--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Neither despise nor oppose what thou dost…" description: "\"Neither despise nor oppose what thou dost not understand.\" — William Penn" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d0/william-penn-1104_despise_neither-despise-nor-oppose-what-thou-dos_3230320.png" --- # Neither despise nor oppose what thou dost not understand. ![“Neither despise nor oppose what thou dost not understand.” quote by William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d0/william-penn-1104_despise_neither-despise-nor-oppose-what-thou-dos_3230320.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d0/william-penn-1104_despise_neither-despise-nor-oppose-what-thou-dos_3230320.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d0/william-penn-1104_despise_neither-despise-nor-oppose-what-thou-dos_3230320.png) > “Neither despise nor oppose what thou dost not understand.” [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advocates tolerance: to oppose ideas one does not understand. **In simple terms:** Do not fight what you cannot grasp. Key Takeaway Practice empathy and seek understanding. Themes tolerance open-mindedness conflict resolution Mood thoughtful inspirational Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - intercultural dialogue - education - community building Key Concepts philosophy ethics communication Questions to Reflect On - How can we better understand opposing viewpoints? - What steps foster constructive discourse? A Different Perspective Understanding may be limited by bias. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [O Lord, help me not to despise or oppose what I do not understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/o-lord-help-me-not-to-despise-or-oppose-what-i-do-not-understand/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [Such is the world. Understand it, despise it, love it; cheerfully hold on thy way through it, with thy eye on highest loadstars!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/such-is-the-world-understand-it-despise-it-love-it-cheerfully-hold-on/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [DMK will always oppose the BJP's communalism and fascist approach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-k-stalin/dmk-will-always-oppose-the-bjp-s-communalism-and-fascist-approach/) [M. K. Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-k-stalin/) > [Terrorists oppose nations such as the United States and Australia not because of what we have done but because of who we are and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-howard/terrorists-oppose-nations-such-as-the-united-states-and-australia-not/) [John Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-howard/) > [It is not true that I oppose government funding of the arts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/it-is-not-true-that-i-oppose-government-funding-of-the-arts/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [A government full of Democrats would rather have you be a Republican, and a government full of Republicans would rather have you be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-celio/a-government-full-of-democrats-would-rather-have-you-be-a-republican/) [Brian Celio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-celio/) > [“Every man who doesn't oppose injustice is complicit in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliana-gray/every-man-who-doesn-t-oppose-injustice-is-complicit-in-it/) [Juliana Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliana-gray/) > [Being against other people's policies eventually puts you in a downward spiral. It's fine to be principled and oppose views that you don't agree…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeb-bush/being-against-other-people-s-policies-eventually-puts-you-in-a/) [Jeb Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeb-bush/) > [We must not allow ourselves to become like the system we oppose. We cannot afford to use methods of which we will be ashamed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/we-must-not-allow-ourselves-to-become-like-the-system-we-oppose-we/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [I oppose the president's plan to privatize Social Security.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-higgins/i-oppose-the-president-s-plan-to-privatize-social-security/) Brian Higgins > [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/) > [We tend to become like the worst in those we oppose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/we-tend-to-become-like-the-worst-in-those-we-oppose/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [Any time you get serious about using your life the way God wants you to use it, there are going to be people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/any-time-you-get-serious-about-using-your-life-the-way-god-wants-you/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [Americans oppose Obamacare because they understand that it is inconsistent with our liberties and our idea of limited government and that it will destroy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-limbaugh/americans-oppose-obamacare-because-they-understand-that-it-is/) [David Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-limbaugh/) > [What we want is a lasting peace. We will oppose soft measures which invite the breaking of the peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-f-byrnes/what-we-want-is-a-lasting-peace-we-will-oppose-soft-measures-which/) [James F. Byrnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-f-byrnes/) ## More by William Penn > [Love grows. Lust wastes by Enjoyment, and the Reason is, that one springs from an Union of Souls, and the other from an Union…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/love-grows-lust-wastes-by-enjoyment-and-the-reason-is-that-one/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [Once you've accumulated sufficient knowledge to get by, you're too old to remember it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/once-you-ve-accumulated-sufficient-knowledge-to-get-by-you-re-too-old/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [If thou wouldn't conquer thy weakness thou must not gratify it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/if-thou-wouldn-t-conquer-thy-weakness-thou-must-not-gratify-it/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [Religion is the fear of God, and its demonstration good works; and faith is the root of both: For without faith we cannot please…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/religion-is-the-fear-of-god-and-its-demonstration-good-works-and/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [All excess is ill; but drunkenness is of the worst sort. It spoils health, dismounts the mind, and unmans men. It reveals secrets, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/all-excess-is-ill-but-drunkenness-is-of-the-worst-sort-it-spoils/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [“Let us then try what love can do to mend a broken world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/let-us-then-try-what-love-can-do-to-mend-a-broken-world/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > ['Tis no sin to be tempted, but to be overcome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/tis-no-sin-to-be-tempted-but-to-be-overcome/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [Perfect love casteth out fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/perfect-love-casteth-out-fear/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [By liberty of conscience, we understand not only a mere liberty of