--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Bible. That is what fools have…" description: "\"The Bible. That is what fools have written, what imbeciles commend, what rogues teach and young children are made to learn by heart.\" — Voltaire" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f35/voltaire-173_atheism_the-bible-that-is-what-fools-have-writte_1094789.png" --- # The Bible. That is what fools have written, what imbeciles… ![“The Bible. That is what fools have written, what imbeciles commend, what rogues teach and young children are made to learn by heart.” quote by Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f35/voltaire-173_atheism_the-bible-that-is-what-fools-have-writte_1094789.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f35/voltaire-173_atheism_the-bible-that-is-what-fools-have-writte_1094789.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f35/voltaire-173_atheism_the-bible-that-is-what-fools-have-writte_1094789.png) > “The Bible. That is what fools have written, what imbeciles commend, what rogues teach and young children are made to learn by heart.” [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote critiques the authority of religious texts, suggesting they are products of foolishness and manipulation, and warns against uncritical memorization. **In simple terms:** Religion is portrayed as foolish and manipulative. Key Takeaway Question teachings critically, not accept blindly. Themes religion authority education Mood critical skeptical Type philosophical controversial When to use this quote - school curricula - parental guidance - faith discussions - literary analysis Key Concepts skepticism cultural criticism Questions to Reflect On - Do you accept teachings without questioning? - How does this view affect respect for believers? A Different Perspective It may overlook the personal comfort and community many find in faith. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheism/) [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) [Bible Fools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible-fools-2848803/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Fool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fool/) [Fools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fools/) [Fools Written](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fools-written-2848804/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Imbeciles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imbeciles/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Rogues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rogues/) [Rogues Teach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rogues-teach-2848805/) [Teach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teach/) [Written](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/written/) [Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young/) [Young children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-children/) ## Related quotes > [I prefer rogues to imbeciles, because they sometimes take a rest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas/i-prefer-rogues-to-imbeciles-because-they-sometimes-take-a-rest/) [Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas/) > [“Rogues are preferable to imbeciles because sometimes they take a rest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas/rogues-are-preferable-to-imbeciles-because-sometimes-they-take-a-rest/) [alexandre dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas/) > [ We put \[young children\] into kindergarten where their reasoning powers are ruined; or, if we can afford it, we buy Montessori outfits that were… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-fullerton-gerould/we-put-young-children-into-kindergarten-where-their-reasoning-powers/) [Katharine Fullerton Gerould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-fullerton-gerould/) > [The superstitious man is to the rogue what the slave is to the tyrant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/the-superstitious-man-is-to-the-rogue-what-the-slave-is-to-the-tyrant/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [What I want is to open up. I want to know what's inside me. I want everybody to open up. I'm like an imbecile…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/what-i-want-is-to-open-up-i-want-to-know-what-s-inside-me-i-want/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [One of the most obvious results of having a baby around the house is to turn two good people into complete idiots who probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georges-courteline/one-of-the-most-obvious-results-of-having-a-baby-around-the-house-is/) [Georges Courteline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georges-courteline/) > [What do you think an artist is? An imbecile who has only his eyes if he's a painter, or ears if he's a musician,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/what-do-you-think-an-artist-is-an-imbecile-who-has-only-his-eyes-if/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [Jazz: Music invented for the torture of imbeciles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-van-dyke/jazz-music-invented-for-the-torture-of-imbeciles/) [Henry Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-van-dyke/) > [Life without sex might be safer but it would be unbearably dull. It is the sex instinct which makes women seem beautiful, which they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/life-without-sex-might-be-safer-but-it-would-be-unbearably-dull-it-is/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [Three generations of imbeciles are enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/three-generations-of-imbeciles-are-enough/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) > [Only a f-kin imbecile would think they un-correctable, cause you're susceptible to becoming more than a spectacle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immortal-technique/only-a-f-kin-imbecile-would-think-they-un-correctable-cause-you-re/) [Immortal Technique](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immortal-technique/) > [When I see gurgling retarded children (that's God's doing, by the way, not mine) happily styling their hair with their own stinking mards, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-duncan/when-i-see-gurgling-retarded-children-that-s-god-s-doing-by-the-way/) [Glen Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-duncan/) > [A skeptic as to all ideas, including especially my own, I have never suffered a pang when the ideas of some other imbecile prevailed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/a-skeptic-as-to-all-ideas-including-especially-my-own-i-have-never/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [As soon as I find myself in the presence of a rich man, I cannot help looking upon him as an exceptional and beautiful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octave-mirbeau/as-soon-as-i-find-myself-in-the-presence-of-a-rich-man-i-cannot-help/) [Octave Mirbeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octave-mirbeau/) > [The mother of the imbecile is always pregnant,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincenzo-nibali/the-mother-of-the-imbecile-is-always-pregnant/) [Vincenzo Nibali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincenzo-nibali/) ## More by Voltaire > [In every province, the chief occupations, in order of importance, are lovemaking, malicious gossip, and talking nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/in-every-province-the-chief-occupations-in-order-of-importance-are/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Fanaticism, to which men are so much inclined, has always served not only to render them more brutalized but more wicked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/fanaticism-to-which-men-are-so-much-inclined-has-always-served-not/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [History is the study of the world's crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/history-is-the-study-of-the-world-s-crime/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [We’re neither pure, nor wise, nor good; we do the best we know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/we-re-neither-pure-nor-wise-nor-good-we-do-the-best-we-know/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [It is with books as with men: a very small number play a great part, the rest are lost in the multitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/it-is-with-books-as-with-men-a-very-small-number-play-a-great-part/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Meslier was the most singular phenomenon ever seen among all the meteors fatal to the Christian religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/meslier-was-the-most-singular-phenomenon-ever-seen-among-all-the/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Every sensible man, every honorable man, must hold the Christian sect in horror." 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When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [No philosophy, no religion, has ever brought so glad a message to the world as this good news of Atheism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-besant/no-philosophy-no-religion-has-ever-brought-so-glad-a-message-to-the/) [Annie Besant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-besant/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [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/) > [The inner defenses are unconscious. They consist of a kind of magic aura which the mind builds around cherished belief. Arguments which penetrate into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-inner-defenses-are-unconscious-they-consist-of-a-kind-of-magic/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [God speaks through me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/god-speaks-through-me/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [A knowledge of the existence of something we cannot penetrate, of the manifestations of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty - it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/a-knowledge-of-the-existence-of-something-we-cannot-penetrate-of-the/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [You cannot ... transmute some incoherent mixture of words into sense merely by introducing the three-letter word "God" to be its grammatical subject.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-flew/you-cannot-transmute-some-incoherent-mixture-of-words-into-sense/) [Antony Flew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-flew/) > [Many humanists have argued that happiness involves a combination of hedonism and creative moral development; that an exuberant life fuses excellence and enjoyment, meaning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kurtz/many-humanists-have-argued-that-happiness-involves-a-combination-of/) [Paul Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kurtz/) > [If, with all the time at my disposal, with all the wealth of the resources of this vast universe, to do with as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/if-with-all-the-time-at-my-disposal-with-all-the-wealth-of-the/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [Do you think that was kind? Do you think it was godlike? What would you think of a physician, if a woman came to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-h-gardener/do-you-think-that-was-kind-do-you-think-it-was-godlike-what-would-you/) [Helen H. Gardener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-h-gardener/) > [Science can destroy religion by ignoring it as well as by disproving its tenets. No one ever demonstrated, so far as I am aware,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/science-can-destroy-religion-by-ignoring-it-as-well-as-by-disproving/) [Arthur C. 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