Quotes about God
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“Faith in God means believing absolutely in something with no proof whatsoever. Faith in humanity means believing absolutely in something with a huge amount of proof to the contrary. We are the true believers.”

Joss Whedon (1964) American director, writer, and producer for television and film

Faith

“You see pictures of Buddha and he’s sitting, reclining, at peace. The Hindus have their twelve-armed elephant god, who also seems so content but not powerless. But leave it to Christians to have a dead and bloody man nailed to a cross.”

Dave Eggers book Your Fathers, Where Are They? And the Prophets, Do They Live Forever?

Source: Your Fathers, Where Are They? And the Prophets, Do They Live Forever?

Peace, Dead

“The only difference between you and God is that you have forgotten you are divine.”

Dan Brown book The Lost Symbol

Source: The Lost Symbol

“We stood and watched as God abandoned us, and then we did the best we could.”

Alice Hoffman book The Dovekeepers

Source: The Dovekeepers

“Learn, he says, that there will be hours, days
and months ahead of feeling absolutely terrible
and nothing can change that; neither new
girlfriends, health professionals, changes of diet, dope, humility, or
God.”

Charles Bukowski (1920–1994) American writer

Health, Feeling, Learning, Change

“It is as impossible for man to demonstrate the existence of God as it would be for even Sherlock Holmes to demonstrate the existence of Arthur Conan Doyle.”

Frederick Buechner (1926) Poet, novelist, short story writer, theologian

Source: Wishful Thinking: A Theological ABC

“Love God and He will enable you to love others even when they disappoint you.”

Francine Rivers (1947) American writer

Source: And the Shofar Blew

Love, Disappointment

“… I believe in a God of scandalous grace. I have pledged allegiance to a King who loved evildoers so much he died for them, teaching us that there is something worth dying for but nothing worth killing for.”

Shane Claiborne (1975) American activist

Love

“It may look impossible, but God can do the impossible. Just because you don’t see anything happening doesn’t mean God is not working”

Joel Osteen (1963) American televangelist and author

“If God hadn't rested on Sunday, He would have had time to finish the world.”

Gabriel García Márquez (1927–2014) Colombian writer

World, Time

“To live your best life now, you must learn to trust God’s timing, you may not think He’s working, but you can be sure that right now, behind the scenes, God is arranging all the pieces to come together to work out His plan for your life.”

Joel Osteen (1963) American televangelist and author

Source: Your Best Life Now: 7 Steps to Living at Your Full Potential

Life, Thinking, Learning, Time

“Which reminded me… I still owed the gods a debt.
"You're a genius," I (Percy) told Annabeth.”

Rick Riordan book The Sea of Monsters

Source: The Sea of Monsters

“I figure if Eve could get us into this mess, I could get us out. After all, God really likes to see a go-getter.”

Chuck Palahniuk (1962) American novelist, essayist

“Then come out," said the king, helping him, "knowing you'll never die of a fall unless the god himself drops you.”

Megan Whalen Turner The King of Attolia

Source: The King of Attolia

Help

“I want it absolutely clear when I stand before the judgement bar of God that I declared to the world, in the most straightforward language I could summon, that the Book of Mormon is true.”

Jeffrey R. Holland (1940) Mormon leader

Books, World

“I know that what you call 'God' really exists, but not in the form you think; God is primal cosmic energy, the love in your body, your integrity, and your perception of the nature in you and outside of you.”

Wilhelm Reich book Listen, Little Man!

Source: Listen, Little Man!

Love, Nature, Thinking

“Oh, God, puppy dog eyes. From a six-foot-five ancient Viking vampire.”

Charlaine Harris book Dead to the World

Source: Dead to the World

Dogs

“To surrender to ignorance and call it God has always been premature, and it remains premature today.”

Isaac Asimov (1920–1992) American writer and professor of biochemistry at Boston University, known for his works of science fiction …

"The “Threat” of Creationism" http://www.stephenjaygould.org/ctrl/azimov_creationism.html in New York Times Magazine (14 June 1981) <br class="br">General sources <br class="br">Context: There are many aspects of the universe that still cannot be explained satisfactorily by science; but ignorance only implies ignorance that may someday be conquered. To surrender to ignorance and call it God has always been premature, and it remains premature today.

“I would rather be what God chose to make me than the most glorious creature that I could think of; for to have been thought about, born in God's thought, and then made by God, is the dearest, grandest and most precious thing in all thinking.”

