---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Do you think if it was the fairy tale…"
description: "\"Do you think if it was the fairy tale about a man who lived inside of a whale and it was religion that Jack built a beanstalk today, you would know the..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b3/bill-maher-211_adults_do-you-think-if-it-was-the-fairy-tale-ab_774164.jpg"
---

#  Do you think if it was the fairy tale about a man who…

![“Do you think if it was the fairy tale about a man who lived inside of a whale and it was religion that Jack built a beanstalk today, you would know the difference? Why do you believe in one fairy tale and not the other? Just because adults told you it was true and they scared you into believing…” quote by Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b3/bill-maher-211_adults_do-you-think-if-it-was-the-fairy-tale-ab_774164.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b3/bill-maher-211_adults_do-you-think-if-it-was-the-fairy-tale-ab_774164.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b3/bill-maher-211_adults_do-you-think-if-it-was-the-fairy-tale-ab_774164.jpg)

> “Do you think if it was the fairy tale about a man who lived inside of a whale and it was religion that Jack built a beanstalk today, you would know the difference? Why do you believe in one fairy tale and not the other? Just because adults told you it was true and they scared you into believing it, at pain of death, at pain of burning in hell.”

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

## About This Quote

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

It questions how cultural narratives and religious teachings shape belief, often imposed by authority and fear, and challenges the consistency of those beliefs.

**In simple terms:** Beliefs are shaped by stories and fear imposed by adults.

Key Takeaway

Examine why you accept some stories and reject others.

Themes

belief authority religion culture fear

Mood

critical thoughtful

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- parental influence
- education
- religious upbringing
- media consumption

Key Concepts

social conditioning cognitive dissonance mythmaking

Questions to Reflect On

- What stories have you accepted without questioning?
- How does fear influence belief formation?

A Different Perspective

Stories can be misused to control, not all narratives are equally valid.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Adults](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adults/) [Burning in hell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/burning-in-hell/) [Differences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/differences/) [Fairy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fairy/) [Fairy tale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fairy-tale/) [Hell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hell/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) [Storytelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/storytelling/) [Tales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tales/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [Whales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whales/)

## Related quotes

> [I am not like other people. I am burning in hell. The hell of myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-am-not-like-other-people-i-am-burning-in-hell-the-hell-of-myself/)

[Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/)

> [I sold my soul to the devil. I'm going to hell. I'm headed to hell. I want the money, the women, the fortune, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eminem/i-sold-my-soul-to-the-devil-i-m-going-to-hell-i-m-headed-to-hell-i/)

[Eminem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eminem/)

> [Is it not common to say to a child, 'Put your finger in that candle, can you bear it even for one minute?' How…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wesley/is-it-not-common-to-say-to-a-child-put-your-finger-in-that-candle-can/)

[John Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wesley/)

> [All my Calvaries were rosy crucifixions, pseudo-tragedies to keep the fires of hell burning brightly for the real sinners who are in danger of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/all-my-calvaries-were-rosy-crucifixions-pseudo-tragedies-to-keep-the/)

[Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/)

> [Their bodies will be raised from the dead as vessels for the soul-vessels of wrath. The soul will breathe hell-fire, and smoke and coal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/their-bodies-will-be-raised-from-the-dead-as-vessels-for-the-soul/)

[John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/)

> [All the tears of a penitent sinner, should he shed as many as there have fallen drops of rain, since the creation, to this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flavel/all-the-tears-of-a-penitent-sinner-should-he-shed-as-many-as-there-2/)

[John Flavel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flavel/)

> [The entire time I'm burning in Hell, I'll regret each tear I made you weep. But if Hell were the price for twenty days…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/the-entire-time-i-m-burning-in-hell-i-ll-regret-each-tear-i-made-you/)

[Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/)

> [Represent to yourself a dark city all burning and stinking with fire and brimstone. The damned are in the depth of hell within this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-francis-de-sales/represent-to-yourself-a-dark-city-all-burning-and-stinking-with-fire/)

[Saint Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-francis-de-sales/)

