--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: God doesn't create suffering Claire, we…" description: "\"“God doesn't create suffering Claire, we do. We make the world and then we break it.”\" — Claire Fontaine" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a8/claire-fontaine-30185_quote_god-doesn-t-create-suffering-claire-we-d_2132861.jpg" --- # God doesn't create suffering Claire, we do. We make the… ![“God doesn't create suffering Claire, we do. We make the world and then we break it.” quote by Claire Fontaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a8/claire-fontaine-30185_quote_god-doesn-t-create-suffering-claire-we-d_2132861.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a8/claire-fontaine-30185_quote_god-doesn-t-create-suffering-claire-we-d_2132861.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a8/claire-fontaine-30185_quote_god-doesn-t-create-suffering-claire-we-d_2132861.jpg) > ““God doesn't create suffering Claire, we do. We make the world and then we break it.”” [Claire Fontaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-fontaine/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We are responsible for the pain we cause; suffering is a human-made condition. **In simple terms:** Human actions cause suffering. Key Takeaway Take responsibility for your impact. Themes responsibility human nature consequences Mood reflective serious Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - personal relationships - environmental impact - social policy Key Concepts ethics free will pain Questions to Reflect On - How do you mitigate harm you cause? - What choices can reduce collective suffering? A Different Perspective Suffering also arises from natural forces beyond human control. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) ## Related quotes > [“Listen...You could spend a lifetime trying to understand the works of evil men. Their joys are not ours. They love to inflict pain, create…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/listen-you-could-spend-a-lifetime-trying-to-understand-the-works-of/) [David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/) > [“even though we do not want to suffer we create our own suffering by performing non-virtuous actions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelsang-gyatso/even-though-we-do-not-want-to-suffer-we-create-our-own-suffering-by/) [Kelsang Gyatso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelsang-gyatso/) > [“If you are in the habit of creating suffering for yourself, you are probably creating suffering for others too. These unconscious mind patterns tend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/if-you-are-in-the-habit-of-creating-suffering-for-yourself-you-are/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [“We create most of our suffering, so it should be logical that we also have the ability to create more joy. It simply depends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama-xiv/we-create-most-of-our-suffering-so-it-should-be-logical-that-we-also/) [Dalai Lama XIV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama-xiv/) > [The more suffering you create, the more suffering comes to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/the-more-suffering-you-create-the-more-suffering-comes-to-you/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [When you don't want to be where you are, you create suffering for yourself. Change happens through acceptance, kindness and relaxation--not resistance, not warfare,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/when-you-don-t-want-to-be-where-you-are-you-create-suffering-for/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [The purpose of the world is for youto be lost in it, ultimately. The purpose of the world is for you to suffer, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/the-purpose-of-the-world-is-for-youto-be-lost-in-it-ultimately-the/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Whenever you do something that is not aligned with the yearning or your soul—you create suffering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/whenever-you-do-something-that-is-not-aligned-with-the-yearning-or/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [The Lord did not create suffering. Pain and death came into the world with the fall of man. But after man had chosen suffering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/the-lord-did-not-create-suffering-pain-and-death-came-into-the-world/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [Pain is a relatively objective, physical phenomenon; suffering is our psychological resistance to what happens. Events may create physical pain, but they do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-millman/pain-is-a-relatively-objective-physical-phenomenon-suffering-is-our/) [Dan Millman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-millman/) > [“Happiness is what remains when there are no thoughts to create our suffering.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-elkrief/happiness-is-what-remains-when-there-are-no-thoughts-to-create-our/) [Noah Elkrief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-elkrief/) > [We come to meditation to learn how not to act out the habitual tendencies we generally live by - those actions that create suffering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-salzberg/we-come-to-meditation-to-learn-how-not-to-act-out-the-habitual/) [Sharon Salzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-salzberg/) > [“First, we must see that our negative actions arise due to prejudice and erroneous judgments. The discrimination that labels some as 'friends' and others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zongtrul-losang-ts-ndru/first-we-must-see-that-our-negative-actions-arise-due-to-prejudice/) [Zongtrul Losang Tsöndru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zongtrul-losang-ts-ndru/) > [“Psychological thoughts are the ones that decide whether something is “good” or “bad”, and these are the thoughts that create our suffering.