--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Because it is such a powerful force in…" description: "\"“Because it is such a powerful force in the world today, the Western Judeo-Christian tradition is often accepted as the arbiter of 'natural' behavior o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95d/walter-l-williams-148580_diversity_because-it-is-such-a-powerful-force-in-t_987214.jpg" --- # Because it is such a powerful force in the world today… ![“Because it is such a powerful force in the world today, the Western Judeo-Christian tradition is often accepted as the arbiter of 'natural' behavior of humans. If Europeans and their descendant nations of North America accept something as normal, then anything different is seen as abnormal. Such a…” quote by Walter L. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95d/walter-l-williams-148580_diversity_because-it-is-such-a-powerful-force-in-t_987214.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95d/walter-l-williams-148580_diversity_because-it-is-such-a-powerful-force-in-t_987214.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95d/walter-l-williams-148580_diversity_because-it-is-such-a-powerful-force-in-t_987214.jpg) > ““Because it is such a powerful force in the world today, the Western Judeo-Christian tradition is often accepted as the arbiter of 'natural' behavior of humans. If Europeans and their descendant nations of North America accept something as normal, then anything different is seen as abnormal. Such a view ignores the great diversity of human experience.”” [Walter L. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-l-williams/) ## 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 argues that Western Judeo‑Christian standards dominate definitions of “natural” human behavior, marginalizing diverse experiences and labeling differences abnormal. **In simple terms:** Western norms label other cultures as abnormal. Key Takeaway Question dominant cultural narratives and seek inclusive perspectives. Themes culture diversity ethics religion identity Mood critical reflective Type analysis philosophical When to use this quote - cross‑cultural research - policy making - education curricula - media representation Key Concepts cultural hegemony normative bias human variability Questions to Reflect On - How do we recognize multiple valid human experiences? - What steps can broaden our definition of “natural”? A Different Perspective The argument may overlook internal diversity within Western societies themselves. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christian Tradition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian-tradition-233074/) [Diversity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diversity/) [Human experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-experience/) [Humans Europeans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans-europeans-1998674/) [Judeo Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judeo-christian/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [North america](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/north-america/) [Sexuality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sexuality/) [Tradition Accepted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tradition-accepted-1998673/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Western Judeo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/western-judeo-1998672/) ## Related quotes > [Christianity was neither original nor unique, but that the roots of much of the Judeo/ Christian tradition lay in the prevailing Kamite (ancient Egyptian)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-massey/christianity-was-neither-original-nor-unique-but-that-the-roots-of/) [Gerald Massey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-massey/) > [In the West nowadays, it's very common to talk about the Judeo- Christian tradition. It's a common term. The term is relatively modern but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-lewis/in-the-west-nowadays-it-s-very-common-to-talk-about-the-judeo/) [Bernard Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-lewis/) > [“The requirement to obey and acknowledge God and Jesus Christ has caused the teachings of the Christian tradition to stray from morality to idol…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-g-mcafee/the-requirement-to-obey-and-acknowledge-god-and-jesus-christ-has/) [David G. McAfee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-g-mcafee/) > [“In the Judaeo-Christian tradition all this is well known, and incorporated into the sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church as well as the rituals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/in-the-judaeo-christian-tradition-all-this-is-well-known-and/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [“This is one of the hard-and-fast ironies of the Christian tradition: views that at one time were the majority opinion, or at least that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bart-d-ehrman/this-is-one-of-the-hard-and-fast-ironies-of-the-christian-tradition-2/) [Bart D. Ehrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bart-d-ehrman/) > [The only influence that can really upset the injustice and iniquity of men is the power that breathes in the Christian tradition, renewing our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/the-only-influence-that-can-really-upset-the-injustice-and-iniquity/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [I am a Christian. So, I have a deep faith. So I draw from the Christian faith...So, I'm rooted in the Christian tradition. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-am-a-christian-so-i-have-a-deep-faith-so-i-draw-from-the-christian/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [“To the accepted Christian tradition that man must be free to follow his conscience in moral matters if his actions are to be of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-a-hayek/to-the-accepted-christian-tradition-that-man-must-be-free-to-follow/) [Friedrich A. Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-a-hayek/) > [Perhaps the greatest contribution that those of us who come from a Christian tradition can make is to throw out the old just-war theory,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mairead-corrigan/perhaps-the-greatest-contribution-that-those-of-us-who-come-from-a/) [Mairead Corrigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mairead-corrigan/) > [“stories of the Virgin being succoured by a friendly palm tree had actually been a Christian tradition for centuries, and seem in turn to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-holland/stories-of-the-virgin-being-succoured-by-a-friendly-palm-tree-had/) [Tom Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-holland/) > [It is ironic that so many politicians claim to defend traditional Christian values of 'faith and family.' In fact, a radical antifamily ideology permeates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-coontz/it-is-ironic-that-so-many-politicians-claim-to-defend-traditional/) [Stephanie Coontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-coontz/) > [When you look at food as an ethical issue in the Christian tradition, you don't find very much about it. You don't find, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/when-you-look-at-food-as-an-ethical-issue-in-the-christian-tradition/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [Spiritual formation in a Christian tradition answers a specific human question: 'What kind of person am I going to be?' It is the process…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/spiritual-formation-in-a-christian-tradition-answers-a-specific-human/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [And so, today, if the state can no longer appeal to the old moral principles that belong to the Christian tradition, it will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-dawson/and-so-today-if-the-state-can-no-longer-appeal-to-the-old-moral/) [Christopher Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-dawson/) > [The Christian tradition was passed on to me as a great rich mixture, a bouillabaisse of human imagination and wonder brewed from the richness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-catherine-bateson/the-christian-tradition-was-passed-on-to-me-as-a-great-rich-mixture-a/) [Mary Catherine Bateson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-catherine-bateson/) ## More Diversity quotes > [The teacher is one who makes two ideas grow where only one grew before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/the-teacher-is-one-who-makes-two-ideas-grow-where-only-one-grew-before/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [I think the issues around diversity of all kinds are really a huge problem in the startup world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-lyons/i-think-the-issues-around-diversity-of-all-kinds-are-really-a-huge/) [Daniel Lyons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-lyons/) > [I hope that we always have diversity, that we have equality and representation every step of the way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marsai-martin/i-hope-that-we-always-have-diversity-that-we-have-equality-and/) [Marsai Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marsai-martin/) > [Being an inclusive place means being inclusive for all people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-sweet/being-an-inclusive-place-means-being-inclusive-for-all-people/) [Julie Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-sweet/) > [In such a diversity it was impossible I should be disposed to melancholy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-boone/in-such-a-diversity-it-was-impossible-i-should-be-disposed-to/) [Daniel Boone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-boone/) > [If you chose a particular religion, you were siding with the government religion of whatever region you were in. 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