> [The hottest fires in hell are reserved for those who remain neutral in times of moral crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/the-hottest-fires-in-hell-are-reserved-for-those-who-remain-neutral/)

[Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/)

> [I defy any of my coreligionists to tell me they do not laugh at the idea of Dawkins burning in hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/i-defy-any-of-my-coreligionists-to-tell-me-they-do-not-laugh-at-the/)

[Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/)

> [So, have a little fun. Soon enough you'll be dead and burning in Hell with the rest of your family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/so-have-a-little-fun-soon-enough-you-ll-be-dead-and-burning-in-hell/)

[George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/)

> [All the tears of a penitent sinner, should he shed as many as there have been fallen drops of rain since the creation, cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flavel/all-the-tears-of-a-penitent-sinner-should-he-shed-as-many-as-there/)

[John Flavel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flavel/)

> [The test of your worldview is not how you act in the good times. The test of your worldview is how you act at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/the-test-of-your-worldview-is-not-how-you-act-in-the-good-times-the/)

[Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/)

> [Be just the way you have always been, with this difference: do not believe any of it, and pay close attention to all of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheri-huber/be-just-the-way-you-have-always-been-with-this-difference-do-not/)

[Cheri Huber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheri-huber/)

> [One person can make a difference. In fact, its not only possible for one person to make a difference, its essential that one person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-riley/one-person-can-make-a-difference-in-fact-its-not-only-possible-for/)

[Bob Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-riley/)

## More by Bill Maher

> [A lot of people say they are dyslexic; some have to realize that they are just stupid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/a-lot-of-people-say-they-are-dyslexic-some-have-to-realize-that-they/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

> [I saw this anti-drug commercial that showed a kid smoking pot in his dad's room with his friend. This kid finds a gun, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/i-saw-this-anti-drug-commercial-that-showed-a-kid-smoking-pot-in-his/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

> [To all conservative women out there: If you are so sure the embryo needed for stem cell research are precious human life that can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/to-all-conservative-women-out-there-if-you-are-so-sure-the-embryo/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

> [Curious people are intersting people, I wonder why that is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/curious-people-are-intersting-people-i-wonder-why-that-is/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

> [You see, the difference is the Republicans' hatred of Obama is based on a paranoid feeling about what he might do, what he's thinking,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/you-see-the-difference-is-the-republicans-hatred-of-obama-is-based-on/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

> [The food is out of this world!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/the-food-is-out-of-this-world/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

> [New Rule: There is no devil, so stop blaming your screw-ups on him. Last week, one of the biggest evangelical leaders in America, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/new-rule-there-is-no-devil-so-stop-blaming-your-screw-ups-on-him-last/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

> [If we were a dog and God owned us, the cops would come and take us away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/if-we-were-a-dog-and-god-owned-us-the-cops-would-come-and-take-us-away/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

> [“New Rule: The White House doesn't have to release the dead Bin Laden photos, but don't pretend we can't take it. We've seen pictures…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/new-rule-the-white-house-doesn-t-have-to-release-the-dead-bin-laden/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

> [I think religion is bad and drugs are good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/i-think-religion-is-bad-and-drugs-are-good/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

> [I don't hate America. I love America. I want it to be better. The only way we can get it to be better is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/i-don-t-hate-america-i-love-america-i-want-it-to-be-better-the-only/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

> [“New Rule: Americans must realize what makes NFL football so great: socialism. That's right, the NFL takes money from the rich teams and gives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/new-rule-americans-must-realize-what-makes-nfl-football-so-great/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

> [So many kids are fat drug addicts these days, it's almost as if Rush Limbaugh had puppies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/so-many-kids-are-fat-drug-addicts-these-days-it-s-almost-as-if-rush/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

> [What we don't know is about Jeb Bush and cocaine. But we do know that he did once had his brother Florida on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/what-we-don-t-know-is-about-jeb-bush-and-cocaine-but-we-do-know-that/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

