--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Most of all, however, these observances…" description: "\"“Most of all, however, these observances attack and undermine the very spirit of life within the minds of men. They afford to our Romans, from the stre..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/516/thornton-wilder-1495_false-religion_most-of-all-however-these-observances-at_2575483.jpg" --- # Most of all, however, these observances attack and… ![“Most of all, however, these observances attack and undermine the very spirit of life within the minds of men. They afford to our Romans, from the street sweepers to the consuls, a vague sense of confidence where no confidence is and at the same time a pervasive fear, a fear which neither arouses…” quote by Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/516/thornton-wilder-1495_false-religion_most-of-all-however-these-observances-at_2575483.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/516/thornton-wilder-1495_false-religion_most-of-all-however-these-observances-at_2575483.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/516/thornton-wilder-1495_false-religion_most-of-all-however-these-observances-at_2575483.jpg) > ““Most of all, however, these observances attack and undermine the very spirit of life within the minds of men. They afford to our Romans, from the street sweepers to the consuls, a vague sense of confidence where no confidence is and at the same time a pervasive fear, a fear which neither arouses to action nor calls forth ingenuity, but which paralyzes. They remove from men's shoulders the unremitting obligation to create, moment by moment, their own Rome. They come to us sanctioned by the usage of our ancestors and breathing the security of our childhood; they flatter passivity and console inadequacy”” [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Societal norms can stifle individuality and creativity, fostering false confidence and paralyzing fear. **In simple terms:** Conformity kills personal initiative. Key Takeaway Challenge passive acceptance. Themes conformity fear creativity individuality Mood reflective critical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - workplace culture - education - political discourse - family dynamics Key Concepts social psychology existentialism Questions to Reflect On - How does conformity affect your personal goals? - What steps can you take to reclaim creative agency? A Different Perspective Overcoming fear requires active effort, not just awareness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [False religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/false-religion/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Romans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/romans/) [Spirit of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit-of-life/) ## Related quotes > [The one Spirit of life is given different names, the sacred names. We more easily recognize the Spirit of life by the particular name…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hazrat-inayat-khan/the-one-spirit-of-life-is-given-different-names-the-sacred-names-we/) [Hazrat Inayat Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hazrat-inayat-khan/) > [In a tree there is a spirit of life, a spirit of growth and a spirit of holding its head up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-henri/in-a-tree-there-is-a-spirit-of-life-a-spirit-of-growth-and-a-spirit/) [Robert Henri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-henri/) > [Father God, thank You for having no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/father-god-thank-you-for-having-no-condemnation-for-those-who-are-in/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [Love is the spirit of life unto the adorned body of mankind, the establisher of true civilization in this mortal world, and the shedder…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdu-l-bah/love-is-the-spirit-of-life-unto-the-adorned-body-of-mankind-the/) [Abdu'l-Bahá](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdu-l-bah/) > [Every day I am aware of the flow and constant change; perhaps I am at the edge of discovering what more our bodies might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bernhard/every-day-i-am-aware-of-the-flow-and-constant-change-perhaps-i-am-at/) [Ruth Bernhard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bernhard/) > [“The spirit of life, the spirit of peace.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/the-spirit-of-life-the-spirit-of-peace/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Love is the spirit of life, and makes all things live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-freeman-clarke/love-is-the-spirit-of-life-and-makes-all-things-live/) [James Freeman Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-freeman-clarke/) > [Father eternal, ruler of creation, Spirit of life, which moved ere form was made Through the thick darkness covering every nation Light to man's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-housman/father-eternal-ruler-of-creation-spirit-of-life-which-moved-ere-form/) [Laurence Housman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-housman/) > [The function of the artist is to disturb. His duty is to arouse the sleeper, to shake the complacent pillars of the world.In a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-bethune/the-function-of-the-artist-is-to-disturb-his-duty-is-to-arouse-the-2/) Norman Bethune > [“Dead Men's Tale (The Sonnet) They say, time and tide wait for none, Lest the bird learns it can fly. The best way to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/dead-men-s-tale-the-sonnet-they-say-time-and-tide-wait-for-none-lest/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [What is a Poet? He is a man speaking to men: a man, it is true, endued with more lively sensibility, more enthusiasm and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/what-is-a-poet-he-is-a-man-speaking-to-men-a-man-it-is-true-endued/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [The purpose of life is not to be happy, the purpose of life is to matter..