---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is from the Bible that man has learned…"
description: "\"It is from the Bible that man has learned cruelty, rapine, and murder; for the belief of a cruel God makes a cruel man.\" — Thomas Paine"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f6/thomas-paine-267_belief_it-is-from-the-bible-that-man-has-learne_1780240.png"
---

#  It is from the Bible that man has learned cruelty, rapine…

![“It is from the Bible that man has learned cruelty, rapine, and murder; for the belief of a cruel God makes a cruel man.” quote by Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f6/thomas-paine-267_belief_it-is-from-the-bible-that-man-has-learne_1780240.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f6/thomas-paine-267_belief_it-is-from-the-bible-that-man-has-learne_1780240.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f6/thomas-paine-267_belief_it-is-from-the-bible-that-man-has-learne_1780240.png)

> “It is from the Bible that man has learned cruelty, rapine, and murder; for the belief of a cruel God makes a cruel man.”

[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.

Human cruelty stems from belief in a cruel deity.

**In simple terms:** Cruel God leads to cruel people.

Key Takeaway

Question divine justification of cruelty.

Themes

religion morality cruelty

Mood

critical thought‑provoking

Type

philosophical skeptical

When to use this quote

- historical analysis
- theological debate
- personal belief

Key Concepts

theodicy human nature ethics

Questions to Reflect On

- What sources shape moral behavior?
- Can secular ethics prevent cruelty?

A Different Perspective

Not all attribute cruelty to religion.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) [Belief Cruel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief-cruel-1856734/) [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) [Cruel God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cruel-god-835329/) [Cruel Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cruel-man-572613/) [Cruelty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cruelty/) [Cruelty Rapine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cruelty-rapine-1856736/) [Learned Cruelty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learned-cruelty-1856735/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Murder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/murder/)

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