--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Can one be a saint if God does not exist?…" description: "\"Can one be a saint if God does not exist? That is the only concrete problem I know of today.\" — Albert Camus" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b00/albert-camus-47_atheism_can-one-be-a-saint-if-god-does-not-exist_2839310.jpg" --- # Can one be a saint if God does not exist? That is the only… ![“Can one be a saint if God does not exist? That is the only concrete problem I know of today.” quote by Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b00/albert-camus-47_atheism_can-one-be-a-saint-if-god-does-not-exist_2839310.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b00/albert-camus-47_atheism_can-one-be-a-saint-if-god-does-not-exist_2839310.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b00/albert-camus-47_atheism_can-one-be-a-saint-if-god-does-not-exist_2839310.jpg) > “Can one be a saint if God does not exist? That is the only concrete problem I know of today.” [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Questions the possibility of sainthood without belief in God, presenting an existential dilemma. **In simple terms:** Can one be saintly without God? Key Takeaway Explore moral values beyond religion. Themes existentialism morality faith identity Mood thoughtful philosophical Type existential inspirational When to use this quote - personal reflection - philosophical debate - literary analysis Key Concepts theodicy secular ethics humanism Questions to Reflect On - What defines moral goodness without divine authority? - Can secular societies foster saintly behavior? A Different Perspective Answers may differ across cultures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheism/) [Atheist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheist/) [Concrete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concrete/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Does Exist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/does-exist/) [Exist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exist/) [Exist Concrete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exist-concrete-3713880/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Saint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saint/) [Saint God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saint-god-2818086/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) ## Related quotes > [The loadstar of a saint is God Himself, not estimated usefulness. It is the work that God does through us that count, not what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/the-loadstar-of-a-saint-is-god-himself-not-estimated-usefulness-it-is/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [“It is the duty of a Saint of God to gain all the influence he can on this earth, and to use every particle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigham-young/it-is-the-duty-of-a-saint-of-god-to-gain-all-the-influence-he-can-on/) [Brigham Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigham-young/) > [Existentialism is about being a saint without God; being your own hero, without all the sanction and support of religion or society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-brookner/existentialism-is-about-being-a-saint-without-god-being-your-own-hero/) [Anita Brookner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-brookner/) > [The one true mark of a saint of God is the inner creativity that flows from being totally surrendered to Jesus Christ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/the-one-true-mark-of-a-saint-of-god-is-the-inner-creativity-that/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [“How do I recognize a real saint? Whom I shall see within me whether it is in dreams or trances or meditations, He will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jibankrishna/how-do-i-recognize-a-real-saint-whom-i-shall-see-within-me-whether-it/) [Jibankrishna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jibankrishna/) > [There will be no sickness for the saint of God. ... If your body belongs to God, it does not and cannot belong to sickness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benny-hinn/there-will-be-no-sickness-for-the-saint-of-god-if-your-body-belongs/) [Benny Hinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benny-hinn/) > [A man does not exist until he is drunk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/a-man-does-not-exist-until-he-is-drunk/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [A God who makes no demands, is the functional equivalent of a God who does not exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-todd-christofferson/a-god-who-makes-no-demands-is-the-functional-equivalent-of-a-god-who/) [D. Todd Christofferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-todd-christofferson/) > [“A higher power does exist. The forces of day-to-day reality seem to take hold and become the truth for you, yet truth is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-herrera/a-higher-power-does-exist-the-forces-of-day-to-day-reality-seem-to/) [Elizabeth Herrera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-herrera/) > [The perfect striker does not exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jupp-heynckes/the-perfect-striker-does-not-exist/) [Jupp Heynckes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jupp-heynckes/) > [True relaxation, which would do me the world of good, does not exist for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustav-klimt/true-relaxation-which-would-do-me-the-world-of-good-does-not-exist/) [Gustav Klimt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustav-klimt/) > [“...If God really does exist, and is not just a myth, it must have consequence for the whole of life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-worth/if-god-really-does-exist-and-is-not-just-a-myth-it-must-have/) [Jennifer Worth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-worth/) > [Don't be afraid of what you don't know coz it does not exist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-be-afraid-of-what-you-don-t-know-coz-it-does-not-exist/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Love, it does exist, believe it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devania-annesya/love-it-does-exist-believe-it/) [Devania Annesya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devania-annesya/) > [God is necessary, and therefore must exist...But I know that he does not and cannot exist...Don't you understand that a man with these two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-is-necessary-and-therefore-must-exist-but-i-know-that-he-does-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Albert Camus > [“The whole town rushed outside to celebrate this crowded minute when the time of suffering had ended and the time of forgetting had not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-whole-town-rushed-outside-to-celebrate-this-crowded-minute-when/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [Generally, I like all islands. There, it is easier to rule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/generally-i-like-all-islands-there-it-is-easier-to-rule/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [Being is good, but getting rich is better… If the gods had only the riches of men's adoration, they would be as poor as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/being-is-good-but-getting-rich-is-better-if-the-gods-had-only-the/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [The more I produce, the less I am certain. On the road along which the artist walks, night falls ever more densely. Finally, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-more-i-produce-the-less-i-am-certain-on-the-road-along-which-the/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“Having