George MacDonald (1824–1905) Scottish journalist, novelist

Thinking

“So we make stories of our own, in fevered and envious imitation of our Maker, hoping that we'll tell, by chance, what God left untold. And finishing our tale, come to understand why we were born.”

Clive Barker (1952) author, film director and visual artist

Hope, Understanding, Chance

“Gods, I wish the world was full of passive women. He thought for a moment longer, then scowled. On second thoughts, what a nightmare that'd be. It's the job of a man to fan the spark into flames, not quench it…”

Steven Erikson book Memories of Ice

Source: Memories of Ice

Women, World

“These temple destroyers, devotees of ravaging commercialism, seem to have a perfect contempt for Nature, and, instead of lifting their eyes to the God of the mountains, lift them to the Almighty Dollar.”

John Muir (1838–1914) Scottish-born American naturalist and author

The Yosemite http://www.sierraclub.org/john_muir_exhibit/writings/the_yosemite/ (1912), chapter 15: Hetch Hetchy Valley  <br class="br">1910s <br class="br">Context: These temple-destroyers, devotees of ravaging commercialism, seem to have a perfect contempt for Nature, and instead of lifting their eyes to the God of the mountains, lift them to the Almighty Dollar. Dam Hetch Hetchy! As well dam for water-tanks the people's cathedrals and churches, for no holier temple has ever been consecrated by the heart of man.

Mountain, Nature, Perfection

“Get on fire for God and men will come and see you burn.”

John Wesley (1703–1791) Christian theologian

Men

“Today a woman must ignore her reflection in the eyes of her lover, since he might admire her, and seek it in the gaze of the God of Beauty, in whose perception she is never complete.”

Naomi Wolf book The Beauty Myth

Source: The Beauty Myth

Beauty, Lovers

“When we put God first, all other things fall into their proper place or drop out of our lives.”

Ezra Taft Benson (1899–1994) President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

“The dark does not weep for itself because there is no light. Rather, it accepts that it is the dark. It is said that even the gods must die." He winks. "But not without one hell of a fight.””

Libba Bray Going Bovine

Source: Going Bovine (2009), p. 365

Hell, Light, Fight

“What the hell are you? (Desiderius)
I'm her godfather, with a heavy emphasis on the god part. (Acheron)”

Sherrilyn Kenyon (1965) Novelist

Source: Seize the Night

Hell, Parting

“What's the point of God making us human if He doesn't want us to act like we're human?'
'To see if we can rise above our natures,'Megan said.”

Susan Beth Pfeffer book Life As We Knew It

Source: Life As We Knew It

Nature

“In times of war, you often hear leaders—Christian, Jewish, and Muslim—saying, ‘God is on our side.’ But that isn’t true. In war, God is on the side of refugees, widows, and orphans.”

Greg Mortenson (1957) American mountaineer and humanitarian

Source: Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace ... One School at a Time

War, Time

“The crazy people of the world… shouldn't get to win. If God won't make it better after they do have their shitty little victories, then ordinary people have to. They have to try, at least.”

Stephen King book 11/22/63

Source: 11/22/63

People, World, Victory

“If God has nothing better to do than punish schoolgirls for a bit of tomfoolery, then I've no use for God.”

Libba Bray book The Sweet Far Thing

Source: The Sweet Far Thing

“So let me get this straight,” Carter said. “The two guys you liked—one who was dying and one who was off-limits because he’s a god—are now one guy, who isn’t dying and isn’t off-limits. And you’re complaining.”

Rick Riordan book The Serpent's Shadow

Source: The Serpent's Shadow

Guy

“God is in the résumé-building business. He is always using past experiences to prepare us for future opportunities.”

Mark Batterson (1969) American pastor and writer

Source: In A Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day: How To Survive And Thrive When Opportunity Roars

Business, Past, Future

“Oh, Daisy, it's revolting the way I want to fawn all over him. I'm afraid I'm going to do something dreadfully silly today. Burst into song or something. For God's sake, don't let me.”

Lisa Kleypas (1964) American writer

Source: It Happened One Autumn

Way

“The gods only go with you if you put yourself in their path. And that takes courage.”

Mary Stewart book The Crystal Cave

Source: The Crystal Cave

Courage

“What you have to understand, is your father was your model for God.”

Chuck Palahniuk Fight Club

Source: Fight Club

Understanding

“Death isn't a tragedy to God, only to those left behind.”

