--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can either believe, accept and live…" description: "\"“You can either believe, accept and live forever in blissful eternity; or disbelieve, deny and live forever in torment and despair. This is the divine ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e29/al-stefanelli-10033_eternity_you-can-either-believe-accept-and-live-f_2612529.jpg" --- # You can either believe, accept and live forever in… ![“You can either believe, accept and live forever in blissful eternity; or disbelieve, deny and live forever in torment and despair. This is the divine thumb that the fundamentalist live under, and it is their fear of their God that not only keeps them in line, but also serves as the motivation for…” quote by Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e29/al-stefanelli-10033_eternity_you-can-either-believe-accept-and-live-f_2612529.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e29/al-stefanelli-10033_eternity_you-can-either-believe-accept-and-live-f_2612529.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e29/al-stefanelli-10033_eternity_you-can-either-believe-accept-and-live-f_2612529.jpg) > ““You can either believe, accept and live forever in blissful eternity; or disbelieve, deny and live forever in torment and despair. This is the divine thumb that the fundamentalist live under, and it is their fear of their God that not only keeps them in line, but also serves as the motivation for their insistence that they keep others in line as well.”” [Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Faith offers either eternal bliss or eternal torment, with fear of divine judgment driving conformity and control. **In simple terms:** Belief leads to bliss, disbelief to torment; fear enforces obedience. Key Takeaway Recognize fear’s role in belief systems. Themes faith fear control eternal outcomes Mood thoughtful critical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal decision - religious community - political propaganda - ethical debates Key Concepts psychology of belief religious authority existential choice Questions to Reflect On - Do you choose belief or doubt? - How does fear shape your moral choices? A Different Perspective Fear may suppress genuine spiritual inquiry. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Eternity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eternity/) [Fundamentalist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fundamentalist/) [Live forever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-forever/) ## Related quotes > [Fundamentalist s live life with an exclamation point. I prefer to live my life with a question mark.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/fundamentalist-s-live-life-with-an-exclamation-point-i-prefer-to-live/) [Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/) > [“Indoctrinating a child with fundamentalist religious doctrine warps their instinctive attributes and causes them to contradict reason by default.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/indoctrinating-a-child-with-fundamentalist-religious-doctrine-warps/) [Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) > [“To the fundamentalist, their evidence in the form of religious doctrines and scriptures from various holy books must remain unchanged. This quashes the chance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/to-the-fundamentalist-their-evidence-in-the-form-of-religious/) [Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) > [“Oh my God. For most of eternity, I won't exist. That leaves two options: live forever or destroy the universe. Hm... I may have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-weiner/oh-my-god-for-most-of-eternity-i-won-t-exist-that-leaves-two-options/) Zach Weiner > [If what Billy Pilgrim learned from the Tralfamadorians is true, that we will all live forever, no matter how dead we may sometimes seem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/if-what-billy-pilgrim-learned-from-the-tralfamadorians-is-true-that/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“To live in the hearts we leave behind is to live forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/to-live-in-the-hearts-we-leave-behind-is-to-live-forever/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [“So help me, Mac, if you manage to kill me I will ruin your eternity. You will be the most miserable man to live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-thornton/so-help-me-mac-if-you-manage-to-kill-me-i-will-ruin-your-eternity-you/) [Marshall Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-thornton/) > [There's a difference between being a fundamentalist and being al-Qaeda and being Muslim. It's absurd to think otherwise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-winklevoss/there-s-a-difference-between-being-a-fundamentalist-and-being-al/) [Tyler Winklevoss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-winklevoss/) > [I want you to just let a wave of intolerance wash over you. I want you to let a wave of hatred wash over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-terry/i-want-you-to-just-let-a-wave-of-intolerance-wash-over-you-i-want-you/) [Randall Terry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-terry/) > [For the fundamentalist who wants to believe every word of the Bible, however, life is a house of cards, with each card a tenet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morris-sullivan/for-the-fundamentalist-who-wants-to-believe-every-word-of-the-bible/) Morris Sullivan > [My parents banned nothing, though the Christian fundamentalists in my tribe held book-and-record burnings every now and again. So, yes, fundamentalist assholes can also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/my-parents-banned-nothing-though-the-christian-fundamentalists-in-my/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [To be an atheist you have to have ten thousand times more imagination than if you are a religious fundamentalist. You must take the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-greenaway/to-be-an-atheist-you-have-to-have-ten-thousand-times-more-imagination/) [Peter Greenaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-greenaway/) > [“The artist and the fundamentalist both confront the same issue, the mystery of their existence as individuals. Each asks the same questions: Who am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/the-artist-and-the-fundamentalist-both-confront-the-same-issue-the/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [Hell hath no fury like a frustrated fundamentalist whose God condemned him to "hell" for having "impure thoughts."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-r-burch/hell-hath-no-fury-like-a-frustrated-fundamentalist-whose-god/) [Michael R. Burch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-r-burch/) > [As a Fundamentalist I had discovered while I was in college that it is possible to dismiss the entire Church as having gone off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-howard-3rd-duke-of-norfolk/as-a-fundamentalist-i-had-discovered-while-i-was-in-college-that-it/) Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk ## More by Al Stefanelli > [“. The understanding that what is good supports basic human rights and anything that threatens it is bad. We do not need a supernatural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/the-understanding-that-what-is-good-supports-basic-human-rights-and/) [Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) > [“Somewhere during the process of intellectual development there was a disconnect in the believer’s ability to discern fantasy from reality and the outlandish, scientifically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/somewhere-during-the-process-of-intellectual-development-there-was-a/) [Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) > [“Fundamental Christianity and Islam are diseases. They are viruses that have infected our species, and I see no reason to cease my broad-brushed punditry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/fundamental-christianity-and-islam-are-diseases-they-are-viruses-that/) [Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) > [“. Christianity is marketed as a religion of love and tolerance, but inwardly it is a destructive virus that causes division, promotes willful ignorance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/christianity-is-marketed-as-a-religion-of-love-and-tolerance-but/) [Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) > [“When mystical elements are introduced into morality, the whole system ends up being corrupted.