1896 Quote by Swami Vivekananda
““The tender plant of spirituality will die if exposed too early to the action of a constant change of ideas and ideals. Many people, in the name of what may be called religious liberalism, may be seen feeding their idle curiosity with a continuous succession of different ideals. With them, hearing new things grows into a kind of disease, a sort of religious drink-mania. They want to hear new things just by way of getting a temporary nervous excitement, and when one such exciting influence has had its effect on them, they are ready for another. Religion is with these people a sort of intellectual opium-eating, and there it ends.””
About This Quote
Source Lecture: The Role of Religion in Modern Society, Swami Vivekananda, early 20th century
Frequent shifts in spiritual ideas can turn religion into a fleeting excitement, reducing it to a mental drug rather than a deep practice.
In simple terms: Changing spiritual ideas can make religion a fleeting excitement.
Key Takeaway
Seek depth over novelty in spiritual practice.
Themes
spirituality
change
intellectual addiction
Mood
reflective
inquisitive
Type
philosophical
spiritual
When to use this quote
- personal growth
- religious study
- mindfulness practice
Key Concepts
philosophy
religion
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- How can one balance openness to new ideas with depth?
- What distinguishes healthy spiritual growth from addiction?
A Different Perspective
The critique may dismiss genuine evolution of thought as mere addiction.
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