The Word Sacred Has Lost Its Sacredness
By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam
21 July 2025
"I was always embarrassed by the words sacred, glorious, and sacrifice."
From Ernest Hemingway's, A Farewell to Arms , Chapter 42, pages 458-473
This expression reveals a deep critique of romanticized notions of war and heroism. It articulates the confusion and discomfort that can arise when faced with the brutal realities of conflict, challenging societal glorifications of violence. Through this lens, Hemingway encourages readers to seek truth over sentimentality, providing a sobering perspective on the human cost of war. Never forget that the glorification of war is also glorification of violence.
While this quote is often explained and analysed as part of Hemingway's immortal novel, " A Farewell to Arms," it can also be studied separately for, Hemingway disliked romanticisation of certain words like 'sacred' and 'sacrifice.' Hemingway advised to use these words sparingly. Got to say, a very sage piece of advice that must be followed by all Indians who're going berserk in all states.
Nowadays, everything is 'sacred'. Every Tom, Dick and Harry is sacred. Don't do this; don't do that or else you'll desecrate the 'sacredness' of something or someone.
Come to Maharashtra and you'll realise that Marathi, the root of all troubles and turmoil at the moment, is a 'sacred' language, so much so that anyone coming to Maharashtra and thinking of settling here must learn it. You're questioning its 'sacredness' if you show reluctance to learn it. Always use Chhatrapati and Maharaj as a prefix and suffix to Shivaji's name because the Maratha warrior is 'sacred' to the consciousness of Marathi-speaking people, esp. to the Marathas.
Don't forget to use Saheb with the name of Bal Thackeray because he's 'sacred' to all Hindus living in Maharashtra who've to call him 'Hindu-Hriday Samrat.'
Two very big opportunists Savarkar and Ambedkar are glorified, nay deified, in Maharashtra because both are sacred to their respective communities; Savarkar to Brahmins and Ambedkar to Dalits.
Kannada is a 'sacred' language in Bangalore and entire Karnataka. Say a word against it and your meeting with your Maker is assured and forthwith!
In short, now the word 'sacred' is so much in vogue that it (the word) has lost its sacredness! Here I reiterate that Hemingway's dislike for the word 'sacred' doesn't make him an outright atheist. He wasn't a straightforward atheist, though he also wasn't a conventionally religious person. Although his famous statement, "All thinking men are atheists," is often cited by atheists and agnostics of all hues, this quote is attributed to a character in the novel 'For Whom the Bell Tolls,' not Hemingway himself.
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The famous American novelist and Nobel laureate Ernest Hemingway was born on July 21, 1899.
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A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian.
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/sacred-sacredness/d/136230
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