--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If oxen and horses and lions had hands…" description: "\"If oxen and horses and lions had hands and were able to draw with their hands and dothe same things as men, horses would draw the shapesof gods to look..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f1/anonymous-1_things-happen-for-a_if-oxen-and-horses-and-lions-had-hands-a_2516558.jpg" --- # If oxen and horses and lions had hands and were able to… ![“If oxen and horses and lions had hands and were able to draw with their hands and dothe same things as men, horses would draw the shapesof gods to look like horses and oxen would draw them to look like oxen, and each would make the gods bodies have the same shape as they themselves had.” quote by Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f1/anonymous-1_things-happen-for-a_if-oxen-and-horses-and-lions-had-hands-a_2516558.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f1/anonymous-1_things-happen-for-a_if-oxen-and-horses-and-lions-had-hands-a_2516558.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f1/anonymous-1_things-happen-for-a_if-oxen-and-horses-and-lions-had-hands-a_2516558.jpg) > “If oxen and horses and lions had hands and were able to draw with their hands and dothe same things as men, horses would draw the shapesof gods to look like horses and oxen would draw them to look like oxen, and each would make the gods bodies have the same shape as they themselves had.” [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## 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 suggests that beings create representations of the divine based on their own form and perspective, implying anthropomorphic projection. **In simple terms:** Creatures imagine gods in their own image. Key Takeaway Recognize personal bias in how you view higher concepts. Themes perception anthropomorphism belief creativity Mood contemplative curious Type philosophical observational When to use this quote - art creation - religious practice - cultural storytelling - personal reflection Key Concepts psychology mythology symbolism Questions to Reflect On - How do your own experiences shape your view of the sacred? - What would a non‑human perspective reveal about divinity? A Different Perspective May overlook the diversity of divine concepts beyond human experience. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Things happen for a reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-happen-for-a-reason/) ## Related quotes > [If oxen and lions had hands and could paint with their hands and produce works of art, as men do, horses would paint the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xenophanes/if-oxen-and-lions-had-hands-and-could-paint-with-their-hands-and/) [Xenophanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xenophanes/) > [The Ethiops say that their gods are flat-nosed and black, While the Thracians say that theirs have blue eyes and red hair. “If oxen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xenophanes/the-ethiops-say-that-their-gods-are-flat-nosed-and-black-while-the-2/) [Xenophanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xenophanes/) > [If oxen and horses and lions could draw and paint, they would delineate the gods in their own image.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xenophanes/if-oxen-and-horses-and-lions-could-draw-and-paint-they-would/) [Xenophanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xenophanes/) > [Suffering follows a negative thought as the wheels of a cart follow the Oxen that draw it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-dhammapada/suffering-follows-a-negative-thought-as-the-wheels-of-a-cart-follow/) The Dhammapada > [But if cattle and horses or lions had hands, or were able to draw with their hands and do the work that men can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xenophanes/but-if-cattle-and-horses-or-lions-had-hands-or-were-able-to-draw-with/) [Xenophanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xenophanes/) > [You'll probably get three horses and you have to draw a good buckin' horse. That's mighty tough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-ledoux/you-ll-probably-get-three-horses-and-you-have-to-draw-a-good-buckin/) [Chris LeDoux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-ledoux/) > [The mere wit is only a human bauble. He is to life what bells are to horses-not expected to draw the load, but only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/the-mere-wit-is-only-a-human-bauble-he-is-to-life-what-bells-are-to/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [My great religion is a belief inthe blood, the flesh, as being wiser than the intellect. We can go wrong in our minds. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-great-religion-is-a-belief-inthe-blood-the-flesh-as-being-wiser/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [God makes things happen for a reason. So just remember, when something bad happens, God will always help you. 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Carson: It was for my grandfather.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/lt-carson-my-grandmother-was-a-full-bodied-cherokee-indian-lili-how/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Anonymous > [And a tear rolled down her cheek, as she said goodbye; because she's walking away, and she's never looking back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-a-tear-rolled-down-her-cheek-as-she-said-goodbye-because-she-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. 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Carson: My grandmother was a full-bodied Cherokee Indian. Lili: How exciting. Lt. Carson: It was for my grandfather.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/lt-carson-my-grandmother-was-a-full-bodied-cherokee-indian-lili-how/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [... War on the destiny of man! Doom on the sun! 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Even for the bad things. SOMETIMES the worst situations in life turn out to be the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/be-thankful-for-all-things-in-life-even-for-the-bad-things-sometimes/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [No reason why anyone should fall from the eyes, Oh, wretched people who take advantage of this limitation, and the desire to rise above…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/no-reason-why-anyone-should-fall-from-the-eyes-oh-wretched-people-who/) Mak\_786 > [Maria. Nay, but say true, doesit work upon him? Sir Toby Belch. 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So just remember, when something bad happens, God will always help you. (: so smile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-makes-things-happen-for-a-reason-so-just-remember-when-something/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 2,607 Things happen for a reason quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-happen-for-a-reason/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If oxen and horses and lions had hands and were able to draw with their hands and dothe same things as men, horses would draw the shapesof gods to look like horses and oxen would draw them to look like oxen, and each would make the gods bodies have the same shape as they themselves had.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Anonymous" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-oxen-and-horses-and-lions-had-hands-and-were-able-to-draw-with/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Things happen for a reason" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-oxen-and-horses-and-lions-had-hands-and-were-able-to-draw-with/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f1/anonymous-1_things-happen-for-a_if-oxen-and-horses-and-lions-had-hands-a_2516558.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f1/anonymous-1_things-happen-for-a_if-oxen-and-horses-and-lions-had-hands-a_2516558.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f1/anonymous-1_things-happen-for-a_if-oxen-and-horses-and-lions-had-hands-a_2516558.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If oxen and horses and lions had hands and were able to draw with their hands and dothe same things as men…” — Anonymous", "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": "Anonymous", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If oxen and horses and lions...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-oxen-and-horses-and-lions-had-hands-and-were-able-to-draw-with/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-oxen-and-horses-and-lions-had-hands-and-were-able-to-draw-with/#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 } } ] } ```