--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The hocus-pocus phantasm of a God, like…" description: "\"The hocus-pocus phantasm of a God, like another Cerberus, with one body and three heads, had its birth and growth in the blood of thousands and thousan..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89a/thomas-jefferson-43_against-religion_the-hocus-pocus-phantasm-of-a-god-like-a_1223183.jpg" --- # The hocus-pocus phantasm of a God, like another Cerberus… ![“The hocus-pocus phantasm of a God, like another Cerberus, with one body and three heads, had its birth and growth in the blood of thousands and thousands of martyrs.” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89a/thomas-jefferson-43_against-religion_the-hocus-pocus-phantasm-of-a-god-like-a_1223183.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89a/thomas-jefferson-43_against-religion_the-hocus-pocus-phantasm-of-a-god-like-a_1223183.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89a/thomas-jefferson-43_against-religion_the-hocus-pocus-phantasm-of-a-god-like-a_1223183.jpg) > “The hocus-pocus phantasm of a God, like another Cerberus, with one body and three heads, had its birth and growth in the blood of thousands and thousands of martyrs.” [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Divine power is portrayed as a monstrous, multi‑headed entity fed by the blood of martyrs. **In simple terms:** God is depicted as a terrifying, many‑headed monster sustained by martyrdom. Key Takeaway Question blind authority. Themes religion myth martyrdom Mood critical reflective Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - historical analysis - religious debate - literary criticism - ethical reflection Key Concepts theology symbolism political critique Questions to Reflect On - What does this image say about power and sacrifice? - How does martyrdom shape belief systems? A Different Perspective Interpretation may vary; some see metaphor, others literal. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Against religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/against-religion/) [American founding fathers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-founding-fathers/) [Birth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/birth/) [Body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) [Christian god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian-god/) [Christian right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian-right/) [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Christianity from founding fathers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity-from-founding-fathers/) [Founding america](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/founding-america/) [Founding fathers of america](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/founding-fathers-of-america/) [Growth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growth/) [Martyr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/martyr/) [Martyrs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/martyrs/) [Religious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious/) ## Related quotes > [“The hocus-pocus phantasm of a God like another Cerberus, with one body and three heads, had its birth and growth in the blood of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-hocus-pocus-phantasm-of-a-god-like-another-cerberus-with-one-body-2/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Ridicule is the only weapon which can be used against unintelligible propositions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/ridicule-is-the-only-weapon-which-can-be-used-against-unintelligible/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Man, once surrendering his reason, has no remaining guard against absurdities the most monstrous. . . .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/man-once-surrendering-his-reason-has-no-remaining-guard-against-2/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [It is an insult to our citizens to question whether they are rational beings or not, and blasphemy against religion to suppose it cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/it-is-an-insult-to-our-citizens-to-question-whether-they-are-rational/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Those who live by mystery & charlatanerie, fearing you would render them useless by simplifying the Christian philosophy - the most sublime and benevolent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/those-who-live-by-mystery-charlatanerie-fearing-you-would-render-them/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [It is too late in the day for men of sincerity to pretend they believe in the Platonic mysticisms that three are one, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/it-is-too-late-in-the-day-for-men-of-sincerity-to-pretend-they/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [The day will come when the mystical generation of Jesus, by the Supreme Being as his father, in the womb of a virgin, will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-day-will-come-when-the-mystical-generation-of-jesus-by-the/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [i held it up, and tried to channel happy dog thoughts toward Cerberus- Alpo commercials, cute little puppies, fire hydrants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/i-held-it-up-and-tried-to-channel-happy-dog-thoughts-toward-cerberus/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [CERBERUS, n. The watch-dog of Hades, whose duty it was to guard the entrance - against whom or what does not clearly appear; everybody,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/cerberus-n-the-watch-dog-of-hades-whose-duty-it-was-to-guard-the/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [Um," Grover said. "Percy?" "Yeah?" "I thought you'd want to know." "Yeah?" "Cerberus? 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To rent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliot-spitzer/the-irony-is-that-it-was-tougher-to-rent-a-car-from-cerberus-when-it/) [Eliot Spitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliot-spitzer/) > [“He could probably have persuaded even Cerberus to leave his post and go off in search of a few dog biscuits.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-rankin/he-could-probably-have-persuaded-even-cerberus-to-leave-his-post-and/) [Robert Rankin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-rankin/) ## More by Thomas Jefferson > [A man has a right to use a saw, an axe, a plane, separately; may he not combine their uses on the same piece…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/a-man-has-a-right-to-use-a-saw-an-axe-a-plane-separately-may-he-not/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [ \[States and the Federal government are\] coordinate departments of one simple and integral whole... 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The artificial aristocracy is a mischievous ingredient in government,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/there-is-an-artificial-aristocracy-founded-on-wealth-and-birth/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Nothing but free argument, raillery and even ridicule will preserve the purity of religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/nothing-but-free-argument-raillery-and-even-ridicule-will-preserve/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [When the people are afraid of the government, that's tyranny. But when the government is afraid of the people, that's liberty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/when-the-people-are-afraid-of-the-government-that-s-tyranny-but-when/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed, by their Creator, with certain unalienable Rights,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/we-hold-these-truths-to-be-self-evident-that-all-men-are-created/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) [Explore all 2,098 Thomas Jefferson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) ## More Against religion quotes > [We were convinced that the people need and require this faith. 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I could scream and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/the-rebellious-mood-of-the-country-during-those-60th-years-allowed-me/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [Religious controversies are always productive of more acrimony and irreconcilable hatreds than those which spring from any other cause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/religious-controversies-are-always-productive-of-more-acrimony-and/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [If you are asking me if my more global purpose is a battle against religion, it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/if-you-are-asking-me-if-my-more-global-purpose-is-a-battle-against/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [I don't believe in heaven and hell. I don't know if I believe in God. 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