Belief is involuntary; nothing involuntary is meritorious or reprehensible. A man ought not to be considered worse or better for his belief.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Beliefs happen without our control, so they cannot make us morally good or bad.
- In plain terms
- You are not judged for what you believe because you can't choose it.
- What can you take from it?
- Don't judge people based on their beliefs.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How should we judge people if not by belief?
- Can belief ever be chosen?
Another view
Some beliefs influence actions which are voluntary.
More from Percy Bysshe Shelley
Man has no right to kill his brother, it is no excuse that he does so in uniform. He only adds the infamy of servitude to the crime of murder.
Permalink to quote #11 A Christian, a Deist, a Turk, and a Jew, have equal rights: they are men and brethren.
Permalink to quote #13 No man has a right to disturb the public peace, by personally resisting the execution of a law however bad. He ought to acquiesce, using at the same time the u…
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