> [“I find that the world is changing much, much faster than I can even bitch about it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/i-find-that-the-world-is-changing-much-much-faster-than-i-can-even/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

[Explore all 897 Bill Maher quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

## More Adults quotes

> [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/)

[Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/)

> [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/)

[Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/)

> [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/)

[Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/)

> [The thing about hitting kids is, think about if you were doing the same thing to another adult. Hitting your kid is really the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/the-thing-about-hitting-kids-is-think-about-if-you-were-doing-the/)

[Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/)

> [Plainly, the environment must be a living one, directed by a higher intelligence, arranged by an adult who is prepared for his mission.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/plainly-the-environment-must-be-a-living-one-directed-by-a-higher/)

[Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/)

> [Almost everywhere we find . . . the use of various coercive measures, to rid ourselves as quickly as possible of the child withinus--i.e.,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-miller/almost-everywhere-we-find-the-use-of-various-coercive-measures-to-rid/)

[Alice Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-miller/)

> [Education, for most people, means trying to lead the child to resemble the typical adult of his society . . . but for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-piaget/education-for-most-people-means-trying-to-lead-the-child-to-resemble/)

[Jean Piaget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-piaget/)

> [I do not believe in public shaming. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/)

[Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/)

> [The Role of Deliberate Practice in the Acquisition of Expert Performance”: “The differences between expert performers and normal adults are not immutable, that is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-anders-ericsson/the-role-of-deliberate-practice-in-the-acquisition-of-expert/)

K. Anders Ericsson

> [Part of life is doing stuff that you don't want to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/one-who-does-not-wish-to-be-named/part-of-life-is-doing-stuff-that-you-don-t-want-to-do/)

One Who Does Not Wish To Be Named

> [ He \[an earnest young reporter\] seemed to share the view of many intelligent, well-educated, well-meaning people that, while adult literature may aim to be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/he-an-earnest-young-reporter-seemed-to-share-the-view-of-many/)

[Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/)

> [Kids, if anything, are harder to write for because they are a more discerning audience. They will not stay with you if you go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/kids-if-anything-are-harder-to-write-for-because-they-are-a-more/)

[Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/)

> [On the one hand, we had great filmic spectacles that brought in big audiences, adults as well as primary and secondary school students. On…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrzej-wajda/on-the-one-hand-we-had-great-filmic-spectacles-that-brought-in-big/)

[Andrzej Wajda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrzej-wajda/)

> [It's hard to change adults, and it's hard to change it from a political position or a perceived political position.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/it-s-hard-to-change-adults-and-it-s-hard-to-change-it-from-a/)

[Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/)

> [When I was a child at sixteen, I was just a child. All sixteen year-olds are just children. As much as we like them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-abagnale/when-i-was-a-child-at-sixteen-i-was-just-a-child-all-sixteen-year/)

[Frank Abagnale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-abagnale/)

[Browse all 3,113 Adults quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adults/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Do you think if it was the fairy tale about a man who lived inside of a whale and it was religion that Jack built a beanstalk today, you would know the difference? Why do you believe in one fairy tale and not the other? Just because adults told you it was true and they scared you into believing it, at pain of death, at pain of burning in hell.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Bill Maher"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/do-you-think-if-it-was-the-fairy-tale-about-a-man-who-lived-inside-of/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Adults"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/do-you-think-if-it-was-the-fairy-tale-about-a-man-who-lived-inside-of/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b3/bill-maher-211_adults_do-you-think-if-it-was-the-fairy-tale-ab_774164.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b3/bill-maher-211_adults_do-you-think-if-it-was-the-fairy-tale-ab_774164.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b3/bill-maher-211_adults_do-you-think-if-it-was-the-fairy-tale-ab_774164.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Do you think if it was the fairy tale about a man who lived inside of a whale and it was religion that Jack…” — Bill Maher",
                "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": "Bill Maher",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Do you think if it was...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/do-you-think-if-it-was-the-fairy-tale-about-a-man-who-lived-inside-of/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/do-you-think-if-it-was-the-fairy-tale-about-a-man-who-lived-inside-of/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