been, not only mutilated in our country, wounded in our very flesh, but also divested of our most beautiful images, for you gave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/having-been-not-only-mutilated-in-our-country-wounded-in-our-very/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [I've seen of enough of people who die for an idea. I don't believe in heroism; I know it's easy and I've learned it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/i-ve-seen-of-enough-of-people-who-die-for-an-idea-i-don-t-believe-in/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [The best are led to make greater demands upon themselves. As for those who succumb, they did not deserve to survive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-best-are-led-to-make-greater-demands-upon-themselves-as-for-those/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“Then he asked me if I wasn’t interested in a change of life. I said that people never change their lives, that in any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/then-he-asked-me-if-i-wasn-t-interested-in-a-change-of-life-i-said/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [Life is meaningless, but worth living, provided you recognize it's meaningless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/life-is-meaningless-but-worth-living-provided-you-recognize-it-s/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [Thinking of the future, establishing aims for oneself, having preferences-all this presupposes a belief in freedom, even if one occasionally ascertains that one doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/thinking-of-the-future-establishing-aims-for-oneself-having/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [I explained to him, however, that my nature was such that my physical needs often got in the way of my feelings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/i-explained-to-him-however-that-my-nature-was-such-that-my-physical/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-only-way-to-deal-with-an-unfree-world-is-to-become-so-absolutely/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“We love people not because for good they did for us, but for good we did for them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/we-love-people-not-because-for-good-they-did-for-us-but-for-good-we/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [You have so much inside you, and the noblest happiness of all. Don’t just wait for a man to come along. That’s the mistake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/you-have-so-much-inside-you-and-the-noblest-happiness-of-all-don-t/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [The desire for possession is insatiable, to such a point that it can survive even love itself. To love, therefore, is to sterilize the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-desire-for-possession-is-insatiable-to-such-a-point-that-it-can/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) [Explore all 1,600 Albert Camus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) ## More Atheism quotes > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [No philosophy, no religion, has ever brought so glad a message to the world as this good news of Atheism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-besant/no-philosophy-no-religion-has-ever-brought-so-glad-a-message-to-the/) [Annie Besant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-besant/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [The inner defenses are unconscious. They consist of a kind of magic aura which the mind builds around cherished belief. Arguments which penetrate into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-inner-defenses-are-unconscious-they-consist-of-a-kind-of-magic/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [God speaks through me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/god-speaks-through-me/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [A knowledge of the existence of something we cannot penetrate, of the manifestations of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty - it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/a-knowledge-of-the-existence-of-something-we-cannot-penetrate-of-the/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [You cannot ... transmute some incoherent mixture of words into sense merely by introducing the three-letter word "God" to be its grammatical subject.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-flew/you-cannot-transmute-some-incoherent-mixture-of-words-into-sense/) [Antony Flew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-flew/) > [Many humanists have argued that happiness involves a combination of hedonism and creative moral development; that an exuberant life fuses excellence and enjoyment, meaning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kurtz/many-humanists-have-argued-that-happiness-involves-a-combination-of/) [Paul Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kurtz/) > [If, with all the time at my disposal, with all the wealth of the resources of this vast universe, to do with as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/if-with-all-the-time-at-my-disposal-with-all-the-wealth-of-the/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [Do you think that was kind? Do you think it was godlike? What would you think of a physician, if a woman came to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-h-gardener/do-you-think-that-was-kind-do-you-think-it-was-godlike-what-would-you/) [Helen H. Gardener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-h-gardener/) > [Science can destroy religion by ignoring it as well as by disproving its tenets. No one ever demonstrated, so far as I am aware,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/science-can-destroy-religion-by-ignoring-it-as-well-as-by-disproving/) [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) > [Honest investigation is utterly impossible within the pale of any church, for the reason, that if you think the church is right you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/honest-investigation-is-utterly-impossible-within-the-pale-of-any/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) [Browse all 4,769 Atheism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Can one be a saint if God does not exist? That is the only concrete problem I know of today.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Albert Camus" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/can-one-be-a-saint-if-god-does-not-exist-that-is-the-only-concrete/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Atheism" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/can-one-be-a-saint-if-god-does-not-exist-that-is-the-only-concrete/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b00/albert-camus-47_atheism_can-one-be-a-saint-if-god-does-not-exist_2839310.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b00/albert-camus-47_atheism_can-one-be-a-saint-if-god-does-not-exist_2839310.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b00/albert-camus-47_atheism_can-one-be-a-saint-if-god-does-not-exist_2839310.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Can one be a saint if God does not exist? That is the only concrete problem I know of today.” — Albert Camus", "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": "Albert Camus", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Can one be a saint if...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/can-one-be-a-saint-if-god-does-not-exist-that-is-the-only-concrete/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/can-one-be-a-saint-if-god-does-not-exist-that-is-the-only-concrete/#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 } } ] } ```