Lycurgus, Numa, Moses, Jesus Christ, Mohammed, all these great rogues, all these great thought-tyrants, knew how to associate the divinities they fabricated with their own boundless ambition.
Attribution disputed; shown as originally published.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Religious founders are described as rogues who used gods to serve their ambition.
- In plain terms
- Religious leaders created gods to serve their own ambitions.
- What can you take from it?
- Religion may serve leaders' ambition rather than divine truth.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Do leaders use religion for power?
- Can faith exist without ambition?
Another view
Some leaders may genuinely believe in the divinities they promote.
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