--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We are unlikely to cease making gods or…" description: "\"We are unlikely to cease making gods or inventing ceremonies to please them for as long as we are afraid of death, or of the dark, and for as long as w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be0/christopher-hitchens-117_afraid-of-death_we-are-unlikely-to-cease-making-gods-or_954825.jpg" --- # We are unlikely to cease making gods or inventing… ![“We are unlikely to cease making gods or inventing ceremonies to please them for as long as we are afraid of death, or of the dark, and for as long as we persist in self-centeredness. That could be a lengthy stretch of time.” quote by Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be0/christopher-hitchens-117_afraid-of-death_we-are-unlikely-to-cease-making-gods-or_954825.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be0/christopher-hitchens-117_afraid-of-death_we-are-unlikely-to-cease-making-gods-or_954825.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be0/christopher-hitchens-117_afraid-of-death_we-are-unlikely-to-cease-making-gods-or_954825.jpg) > “We are unlikely to cease making gods or inventing ceremonies to please them for as long as we are afraid of death, or of the dark, and for as long as we persist in self-centeredness. That could be a lengthy stretch of time.” [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human beings create deities and rituals to cope with mortality and darkness, a pattern driven by fear and self‑interest. **In simple terms:** People invent gods to ease fear of death and darkness. Key Takeaway Recognize fear‑driven beliefs and question their origins. Themes mortality fear religion human nature self‑interest Mood reflective critical philosophical Type essay argumentative thought‑provoking When to use this quote - grieving a loss - facing a crisis - examining personal rituals - debating religion - seeking meaning Key Concepts existentialism psychology cultural anthropology Questions to Reflect On - Do you find comfort in rituals? - What alternatives exist to address fear of death? A Different Perspective Such constructions can also provide community and moral frameworks, not solely fear‑based. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Afraid of death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid-of-death/) [Centeredness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/centeredness/) [Ceremony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ceremony/) [Dark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Inventing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inventing/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self centeredness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-centeredness/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“We are unlikely to cease making gods or inventing ceremonies to please them for as long as we are afraid of death, or of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/we-are-unlikely-to-cease-making-gods-or-inventing-ceremonies-to-2/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [As long as we persist in our deepest destiny, we will continue to grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-waitley/as-long-as-we-persist-in-our-deepest-destiny-we-will-continue-to-grow/) [Denis Waitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-waitley/) > [Never consider the possibility of failure; as long as you persist, you will be successful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/never-consider-the-possibility-of-failure-as-long-as-you-persist-you/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [So long as there is breath in me, that long will I persist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/so-long-as-there-is-breath-in-me-that-long-will-i-persist/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [“It is likely that libraries will carry on and survive, as long as we persist in lending words to the world that surrounds us,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alberto-manguel/it-is-likely-that-libraries-will-carry-on-and-survive-as-long-as-we/) [Alberto Manguel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alberto-manguel/) > [So long as there is breath in me, that long I will persist. For now I know one of the greatest principles on success;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/so-long-as-there-is-breath-in-me-that-long-i-will-persist-for-now-i/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [The universe is a machine for the making of Gods.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-bergson/the-universe-is-a-machine-for-the-making-of-gods/) [Henri Bergson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-bergson/) > [“The first men to be created and formed were called the Sorcerer of Fatal Laughter, the Sorcerer of Night, Unkempt, and the Black Sorcerer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-first-men-to-be-created-and-formed-were-called-the-sorcerer-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We are making gods out of global celebrities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-joan-smith/we-are-making-gods-out-of-global-celebrities/) [Elizabeth Joan Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-joan-smith/) > [I turn people into human beings by not making them into gods.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imogen-cunningham/i-turn-people-into-human-beings-by-not-making-them-into-gods/) [Imogen Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imogen-cunningham/) > [Man is certainly stark mad; he cannot make a worm, and yet he will be making gods by dozens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/man-is-certainly-stark-mad-he-cannot-make-a-worm-and-yet-he-will-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Well, I turn people into human beings by not making them into gods.