Diarmaid MacCullochThere is no surer basis for fanaticism than bad history, which is invariably history oversimplified.
About This Quote
The idea that there is no surer basis for fanaticism than bad history, which is invariably history oversimplified, is a handy bit of wisdom to keep in mind. History should not be viewed as a set of facts that are always the same. It should be viewed as the best possible interpretation, one that comes closest to capturing all of the facts about an event or period. When historians are too enamored with their own interpretation, they often neglect to look for other interpretations.
Source: A History Of Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years
Some Similar Quotes
- I just don't see why the past has to matter.
- Do you think we can be friends?” I asked. He stared up at the ceiling. “Probably not, but we can pretend.
- Vane grabbed me. “DuLac, let’s chat.” British-speak for “Stand still while I yell at you.
- For me, trees have always been the most penetrating preachers. I revere them when they live in tribes and families, in forests and groves. And even more I revere them when they stand alone. They are like lonely persons. <span style="margin:15px; display:block"></span>Not like hermits who...
- Letting go means to come to the realization that some people are a part of your history, but not a part of your destiny.