Patricia Briggs book Night Broken

Source: Night Broken

Death

“A moment later Jonathan’s body wavered in the air, shimmering, and began to go transparent. “Don’t let them spread silly rumors about me, or make me a god. O. K., Fletch? I’m a seagull. I like to fly, maybe…”

Richard Bach book Jonathan Livingston Seagull

Source: Jonathan Livingston Seagull

Flying

“God knows we’re all drawn to what’s beautiful and broken.”

Cassandra Clare book Clockwork Prince

Source: Clockwork Prince

Beauty

“If pinpointing God's presence were really that simple, then he supposed the beaches would be more crowded in the mornings. They would be filled with people on their own quests, instead of people jogging or walking their dogs or fishing in the surf.”

Nicholas Sparks book The Last Song

Source: The Last Song

People, Dogs, Fish

“Silence is of the gods; only monkeys chatter.”

Buster Keaton (1895–1966) American actor and filmmaker

Silence

“Clary stopped dead in her tracks. "Simon?"

"Oh, God," said Jace, sounding resigned. "And here I'd actually hoped I'd got hold of something interesting." -Clary and Jace pg. 114”

Cassandra Clare book City of Bones

Source: City of Bones

Hope, Dead

“Um," Grover said. "Percy?"
"Yeah?"
"I thought you'd want to know."
"Yeah?"
"Cerberus? He's saying we've got ten seconds to pray to the god of our choice. After that… well… he's hungry.”

Rick Riordan book The Lightning Thief

Source: The Lightning Thief

“My joy grows with every soul that seeks the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Remember, you have one life. That’s all. You were made for
God. Don’t waste it.”

John Piper (1946) American writer

Source: Don't Waste Your Life

Life, Soul, Joy, Christ

“Where men can't live gods fare no better.”

Cormac McCarthy book The Road

Source: The Road

Men

“If there's one thing I believe more than I believe anything else, it's that you can't fake the core. The truth that lives there will eventually win out. It's a god we must obey, a force that brings us all inevitably to our knees.”

Cheryl Strayed (1968) author, memoirist, blogger

Truth

“It's going to give you nightmares for the rest of your wasted life."
Oh, my God, I was so badass. It was all I could do not to give a”

James Patterson (1947) American author

Source: Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports

Life

“If you could be either God’s worst enemy or nothing, which would you choose?”

Chuck Palahniuk Fight Club

Source: Fight Club

“I'm not perfect, either. In the end, it's only God's judgement that matters, and I've learned enough to know that no one can presume to know the will of God.”

Nicholas Sparks book Dear John

Source: Dear John

Learning, Perfection

“It is so pleasant to learn about new things. Every day I find how little I know, but I do not feel discouraged since God has given me an eternity in which to learn more.”

Helen Keller book The Story of My Life

Source: The Story of My Life

Feeling, Learning

“Trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.”

Teresa of Ávila (1515–1582) Roman Catholic saint

“There might be a God, Clary, and there might not, but I don't think it matters. Either way, we're on our own.”

Cassandra Clare The Mortal Instruments

Jace to Clary, pg. 257
The Mortal Instruments, City of Bones (2007)

Way, Thinking

“Only a fool took a remote from a god.”

Sherrilyn Kenyon Night Embrace

Source: Night Embrace

Fools

“I want to hug you. And I want to tear your gods-damned head off. Both at once."

"Ah," said Locke. "Near as I can tell, that’s the definition of 'family' right there.”

Scott Lynch book Red Seas Under Red Skies

Source: Red Seas Under Red Skies

Family, Tear

“Jamie: You know what I figured out today?
Landon: What?
Jamie: Maybe God has a bigger plan for me than I had for myself. Like this journey never ends. Like you were sent to me because I'm sick. To help me through all this. You're my angel.”

Nicholas Sparks book A Walk to Remember

Variant: Maybe God has a bigger plan for me that i had for myself,
likes, this journey never ends,
likes, you were sent to me because I'm sick, to help me through all this,
you're my angel!
Source: A Walk to Remember

Angels, Help

“God does watch over us and does notice us, but it usually through someone else that he meets our needs.”

Spencer W. Kimball (1895–1985) President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

“Honestly, for an evil god of darkness, he certainly can be dull.”

Brandon Sanderson (1975) American fantasy writer

Source: The Final Empire

Evil

“Science only goes so far, and then comes God.”

Nicholas Sparks book The Notebook

Variant: Science only goes so far, then comes God.
- Noah Calhoun
Source: The Notebook

Science

“Only one way to win when you're being chased by someone bigger and tougher than you. Turn straight around, punch their teeth out, and hope the gods are fond of you.”

