We can come to look upon the deaths of our enemies with as much regret as we feel for those of our friends, namely, when we miss their existence as witnesses to our success.
Arthur SchopenhauerRead
The fruits of Christianity were religious wars, butcheries, crusades, inquisitions, extermination of the natives of America, and the introduction of African slaves in their place.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote critiques the negative historical impacts attributed to Christianity.
Arthur Schopenhauer highlights the dark side of Christian influence in history, suggesting that rather than promoting peace and love, it has led to violence, oppression, and atrocities such as wars, crusades, and the slave trade. This reflection prompts a critical examination of how ideologies can manifest in harmful ways contrary to their intended messages.
Themes
ChristianityHistoryViolenceIdeologyCritique
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about the impact of religion on history, one might cite Schopenhauer's quote as a point of reflection.
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Life is full of troubles and vexations, that one must either rise above it by means of corrected thoughts, or leave it.
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Our religions will never at any time take root; the ancient wisdom of the human race will not be supplanted by the events in Galilee. On the contrary, Indian wisdom flows back to Europe, and will produce a fundamental change in our knowledge and thought.
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We will gradually become indifferent to what goes on in the minds of other people when we acquire a knowledge of the superficial nature of their thoughts, the narrowness of their views and of the number of their errors. Whoever attaches a lot of value to the opinions of others pays them too much honor.
Arthur SchopenhauerRead
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