--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The hope of immortality makes heroes of…" description: "\"The hope of immortality makes heroes of cowards.\" — Thomas Guthrie" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58d/thomas-guthrie-20408_coward_the-hope-of-immortality-makes-heroes-of_3011685.png" --- # The hope of immortality makes heroes of cowards. ![“The hope of immortality makes heroes of cowards.” quote by Thomas Guthrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58d/thomas-guthrie-20408_coward_the-hope-of-immortality-makes-heroes-of_3011685.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58d/thomas-guthrie-20408_coward_the-hope-of-immortality-makes-heroes-of_3011685.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58d/thomas-guthrie-20408_coward_the-hope-of-immortality-makes-heroes-of_3011685.png) > “The hope of immortality makes heroes of cowards.” [Thomas Guthrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-guthrie/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The desire for eternal life can turn cowardice into heroic acts. **In simple terms:** Immortality hope fuels heroism. Key Takeaway Seek purpose beyond fear of death. Themes mortality heroism motivation Mood inspirational thoughtful Type spiritual philosophical When to use this quote - leadership training - public speaking - community service - philosophical discourse Key Concepts existentialism ethics Questions to Reflect On - What drives you to act bravely? - How does fear of death shape your choices? A Different Perspective Heroism can arise from other motives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Coward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coward/) [Cowards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cowards/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Hero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hero/) [Heroes Cowards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heroes-cowards-1475194/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Hope Immortality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope-immortality-317048/) [Immortality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immortality/) [Immortality Makes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immortality-makes-3611795/) [Makes Heroes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/makes-heroes-788773/) ## Related quotes > [“Great occasions do not make heroes or cowards; they simply unveil them to the eyes of men. Silently and perceptibly, as we wake or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brooke-foss-westcott/great-occasions-do-not-make-heroes-or-cowards-they-simply-unveil-them-3/) [Brooke Foss Westcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brooke-foss-westcott/) > [Would we be the heroes or the cowards of the piece? Would we follow orders or stick to our principles, if those two things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cleave/would-we-be-the-heroes-or-the-cowards-of-the-piece-would-we-follow/) [Chris Cleave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cleave/) > [“We’re all heroes at something, and cowards at something else.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-t-kiyosaki/we-re-all-heroes-at-something-and-cowards-at-something-else/) [Robert T. Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-t-kiyosaki/) > [Great occasions do not make heroes or cowards; they simply unveil them to the eyes. Silently and imperceptibly, as we wake or sleep, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brooke-westcott/great-occasions-do-not-make-heroes-or-cowards-they-simply-unveil-them/) [Brooke Westcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brooke-westcott/) > [Heroes and cowards feel the same fear and action creates opportunities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-wynn/heroes-and-cowards-feel-the-same-fear-and-action-creates-opportunities/) [Garrison Wynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-wynn/) > [Heroes and cowards feel exactly the same fear. Heroes just react to it differently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cus-d-amato/heroes-and-cowards-feel-exactly-the-same-fear-heroes-just-react-to-it/) [Cus D'Amato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cus-d-amato/) > [“We play the part of heroes because we're cowards, the part of saints because we're wicked: we play the killer's role because we're dying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/we-play-the-part-of-heroes-because-we-re-cowards-the-part-of-saints/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [The physical body is assembled just like a chair or a building or a flower, but the revolutions we start, the people we affect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madonna-ciccone/the-physical-body-is-assembled-just-like-a-chair-or-a-building-or-a/) [Madonna Ciccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madonna-ciccone/) > [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/) > [Immortality makes sense only when the individual soul can be thought of as merging into a great collective mush of sainthood. If we take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-burgess/immortality-makes-sense-only-when-the-individual-soul-can-be-thought/) [Anthony Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-burgess/) > [During my life I have seen, known, and lost too much to be the prey of vain dread; and, as for the hope of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/during-my-life-i-have-seen-known-and-lost-too-much-to-be-the-prey-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [No one could ever meet death for his country without the hope of immortality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/no-one-could-ever-meet-death-for-his-country-without-the-hope-of/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [“Because