--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Unless I believe in God, I cannot believe…" description: "\"Unless I believe in God, I cannot believe in thought: so I can never use thought to disbelieve in God.\" — C. S. Lewis" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/881/c-s-lewis-2-132_believe_unless-i-believe-in-god-i-cannot-believe_1741152.png" --- # Unless I believe in God, I cannot believe in thought: so I… ![“Unless I believe in God, I cannot believe in thought: so I can never use thought to disbelieve in God.” quote by C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/881/c-s-lewis-2-132_believe_unless-i-believe-in-god-i-cannot-believe_1741152.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/881/c-s-lewis-2-132_believe_unless-i-believe-in-god-i-cannot-believe_1741152.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/881/c-s-lewis-2-132_believe_unless-i-believe-in-god-i-cannot-believe_1741152.png) > “Unless I believe in God, I cannot believe in thought: so I can never use thought to disbelieve in God.” [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Belief in a higher power is a prerequisite for rational contemplation of that power, creating a circular dependency. **In simple terms:** Faith is needed to think about God. Key Takeaway Examine your assumptions. Themes philosophy theology logic Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type philosophical theological When to use this quote - personal belief - academic debate - spiritual practice Key Concepts faith thought circular reasoning Questions to Reflect On - Can one contemplate God without belief? - How does faith shape reasoning? A Different Perspective This view can exclude non‑theistic perspectives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 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/) [Believe Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe-thought-447803/) [Disbelieve God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disbelieve-god-1521240/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [God Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-believe/) [I believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-believe/) [I believe in](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-believe-in/) [I believe in god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-believe-in-god/) [I can](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-can/) [Philosophy of Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-mind/) [Thought Disbelieve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought-disbelieve-1521239/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) ## Related quotes > [“Supposing there was no intelligence behind the universe, no creative mind. In that case, nobody designed my brain for the purpose of thinking. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-3/supposing-there-was-no-intelligence-behind-the-universe-no-creative/) [c s lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-3/) > [An Ulster Scot may come to disbelieve in God, but not to wear his weekday clothes on the Sabbath.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/an-ulster-scot-may-come-to-disbelieve-in-god-but-not-to-wear-his/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [I believe in God - not in a Catholic God; there is no Catholic God. There is God, and I believe in Jesus Christ,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/i-believe-in-god-not-in-a-catholic-god-there-is-no-catholic-god-there/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [I believe in God. I believe in a higher power. And I do believe that God works in mysterious ways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/davone-bess/i-believe-in-god-i-believe-in-a-higher-power-and-i-do-believe-that/) [Davone Bess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/davone-bess/) > [ \[Muhammad\] said, "...fight everyone in the way of God and kill those who disbelieve in God..." ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibn-ishaq/muhammad-said-fight-everyone-in-the-way-of-god-and-kill-those-who/) [Ibn Ishaq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibn-ishaq/) > [I believe in you and me. I'm like Albert Schweitzer and Bertrand Russell and Albert Einstein in that I have a respect for life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-sinatra/i-believe-in-you-and-me-i-m-like-albert-schweitzer-and-bertrand/) [Frank Sinatra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-sinatra/) > [I believe in God as I believe in my friends, because I feel the breath of His affection, feel His invisible and intangible hand,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-unamuno/i-believe-in-god-as-i-believe-in-my-friends-because-i-feel-the-breath-2/) [Miguel de Unamuno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-unamuno/) > [I believe in God--in spite of God! I believe in Mankind--in spite of Mankind! I believe in the Future--in spite of the Past!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/i-believe-in-god-in-spite-of-god-i-believe-in-mankind-in-spite-of/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [I believe in God…I gain strength from God. I believe in Jehovah, God, very much…I believe in God and love God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/i-believe-in-god-i-gain-strength-from-god-i-believe-in-jehovah-god/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [I believe in God, God. God, I believe in God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/i-believe-in-god-god-god-i-believe-in-god/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [I am a Christian. I believe in God. I believe in Christ. Everybody is entitled to their own religion and their own opinion. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/davone-bess/i-am-a-christian-i-believe-in-god-i-believe-in-christ-everybody-is/) [Davone Bess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/davone-bess/) > [I believe in God as I believe in my friends, because I feel the breath of His affections, feel His invisible hand, drawing me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-unamuno/i-believe-in-god-as-i-believe-in-my-friends-because-i-feel-the-breath/) [Miguel de Unamuno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-unamuno/) > [My passion probably flows from the fact that I believe in God, and I believe we’re all children of the same God. I believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/my-passion-probably-flows-from-the-fact-that-i-believe-in-god-and-i/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [I believe in God. Nobody made me believe; I don't think you can or should try to force someone to believe something. And even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bethany-hamilton/i-believe-in-god-nobody-made-me-believe-i-don-t-think-you-can-or/) [Bethany Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bethany-hamilton/) > [My religion encompasses all religions. I believe in God, I believe in the universe. I believe you are god, I believe I am god;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/my-religion-encompasses-all-religions-i-believe-in-god-i-believe-in/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) ## More by C. S. Lewis > [One of our great allies at present is the Church itself. Do not misunderstand me. I do not mean the Church as we see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/one-of-our-great-allies-at-present-is-the-church-itself-do-not/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Either Jesus is the Son of God ; or a madman or worse. But His being just a great teacher? He's not left that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/either-jesus-is-the-son-of-god-or-a-madman-or-worse-but-his-being/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [To every soul, God will look like its first love because He IS its first love. Your place in heaven will seem to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/to-every-soul-god-will-look-like-its-first-love-because-he-is-its/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Don't you understand anything? Isn't it absolutely essential to keep a fierce Left and a fierce Right, both on their toes and each terrified…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/don-t-you-understand-anything-isn-t-it-absolutely-essential-to-keep-a/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [“Really great moral teachers never do introduce new moralities: it is quacks and cranks who do that. As”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/really-great-moral-teachers-never-do-introduce-new-moralities-it-is/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [“When He died in the Wounded World He died not for men, but for each man. If each man had been the only man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/when-he-died-in-the-wounded-world-he-died-not-for-men-but-for-each/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [All I am in private life is a literary critic and historian, that's my job...And I'm prepared to say on that basis if anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/all-i-am-in-private-life-is-a-literary-critic-and-historian-that-s-my/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [If a man is going to write on chemistry, he learns chemistry. The same is true of Christianity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/if-a-man-is-going-to-write-on-chemistry-he-learns-chemistry-the-same/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [The first fact in the history of Christendom is a number of people who say they have seen the Resurrection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/the-first-fact-in-the-history-of-christendom-is-a-number-of-people/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [I#pray because the need flows out of me all the time-walking and sleeping. It does not change # God - it changes me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/i-pray-because-the-need-flows-out-of-me-all-the-time-walking-and/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Are the gods not just?' 'Oh no, child. What would become us us if they were?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/are-the-gods-not-just-oh-no-child-what-would-become-us-us-if-they-were/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Love is more than an emotion, it is a decision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/love-is-more-than-an-emotion-it-is-a-decision/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Ink is the great cure for all human ills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/ink-is-the-great-cure-for-all-human-ills/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [A man may have to die for our country: but no man must, in any exclusive sense, live for his country. He who surrenders…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/a-man-may-have-to-die-for-our-country-but-no-man-must-in-any/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [War creates no absolutely new situation: it simply aggravates the permanent human situation so that we can no longer ignore it. Human life has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/war-creates-no-absolutely-new-situation-it-simply-aggravates-the/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) [Explore all 1,190 C. S. Lewis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) ## 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": "Unless I believe in God, I cannot believe in thought: so I can never use thought to disbelieve in God.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "C. S. 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