A God out there and values out there, if they existed…
![“A God out there and values out there, if they existed, would be utterly useless and unintelligible to us. There is nothing to be gained by nostalgia for the old objectivism, which was in any case used only to justify arrogance, tyranny, and cruelty. People [forget] ... how utterly hateful the old…” quote by Don Cupitt](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/94d/don-cupitt-31574_arrogance_a-god-out-there-and-values-out-there-if_1022705.png)
“A God out there and values out there, if they existed, would be utterly useless and unintelligible to us. There is nothing to be gained by nostalgia for the old objectivism, which was in any case used only to justify arrogance, tyranny, and cruelty. People [forget] ... how utterly hateful the old pre-humanitarianism world was.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The quote argues that if a deity and its values existed, they would be incomprehensible and meaningless to humanity, and that clinging to outdated objective moral systems only serves to justify oppression and cruelty.
In simple terms: God and values would be useless to us; old objectivism justified cruelty.
Key Takeaway
Reject outdated moral absolutes.
Themes
philosophy
ethics
secularism
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
philosophical
critical
When to use this quote
- political discourse
- religious debate
- personal moral reflection
Key Concepts
theism
objectivism
humanism
Questions to Reflect On
- How do we create humane values without divine authority?
- What replaces old objectivism in guiding ethics?
A Different Perspective
Old objective morals can still appeal to some groups.