you are young and free and one with the jungle. You are mortal, but instead of clinging to the hope of immortality, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-khoury/because-you-are-young-and-free-and-one-with-the-jungle-you-are-mortal/) [Jessica Khoury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-khoury/) > [Our hope of immortality does not come from any religions, but nearly all religions come from that hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/our-hope-of-immortality-does-not-come-from-any-religions-but-nearly/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [“Action separates the heroes from the cowards, the achievers from the complainers, the successful from the mere dreamers, the happy from the envious; it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/action-separates-the-heroes-from-the-cowards-the-achievers-from-the/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) ## More by Thomas Guthrie > [As in nature, as in the arts, so in grace; it is rough treatment that gives souls as well as stones their lustre; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-guthrie/as-in-nature-as-in-the-arts-so-in-grace-it-is-rough-treatment-that/) [Thomas Guthrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-guthrie/) > [Prayer flies where the eagle never flew.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-guthrie/prayer-flies-where-the-eagle-never-flew/) [Thomas Guthrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-guthrie/) > [If the world is ever conquered for our Lord, it is not by ministers, nor by office-bearers, nor by the great, and noble and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-guthrie/if-the-world-is-ever-conquered-for-our-lord-it-is-not-by-ministers/) [Thomas Guthrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-guthrie/) > [The new novel is sought more eagerly, and devoured more greedily, the New Testament.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-guthrie/the-new-novel-is-sought-more-eagerly-and-devoured-more-greedily-the/) [Thomas Guthrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-guthrie/) > [Sin! Sin! Thou art a hateful and horrible thing, that abominable thing which God hates. And what wonder? Thou hast insulted His holy majesty;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-guthrie/sin-sin-thou-art-a-hateful-and-horrible-thing-that-abominable-thing/) [Thomas Guthrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-guthrie/) > [ A sunny temper \[an attitude of gratitude for what blessings and mercies there are\] gilds the edges of life's blackest cloud. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-guthrie/a-sunny-temper-an-attitude-of-gratitude-for-what-blessings-and/) [Thomas Guthrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-guthrie/) > [As in nature, as in art, so in grace; it is rough treatment that gives souls, as well as stones, their luster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-guthrie/as-in-nature-as-in-art-so-in-grace-it-is-rough-treatment-that-gives/) [Thomas Guthrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-guthrie/) > [Time that weakens all things else has but strengthened the impregnable position of the believer's faith and hope and confidence. And as, year by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-guthrie/time-that-weakens-all-things-else-has-but-strengthened-the/) [Thomas Guthrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-guthrie/) > [The more the diamond is cut the brighter it sparkles; and in what seems hard dealing, there God has no end in view but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-guthrie/the-more-the-diamond-is-cut-the-brighter-it-sparkles-and-in-what/) [Thomas Guthrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-guthrie/) > [You are so to put forth the power that God has given you; you are so to give, and sacrifice to give, as to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-guthrie/you-are-so-to-put-forth-the-power-that-god-has-given-you-you-are-so/) [Thomas Guthrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-guthrie/) > [Every object in nature is impressed with God's footsteps, and every day repeats the wonders of creation. There is not an object, be it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-guthrie/every-object-in-nature-is-impressed-with-god-s-footsteps-and-every/) [Thomas Guthrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-guthrie/) > [The cry of distress lays hold of our Lord's omnipotence. It is as easy for God to supply thy greatest as thy smallest wants,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-guthrie/the-cry-of-distress-lays-hold-of-our-lord-s-omnipotence-it-is-as-easy/) [Thomas Guthrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-guthrie/) > [If you find yourself loving any pleasure more than your prayers, any book better than the Bible, any house better than the house of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-guthrie/if-you-find-yourself-loving-any-pleasure-more-than-your-prayers-any/) [Thomas Guthrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-guthrie/) > [Perhaps God does with His heavenly garden as we do with our own. He may chiefly stock it from nurseries, and select for transplanting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-guthrie/perhaps-god-does-with-his-heavenly-garden-as-we-do-with-our-own-he/) [Thomas Guthrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-guthrie/) > [Religion is the mortar that binds society together; the granite pedestal of liberty; the strong backbone of the social system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-guthrie/religion-is-the-mortar-that-binds-society-together-the-granite/) [Thomas Guthrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-guthrie/) [Explore all 31 Thomas Guthrie quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-guthrie/) ## More