Scott Lynch book Red Seas Under Red Skies

Source: Red Seas Under Red Skies

Hope, Way

“It must be recognized that in any culture the source of law is the god of that society.”

Rousas John Rushdoony (1916–2001) American theologian

Audio lectures, Dominion (n. d.)
Source: The Institutes of Biblical Law, Volume 1 of 3
Context: Now a sovereign, a Lord, is always the source of law. Law making is the pejorative of the Lord or sovereign of a God. In every religious faith, in every religion, in every culture, the God of that system provides the laws. They are of his making. And if you allow any other law to come in you are acknowledging another God. This is why in Europe when the doctrine of the Divine right of kings arose there was a militant hostility on the part of the keys for any aspect of Biblical law. And the war against Biblical law began under the kings of Europe as monarchies began to rise in the late middle ages.

Law

“We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the hateful words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people. Human progress never rolls in on wheels of inevitability; it comes through the tireless efforts of men willing to be co-workers with God, and without this hard work, time itself becomes an ally of the forces of social stagnation. We must use time creatively, in the knowledge that the time is always ripe to do right. Now is the time to make real the promise of democracy and transform our pending national elegy into a creative psalm of brotherhood. Now is the time to lift our national policy from the quicksand of racial injustice to the solid rock of human dignity.”

Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929–1968) American clergyman, activist, and leader in the American Civil Rights Movement

1960s, Letter from a Birmingham Jail (1963)
Context: I had also hoped that the white moderate would reject the myth concerning time in relation to the struggle for freedom. I have just received a letter from a white brother in Texas. He writes: "All Christians know that the colored people will receive equal rights eventually, but it is possible that you are in too great a religious hurry. It has taken Christianity almost two thousand years to accomplish what it has. The teachings of Christ take time to come to earth." Such an attitude stems from a tragic misconception of time, from the strangely irrational notion that there is something in the very flow of time that will inevitably cure all ills. Actually, time itself is neutral; it can be used either destructively or constructively. More and more I feel that the people of ill will have used time much more effectively than have the people of good will. We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the hateful words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people. Human progress never rolls in on wheels of inevitability; it comes through the tireless efforts of men willing to be co-workers with God, and without this hard work, time itself becomes an ally of the forces of social stagnation. We must use time creatively, in the knowledge that the time is always ripe to do right. Now is the time to make real the promise of democracy and transform our pending national elegy into a creative psalm of brotherhood. Now is the time to lift our national policy from the quicksand of racial injustice to the solid rock of human dignity.

Men, Hate, People, Democracy

“I want to put on the table, not why 85% of the members of the National Academy of Sciences reject God, I want to know why 15% of the National Academy don’t.”

Neil deGrasse Tyson (1958) American astrophysicist and science communicator

Science

“Don’t bother trying to explain your emotions. Live everything as intensely as you can and keep whatever you felt as a gift from God. The best way to destroy the bridge between the visible and invisible is by trying to explain your emotions.”

Paulo Coelho book Brida

Source: Brida

Way

“Yea, and if some god shall wreck me in the wine-dark deep,
even so I will endure…
For already have I suffered full much,
and much have I toiled in perils of waves and war.
Let this be added to the tale of those.”

Homér The Odyssey (Cowper)

Source: The Odyssey

War, Suffering, Wine

“God hides the fires of hell within paradise.”

Paulo Coelho book By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept

Source: By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept

Hell

“It is predictable that God will take care of us. What's unpredictable is how he will do it.”

Donna VanLiere (1966) American writer

Source: Finding Grace: A True Story About Losing Your Way In Life...And Finding It Again

“Do you know my dog's name?
[…]
"It is from an ancient word, kerberos. It means 'spotted.'"

I blinked. "You're a genuine Greek god. You're the Lord of the Underworld. And… you named your dog *Spot*?”

Jim Butcher book Skin Game

Source: Skin Game

Dogs

“Fear you?" she said without thinking. "Good God, I would never do that."

Easing her head back, Westcliff looked at her while a slow smile spread across his face. "No, you wouldn't," he agreed. "You'd spit in the devil's eye if it suited you.”

Lisa Kleypas (1964) American writer

Source: It Happened One Autumn

Fear, Smile, Thinking

“It is a defect of God's humour that he directs our hearts everywhere but to those who have a right to them.”

