--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We need not take refuge in supernatural…" description: "\"We need not take refuge in supernatural gods to explain our saints and sages and heroes and statesmen, as if to explain our disbelief that mere unaided..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/755/abraham-maslow-2146_disbelief_we-need-not-take-refuge-in-supernatural_1242449.png" --- # We need not take refuge in supernatural gods to explain… ![“We need not take refuge in supernatural gods to explain our saints and sages and heroes and statesmen, as if to explain our disbelief that mere unaided human beings could be that good or wise.” quote by Abraham Maslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/755/abraham-maslow-2146_disbelief_we-need-not-take-refuge-in-supernatural_1242449.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/755/abraham-maslow-2146_disbelief_we-need-not-take-refuge-in-supernatural_1242449.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/755/abraham-maslow-2146_disbelief_we-need-not-take-refuge-in-supernatural_1242449.png) > “We need not take refuge in supernatural gods to explain our saints and sages and heroes and statesmen, as if to explain our disbelief that mere unaided human beings could be that good or wise.” [Abraham Maslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-maslow/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human excellence can be explained without invoking the supernatural; humans are capable of greatness on their own. **In simple terms:** Humans can be inherently good. Key Takeaway Recognize innate human potential. Themes potential humanism secularism excellence Mood optimistic inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - education - leadership - community building Key Concepts philosophy psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do you nurture innate goodness? - What limits human potential? A Different Perspective Overlooking systemic barriers may oversimplify. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Disbelief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disbelief/) [Hero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hero/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Refuge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/refuge/) [Sage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sage/) [Saint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saint/) [Statesmen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/statesmen/) [Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise/) ## Related quotes > [“The same pattern of the creation by supernatural gods of an ordered Universe out of Chaos occurs over and over again in various mythologies,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/the-same-pattern-of-the-creation-by-supernatural-gods-of-an-ordered/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [“She inhaled deeply—and sneezed. Stupid allergies. “Gods bless you,” Rishi said. Dimple arched an eyebrow. “Gods?” He nodded sagely. “As a Hindu, I’m a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandhya-menon/she-inhaled-deeply-and-sneezed-stupid-allergies-gods-bless-you-rishi/) [Sandhya Menon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandhya-menon/) > [If only we were wiser or better people, perhaps the gods would explain to us the mad, unbearable things they do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/if-only-we-were-wiser-or-better-people-perhaps-the-gods-would-explain/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [People invent gods to explain their suffering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/people-invent-gods-to-explain-their-suffering/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [Neither these statesmen nor their constituents sought in any way to use the Government for the interest of themselves or their section, or for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-toombs/neither-these-statesmen-nor-their-constituents-sought-in-any-way-to/) [Robert Toombs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-toombs/) > [The worst mistake that a statesman can make is to promise victory and to see it dashed, the hopes dashed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-worst-mistake-that-a-statesman-can-make-is-to-promise-victory-and/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [Every wild apple shrub excites our expectation thus, somewhat as every wild child. It is, perhaps, a prince in disguise. What a lesson to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/every-wild-apple-shrub-excites-our-expectation-thus-somewhat-as-every/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The stuff that I have perhaps become known for that's based on fact, and English statesmen shouting at each other all the time, doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-morgan/the-stuff-that-i-have-perhaps-become-known-for-that-s-based-on-fact/) [Peter Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-morgan/) > [A statesman who shakes the fruit trees of his neighbors - to dislodge the worms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/a-statesman-who-shakes-the-fruit-trees-of-his-neighbors-to-dislodge/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [The three great ends which a statesman ought to propose to himself in the government of a nation, are 1. Security to possessors; 2.