"The idea of the sacred is quite simply one of the most conservative notions in any culture, because it seeks to turn other ideas - uncertainty, progress, change - into crimes"

Salman Rushdie’s observation draws attention to the powerful role that sacredness plays within societies. The sacred is not just a category for what is holy or revered, but a mechanism for drawing boundaries around what can and cannot be questioned. By labeling certain beliefs, values, or texts as sacred, cultures create zones of immunity from critique. These objects or ideas become unassailable and are separated from the regular processes of debate, evaluation, or modification that characterize other aspects of life and knowledge.

Conservatism, in this sense, does not merely refer to a political stance but to the impulse to conserve, protect, and stabilize. Sacredness acts as a bulwark against change, casting suspicion on those who introduce uncertainty or push for progress. When uncertainty is seen as dangerous or change is construed not just as undesirable but as outright criminal, the effect is to freeze cultural, religious, or philosophical dogmas in time. Societal progress depends on the willingness to question established truths, yet the sacred operates precisely by making such questions taboo.

Rushdie points to the paradoxical strength of sacredness: it defends itself by criminalizing doubt. Uncertainty becomes not a stage of inquiry, but a threat to order. Calls for progress and transformation easily morph into acts of heresy or transgression. The preservation of the sacred thus requires the policing of thought and behavior, ensuring that certain ideas remain eternal, regardless of evolving knowledge or experience. This defensive stance can be a formidable barrier to innovation, dissent, or reform, because those who challenge the sanctity of foundational beliefs are treated not as thinkers or agents of change, but as criminals.

By highlighting this dynamic, Rushdie warns of the cost when cultures elevate certain notions beyond examination. Ultimately, the sacred may provide meaning or stability, but it can also arrest the intellectual movement vital for any society’s growth and self-renewal.