--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If there is no silence beyond and within…" description: "\"If there is no silence beyond and within the many words of doctrine, there is no religion, only a religious ideology. For religion goes beyond words an..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/250/thomas-merton-231_action_if-there-is-no-silence-beyond-and-within_1069649.jpg" --- # If there is no silence beyond and within the many words of… ![“If there is no silence beyond and within the many words of doctrine, there is no religion, only a religious ideology. For religion goes beyond words and actions, and attains to the ultimate Truth only in silence and Love.” quote by Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/250/thomas-merton-231_action_if-there-is-no-silence-beyond-and-within_1069649.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/250/thomas-merton-231_action_if-there-is-no-silence-beyond-and-within_1069649.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/250/thomas-merton-231_action_if-there-is-no-silence-beyond-and-within_1069649.jpg) > “If there is no silence beyond and within the many words of doctrine, there is no religion, only a religious ideology. For religion goes beyond words and actions, and attains to the ultimate Truth only in silence and Love.” [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True religion is found in silent love, not in doctrine or words. **In simple terms:** Silence and love reveal ultimate truth. Key Takeaway Seek silence and love for deeper spirituality. Themes spirituality silence love truth Mood contemplative peaceful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - meditation retreats - personal reflection - interfaith dialogue - quiet contemplation Key Concepts mysticism religious experience Questions to Reflect On - What does silence mean to you in faith? - How can love be practiced without words? A Different Perspective Silence may be hard to achieve in noisy societies. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Doctrine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doctrine/) [Ideology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideology/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious/) [Silence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silence/) [Ultimate truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ultimate-truth/) [Words and actions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words-and-actions/) ## Related quotes > [Secularism is not only indifferent to alternative religious systems, but as a religious ideology it is opposed to any other religious systems. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-cox/secularism-is-not-only-indifferent-to-alternative-religious-systems/) [Harvey Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-cox/) > [Perhaps only silence and love do justice to a great work of art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominique-de-menil/perhaps-only-silence-and-love-do-justice-to-a-great-work-of-art/) [Dominique de Menil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominique-de-menil/) > [“The doctrine of immortality is the final doctrine of religion; … it speaks out what it has hitherto suppressed. If elsewhere the religious soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-feuerbach/the-doctrine-of-immortality-is-the-final-doctrine-of-religion-it/) [Ludwig Feuerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-feuerbach/) > [“An act of terrorism is not an ideology, nor religion. It is the lack of hope, of opportunity and of love. When there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahima-martel/an-act-of-terrorism-is-not-an-ideology-nor-religion-it-is-the-lack-of/) Mahima Martel > [Besides justifying the transfer of wealth to kleptocrats, institutionalized religion brings two other important benefits to centralized societies. First, shared ideology or religion helps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-diamond/besides-justifying-the-transfer-of-wealth-to-kleptocrats/) [Jared Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-diamond/) > [“In times of extremes, extremists win. Their ideology becomes a religion, anyone who doesn't puppet their views is seen as an apostate, a heretic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/in-times-of-extremes-extremists-win-their-ideology-becomes-a-religion/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [Interest in religion is not necessarily interest in God. Religion in public life means a set of ideas, an ideology that has certain positions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-george/interest-in-religion-is-not-necessarily-interest-in-god-religion-in/) [Francis George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-george/) > [Ideology and religion are contraindicated for fanatics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/ideology-and-religion-are-contraindicated-for-fanatics/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [“Terrorism is not an ideology of any religion; it is a business policy of weapon-selling countries like America,israel and france.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-zaki-ansari/terrorism-is-not-an-ideology-of-any-religion-it-is-a-business-policy/) [Mohammed Zaki Ansari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-zaki-ansari/) > [Real democracy means that no group or faction or leader can impose their will, their ideology, their religion, their desires on anyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/real-democracy-means-that-no-group-or-faction-or-leader-can-impose/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [History is written by the victors, the strongest, the most determined. Truth is found most often in the silence, in the quiet places.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/history-is-written-by-the-victors-the-strongest-the-most-determined/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The Invisible World reveals to us this Truth within its silence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-ripstein/the-invisible-world-reveals-to-us-this-truth-within-its-silence/) [Jacqueline Ripstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-ripstein/) > [Prayer begins by talking to God, but it ends by listening to Him. In the face of Absolute Truth, silence is the soul's language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/prayer-begins-by-talking-to-god-but-it-ends-by-listening-to-him-in/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Now he seeks truth in silence. He seeks God in the same, although he has come to believe that truth and God are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-winslow/now-he-seeks-truth-in-silence-he-seeks-god-in-the-same-although-he/) [Don Winslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-winslow/) > [I'd rather suffer the consequences of truth than of silence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/i-d-rather-suffer-the-consequences-of-truth-than-of-silence/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) ## More by Thomas Merton > [“Let no one hope to find in contemplation an escape from conflict, from anguish or from doubt. On the contrary, the deep, inexpressible certitude…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/let-no-one-hope-to-find-in-contemplation-an-escape-from-conflict-from/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [If