# What does the biblical metaphor "inherit the wind" mean?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-biblical-metaphor-inherit-the-wind-mean/473236>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [November 18, 2008, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-biblical-metaphor-inherit-the-wind-mean/473236 "2008-11-18T03:19:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![igor\_frankensteen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/839c29/32.png) [@igor\_frankensteen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/igor_frankensteen)\
**Post date:** [June 15, 2017, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-biblical-metaphor-inherit-the-wind-mean/473236/21 "2017-06-15T10:49:13Z")

</div>

The play that the film Inherit The Wind was based on, was written to address McCarthyism of the 1950’s. The title was chosen with that in mind, no doubt.

And as someone said above, the most probable meaning of the saying in the Bible, is that if you attack your own household, your own people, all you are likely to do is destroy yourself, thus “inheriting” a well known empty force (the wind), which everyone knows and respects, but which is there and then gone again.

People in the West often choose Bible quotes to talk about things, even when the person speaking doesn’t believe, because they tend to sound cool, they imply unimpeachable authority, and they are free to use without being accused of plagiarism.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\
**Post date:** [June 15, 2017, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-biblical-metaphor-inherit-the-wind-mean/473236/22 "2017-06-15T15:27:11Z")

</div>

I reported this post because it’s just **TOO. DAMN. MUCH.**

I’m sure a moderator will set me straight if I’m out of line.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\
**Post date:** [June 15, 2017, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-biblical-metaphor-inherit-the-wind-mean/473236/23 "2017-06-15T15:57:16Z")

</div>

I think friend **DarwinsStepChildren** sailed in on a Google search. Dar, if you stick around, consider being a bit more pithy with your responses in order to better engage with others.

For now though, since the issue was resolved long ago, I am closing this as a zombie.

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-biblical-metaphor-inherit-the-wind-mean/473236.md?page=1)