Your corn is ripe today; mine will be so tomorrow. 'Tis profitable for us both, that I should labour with you today, and that you should aid me tomorrow.
David HumeRead
The greatest crimes have been found, in many instances, to be compatible with a superstitious piety and devotion; hence it is justly regarded as unsafe to draw any inference in favor of a man's morals, from the fervor or strictness of his religious exercises, even though he himself believe them sincere.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Religious fervor does not guarantee moral integrity.
David Hume argues that individuals can exhibit strong religious devotion while simultaneously engaging in morally reprehensible actions. This suggests that one's outward displays of piety should not be used as a measure of their true ethical character, highlighting the complexity of human morality beyond mere religious observance.
Themes
MoralityReligionSuperstitionDevotionPiety
In practice
Example use cases
In a debate about morality and religion, this quote can highlight the complexities in judging character based solely on religious practices.
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To have recourse to the veracity of the supreme Being, in order to prove the veracity of our senses, is surely making a very unexpected circuit.
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