nothing that can be seen can either be God or represent Him to us as He is, then to find God we must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/if-nothing-that-can-be-seen-can-either-be-god-or-represent-him-to-us/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [It is almost impossible to overestimate the value of true humility and its power in the spiritual life. For the beginning of humility is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/it-is-almost-impossible-to-overestimate-the-value-of-true-humility/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [We are not perfectly free until we live in pure hope. For when our hope is pure, it no longer trusts exclusively in human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/we-are-not-perfectly-free-until-we-live-in-pure-hope-for-when-our/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [The desire to kill is like the desire to attack another with an ingot of red -hot iron: I have to pick up the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/the-desire-to-kill-is-like-the-desire-to-attack-another-with-an-ingot/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [To enter into the realm of contemplation one must in a certain sense die: but this death is in fact the entrance to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/to-enter-into-the-realm-of-contemplation-one-must-in-a-certain-sense/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [The mission of Christian humility in social life is not merely to edify, but to keep minds open to many alternatives. The rigidity of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/the-mission-of-christian-humility-in-social-life-is-not-merely-to/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [Peace cannot be built on exclusivism, absolutism, and intolerance. But neither can it be built on vague liberal slogans and pious programs gestated in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/peace-cannot-be-built-on-exclusivism-absolutism-and-intolerance-but/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [Things that are good are good, and if one is responding to that goodness one is in contact with a truth from which one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/things-that-are-good-are-good-and-if-one-is-responding-to-that/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [Love winter when the plant says nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/love-winter-when-the-plant-says-nothing/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [The logic of worldly success rests on a fallacy: the strange error that our perfection depends on the thoughts and opinions and applause of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/the-logic-of-worldly-success-rests-on-a-fallacy-the-strange-error/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [“The wisdom of the flesh is a judgement that the ordinary ends of our natural appetites are the goods to which the whole of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/the-wisdom-of-the-flesh-is-a-judgement-that-the-ordinary-ends-of-our/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [I will no longer wound myself with the thoughts and questions that have surrounded me like thorns: that is a penance You do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/i-will-no-longer-wound-myself-with-the-thoughts-and-questions-that/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [If you write for God you will reach many men and bring them joy. If you write for men--you may make some money and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/if-you-write-for-god-you-will-reach-many-men-and-bring-them-joy-if/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [“Contemplation means rest, suspension of activity, withdrawal into the mysterious interior solitude in which the soul is absorbed in the immense and fruitful silence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/contemplation-means-rest-suspension-of-activity-withdrawal-into-the/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) [Explore all 851 Thomas Merton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) ## More Action quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [Every thought I have imprisioned in expression I must free by my deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/every-thought-i-have-imprisioned-in-expression-i-must-free-by-my-deeds/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [For comedy action, I must know the language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammo-hung/for-comedy-action-i-must-know-the-language/) [Sammo Hung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammo-hung/) > [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/) > [“Action is a powerful thing. When you smile through your sadness, it can completely change your outlook. Try it! Smile :) Now hold onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leticia-rae/action-is-a-powerful-thing-when-you-smile-through-your-sadness-it-can/) [Leticia Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leticia-rae/) > [I reject criticism because the last thing I wanted was to sit there and look at people talking. I think people are conditioned to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-tyrnauer/i-reject-criticism-because-the-last-thing-i-wanted-was-to-sit-there/) [Matt Tyrnauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-tyrnauer/) > [“I take my actions because of my passion not because of compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-take-my-actions-because-of-my-passion-not-because-of-compulsion/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) [Browse all 14,940 Action quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If there is no silence beyond and within the many words of doctrine, there is no religion, only a religious ideology. For religion goes beyond words and actions, and attains to the ultimate Truth only in silence and Love.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas Merton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/if-there-is-no-silence-beyond-and-within-the-many-words-of-doctrine/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Action" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/if-there-is-no-silence-beyond-and-within-the-many-words-of-doctrine/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/250/thomas-merton-231_action_if-there-is-no-silence-beyond-and-within_1069649.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/250/thomas-merton-231_action_if-there-is-no-silence-beyond-and-within_1069649.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/250/thomas-merton-231_action_if-there-is-no-silence-beyond-and-within_1069649.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If there is no silence beyond and within the many words of doctrine, there is no religion, only a religious…” — Thomas Merton", "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 Merton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If there is no silence beyond...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/if-there-is-no-silence-beyond-and-within-the-many-words-of-doctrine/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/if-there-is-no-silence-beyond-and-within-the-many-words-of-doctrine/#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 } } ] } ```