The nearer the church the farther from God.
Meaning: Proximity to religious institutions cannot substitute for genuine spiritual devotion or moral integrity.
Origin: An old English proverb, long in use, that living close to religion does not make people more devout. It suggests that those most caught up in the church as an institution are often the least godly.
Equivalents in French, Spanish, and German
- French: Près de l’église et loin de Dieu (literally: The nearer the church the farther from God)
- Spanish: Cerca de la iglesia, lejos de Dios (literally: Near the church, far from God)
- German: Je näher der Kirche, je ferner von Gott (literally: The nearer the church, the farther from God)
More proverbs about Wisdom
- Pater-noster built churches, and Our Father pulls them down. — Reciting prayers alone, without genuine faith or action, cannot sustain what was built th…
- Climb not too high, lest the fall be the greater. — Ambition without caution invites proportional disaster; modest goals protect against cata…
- Though the sun shines, leave not your cloak at home. — Unexpectedly harsh conditions can arrive suddenly, so maintain preparedness despite prese…
- The clock goes as it pleases the clerk. — A servant's negligence or self-interest determines whether essential tasks proceed reliab…
- Clouds that the sun builds up darken him. — What we create to serve our purposes can ultimately obscure our vision and hinder our goa…
- Cloudy mornings turn to clear evenings. — Difficult beginnings don't predict final outcomes; patience through hardship often yields…
From our idioms
- आसमान सिर पर उठाना (aasmaan sir par uthaana) — To raise a huge uproar.
- مرغ همسایه غاز است (morgh-e hamsāye ghāz ast) — The grass is always greener next door.
- از این ستون به آن ستون فرج است (az in sotun be ān sotun faraj ast) — Even a small change may bring hope.