Tom Stoppard Arcadia

Lady Croom, Act II
Source: Arcadia (1993)

Heart

“No healthy Christian ever chooses suffering; he chooses God's will, as Jesus did, whether it means suffering or not.”

Oswald Chambers (1874–1917) British missionary

Suffering

“As always at these times when he felt really in need of God the front of his mind was serene, but the deeper part, where faith did constant battle with doubt, was terrified that there would be no answer.”

Stephen King book Desperation

Source: Desperation

Faith, Time, Parting

“The only thing we don't have a god for is premature ejaculation… but I hear that it's coming quickly.”

Mel Brooks (1926) American director, writer, actor, and producer

“If there was a god, I'd still have both nuts.”

Lance Armstrong (1971) professional cyclist from the USA

ET Magazine (2004) [citation needed] This needs further date citation, as the article designated has not yet been located.

“Now I lay me down to sleep my bomb proof cellar's good and deep but if I'm killed before I wake remember god it's for your sake amen.”

Dalton Trumbo book Johnny Got His Gun

Source: Johnny Got His Gun

Sleep

“Sometimes God allows what he hates to accomplish what he loves.”

Joni Eareckson Tada (1949) American artist

Source: The God I Love

Love, Hate, Faith

“Of one thing I am perfectly sure: God's story never ends with 'ashes.”

Elisabeth Elliot (1926–2015) American missionary

Source: These Strange Ashes

“Of all treasures of knowledge, the most vital is the knowledge of God, his existence, powers, love, and promises.”

Spencer W. Kimball (1895–1985) President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Source: Faith Precedes the Miracle

Love, Knowledge

“Of course reading and thinking are important but, my God, food is important too.”

Iris Murdoch book The Sea, the Sea

Source: The Sea, the Sea

Food, Thinking, Reading

“Nay, father.
Some of us have been killing giants today and aren't in the mood to have a tea party.
- Thor, God of Thunder”

Matt Fraction (1975) American comic book writer

Source: Thor: Ages of Thunder

Mood, Tea

“Damn me to hell or take me to heaven, but for Gods sake, do it now….”

Nora Roberts (1950) American romance writer

Source: The Stanislaski Brothers: Mikhail and Alex

Hell

“God save me from idealists.”

Jim Butcher book Grave Peril

Source: Grave Peril

“The will of God is never exactly what you expect it to be. It may seem to be much worse, but in the end it's going to be a lot better and a lot bigger.”

Elisabeth Elliot (1926–2015) American missionary

“Believe me, when I say;
There are no two powers
That command the soul.
One is God
The other is the tide.
-Anon
From the novel Abarat”

Clive Barker book Abarat

Source: Abarat

Soul

“Not only is there no God, but try getting a plumber on weekends.”

Woody Allen book Getting Even

Getting Even (1971), My Philosophy

“Once upon a time, there was a man as great as the gods…
But even the great can tremble with fear.
Even the great can fall”

Mary E. Pearson book The Kiss of Deception

Source: The Kiss of Deception

Fear, Time

“God help me if I ever injure my back," Clayton quipped.
"God help you if you ever turn it," Whitney snapped, "for there'll surely be some heartbroken papa or cuckolded husband ready with a knife--if I don't murder you first.”

Judith McNaught book Whitney, My Love

Source: Whitney, My Love

Help

“We must never forget to pray, and to ask God to remember us when He is arranging things, so that we too may feel safe and have no anxiety about what is going to happen.”

Johanna Spyri book Heidi

Source: Heidi

Feeling, Forgetting

“If you can believe the God who is perfect loves you then you can believe that you are worth loving.”

Joyce Meyer (1943) American author and speaker

Source: Beauty for Ashes: Receiving Emotional Healing

Love, Perfection

“Every decision you make can change the world. The best life is the one the gods don't notice. You want to live free, boy, live quietly."
"I want to be a soldier. A hero."
"You'll grow out of it.”

Steven Erikson book Gardens of the Moon

Prologue (p. 5)
Source: Gardens of the Moon (1999)
Context: “Heed the lesson there, son.”
“What lesson?”
“Every decision you make can change the world. The best life is the one the gods don’t notice. You want to live free, boy, live quietly.”
“I want to be a soldier. A hero.”
“You’ll grow out of it.”

Life, World, Boy, Decision

“The laws of physics is the canvas God laid down on which to paint his masterpiece”

Dan Brown book Angels & Demons

Source: Angels & Demons

Law, Painting

“Your mind was made to know and love God.”

John Piper (1946) American writer

Source: Don't Waste Your Life

Love