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imogen-cunningham/well-i-turn-people-into-human-beings-by-not-making-them-into-gods/) [Imogen Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imogen-cunningham/) > [Raising or caring for children requires sacrifice and service, which, I believe, heals us from the destructive forces of self-centeredness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-paul-evans/raising-or-caring-for-children-requires-sacrifice-and-service-which-i/) [Richard Paul Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-paul-evans/) > [We must get away from this limited \*I did this and I did that\* and the self-centeredness, that dominates our society Today. It must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacque-fresco/we-must-get-away-from-this-limited-i-did-this-and-i-did-that-and-the/) [Jacque Fresco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacque-fresco/) > [So much of the world's suffering results from the sinful action or inaction of ourselves and others. For example, people look at a famine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-strobel/so-much-of-the-world-s-suffering-results-from-the-sinful-action-or/) [Lee Strobel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-strobel/) ## More by Christopher Hitchens > [“The spirit of our accurate and exact philosophy is outraged by conclusions that contradict each other so glaringly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/the-spirit-of-our-accurate-and-exact-philosophy-is-outraged-by/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“Many governments employ torture but this was the first time that the element of Saturnalia and pornography in the process had been made so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/many-governments-employ-torture-but-this-was-the-first-time-that-the/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [ It's \[Los Angeles\] mostly full of nonsense and delusion and egomania. They think they'll be young and beautiful forever, even though most of them… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-s-los-angeles-mostly-full-of-nonsense-and-delusion-and-egomania/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [To be against rationalization is not the same as to be opposed to reasoning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/to-be-against-rationalization-is-not-the-same-as-to-be-opposed-to/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [ \[Religion\] attacks us in our deepest integrity - the core of our self-respect. Religion says that we would not know right from wrong, we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/religion-attacks-us-in-our-deepest-integrity-the-core-of-our-self/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“In the very recent past, we have seen the Church of Rome befouled by its complicity with the unpardonable sin of child rape, or,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/in-the-very-recent-past-we-have-seen-the-church-of-rome-befouled-by/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [It's surprising to me how many of my friends send Christmas cards, or holiday cards, including my atheist and secular friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-s-surprising-to-me-how-many-of-my-friends-send-christmas-cards-or/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [Suppose there were groups of secularists at hospitals who went round the terminally ill and urged them to adopt atheism: 'Don't be a mug…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/suppose-there-were-groups-of-secularists-at-hospitals-who-went-round/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [There are, after all, atheists who say they wish the fable were true but are unable to suspend the requisite disbelief, or who have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/there-are-after-all-atheists-who-say-they-wish-the-fable-were-true/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“It isn’t so long since a test of Anglican orthodoxy was applied to anyone seeking to study or teach at Oxford and Cambridge universities.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-isn-t-so-long-since-a-test-of-anglican-orthodoxy-was-applied-to/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [Gullibility and credulity are considered undesireable qualities in every department of human life - except religion ... 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So dying really terrifies me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-rea/i-am-afraid-of-death-scared-by-it-i-already-don-t-know-whether-i/) [Stephen Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-rea/) > [“I'm not afraid of death…I'm afraid of life without you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yvonne-woon/i-m-not-afraid-of-death-i-m-afraid-of-life-without-you/) [Yvonne Woon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yvonne-woon/) > [Atheism is a fairy story for people afraid of the Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennox/atheism-is-a-fairy-story-for-people-afraid-of-the-light/) [John Lennox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennox/) > [ “Dear Mr. Fraser, I write to inform you that I shall not visit Helwater this quarter; official affairs detain me. \[…\] These affairs concern… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/dear-mr-fraser-i-write-to-inform-you-that-i-shall-not-visit-helwater/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [It is important that our relationship with farm animals is reciprocal. 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