---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People believe in god because they can't…"
description: "\"“People believe in god because they can't think to be alone.”\" — Augusten Burroughs"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f06/augusten-burroughs-603_believe_people-believe-in-god-because-they-can-t_2010573.png"
---

#  People believe in god because they can't think to be alone.

![“People believe in god because they can't think to be alone.” quote by Augusten Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f06/augusten-burroughs-603_believe_people-believe-in-god-because-they-can-t_2010573.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f06/augusten-burroughs-603_believe_people-believe-in-god-because-they-can-t_2010573.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f06/augusten-burroughs-603_believe_people-believe-in-god-because-they-can-t_2010573.png)

> ““People believe in god because they can't think to be alone.””

[Augusten Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusten-burroughs/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

People turn to deity when they fear solitude and seek comfort in a higher power.

**In simple terms:** Fear of being alone drives belief in god.

Key Takeaway

Acknowledge and address loneliness directly.

Themes

faith loneliness psychology

Mood

reflective somber

Type

philosophical psychological

When to use this quote

- personal crisis
- spiritual seeking
- mental health counseling

Key Concepts

existentialism coping mechanisms

Questions to Reflect On

- What fears arise when you are truly alone?
- How might community replace the need for divine comfort?

A Different Perspective

Belief may also stem from cultural tradition, not just loneliness.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Believe God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe-god/) [Believe in god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe-in-god/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [God Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-think/) [People Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-believe/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/)

## Related quotes

> [I do believe in God. I think God has given so much power to people, and intelligence, and said, 'Well, you are on your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-kidder/i-do-believe-in-god-i-think-god-has-given-so-much-power-to-people-and/)

[Tracy Kidder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-kidder/)

> [So if I believe in God, and I do, it’s because I think I’m God,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-freeman/so-if-i-believe-in-god-and-i-do-it-s-because-i-think-i-m-god/)

[Morgan Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-freeman/)

> [Here's the thing about people who believe in god... They're idiots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-jefferies/here-s-the-thing-about-people-who-believe-in-god-they-re-idiots/)

[Jim Jefferies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-jefferies/)

> [Some people believe in God. I believe in music. Some people pray. I turn up the radio.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-people-believe-in-god-i-believe-in-music-some-people-pray-i-turn/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“I believe in the Lord, Jesus Christ, and His Mother, Holy Mary. Jesus was a living baby once. He went bare-footed like we do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-smith/i-believe-in-the-lord-jesus-christ-and-his-mother-holy-mary-jesus-was/)

[Betty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-smith/)

> [As I approached my 95th birthday, I was burdened to write a book that addressed the epidemic of 'easy believism.' There is a mindset…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/as-i-approached-my-95th-birthday-i-was-burdened-to-write-a-book-that/)

[Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/)

> [“People believe in God because they don't have any other explanation for things that happen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/people-believe-in-god-because-they-don-t-have-any-other-explanation/)

[Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/)

> [“People believe in God because they don’t believe in themselves. They need something else to depend on or to blame instead of taking responsibility…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katja-millay/people-believe-in-god-because-they-don-t-believe-in-themselves-they/)

[Katja Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katja-millay/)

> [Good and happy people who believe in God are the greatest living arguments for God's existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/good-and-happy-people-who-believe-in-god-are-the-greatest-living/)

[Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/)

> [People believe in God because we are pattern-seeking, storytelling, mythmaking, religious, moral animals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shermer/people-believe-in-god-because-we-are-pattern-seeking-storytelling/)

[Michael Shermer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shermer/)

> [I believe in God, because he is the only thing that kept me going. He's my best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-hahn/i-believe-in-god-because-he-is-the-only-thing-that-kept-me-going-he-s/)

[Jessica Hahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-hahn/)

> [I believe in people because I believe in God. I think God knew what God was doing when God made each of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glennon-doyle-melton/i-believe-in-people-because-i-believe-in-god-i-think-god-knew-what/)

[Glennon Doyle Melton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glennon-doyle-melton/)

> [I don’t understand how people can believe in God, even when I myself think of him everyday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emile-m-cioran/i-don-t-understand-how-people-can-believe-in-god-even-when-i-myself/)

[Emile M. Cioran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emile-m-cioran/)

> [“Don’t just make statements. Just look. There are two million years of inheritance, thousands and thousands of experiences, impressions, conditions, knowledge. All that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/don-t-just-make-statements-just-look-there-are-two-million-years-of/)

[Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/)

> [People often ask me whether I believe in God. I haven't seen God. But I think that one's beliefs are one's God - and,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kapil-dev/people-often-ask-me-whether-i-believe-in-god-i-haven-t-seen-god-but-i/)

[Kapil Dev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kapil-dev/)

## More by Augusten Burroughs

> [There is nothing about myself that I wouldn't reveal or write about. I don't care how horrendous or ridiculous I may appear in person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusten-burroughs/there-is-nothing-about-myself-that-i-wouldn-t-reveal-or-write-about-i/)