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/the-purpose-of-life-is-not-to-be-happy-the-purpose-of-life-is-to/) [Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) > [If you train hard and work hard eventually you will gain results, and that is the real spirit of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-zanardi/if-you-train-hard-and-work-hard-eventually-you-will-gain-results-and/) [Alex Zanardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-zanardi/) > [O SON OF MAN! I loved thy creation, hence I created thee. Wherefore, do thou love Me, that I may name thy name and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baha-u-llah/o-son-of-man-i-loved-thy-creation-hence-i-created-thee-wherefore-do/) [Bahá'u'lláh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baha-u-llah/) > [Our spirit of life is not identical with that of our ancestors, and therefore their music, even if restored with utter technical perfections, can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-hindemith/our-spirit-of-life-is-not-identical-with-that-of-our-ancestors-and/) [Paul Hindemith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-hindemith/) ## More by Thornton Wilder > [“He respected the slight nervous shadow that crossed her face when he came too near her. But there arose out of this denial itself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/he-respected-the-slight-nervous-shadow-that-crossed-her-face-when-he/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) > [When you're safe at home you wish you were having an adventure; when you're having an adventure you wish you were safe at home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/when-you-re-safe-at-home-you-wish-you-were-having-an-adventure-when/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) > [“Simon Stimson: "...That's what it was to be alive. To move about in a cloud of ignorance; to go up and down trampling on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/simon-stimson-that-s-what-it-was-to-be-alive-to-move-about-in-a-cloud/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) > [“Love as education is one of the great powers of the world, but it hangs in a delicate suspension; it achieves its harmony as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/love-as-education-is-one-of-the-great-powers-of-the-world-but-it/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) > [Many great writers have been extraordinarily awkward in daily exchange, but the greatest give the impression that their style was nursed by the closest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/many-great-writers-have-been-extraordinarily-awkward-in-daily/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) > [A man looks pretty small at a wedding, George. All those good women standing shoulder to shoulder, making sure that the knot's tied in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/a-man-looks-pretty-small-at-a-wedding-george-all-those-good-women/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) > [The knowledge that she would never be loved in return acted upon her ideas as a tide acts upon cliffs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/the-knowledge-that-she-would-never-be-loved-in-return-acted-upon-her/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) > [“But while they continued staring into one another’s face waiting for the miracle of science the pain grew worse.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/but-while-they-continued-staring-into-one-another-s-face-waiting-for/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) > [I am convinced that, except in a few extraordinary cases, one form or another of an unhappy childhood is essential to the formation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/i-am-convinced-that-except-in-a-few-extraordinary-cases-one-form-or/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) > [Many who have spent a lifetime in it can tell us less of love than the child that lost a dog yesterday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/many-who-have-spent-a-lifetime-in-it-can-tell-us-less-of-love-than/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) > [“Cesar is not a philosophical man. His life has been one long flight from reflection. At least he is clever enough not to expose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/cesar-is-not-a-philosophical-man-his-life-has-been-one-long-flight/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) > [Every person who has ever lived has lived an unbroken succession of unique occasions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/every-person-who-has-ever-lived-has-lived-an-unbroken-succession-of/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) > [“Without your wounds where would your power be? It is your melancholy that makes your low voice tremble into the hearts of men and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/without-your-wounds-where-would-your-power-be-it-is-your-melancholy/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) > [Ninety-nine per cent of the people in the world are fools and the rest of us are in great danger of contagion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/ninety-nine-per-cent-of-the-people-in-the-world-are-fools-and-the/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) > [There's nothing like mixing with woman to bring out all the foolishness in a man of sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/there-s-nothing-like-mixing-with-woman-to-bring-out-all-the/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) [Explore all 232 Thornton Wilder quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) ## More False religion quotes > [The bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is the crowning proof of Christianity. If the resurrection did not take place, then Christianity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-m-morris/the-bodily-resurrection-of-jesus-christ-from-the-dead-is-the-crowning/) [Henry M. Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-m-morris/) > [“But the most insidious and dangerous of false religions is secular humanism. It’s so crafty, so sneaky, with its kindness and its decency, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/but-the-most-insidious-and-dangerous-of-false-religions-is-secular/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [The impious presumption of legislators and rulers, civil as well as ecclesiastical, who, being themselves but fallible and uninspired men, have assumed dominion over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-impious-presumption-of-legislators-and-rulers-civil-as-well-as/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [When a person does not know the doctrines of the Christian faith, he can easily be captured by false religions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-w-wiersbe/when-a-person-does-not-know-the-doctrines-of-the-christian-faith-he/) [Warren W. Wiersbe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-w-wiersbe/) > [The false religion of lust is baser than the false religion of mother-love or patriotism or art: but lust is less likely to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-false-religion-of-lust-is-baser-than-the-false-religion-of-mother/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Atheism is a lack of belief...what about the powers of darkness, and that of light, will you trace both to nothing? Then you must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/atheism-is-a-lack-of-belief-what-about-the-powers-of-darkness-and/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [I entertain a private suspicion that physical sports were much more really effective and beneficent when they were not taken quite so seriously. One…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-entertain-a-private-suspicion-that-physical-sports-were-much-more/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We want to lead Catholics to Christ. I believe it is a false religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/we-want-to-lead-catholics-to-christ-i-believe-it-is-a-false-religion/) [John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) > [“Gotquestions.org describes acupuncture as “rooted in superstition, occultism, and false religions that are in direct opposition to God’s Word” yet vindicates Christian participation by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/candy-gunther-brown/gotquestions-org-describes-acupuncture-as-rooted-in-superstition/) [Candy Gunther Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/candy-gunther-brown/) > [Any false religion ultimately is a deception of Satan, to try and keep people from the only way to Heaven, which is through faith…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jeffress/any-false-religion-ultimately-is-a-deception-of-satan-to-try-and-keep/) [Robert Jeffress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jeffress/) > [“The face that Moses had begged to see – was forbidden to see – was slapped bloody (Exodus 33:19-20) The thorns that God had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-eareckson-tada/the-face-that-moses-had-begged-to-see-was-forbidden-to-see-was-2/) [Joni Eareckson Tada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-eareckson-tada/) > [False religions like Islam who teach that you must worship this way, are completely opposite with what our First Amendment stands for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-moore/false-religions-like-islam-who-teach-that-you-must-worship-this-way/) [Roy Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-moore/) > [“We reject the view that those who are diligent and sincere in a false religion have eternal life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-reject-the-view-that-those-who-are-diligent-and-sincere-in-a-false/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Does the reader realise the despair that falls upon the hapless Catholic journalist at such moments; or how wild a prayer he may well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/does-the-reader-realise-the-despair-that-falls-upon-the-hapless/) [G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/) > [Where true religion has prevented one crime, false religions have afforded a pretext for a thousand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/where-true-religion-has-prevented-one-crime-false-religions-have/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) [Browse all 45 False religion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/false-religion/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Most of all, however, these observances attack and undermine the very spirit of life within the minds of men. They afford to our Romans, from the street sweepers to the consuls, a vague sense of confidence where no confidence is and at the same time a pervasive fear, a fear which neither arouses to action nor calls forth ingenuity, but which paralyzes. 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