"The tendency to claim God as an ally for our partisan value and ends is the source of all religious fanaticism"
- Reinhold Niebuhr
About this Quote
Reinhold Niebuhr's quote talks to the danger of using faith as a tool to promote one's own political program. He suggests that when people utilize God to validate their own beliefs and actions, it can lead to religious fanaticism. This is because it can develop an "us vs. them" mindset, where one's own beliefs are seen as remarkable to those of others. This can lead to a sense of superiority and a disrespect for those who disagree. It can likewise result in a sense of privilege, where one thinks they deserve to enforce their beliefs on others. Ultimately, this can result in a harmful type of extremism, where people are willing to use violence to enforce their beliefs. Niebuhr's quote functions as a caution against using religion as a tool for political gain, as it can result in hazardous and harmful repercussions.
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