the mind, in believing or disbelieving this or that principle or doctrine;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/by-liberty-of-conscience-we-understand-not-only-a-mere-liberty-of-the/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [Content not thyself that thou art virtuous in the general; for one link being wanting, the chain is defective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/content-not-thyself-that-thou-art-virtuous-in-the-general-for-one/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [We are apt to be very pert at censuring others, where we will not endure advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/we-are-apt-to-be-very-pert-at-censuring-others-where-we-will-not/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [It is admirable to consider how many millions of people come into, and go out of the world, ignorant of themselves and of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/it-is-admirable-to-consider-how-many-millions-of-people-come-into-and/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [If thou wouldst rule well, thou must rule for God, and to do that, thou must be ruled by him... Those who will not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/if-thou-wouldst-rule-well-thou-must-rule-for-god-and-to-do-that-thou/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [In the rush and noise of life, as you have intervals, step home within yourselves and be still. Wait upon God, and feel His…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/in-the-rush-and-noise-of-life-as-you-have-intervals-step-home-within/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [Be sure that religion cannot be right that a man is the worse for having.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/be-sure-that-religion-cannot-be-right-that-a-man-is-the-worse-for/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) [Explore all 291 William Penn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) ## More Despise quotes > [My whole life has conspired to bring me to this place, and I can’t despise my whole life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-kushner/my-whole-life-has-conspired-to-bring-me-to-this-place-and-i-can-t/) [Tony Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-kushner/) > [It may be important to great thinkers to examine the world, to explain and despise it. But I think it is only important to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/it-may-be-important-to-great-thinkers-to-examine-the-world-to-explain/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“You don’t know what it’s like to worry you’ll start to despise the people who help you, the ones you should love, because they’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-guzeman/you-don-t-know-what-it-s-like-to-worry-you-ll-start-to-despise-the/) [Tracy Guzeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-guzeman/) > [Never despise a drink because it is easy to make and/or uses commercial mixes. Unquestioning devotion to authenticity is, in any department of life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-amis/never-despise-a-drink-because-it-is-easy-to-make-and-or-uses/) [Kingsley Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-amis/) > [Everyone has conscience enough to hate; few have religion enough to love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/everyone-has-conscience-enough-to-hate-few-have-religion-enough-to/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [I agree that biphobia is real, but I think it's absolutely worth considering that someone who "despises" having sex with her husband - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mallory-ortberg/i-agree-that-biphobia-is-real-but-i-think-it-s-absolutely-worth/) [Mallory Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mallory-ortberg/) > [If you want to know how to make people shun you and laugh at you behind your back and even despise you, here is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/if-you-want-to-know-how-to-make-people-shun-you-and-laugh-at-you/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [Russians not only vehemently despise blacks, they believe Africa begins at the Ukraine border.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/russians-not-only-vehemently-despise-blacks-they-believe-africa/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [I despise a person of little mind - one might as well not have any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-dunham-kelley-hawkins/i-despise-a-person-of-little-mind-one-might-as-well-not-have-any/) Emma Dunham Kelley-Hawkins > [I despise computers in many ways. I think they’re hopelessly underevolved and overrated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/i-despise-computers-in-many-ways-i-think-they-re-hopelessly/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [With the single exception of Homer, there is no eminent writer, not even Sir Walter Scott, whom I can despise so entirely as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/with-the-single-exception-of-homer-there-is-no-eminent-writer-not/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [I despise the pleasure of pleasing people that I despise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wortley-montagu/i-despise-the-pleasure-of-pleasing-people-that-i-despise/) [Mary Wortley Montagu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wortley-montagu/) > [It was beautiful and rare, and you have every right to despise me." She stood pressed to the wall, not moving. "When you came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/it-was-beautiful-and-rare-and-you-have-every-right-to-despise-me-she/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [“I'm really starting to despise good -nights and good -byes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mi-juan-yu-tu/i-m-really-starting-to-despise-good-nights-and-good-byes/) Mi Juan Yu tu > [But miserable most, to love unloved? This you should pity rather than despise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/but-miserable-most-to-love-unloved-this-you-should-pity-rather-than/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) Browse all 918 Despise quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Neither despise nor oppose what thou dost not understand.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Penn" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/neither-despise-nor-oppose-what-thou-dost-not-understand/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Despise" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/neither-despise-nor-oppose-what-thou-dost-not-understand/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d0/william-penn-1104_despise_neither-despise-nor-oppose-what-thou-dos_3230320.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d0/william-penn-1104_despise_neither-despise-nor-oppose-what-thou-dos_3230320.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d0/william-penn-1104_despise_neither-despise-nor-oppose-what-thou-dos_3230320.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Neither despise nor oppose what thou dost not understand.” — William Penn", "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": "William Penn", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Neither despise nor oppose what thou...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/neither-despise-nor-oppose-what-thou-dost-not-understand/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/neither-despise-nor-oppose-what-thou-dost-not-understand/#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 } } ] } ```