get religion

Idioms  

1. Be converted; also, decide to behave in an upright, ethical way. For example, After the children were born, John got religion and joined the church, or After years of total selfishness, she suddenly got religion and is doing all kinds of volunteer work. [Second half of 1700s]

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Example Sentences

Several pundits made hay yesterday attacking Smith personally, arguing that he waited till he made his millions to get religion, or that he only quit because he was consistently passed up for promotions.

From Time • Mar. 16, 2012

There were no demigods for the closing hours, to make audiences get religion: no Wayne Shorter or Keith Jarrett, no famous singer to rally around.

From New York Times • Aug. 8, 2011

This, writes Jeff Schultz of the Atlanta Journal Constitution, is causing the coaches to suddenly get religion on the agent issue.

From New York Times • Jul. 22, 2010

I saw them get religion all around me.

From Time Magazine Archive

My mind was possessed with this fear; and, to relieve myself from it, I determined, if it were a possible thing, to get religion at any rate.

From Personal Memoir of Daniel Drayton For Four Years and Four Months a Prisoner (For Charity's Sake) in Washington Jail by Drayton, Daniel