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To oppose the torrent of scholastic religion by such feeble maxims as these, that it is impossible for the same thing to be and not to be, that the whole is greater than a part, that two and three make five; is pretending to stop the ocean with a bullrush. Will you set up profane reason against sacred mystery? No punishment is great enough for your impiety. And the same fires, which were kindled for heretics, will serve also for the destruction of philosophers.

David Hume#35

ReasonPhilosophyReligionDogmaPersecution

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About this quote

What does it mean?
Using basic logic against religious dogma is futile and dangerous, as authorities punish rational inquiry with the same fires used for heretics.
In plain terms
Simple logic cannot stop religious belief, and questioning it may lead to severe punishment.
What can you take from it?
Challenging dogma with reason can be dangerous.

Where it applies

  • religious debates
  • philosophical inquiry
  • censorship

Putting it to work

  • recognize dogma
  • avoid conflict
  • respect context

Questions to consider

  • How is reason treated in your context?
  • Is inquiry punished?

Another view

Some religious contexts allow debate.

More from David Hume

  1. The heroes in paganism correspond exactly to the saints in popery, and holy dervises in MAHOMETANISM. The place of, HERCULES, THESEUS, HECTOR, ROMULUS, is now …

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  2. How can you worship leeks and onions? we shall suppose a SORBONNIST to say to a priest of SAIS. If we worship them, replies the latter; at least, we do not, at…

    Permalink to quote #36

  3. That original intelligence, say the MAGIANS, who is the first principle of all things, discovers himself immediately to the mind and understanding alone; but h…

    Permalink to quote #33

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