--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ...I had spent hours talking with people…" description: "\"“...I had spent hours talking with people who had trouble believing. For some, the issue was that they believed less than they thought they should abou..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1c/barbara-brown-taylor-3225_beyond-belief_i-had-spent-hours-talking-with-people-wh_2431054.png" --- # ...I had spent hours talking with people who had trouble… ![“...I had spent hours talking with people who had trouble believing. For some, the issue was that they believed less than they thought they should about Jesus. They were not trouble by the idea that he may have had two human parents instead of one or that his real presence with his disciples after…” quote by Barbara Brown Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1c/barbara-brown-taylor-3225_beyond-belief_i-had-spent-hours-talking-with-people-wh_2431054.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1c/barbara-brown-taylor-3225_beyond-belief_i-had-spent-hours-talking-with-people-wh_2431054.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1c/barbara-brown-taylor-3225_beyond-belief_i-had-spent-hours-talking-with-people-wh_2431054.png) > ““...I had spent hours talking with people who had trouble believing. For some, the issue was that they believed less than they thought they should about Jesus. They were not trouble by the idea that he may have had two human parents instead of one or that his real presence with his disciples after his death might have been more metaphysical than physical. The glory they beheld in him had more to do with the nature of his being than with the number of his miracles, but they had suffered enough at the hands of true believers to learn to keep their mouths shut. For others, the issue was that they believed more than Jesus. Having beheld his glory, they found themselves running into God's glory all over the place, including places where Christian doctrine said that it should not be. I knew Christians who had beheld God's glory in a Lakota sweat lodge, in a sacred Celtic grove, and at the edge of a Hawaiian volcano, as well as in dreams and visions that they were afraid to tell anyone else about at all. These people not only feared being shunned for their unorthodox narratives, they also feared sharing some of the most powerful things that had ever happened to them with people who might dismiss them. Given the history of Christians as a people who started out beholding what was beyond belief, this struck me as a lamentable state of affairs, both for those who have learned to see no more than they are supposed to see as well as for those who have excused themselves from traditional churches because they see too little or too much. If it is true that God exceeds all our efforts to contain God, then is it too big a stretch to declare that dumbfoundedness is what all Christians have most in common? Or that coming together to confess all that we do not know is at least as sacred an activity as declaring what we think we do know?”” [Barbara Brown Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-brown-taylor/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage reflects on how Christians often limit their spiritual experiences to what is socially acceptable, fearing judgment for unconventional encounters with the divine, and suggests that humility and shared mystery are essential. **In simple terms:** Christians may hide unusual spiritual experiences out of fear, missing deeper connection. Key Takeaway Embrace humility and share mysteries openly. Themes faith spirituality community authenticity courage Mood reflective hopeful introspective Type philosophical inspirational contemplative When to use this quote - church gatherings - personal prayer - interfaith dialogues - creative worship - spiritual retreats Key Concepts theology personal revelation cultural context Questions to Reflect On - How might you create safe spaces for sharing unconventional spiritual experiences? - What does humility look like in your faith practice? A Different Perspective Fear of judgment can suppress genuine spiritual insight and hinder growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beyond belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beyond-belief/) [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Coming together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coming-together/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [God's Glory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gods-glory/) ## Related quotes > [“The foregoing generations beheld God and nature face to face; we, through their eyes. Why should not we also enjoy an original relation to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-foregoing-generations-beheld-god-and-nature-face-to-face-we/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [But now mine own eyes have beheld God; but not my natural, but my spiritual eyes, for my natural eyes could not have beheld;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moses/but-now-mine-own-eyes-have-beheld-god-but-not-my-natural-but-my/) [Moses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moses/) > [“All believers must learn the habit of inwardly redirecting thoughts toward faith, hope and love, and away from the lies that create hopelessness, fear,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-backlund/all-believers-must-learn-the-habit-of-inwardly-redirecting-thoughts/) Steve Backlund > [“The Word of God is a significant tool that helps believers and non-believers to learn and understand the magnificence of God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gift-gugu-mona/the-word-of-god-is-a-significant-tool-that-helps-believers-and-non/) [Gift Gugu Mona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gift-gugu-mona/) > [“Most believers learn passively from clergy. However, no matter how good and uplifting this person's teaching, as long as the members are not actively…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-hon/most-believers-learn-passively-from-clergy-however-no-matter-how-good/) [Henry Hon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-hon/) > [Giving works best when the Lord's portion is removed first and believers learn to live within the remainder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-anders/giving-works-best-when-the-lord-s-portion-is-removed-first-and/) [Max Anders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-anders/) > [The Scriptures contain many stories of people who waited years or even decades before the Lord's promises came to pass. What modern believers can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stanley/the-scriptures-contain-many-stories-of-people-who-waited-years-or/) [Charles Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stanley/) > [“Apart from all this, I do of course have a real life. I sometimes have trouble believing in it, because it doesn't seem like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/apart-from-all-this-i-do-of-course-have-a-real-life-i-sometimes-have/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [Buying into the hype can get you into a lot of trouble, believing your own press.