--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They are mad men (Jews), but you should…" description: "\"They are mad men (Jews), but you should not burn them for that.\" — Voltaire" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01e/voltaire-173_burn_they-are-mad-men-jews-but-you-should-not_1452544.png" --- # They are mad men (Jews), but you should not burn them for… ![“They are mad men (Jews), but you should not burn them for that.” quote by Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01e/voltaire-173_burn_they-are-mad-men-jews-but-you-should-not_1452544.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01e/voltaire-173_burn_they-are-mad-men-jews-but-you-should-not_1452544.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01e/voltaire-173_burn_they-are-mad-men-jews-but-you-should-not_1452544.png) > “They are mad men (Jews), but you should not burn them for that.” [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. Critique of prejudice, urging tolerance over violent retribution. **In simple terms:** Don’t punish people for their identity. Key Takeaway Practice empathy, avoid hate. Themes tolerance prejudice justice Mood reflective serious Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - social policy - interfaith dialogue - education - legal reform Key Concepts human rights ethical reasoning Questions to Reflect On - How can societies protect minorities without overreaction? - What are effective ways to counter hate? A Different Perspective Violence may be seen as justified by some; requires strong moral stance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Jew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jew/) [Jews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jews/) [Judaism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judaism/) [Mad men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mad-men/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Religious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious/) ## Related quotes > [All men are Jews, though few men know it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-malamud/all-men-are-jews-though-few-men-know-it/) [Bernard Malamud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-malamud/) > [“These marranos go wherever there is money to be made.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/these-marranos-go-wherever-there-is-money-to-be-made/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [The Jews are of all peoples the grosses, the most ferocious, the most fanatical, and the most absurd.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/the-jews-are-of-all-peoples-the-grosses-the-most-ferocious-the-most/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [“The Jews are an ignorant and barbarous people, who have long united the most sordid avarice with the most detestable superstition and the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/the-jews-are-an-ignorant-and-barbarous-people-who-have-long-united/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [It is not possible for Christians to take part in anti-Semitism. We are Semites spiritually.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-pius-xi/it-is-not-possible-for-christians-to-take-part-in-anti-semitism-we/) [Pope Pius XI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-pius-xi/) > [All Jews, however, in proportion as they are one with the leaders and rulers of their race, will oppose the influence of the supernatural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-fahey/all-jews-however-in-proportion-as-they-are-one-with-the-leaders-and/) [Denis Fahey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-fahey/) > [After I decided to become a Jew, only then did I learn that the Jews don't have all the money. When I found out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammy-davis-jr/after-i-decided-to-become-a-jew-only-then-did-i-learn-that-the-jews/) [Sammy Davis, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammy-davis-jr/) > [I'm of that generation of Jews still deeply influenced by the Holocaust. 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They are the father figures, stern, critical, and forbidding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raul-hilberg/the-jews-are-the-conscience-of-the-world-they-are-the-father-figures/) [Raul Hilberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raul-hilberg/) > [The story of the Jews in the Bible is replete with incidents of their ingratitude to God for His gifts to them: incidents that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/the-story-of-the-jews-in-the-bible-is-replete-with-incidents-of-their/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [I am devoting my lecture in this seminar to a discussion of the possibility that we are now entering a Jewish century, a time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-a-siegel/i-am-devoting-my-lecture-in-this-seminar-to-a-discussion-of-the/) Martin A. Siegel > [My parents were Orthodox Jews but not very regular Orthodox Jews. I was bar mitzvahed and all that. But God was hardly ever mentioned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-hentoff/my-parents-were-orthodox-jews-but-not-very-regular-orthodox-jews-i/) [Nat Hentoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-hentoff/) ## 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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I made it so hot that I had to get in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-crandall/i-locked-the-door-and-turned-on-the-water-to-fill-the-tub-i-made-it/) [Susan Crandall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-crandall/) > [There's no reason to burn books if you don't read them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/there-s-no-reason-to-burn-books-if-you-don-t-read-them/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“We go out in the fog in the morning won't burn.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cleopatra-mathis/we-go-out-in-the-fog-in-the-morning-won-t-burn/) [Cleopatra Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cleopatra-mathis/) > [“Pull on the new flesh like borrowed gloves and burn your fingers once again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-k-morgan/pull-on-the-new-flesh-like-borrowed-gloves-and-burn-your-fingers-once/) [Richard K. Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-k-morgan/) > [“I set myself on fire and people come to watch me burn.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wesley/i-set-myself-on-fire-and-people-come-to-watch-me-burn/) [John Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wesley/) > [There's a danger in starting a fire, you'll never know how many bridges you'll burn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-s-a-danger-in-starting-a-fire-you-ll-never-know-how-many/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Everything that did not get out of her way would burn.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tessa-gratton/everything-that-did-not-get-out-of-her-way-would-burn/) [Tessa Gratton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tessa-gratton/) > [If you don't think drugs have done good things for us, then take all of your records, tapes and CD's and burn them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/if-you-don-t-think-drugs-have-done-good-things-for-us-then-take-all/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [“Burn them all, burn everything. Fire is bright and fire is clean.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/burn-them-all-burn-everything-fire-is-bright-and-fire-is-clean/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Looks delicious," he lied. "A mite crispy along the edges - but then, I like it that way." Incredulous eyes met his own. "You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-anne-warren/looks-delicious-he-lied-a-mite-crispy-along-the-edges-but-then-i-like/) [Tracy Anne Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-anne-warren/) > [You can’t shine if you don’t burn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ayers/you-can-t-shine-if-you-don-t-burn/) [Kevin Ayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ayers/) > [“Oh, my God, are you okay? (Syd) You ever nick yourself while shaving? (Steele) Yeah. (Syd) You know the burn you get that hurts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/oh-my-god-are-you-okay-syd-you-ever-nick-yourself-while-shaving/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [Let the world burn through you. Throw the prism light, white hot, on paper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/let-the-world-burn-through-you-throw-the-prism-light-white-hot-on/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [Technology is, of course, a double edged sword. Fire can cook our food but also burn us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-silva/technology-is-of-course-a-double-edged-sword-fire-can-cook-our-food/) [Jason Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-silva/) > [Joan of Arc should be played as a "pain in the ass" and how do I know she was a "pain in the ass"?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-clurman/joan-of-arc-should-be-played-as-a-pain-in-the-ass-and-how-do-i-know/) [Harold Clurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-clurman/) Browse all 826 Burn quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "They are mad men (Jews), but you should not burn them for that.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Voltaire" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/they-are-mad-men-jews-but-you-should-not-burn-them-for-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Burn" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/they-are-mad-men-jews-but-you-should-not-burn-them-for-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01e/voltaire-173_burn_they-are-mad-men-jews-but-you-should-not_1452544.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01e/voltaire-173_burn_they-are-mad-men-jews-but-you-should-not_1452544.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01e/voltaire-173_burn_they-are-mad-men-jews-but-you-should-not_1452544.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“They are mad men (Jews), but you should not burn them for that.” — Voltaire", "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": "Voltaire", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "They are mad men (Jews), but...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/they-are-mad-men-jews-but-you-should-not-burn-them-for-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/they-are-mad-men-jews-but-you-should-not-burn-them-for-that/#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 } } ] } ```