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/the-three-great-ends-which-a-statesman-ought-to-propose-to-himself-in/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [Change from below, the formulation of demands from the populace to end unacceptable injustice, supported by direct action, has played a far larger part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/change-from-below-the-formulation-of-demands-from-the-populace-to-end/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) > [The mountain of history books under which we all stand leans so heavily in the other direction-so tremblingly respectful of states and statesmen and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/the-mountain-of-history-books-under-which-we-all-stand-leans-so/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [Statesmen are grocers, ambitious clowns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dejan-stojanovic/statesmen-are-grocers-ambitious-clowns/) [Dejan Stojanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dejan-stojanovic/) > [The statesmen will invent cheap lies, putting the blame upon the nation that is attacked, and every man will be glad of those conscience-soothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/the-statesmen-will-invent-cheap-lies-putting-the-blame-upon-the/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [He is almost a statesman. He lies well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/he-is-almost-a-statesman-he-lies-well/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) ## More by Abraham Maslow > [It is unfortunate to consider all lawyers as natural Satanists many are just dumb.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-maslow/it-is-unfortunate-to-consider-all-lawyers-as-natural-satanists-many/) [Abraham Maslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-maslow/) > [Laugh at what you hold sacred, and still hold it sacred.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-maslow/laugh-at-what-you-hold-sacred-and-still-hold-it-sacred/) [Abraham Maslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-maslow/) > [Good psychology should include all the methodological techniques, without having loyalty to one method, one idea, or one person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-maslow/good-psychology-should-include-all-the-methodological-techniques/) [Abraham Maslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-maslow/) > [Well why not a technology of joy, of happiness?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-maslow/well-why-not-a-technology-of-joy-of-happiness/) [Abraham Maslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-maslow/) > [We fear our highest possibilities. We are generally afraid to become that which we can glimpse in our most perfect moments, under conditions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-maslow/we-fear-our-highest-possibilities-we-are-generally-afraid-to-become/) [Abraham Maslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-maslow/) > [If you love the truth, you'll trust it - that is, you will expect it to be good, beautiful, perfect, orderly, etc., in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-maslow/if-you-love-the-truth-you-ll-trust-it-that-is-you-will-expect-it-to/) [Abraham Maslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-maslow/) > [My feeling is that the concept of creativeness and the concept of the healthy, self actualizing, fully human person seem to be coming closer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-maslow/my-feeling-is-that-the-concept-of-creativeness-and-the-concept-of-the/) [Abraham Maslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-maslow/) > [We fear our highest possibility. We are generally afraid to become that which we can glimpse in our most perfect moments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-maslow/we-fear-our-highest-possibility-we-are-generally-afraid-to-become/) [Abraham Maslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-maslow/) > [...the great lesson is that the sacred is in the ordinary, that it is to be found in one's daily life, in one's neighbors,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-maslow/the-great-lesson-is-that-the-sacred-is-in-the-ordinary-that-it-is-to/) [Abraham Maslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-maslow/) > [Dispassionate objectivity is itself a passion, for the real and for the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-maslow/dispassionate-objectivity-is-itself-a-passion-for-the-real-and-for/) [Abraham Maslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-maslow/) > [The ability to be in the present moment is a major component of mental wellness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-maslow/the-ability-to-be-in-the-present-moment-is-a-major-component-of/) [Abraham Maslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-maslow/) > [Plateau experiencing can be achieved, learned, earned by long hard work… A transient glimpse is certainly possible in the peak experiences which may, after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-maslow/plateau-experiencing-can-be-achieved-learned-earned-by-long-hard-work/) [Abraham Maslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-maslow/) > [You must want to be first-class ...meaning the best, the very best you are capable of becoming. If you deliberately plan to be less…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-maslow/you-must-want-to-be-first-class-meaning-the-best-the-very-best-you/) [Abraham Maslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-maslow/) > [If you treat your children at home in the same way you treat your animals in the lab, your wife will scratch your eyes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-maslow/if-you-treat-your-children-at-home-in-the-same-way-you-treat-your/) [Abraham Maslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-maslow/) > [It is vital that people "count their blessings:" to appreciate what they possess without having to undergo its actual loss.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-maslow/it-is-vital-that-people-count-their-blessings-to-appreciate-what-they/) [Abraham Maslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-maslow/) [Explore all 182 Abraham Maslow quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-maslow/) ## More Disbelief quotes > [“Blaming therapy, social work and other caring professions for the confabulation of testimony of 'satanic ritual abuse' legitimated a programme of political and social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/blaming-therapy-social-work-and-other-caring-professions-for-the/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [No sadder proof can be given by a man of his own littleness than disbelief in great men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/no-sadder-proof-can-be-given-by-a-man-of-his-own-littleness-than/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [There are, after all, atheists who say they wish the fable were true but are unable to suspend the requisite disbelief, or who have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/there-are-after-all-atheists-who-say-they-wish-the-fable-were-true/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“(Marlowe's) Faustus stubbornly reverts to his atheistic beliefs and continues his elementary pagan re-education ~ the inferno to him is a 'place' invented by men.