[Augusten Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusten-burroughs/)

> [“We were alone together, we were an us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusten-burroughs/we-were-alone-together-we-were-an-us/)

[Augusten Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusten-burroughs/)

> [Like every child, I adored her. Until I formed a brain and got to know her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusten-burroughs/like-every-child-i-adored-her-until-i-formed-a-brain-and-got-to-know/)

[Augusten Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusten-burroughs/)

> [“You must hang onto the scraps of the bucking moment as if your sanity and life depended on it - because actually they do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusten-burroughs/you-must-hang-onto-the-scraps-of-the-bucking-moment-as-if-your-sanity/)

[Augusten Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusten-burroughs/)

> [Real optimism is not the pep talk you give yourself. It is earned through the labor involved in emotional housekeeping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusten-burroughs/real-optimism-is-not-the-pep-talk-you-give-yourself-it-is-earned/)

[Augusten Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusten-burroughs/)

> [If you hate your life, you haven't' seen enough of it. If you hate your life, it's because your life is too small and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusten-burroughs/if-you-hate-your-life-you-haven-t-seen-enough-of-it-if-you-hate-your/)

[Augusten Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusten-burroughs/)

> [I think writers tend to be experience junkies, and I think they also tend to want to be on the outside looking in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusten-burroughs/i-think-writers-tend-to-be-experience-junkies-and-i-think-they-also/)

[Augusten Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusten-burroughs/)

> [I think part of the reason I'm attracted to Foster is because he's such a mess. I mean, the people I have loved in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusten-burroughs/i-think-part-of-the-reason-i-m-attracted-to-foster-is-because-he-s/)

[Augusten Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusten-burroughs/)

> [“On typical days, (dust) is simply irritating. On Roid Rage days, it made me want to stomp down to the highway, pull drivers out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusten-burroughs/on-typical-days-dust-is-simply-irritating-on-roid-rage-days-it-made/)

[Augusten Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusten-burroughs/)

> [I'm like the guy who prepares your taxes or a dentist. I'm very conservative and boring in a lot of ways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusten-burroughs/i-m-like-the-guy-who-prepares-your-taxes-or-a-dentist-i-m-very/)

[Augusten Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusten-burroughs/)

> [“Nothing surprises me now," I tell him. I am stoic. I am Joan of Arc, with liver damage and an unused penis.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusten-burroughs/nothing-surprises-me-now-i-tell-him-i-am-stoic-i-am-joan-of-arc-with/)

[Augusten Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusten-burroughs/)

> [“It's not that I was an outright nitwit of a child.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusten-burroughs/it-s-not-that-i-was-an-outright-nitwit-of-a-child/)

[Augusten Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusten-burroughs/)

> [What I really want is to sit next to someone under an L.L. bean blanket on the beach in the fall and drink coffee…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusten-burroughs/what-i-really-want-is-to-sit-next-to-someone-under-an-l-l-bean/)

[Augusten Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusten-burroughs/)

> [“My worth depended on where exactly the decimal was placed among the zeroes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusten-burroughs/my-worth-depended-on-where-exactly-the-decimal-was-placed-among-the/)

[Augusten Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusten-burroughs/)

> [“Bookman isn't a stable man. He has a lot of problems that run very, very deep." But he was really good at giving head.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusten-burroughs/bookman-isn-t-a-stable-man-he-has-a-lot-of-problems-that-run-very/)

[Augusten Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusten-burroughs/)

[Explore all 448 Augusten Burroughs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusten-burroughs/)

## More Believe quotes

> [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/)

[Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/)

> [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/)

[Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/)

> [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/)

[Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/)

> [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/)

[Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/)

> [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/)

[Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/)

> [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/)

[Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/)

> [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/)

[Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/)

> [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/)

[Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/)

> [“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/)

> [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/)

[Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/)

> [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/)

[Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/)

> [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/)

[Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/)

> [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/)

[Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/)

> [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/)

[James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/)

> [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/)

[Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/)

[Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“People believe in god because they can't think to be alone.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Augusten Burroughs"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusten-burroughs/people-believe-in-god-because-they-can-t-think-to-be-alone/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Believe"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusten-burroughs/people-believe-in-god-because-they-can-t-think-to-be-alone/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f06/augusten-burroughs-603_believe_people-believe-in-god-because-they-can-t_2010573.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f06/augusten-burroughs-603_believe_people-believe-in-god-because-they-can-t_2010573.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f06/augusten-burroughs-603_believe_people-believe-in-god-because-they-can-t_2010573.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“People believe in god because they can't think to be alone.” — Augusten Burroughs",
                "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": "Augusten Burroughs",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusten-burroughs/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“People believe in god because they...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusten-burroughs/people-believe-in-god-because-they-can-t-think-to-be-alone/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusten-burroughs/people-believe-in-god-because-they-can-t-think-to-be-alone/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