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-elkrief/psychological-thoughts-are-the-ones-that-decide-whether-something-is/) [Noah Elkrief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-elkrief/) > [With growing awareness, you can see where you're caught or where you suffer or where you create suffering. You can then turn toward the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/with-growing-awareness-you-can-see-where-you-re-caught-or-where-you/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) ## More by Claire Fontaine > [“We tell our daughters we don’t trust them in a thousand ways. We don’t consciously mean to, but we steal their confidence in their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-fontaine/we-tell-our-daughters-we-don-t-trust-them-in-a-thousand-ways-we-don-t/) [Claire Fontaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-fontaine/) > [“Travel empties out everything you’ve into the box called your life, all the things you accumulate to tell you who you are”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-fontaine/travel-empties-out-everything-you-ve-into-the-box-called-your-life/) [Claire Fontaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-fontaine/) > [“Sometimes, we have to give birth to our children twice…Once your child becomes the "garbage" other parents are afraid of, you never look at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-fontaine/sometimes-we-have-to-give-birth-to-our-children-twice-once-your-child/) [Claire Fontaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-fontaine/) > [“I could see where I’d mistaken drama and conflict for life, which meant years of living reactively instead of generatively, a life I let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-fontaine/i-could-see-where-i-d-mistaken-drama-and-conflict-for-life-which/) [Claire Fontaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-fontaine/) > [“A woman’s relationship with herself is mirrored everywhere in her life, but no place more than with her daughter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-fontaine/a-woman-s-relationship-with-herself-is-mirrored-everywhere-in-her/) [Claire Fontaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-fontaine/) > [“Once your baby arrives, the world is no more the same than you are. Because from our very bodies we add to the collective…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-fontaine/once-your-baby-arrives-the-world-is-no-more-the-same-than-you-are/) [Claire Fontaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-fontaine/) > [“I know that for every mother, there is always the possibility of three in your relationship with your daughter. You, your daughter the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-fontaine/i-know-that-for-every-mother-there-is-always-the-possibility-of-three/) [Claire Fontaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-fontaine/) > [“My relationship with God has evolved as well. I no longer rail or beg or sass back. I was standing on a bluff over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-fontaine/my-relationship-with-god-has-evolved-as-well-i-no-longer-rail-or-beg/) [Claire Fontaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-fontaine/) > [“- Child is abused, perpetrator threatens to hurt mother. Child feels protective of mother. - Struggle to escape perp reinforces feelings of mutual protection.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-fontaine/child-is-abused-perpetrator-threatens-to-hurt-mother-child-feels/) [Claire Fontaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-fontaine/) > [“These are the kinds of regrets all women have, mistakes and missteps, paths not chosen, opportunities gone. Youth gone. Forever. And until I honestly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-fontaine/these-are-the-kinds-of-regrets-all-women-have-mistakes-and-missteps/) [Claire Fontaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-fontaine/) > [ “\[Samantha Dunn\] wrote that when God wants your attention, first He throws feathers. After that, He starts throwing bricks.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-fontaine/samantha-dunn-wrote-that-when-god-wants-your-attention-first-he/) [Claire Fontaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-fontaine/) > [“We carve our destinies blindfolded, with sharp knives.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-fontaine/we-carve-our-destinies-blindfolded-with-sharp-knives/) [Claire Fontaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-fontaine/) > [“Caretaking is never about the other person. It's about wanting to feel needed because you're afraid you're not wanted.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-fontaine/caretaking-is-never-about-the-other-person-it-s-about-wanting-to-feel/) [Claire Fontaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-fontaine/) > [“What was the payoff? It obviously kept me in my cozy zone of being in control, being a good mother, with a good daughter.