Coward quotes > [Only a coward will use a gun to protect and get respect for themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuel-jal/only-a-coward-will-use-a-gun-to-protect-and-get-respect-for-themselves/) [Emmanuel Jal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuel-jal/) > [“The Coward will run away from danger, only to strike in the dark. The Heroine will run through the dark, even though she knows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-a-cleinman/the-coward-will-run-away-from-danger-only-to-strike-in-the-dark-the/) [David A. Cleinman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-a-cleinman/) > [“A thousand times a coward and not once a dead man”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suad-amiry/a-thousand-times-a-coward-and-not-once-a-dead-man/) [Suad Amiry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suad-amiry/) > [Boasting and bravado may exist in the breast even of the coward, if he is successful through a mere lucky hit; but a just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thucydides/boasting-and-bravado-may-exist-in-the-breast-even-of-the-coward-if-he/) [Thucydides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thucydides/) > [“It is true that only a coward can be brave, as a man who feels no fear has conquered nothing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conn-david-iggulden/it-is-true-that-only-a-coward-can-be-brave-as-a-man-who-feels-no-fear/) [Conn & David Iggulden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conn-david-iggulden/) > [If you're a generous person, when you get money and fame, you're going to be more generous. If you're a sharer, you're going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-harvey/if-you-re-a-generous-person-when-you-get-money-and-fame-you-re-going/) [Steve Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-harvey/) > [Where is the coward that would not dare to fight for such a land as Scotland?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-scott/where-is-the-coward-that-would-not-dare-to-fight-for-such-a-land-as/) [Walter Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-scott/) > [“To stand at the very moment when all seems lost is the point of insanity for the coward, but it is the home of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/to-stand-at-the-very-moment-when-all-seems-lost-is-the-point-of/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [My advice to you, if you should ever be in a hold up, is to line up with the cowards and save your bravery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/o-henry/my-advice-to-you-if-you-should-ever-be-in-a-hold-up-is-to-line-up/) [O. Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/o-henry/) > [People who keep dogs are cowards who haven't got the guts to bite people themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-strindberg/people-who-keep-dogs-are-cowards-who-haven-t-got-the-guts-to-bite/) [August Strindberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-strindberg/) > [Is there cowardice with the acknowledgement of fear?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/is-there-cowardice-with-the-acknowledgement-of-fear/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [It is the disease of cowards, who do not have the courage to speak upfront and so talk behind one's back... Watch out against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/it-is-the-disease-of-cowards-who-do-not-have-the-courage-to-speak/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [If our principles are right, why should we be cowards?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucretia-mott/if-our-principles-are-right-why-should-we-be-cowards/) [Lucretia Mott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucretia-mott/) > [I found from working on the film that I am a bigot, at times. And that I am also a coward, at times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-howard/i-found-from-working-on-the-film-that-i-am-a-bigot-at-times-and-that/) [Terrence Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-howard/) > [A coward is the kindest animal; 'Tis the most forgiving creature in a fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/a-coward-is-the-kindest-animal-tis-the-most-forgiving-creature-in-a/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) [Browse all 1,331 Coward quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coward/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The hope of immortality makes heroes of cowards.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas Guthrie" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-guthrie/the-hope-of-immortality-makes-heroes-of-cowards/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Coward" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-guthrie/the-hope-of-immortality-makes-heroes-of-cowards/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58d/thomas-guthrie-20408_coward_the-hope-of-immortality-makes-heroes-of_3011685.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58d/thomas-guthrie-20408_coward_the-hope-of-immortality-makes-heroes-of_3011685.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58d/thomas-guthrie-20408_coward_the-hope-of-immortality-makes-heroes-of_3011685.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The hope of immortality makes heroes of cowards.” — Thomas Guthrie", "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": "Thomas Guthrie", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-guthrie/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The hope of immortality makes heroes...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-guthrie/the-hope-of-immortality-makes-heroes-of-cowards/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-guthrie/the-hope-of-immortality-makes-heroes-of-cowards/#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 } } ] } ```