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/when-mystical-elements-are-introduced-into-morality-the-whole-system/) [Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) > [“Prayer – The Art Of Talking To Yourself”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/prayer-the-art-of-talking-to-yourself/) [Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) > [“The vilification of atheists is becoming the anchor knot of religion. The more they resist us, the tighter it gets.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/the-vilification-of-atheists-is-becoming-the-anchor-knot-of-religion/) [Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) > [“For unbelievers, evil can best be described as the abandonment of our minds to the minds of others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/for-unbelievers-evil-can-best-be-described-as-the-abandonment-of-our/) [Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) > [“One competent scientist is worth more than a thousand evangelists.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/one-competent-scientist-is-worth-more-than-a-thousand-evangelists/) [Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) > [“The belief in a god is irrational, and once this leap of faith is made it only takes short steps to abandon the standards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/the-belief-in-a-god-is-irrational-and-once-this-leap-of-faith-is-made/) [Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) > [“Basically, the field of apologetics is an entire discipline built around the concept of getting people to believe the biggest bullshit stories to ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/basically-the-field-of-apologetics-is-an-entire-discipline-built/) [Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) > [“When we could not explain the horizon, we simply calculated that the earth has an edge and if you go out too far, you’ll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/when-we-could-not-explain-the-horizon-we-simply-calculated-that-the/) [Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) > [“Take Creationism. Please.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/take-creationism-please/) [Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) > [“Equating abortion with murder is not only playing fast and furious with the truth, such a comparison is legally disingenuous.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/equating-abortion-with-murder-is-not-only-playing-fast-and-furious/) [Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) > [“The scientific community thrives on probabilities, working theories and fact-based hypothesis that have resulted in the advances we have made in fields such as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/the-scientific-community-thrives-on-probabilities-working-theories/) [Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) [Explore all 68 Al Stefanelli quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) ## More Eternity quotes > [“I believe in forever, and that’s what you and I are. We define eternity. This may sound cheesy, but you make me go there.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-mchugh/i-believe-in-forever-and-that-s-what-you-and-i-are-we-define-eternity/) [Gail McHugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-mchugh/) > [“Please not yet. Those are the three eternal words. Please not yet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-macdonald/please-not-yet-those-are-the-three-eternal-words-please-not-yet/) [John D. MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-macdonald/) > [Peace is the first thing the angels sang. Peace is the mark of the children of God. Peace is the nurse of love. Peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-i/peace-is-the-first-thing-the-angels-sang-peace-is-the-mark-of-the/) [Pope Leo I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-i/) > [There are two kinds of beauty; there is a beauty which God gives at birth, and which withers as a flower. And there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-kuyper/there-are-two-kinds-of-beauty-there-is-a-beauty-which-god-gives-at/) [Abraham Kuyper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-kuyper/) > [If I have a system it is limited to a recognition of what Kierkegaard called 'the infinite qualitative distinction' between time and eternity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/if-i-have-a-system-it-is-limited-to-a-recognition-of-what-kierkegaard/) [Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/) > [Only alone can you go into eternity. Only alone can you feel the transcendental light. It is not a shared experience because if it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/only-alone-can-you-go-into-eternity-only-alone-can-you-feel-the/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [The religion of art, like the religion of politics, was born from the ruins of Christianity. Art inherited from the old religion the power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/the-religion-of-art-like-the-religion-of-politics-was-born-from-the/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [I think we all have a core that's ecstatic, that knows and that looks up in wonder. We all know that there are marvelous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coleman-barks/i-think-we-all-have-a-core-that-s-ecstatic-that-knows-and-that-looks/) [Coleman Barks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coleman-barks/) > [One of our great allies at present is the Church itself. Do not misunderstand me. I do not mean the Church as we see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/one-of-our-great-allies-at-present-is-the-church-itself-do-not/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Heaven? Floating about with everyone you ever knew for eternity? Me family does me 'ed in after one day at xmas, I'd rather be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-pilkington/heaven-floating-about-with-everyone-you-ever-knew-for-eternity-me/) [Karl Pilkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-pilkington/) > [What does the future, that half of time, matter to the man who is infatuated with eternity?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emile-m-cioran/what-does-the-future-that-half-of-time-matter-to-the-man-who-is/) [Emile M. Cioran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emile-m-cioran/) > [You and I are both life. There's just the experience of every moment. We like to call them moments. There isn't really such a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/you-and-i-are-both-life-there-s-just-the-experience-of-every-moment/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [You've decided to love me for eternity, I'm still deciding who I want to be today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/you-ve-decided-to-love-me-for-eternity-i-m-still-deciding-who-i-want/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [You may have some friends that come and go, but having a friend like God will last forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyssa-tillmon/you-may-have-some-friends-that-come-and-go-but-having-a-friend-like/) [Alyssa Tillmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alyssa-tillmon/) > [There, in the center of that silence was not eternity but the death of time and a loneliness so profound the word itself had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/there-in-the-center-of-that-silence-was-not-eternity-but-the-death-of/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) [Browse all 3,482 Eternity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eternity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“You can either believe, accept and live forever in blissful eternity; or disbelieve, deny and live forever in torment and despair. 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