the link between belief and cruelty. Themes religion history technology Mood wry critical Type satirical observational When to use this quote - historical analysis - ethical debate - cultural critique Key Concepts human nature power dynamics Questions to Reflect On - What drives the creation of cruel devices? - Can belief systems justify violence? A Different Perspective Not all inventions are driven by religion; many arise from other motives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Iron maiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iron-maiden/) [Oh Praying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oh-praying-1434279/) [Prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer/) [Praying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/praying/) [Praying Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/praying-great-1434278/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Sarcasm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sarcasm/) [Thumbscrews Iron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thumbscrews-iron-1434280/) ## Related quotes > [Forget the noose. Forget the Iron Maiden. Forget the electric chair or the guillotine. The mind was mankind's most painful torture chamber, the blessed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffanie-debartolo/forget-the-noose-forget-the-iron-maiden-forget-the-electric-chair-or/) [Tiffanie DeBartolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffanie-debartolo/) > [But the world of Despicable Me is such a cartoony world. It is much more Looney Tunes than I would say the Pixar world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cinco-paul/but-the-world-of-despicable-me-is-such-a-cartoony-world-it-is-much/) [Cinco Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cinco-paul/) > [I've banged my head quite a bit. I liked Iron Maiden, Ozzy, AC/DC. And of course, Ratt and Poison.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-diaz/i-ve-banged-my-head-quite-a-bit-i-liked-iron-maiden-ozzy-ac-dc-and-of/) [Cameron Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-diaz/) > [I was a huge 'Pyromania' fan. You would never expect it, but I was in love with Iron Maiden; I was such a huge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiesto/i-was-a-huge-pyromania-fan-you-would-never-expect-it-but-i-was-in/) [Tiesto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiesto/) > [“The lions of hard rock, guys like Robert Plant, Roger Daltrey, Brian Johnson, Rob Halford, these monsters feel completely timeless, iconic, eternal. They simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-morford/the-lions-of-hard-rock-guys-like-robert-plant-roger-daltrey-brian/) [Mark Morford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-morford/) > [A few of these interviews have gone slightly awry, because every now and again there has been the odd conflict of interest between interviews…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-dickinson/a-few-of-these-interviews-have-gone-slightly-awry-because-every-now/) [Bruce Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-dickinson/) > [Iron Maiden and Metallica are bigger now than they ever were. They're playing stadiums across the entire planet. Even though it seems like their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zacky-vengeance/iron-maiden-and-metallica-are-bigger-now-than-they-ever-were-they-re/) [Zacky Vengeance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zacky-vengeance/) > [Grunge, like Nirvana and all that. Heavy metal, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Guns and Roses, drum and bass. I like to listen to it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dizzee-rascal/grunge-like-nirvana-and-all-that-heavy-metal-iron-maiden-metallica/) [Dizzee Rascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dizzee-rascal/) > [Hard rock for me is AC/DC, Def Leppard, Tesla, Kiss. Metal tends to be louder, ruder, darker, like Judas Priest, Slayer, Iron Maiden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-trunk/hard-rock-for-me-is-ac-dc-def-leppard-tesla-kiss-metal-tends-to-be/) [Eddie Trunk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-trunk/) > [I was listening to music to kind of pump myself up and get psyched up, like I was listening to Iron Maiden and Misfits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-roth/i-was-listening-to-music-to-kind-of-pump-myself-up-and-get-psyched-up/) [Eli Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-roth/) > [I'm a huge Iron Maiden fan! 'Number of the Beast?' I'm like, Well, I can't wear that T-shirt so much anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-roumie/i-m-a-huge-iron-maiden-fan-number-of-the-beast-i-m-like-well-i-can-t/) [Jonathan Roumie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-roumie/) > [There are kids out there that are into Iron Maiden and others who are strictly into industrial music, but they come for the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-are-kids-out-there-that-are-into-iron-maiden-and-others-who-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The first Maiden record I ever got was 'Piece of Mind,' and I only got it because I thought the artwork was cool, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-shadows/the-first-maiden-record-i-ever-got-was-piece-of-mind-and-i-only-got/) [M. Shadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-shadows/) > [Burning was the sunset like a portent of doom. On the saintly iron maiden as she fell from her wound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cradle-of-filth/burning-was-the-sunset-like-a-portent-of-doom-on-the-saintly-iron/) [Cradle Of Filth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cradle-of-filth/) > [When I was in employment as a regular line pilot, I used to take unpaid leave to go on tour with Iron Maiden. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-dickinson/when-i-was-in-employment-as-a-regular-line-pilot-i-used-to-take/) [Bruce Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-dickinson/) ## More by Stephen King > [Shall there be truth between us, as two men? Not as friends, but as enemies and equals?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/shall-there-be-truth-between-us-as-two-men-not-as-friends-but-as/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [The worst advice? 'Don't listen to the critics.' I think that you really ought to listen to the critics, because sometimes they're telling you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-worst-advice-don-t-listen-to-the-critics-i-think-that-you-really/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“October 3, 2017 The clown, Hagarty said, looked like a cross between Ronald McDonald and that old TV clown, Bozo—or so he thought at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/october-3-2017-the-clown-hagarty-said-looked-like-a-cross-between/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“Eddie saw great things and near misses. Albert Einstein as a child, not quite struck by a run-away milk-wagon as he crossed a street.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/eddie-saw-great-things-and-near-misses-albert-einstein-as-a-child-not/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [It hurt, of course, but more often than not the best things do, I've found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/it-hurt-of-course-but-more-often-than-not-the-best-things-do-i-ve/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“The idea that creative endeavor and mind-altering substances are entwined is one of the great pop-intellectual myths of our time... Creative people probably do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-idea-that-creative-endeavor-and-mind-altering-substances-are/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“The sun had burned through and the day had gone from dull to dazzling, yet in the west blask-satin thunderheads continued to stack up.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-sun-had-burned-through-and-the-day-had-gone-from-dull-to-dazzling/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“God, you had enough time to have been through it three times. You've been through my stuff. I bet you over and let one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/god-you-had-enough-time-to-have-been-through-it-three-times-you-ve/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“Flakes of snow swirled and danced across the porch. The Overlook faced it as it had for nearly three-quarters of a century, its darkened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/flakes-of-snow-swirled-and-danced-across-the-porch-the-overlook-faced/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“In that instant it all seemed to come clear to him- it came in a grisly flash of light, and he realized that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/in-that-instant-it-all-seemed-to-come-clear-to-him-it-came-in-a/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Who gets to be best-liked in any community? Who is the most trusted? Why, the man who does the dirty job, of course, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/who-gets-to-be-best-liked-in-any-community-who-is-the-most-trusted/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“¿Lo ves, tonto? Volvió a regañarse. Tú lo inventaste todo, gato asustado. No fue más que tu imaginación, gato asustado, gato asustado... No te…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/lo-ves-tonto-volvi-a-rega-arse-t-lo-inventaste-todo-gato-asustado-no/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“Death . . . but not for you. That was what Walter, clever as Satan even at the end, had said. A lawyer’s answer . . . so close to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/death-but-not-for-you-that-was-what-walter-clever-as-satan-even-at/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [The ghost story movie that scared me the most was The Changeling with George C. Scott. I think that's sometimes overlooked, but it's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-ghost-story-movie-that-scared-me-the-most-was-the-changeling-with/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“Climb aboard, Jonesy. I'm going to send you up where the air is rare and the view is much more than fair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/climb-aboard-jonesy-i-m-going-to-send-you-up-where-the-air-is-rare/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) [Explore all 3,589 Stephen King quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) ## More Iron maiden quotes > [Forget the noose. Forget the Iron Maiden. Forget the electric chair or the guillotine. The mind was mankind's most painful torture chamber, the blessed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffanie-debartolo/forget-the-noose-forget-the-iron-maiden-forget-the-electric-chair-or/) [Tiffanie DeBartolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffanie-debartolo/) > [Burning was the sunset like a portent of doom. On the saintly iron maiden as she fell from her wound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cradle-of-filth/burning-was-the-sunset-like-a-portent-of-doom-on-the-saintly-iron/) [Cradle Of Filth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cradle-of-filth/) > [The first Maiden record I ever got was 'Piece of Mind,' and I only got it because I thought the artwork was cool, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-shadows/the-first-maiden-record-i-ever-got-was-piece-of-mind-and-i-only-got/) [M. Shadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-shadows/) > [There are kids out there that are into Iron Maiden and others who are strictly into industrial music, but they come for the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-are-kids-out-there-that-are-into-iron-maiden-and-others-who-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm a huge Iron Maiden fan! 