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-a-bucchianeri/marlowe-s-faustus-stubbornly-reverts-to-his-atheistic-beliefs-and/) [E.A. Bucchianeri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-a-bucchianeri/) > [So little is actually worthy of belief or disbelief. Better to strive to coexist than seek to disapprove . . .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/so-little-is-actually-worthy-of-belief-or-disbelief-better-to-strive/) [David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/) > [In Lullabies, I wanted to capture what I remembered of the drunken babbling of unfortunate twelve-year-olds: their illusions, their ludicrously bad choices, their lack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-o-neill/in-lullabies-i-wanted-to-capture-what-i-remembered-of-the-drunken/) [Heather O'Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-o-neill/) > [“on page 96 of my hero Peter Medawar’s book The Limits of Science: ‘I regret my disbelief in God and religious answers generally, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/on-page-96-of-my-hero-peter-medawar-s-book-the-limits-of-science-i/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [“The devil's best defense is a person's disbelief in his existence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-kent-krueger/the-devil-s-best-defense-is-a-person-s-disbelief-in-his-existence/) [William Kent Krueger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-kent-krueger/) > [As long as God does not intervene in the contemporary universe in such a way as to violate physical laws, science has no way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/as-long-as-god-does-not-intervene-in-the-contemporary-universe-in/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [Whenever you're writing a book or creating a movie or a game, your first task is to get the reader to suspend disbelief, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-salvatore-2/whenever-you-re-writing-a-book-or-creating-a-movie-or-a-game-your/) [R. A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore-2/) > [The decline of witch-belief was . . . entirely the product of religious skepticism. . . . The Catholic Church did not reform itself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-t-joshi-2/the-decline-of-witch-belief-was-entirely-the-product-of-religious/) [S. T. Joshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-t-joshi-2/) > [Musicals are, by nature, theatrical, meaning poetic, meaning having to move the audience's imagination and create a suspension of disbelief, by which I mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-sondheim/musicals-are-by-nature-theatrical-meaning-poetic-meaning-having-to/) [Stephen Sondheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-sondheim/) > [For once, his vampire expression failed him. His response was right there on his face, in full view and easily read. He went from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keri-arthur/for-once-his-vampire-expression-failed-him-his-response-was-right/) [Keri Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keri-arthur/) > [For any true stickler, you see, the sight of the plural word “Book’s” with an apostrophe in it will trigger a ghastly private emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-truss/for-any-true-stickler-you-see-the-sight-of-the-plural-word-book-s/) [Lynne Truss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-truss/) > [“Some readers may find it a curious or even unscientific endeavour to craft a criminological model of organised abuse based on the testimony of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/some-readers-may-find-it-a-curious-or-even-unscientific-endeavour-to/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) [Browse all 431 Disbelief quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disbelief/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We need not take refuge in supernatural gods to explain our saints and sages and heroes and statesmen, as if to explain our disbelief that mere unaided human beings could be that good or wise.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Abraham Maslow" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-maslow/we-need-not-take-refuge-in-supernatural-gods-to-explain-our-saints/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Disbelief" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-maslow/we-need-not-take-refuge-in-supernatural-gods-to-explain-our-saints/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/755/abraham-maslow-2146_disbelief_we-need-not-take-refuge-in-supernatural_1242449.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/755/abraham-maslow-2146_disbelief_we-need-not-take-refuge-in-supernatural_1242449.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/755/abraham-maslow-2146_disbelief_we-need-not-take-refuge-in-supernatural_1242449.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We need not take refuge in supernatural gods to explain our saints and sages and heroes and statesmen, as if…” — Abraham Maslow", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Abraham Maslow", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-maslow/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We need not take refuge in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-maslow/we-need-not-take-refuge-in-supernatural-gods-to-explain-our-saints/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-maslow/we-need-not-take-refuge-in-supernatural-gods-to-explain-our-saints/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```