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-bailey/buying-into-the-hype-can-get-you-into-a-lot-of-trouble-believing-your/) [Philip Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-bailey/) > [“I’m still having trouble believing that he’s mine—that he’s actually Owen’s father—that somehow the fucking universe got its shit together and delivered for once.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-l-swan/i-m-still-having-trouble-believing-that-he-s-mine-that-he-s-actually/) [T.L. Swan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-l-swan/) > [“I only believe in this life. And lots of times I have trouble believing in that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-echlin/i-only-believe-in-this-life-and-lots-of-times-i-have-trouble/) [Kim Echlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-echlin/) > [“The trouble with believing conspiracies is you start seeing them everywhere, right? And everything becomes a part of them. But, of course, the trouble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-ross-clara/the-trouble-with-believing-conspiracies-is-you-start-seeing-them/) [J. Ross Clara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-ross-clara/) > [“Am I going to be this way for the rest of my life, always waiting for something bad to happen? Will I never truly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodee-blanco/am-i-going-to-be-this-way-for-the-rest-of-my-life-always-waiting-for/) [Jodee Blanco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodee-blanco/) > [“A child has no trouble believing the unbelievable, nor does the genius or the madman.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/a-child-has-no-trouble-believing-the-unbelievable-nor-does-the-genius-2/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [A child has no trouble believing the unbelievable, nor does the genius or the madman. It’s only you and I, with our big brains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/a-child-has-no-trouble-believing-the-unbelievable-nor-does-the-genius/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) ## More by Barbara Brown Taylor > [The poets began drifting away from churches as the jurists grew louder and more insistent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-brown-taylor/the-poets-began-drifting-away-from-churches-as-the-jurists-grew/) [Barbara Brown Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-brown-taylor/) > [I decided I got to say whether I was Christian or not, and so I've relaxed enormously since then. I'm the one who gets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-brown-taylor/i-decided-i-got-to-say-whether-i-was-christian-or-not-and-so-i-ve/) [Barbara Brown Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-brown-taylor/) > [Having been brought up with a definition of faith as adherence to a set of beliefs, I have more and more begun to turn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-brown-taylor/having-been-brought-up-with-a-definition-of-faith-as-adherence-to-a/) [Barbara Brown Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-brown-taylor/) > [I don't miss the ministry, because I'm completely engaged in it. In terms of parish ministry, I miss the intimacy with a group of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-brown-taylor/i-don-t-miss-the-ministry-because-i-m-completely-engaged-in-it-in/) [Barbara Brown Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-brown-taylor/) > [ With all the conceptual truths in the universe at His disposal \[Jesus\] did not give them something to think about together when He was… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-brown-taylor/with-all-the-conceptual-truths-in-the-universe-at-his-disposal-jesus/) [Barbara Brown Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-brown-taylor/) > [There comes a time when it is vitally important for your spiritual health to drop your clothes, look in the mirror, and say, ‘Here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-brown-taylor/there-comes-a-time-when-it-is-vitally-important-for-your-spiritual/) [Barbara Brown Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-brown-taylor/) > [The problem is, many of the people in need of saving are in churches, and at least part of what they need saving from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-brown-taylor/the-problem-is-many-of-the-people-in-need-of-saving-are-in-churches/) [Barbara Brown Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-brown-taylor/) > [“I cannot say for sure when my reliable ideas about God began to slip away, but the big chest I used to keep them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-brown-taylor/i-cannot-say-for-sure-when-my-reliable-ideas-about-god-began-to-slip/) [Barbara Brown Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-brown-taylor/) > [I love being alone. I learned that from my father, I think, who loved his own company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-brown-taylor/i-love-being-alone-i-learned-that-from-my-father-i-think-who-loved/) [Barbara Brown Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-brown-taylor/) > [There was no time anymore to be quiet or still or pray. So, in many ways, that's what led to my downward spin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-brown-taylor/there-was-no-time-anymore-to-be-quiet-or-still-or-pray-so-in-many/) [Barbara Brown Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-brown-taylor/) > [The beauty in the losing is a loss finally of self-consciousness. There's a gorgeous moment that can happen in all kinds of places. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-brown-taylor/the-beauty-in-the-losing-is-a-loss-finally-of-self-consciousness/) [Barbara Brown Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-brown-taylor/) > [“The world for which you have been so carefully prepared is being taken away from you,' he said, 'by the grace of God.' (Walter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-brown-taylor/the-world-for-which-you-have-been-so-carefully-prepared-is-being-2/) [Barbara Brown Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-brown-taylor/) > [So if waiting is an aggravation, it is at least partly because we do not like being reminded of our limits. We like doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-brown-taylor/so-if-waiting-is-an-aggravation-it-is-at-least-partly-because-we-do/) [Barbara Brown Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-brown-taylor/) > [Jesus was not killed by atheism and anarchy. He was brought down by law and order allied with religion, which is always a deadly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-brown-taylor/jesus-was-not-killed-by-atheism-and-anarchy-he-was-brought-down-by/) [Barbara Brown Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-brown-taylor/) > [It can be difficult to be an introvert in church, especially if you happen to be the pastor. Liking to be alone can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-brown-taylor/it-can-be-difficult-to-be-an-introvert-in-church-especially-if-you/) [Barbara Brown Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-brown-taylor/) [Explore all 136 Barbara Brown Taylor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-brown-taylor/) ## More Beyond belief quotes > [My love for you is endless Like an eternal light That keeps on glowing and shinning, And is sweet as the sweetest wine You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-love-for-you-is-endless-like-an-eternal-light-that-keeps-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To think that someone we loved, trusted, opened our home to could do this to our daughter and granddaughter is beyond belief.