'Number of the Beast?' I'm like, Well, I can't wear that T-shirt so much anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-roumie/i-m-a-huge-iron-maiden-fan-number-of-the-beast-i-m-like-well-i-can-t/) [Jonathan Roumie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-roumie/) > [I was listening to music to kind of pump myself up and get psyched up, like I was listening to Iron Maiden and Misfits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-roth/i-was-listening-to-music-to-kind-of-pump-myself-up-and-get-psyched-up/) [Eli Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-roth/) > [Hard rock for me is AC/DC, Def Leppard, Tesla, Kiss. Metal tends to be louder, ruder, darker, like Judas Priest, Slayer, Iron Maiden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-trunk/hard-rock-for-me-is-ac-dc-def-leppard-tesla-kiss-metal-tends-to-be/) [Eddie Trunk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-trunk/) > [Grunge, like Nirvana and all that. Heavy metal, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Guns and Roses, drum and bass. I like to listen to it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dizzee-rascal/grunge-like-nirvana-and-all-that-heavy-metal-iron-maiden-metallica/) [Dizzee Rascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dizzee-rascal/) > [Iron Maiden and Metallica are bigger now than they ever were. They're playing stadiums across the entire planet. Even though it seems like their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zacky-vengeance/iron-maiden-and-metallica-are-bigger-now-than-they-ever-were-they-re/) [Zacky Vengeance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zacky-vengeance/) > [A few of these interviews have gone slightly awry, because every now and again there has been the odd conflict of interest between interviews…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-dickinson/a-few-of-these-interviews-have-gone-slightly-awry-because-every-now/) [Bruce Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-dickinson/) > [“The lions of hard rock, guys like Robert Plant, Roger Daltrey, Brian Johnson, Rob Halford, these monsters feel completely timeless, iconic, eternal. They simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-morford/the-lions-of-hard-rock-guys-like-robert-plant-roger-daltrey-brian/) [Mark Morford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-morford/) > [I was a huge 'Pyromania' fan. You would never expect it, but I was in love with Iron Maiden; I was such a huge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiesto/i-was-a-huge-pyromania-fan-you-would-never-expect-it-but-i-was-in/) [Tiesto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiesto/) > [I've banged my head quite a bit. I liked Iron Maiden, Ozzy, AC/DC. And of course, Ratt and Poison.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-diaz/i-ve-banged-my-head-quite-a-bit-i-liked-iron-maiden-ozzy-ac-dc-and-of/) [Cameron Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-diaz/) > [But the world of Despicable Me is such a cartoony world. It is much more Looney Tunes than I would say the Pixar world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cinco-paul/but-the-world-of-despicable-me-is-such-a-cartoony-world-it-is-much/) [Cinco Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cinco-paul/) > [When I was in employment as a regular line pilot, I used to take unpaid leave to go on tour with Iron Maiden. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-dickinson/when-i-was-in-employment-as-a-regular-line-pilot-i-used-to-take/) [Bruce Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-dickinson/) [Browse all 46 Iron maiden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iron-maiden/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Oh no, praying is great, without it the thumbscrews and the Iron Maiden probably never would have been invented.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Stephen King" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/oh-no-praying-is-great-without-it-the-thumbscrews-and-the-iron-maiden/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Iron maiden" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/oh-no-praying-is-great-without-it-the-thumbscrews-and-the-iron-maiden/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a41/stephen-king-13_religion_oh-no-praying-is-great-without-it-the-th_922006.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a41/stephen-king-13_religion_oh-no-praying-is-great-without-it-the-th_922006.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a41/stephen-king-13_religion_oh-no-praying-is-great-without-it-the-th_922006.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Oh no, praying is great, without it the thumbscrews and the Iron Maiden probably never would have been…” — Stephen King", "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": "Stephen King", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Oh no, praying is great, without...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/oh-no-praying-is-great-without-it-the-thumbscrews-and-the-iron-maiden/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/oh-no-praying-is-great-without-it-the-thumbscrews-and-the-iron-maiden/#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 } } ] } ```