---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: All this is nothing better than the…"
description: "\"“All this is nothing better than the jargon of a conjuror, who picks up phrases he does not understand to confound the credulous people who come to hav..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41a/thomas-paine-267_confound_all-this-is-nothing-better-than-the-jarg_3104228.png"
---

#  All this is nothing better than the jargon of a conjuror…

![“All this is nothing better than the jargon of a conjuror, who picks up phrases he does not understand to confound the credulous people who come to have their fortune told. Priests and conjurors are of the same trade .” quote by Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41a/thomas-paine-267_confound_all-this-is-nothing-better-than-the-jarg_3104228.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41a/thomas-paine-267_confound_all-this-is-nothing-better-than-the-jarg_3104228.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41a/thomas-paine-267_confound_all-this-is-nothing-better-than-the-jarg_3104228.png)

> ““All this is nothing better than the jargon of a conjuror, who picks up phrases he does not understand to confound the credulous people who come to have their fortune told. Priests and conjurors are of the same trade .””

[Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Paine dismisses pseudo‑spiritual rhetoric as deceptive jargon used by priests and magicians to exploit the gullible.

**In simple terms:** He calls out false religious language that misleads people.

Key Takeaway

Question authority and demand clear explanations.

Themes

skepticism religion deception

Mood

critical skeptical

Type

philosophical political

When to use this quote

- public speeches
- religious sermons
- political propaganda
- media analysis

Key Concepts

critical thinking rhetoric authority faith

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you distinguish genuine spiritual guidance from manipulation?
- What role does language play in shaping belief?

A Different Perspective

Such rhetoric can also inspire genuine belief in some contexts.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Credulous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/credulous/) [Fortune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fortune/) [Jargon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jargon/) [Priests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/priests/)

## Related quotes

> [Priests and conjurors are of the same trade.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/priests-and-conjurors-are-of-the-same-trade/)

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> ['State' can be a word that is a noun or a verb or an adverb - it's kind of why I chose that title.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-rundgren/state-can-be-a-word-that-is-a-noun-or-a-verb-or-an-adverb-it-s-kind/)

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> [Always zig when people expect you to zag. Confound them!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soledad-o-brien/always-zig-when-people-expect-you-to-zag-confound-them/)

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> [The commonest error made in relation to poetry is that it consists simply in verse-making. Many confound the casket of meter and rhyme with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-f-whitney/the-commonest-error-made-in-relation-to-poetry-is-that-it-consists/)

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> [The conjuror or con man is a very good provider of information. He supplies lots of data, by inference or direct statement, but it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-randi/the-conjuror-or-con-man-is-a-very-good-provider-of-information-he/)

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> [“I'm not going to tell you much more of the case, Doctor. You know a conjuror gets no credit when once he has explained…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/i-m-not-going-to-tell-you-much-more-of-the-case-doctor-you-know-a/)

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> [“I’m not going to tell you much more of the case, Doctor. You know a conjuror gets no credit when once he has explained…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/i-m-not-going-to-tell-you-much-more-of-the-case-doctor-you-know-a-2/)

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> [“You look at me as if I were a conjuror,' Holmes remarked, with a laugh.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-horowitz/you-look-at-me-as-if-i-were-a-conjuror-holmes-remarked-with-a-laugh/)

[Anthony Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-horowitz/)

> [Conjuring is the only absolutely honest profession - the conjuror promises to deceive, and does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-germain/conjuring-is-the-only-absolutely-honest-profession-the-conjuror/)

Karl Germain

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Browse all 4 Confound quotes

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