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-flaherty/to-think-that-someone-we-loved-trusted-opened-our-home-to-could-do/) [Joe Flaherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-flaherty/) > [I could have been insecure in 'Yamla Pagla'... if I wanted to be. With three actors who are amazing beyond belief and are a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kriti-kharbanda/i-could-have-been-insecure-in-yamla-pagla-if-i-wanted-to-be-with/) [Kriti Kharbanda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kriti-kharbanda/) > [The person I love would never wear fur. Fur just makes me think of shallow women who have no conscience. The fur industry belongs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-rossdale/the-person-i-love-would-never-wear-fur-fur-just-makes-me-think-of/) [Gavin Rossdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-rossdale/) > [American magazines are becoming very patriotic beyond belief to the point that I can't live there any more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nan-goldin/american-magazines-are-becoming-very-patriotic-beyond-belief-to-the/) [Nan Goldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nan-goldin/) > [They sell these golf aids that attach to your knee and your head and are supposed to keep your swing correct. It's futile beyond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-guest/they-sell-these-golf-aids-that-attach-to-your-knee-and-your-head-and/) [Christopher Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-guest/) > [I'm a huge horror movie fan. Beyond belief.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-breslin/i-m-a-huge-horror-movie-fan-beyond-belief/) [Abigail Breslin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-breslin/) > [My interest is in completing an image that is spectacular beyond belief. My fidelity is to the image and the art and not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/my-interest-is-in-completing-an-image-that-is-spectacular-beyond/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [When her eyes glisten with hope, skin glows with emphasis, and mind grows with ambition.. Beauty beyond belief.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raghib-clitso/when-her-eyes-glisten-with-hope-skin-glows-with-emphasis-and-mind/) [Raghib Clitso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raghib-clitso/) > [This is appalling. The idea that a person could be punished because of their religious belief and the idea they might be executed is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-howard/this-is-appalling-the-idea-that-a-person-could-be-punished-because-of/) [John Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-howard/) > [“Now I brushed a quick kiss over her ruby-colored mouth that tempted me beyond belief. "You should wear lipstick more often." She snorted. "Why,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-chamberlain/now-i-brushed-a-quick-kiss-over-her-ruby-colored-mouth-that-tempted/) [Sarah Chamberlain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-chamberlain/) > [When I started running, the pain barrier was very familiar to me, and I had no problem pushing beyond the pain. When for your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/summer-sanders/when-i-started-running-the-pain-barrier-was-very-familiar-to-me-and-i/) [Summer Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/summer-sanders/) > [Commitment is when you keep pushing yourself beyond belief, even when others doubt and say you cannot do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/commitment-is-when-you-keep-pushing-yourself-beyond-belief-even-when/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Nothing in my life had prepared me to see things that were strange or beyond belief. I was a simple kid in a simple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dashner/nothing-in-my-life-had-prepared-me-to-see-things-that-were-strange-or/) [James Dashner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dashner/) > [Carried by light, images remain while sensation is so evanescent as to be always beyond belief.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rae-armantrout/carried-by-light-images-remain-while-sensation-is-so-evanescent-as-to/) [Rae Armantrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-armantrout/) [Browse all 122 Beyond belief quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beyond-belief/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“...I had spent hours talking with people who had trouble believing. For some, the issue was that they believed less than they thought they should about Jesus. They were not trouble by the idea that he may have had two human parents instead of one or that his real presence with his disciples after his death might have been more metaphysical than physical. The glory they beheld in him had more to do with the nature of his being than with the number of his miracles, but they had suffered enough at the hands of true believers to learn to keep their mouths shut. For others, the issue was that they believed more than Jesus. Having beheld his glory, they found themselves running into God's glory all over the place, including places where Christian doctrine said that it should not be. I knew Christians who had beheld God's glory in a Lakota sweat lodge, in a sacred Celtic grove, and at the edge of a Hawaiian volcano, as well as in dreams and visions that they were afraid to tell anyone else about at all. These people not only feared being shunned for their unorthodox narratives, they also feared sharing some of the most powerful things that had ever happened to them with people who might dismiss them. Given the history of Christians as a people who started out beholding what was beyond belief, this struck me as a lamentable state of affairs, both for those who have learned to see no more than they are supposed to see as well as for those who have excused themselves from traditional churches because they see too little or too much. If it is true that God exceeds all our efforts to contain God, then is it too big a stretch to declare that dumbfoundedness is what all Christians have most in common? 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