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About this quote

What does it mean?
Learning from Quakers, the speaker understood the moral duty of non-resistance to evil. This influenced their view on war and punishment.
In plain terms
Learning about non-resistance changed how the speaker views war and punishment.
What can you take from it?
Alternative religious teachings can reshape moral views on violence.

Where it applies

  • moral development
  • political views
  • religious study

Putting it to work

  • studying diverse views
  • advocating peace
  • ethical reflection

Questions to consider

  • How do you view non-violence in a violent world?
  • What teachings have changed your ethics?

Another view

It overlooks practical challenges of non-resistance in society.

More from Leo Tolstoy

  1. Several times I asked myself, 'Can it be that I have overlooked something, that there is something which I have failed to understand? Is it not possible that t…

    Permalink to quote #47
  2. Further acquaintance with the labors of the Quakers and their works--with Fox, Penn, and especially the work of Dymond (published in 1827)--showed me not only …

    Permalink to quote #49
  3. I cannot recall those years without horror, loathing, and heart-rending pain. I killed people in war, challenged men to duels with the purpose of killing them,…

    Permalink to quote #46

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