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-fontaine/what-was-the-payoff-it-obviously-kept-me-in-my-cozy-zone-of-being-in/) [Claire Fontaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-fontaine/) > [“There are lots of ways to lose yourself—motherhood’s just one of them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-fontaine/there-are-lots-of-ways-to-lose-yourself-motherhood-s-just-one-of-them/) [Claire Fontaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-fontaine/) [Explore all 17 Claire Fontaine quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-fontaine/) ## More Create quotes > [As far as Vern and I go, we have had situations where people have tried to take photographs of me and cut Vernon out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-daly/as-far-as-vern-and-i-go-we-have-had-situations-where-people-have/) [Tess Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-daly/) > [It’s so important to create in your own voice, to hold onto what makes you unique, and have faith in your vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/it-s-so-important-to-create-in-your-own-voice-to-hold-onto-what-makes/) [John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/) > [To me, Caribbean food is about fresh, seasonal produce - using what's in season to create vibrant and great tasting food. The spicing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ainsley-harriott/to-me-caribbean-food-is-about-fresh-seasonal-produce-using-what-s-in/) [Ainsley Harriott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ainsley-harriott/) > [You don't get lucky. You create lucky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sharma/you-don-t-get-lucky-you-create-lucky/) [Robin Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sharma/) > [I'm a weirdo and an only child. That comes together to create one-woman shows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-seales/i-m-a-weirdo-and-an-only-child-that-comes-together-to-create-one/) [Amanda Seales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-seales/) > [I'm proud to stand with U.S. Impact Team in their initiative to create harmony.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-stanton-king/i-m-proud-to-stand-with-u-s-impact-team-in-their-initiative-to-create/) [Angela Stanton-King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-stanton-king/) > [I am not a nationalist in any way, and I hate flag waving, and I don't think much good has come out of nationalism.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stellan-skarsgard/i-am-not-a-nationalist-in-any-way-and-i-hate-flag-waving-and-i-don-t/) [Stellan Skarsgard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stellan-skarsgard/) > [My favourite designers always create a strong silhouette, like McQueen and Tom Ford and Alaia. I like structured things that you can throw on,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liberty-ross/my-favourite-designers-always-create-a-strong-silhouette-like-mcqueen/) [Liberty Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liberty-ross/) > [I'd take garbage, and I'd glue them together and create inventions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-makosinski/i-d-take-garbage-and-i-d-glue-them-together-and-create-inventions/) [Ann Makosinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-makosinski/) > [United Way works to create a safe and healthy home for everyone in our community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-steward/united-way-works-to-create-a-safe-and-healthy-home-for-everyone-in/) [David Steward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-steward/) > [Renewable energy could reduce emissions but also create jobs and improve public health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-polman/renewable-energy-could-reduce-emissions-but-also-create-jobs-and/) [Paul Polman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-polman/) > [“If I can create something unique in the world, so can you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scifurz/if-i-can-create-something-unique-in-the-world-so-can-you/) SciFurz > [“If you can imagine it, you can create it. If you can dream it, you can become it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/if-you-can-imagine-it-you-can-create-it-if-you-can-dream-it-you-can/) [William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/) > [For a long time at Blackburn and at Fulham last season, I was playing on the right wing. I've never seen myself as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-cairney/for-a-long-time-at-blackburn-and-at-fulham-last-season-i-was-playing/) [Tom Cairney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-cairney/) > [We've got to get back to a country that can get things done. And my whole career has been marching and charging at and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-booker/we-ve-got-to-get-back-to-a-country-that-can-get-things-done-and-my/) [Cory Booker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-booker/) Browse all 5,654 Create quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“God doesn't create suffering Claire, we do. We make the world and then we break it.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Claire Fontaine" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-fontaine/god-doesn-t-create-suffering-claire-we-do-we-make-the-world-and-then/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Create" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-fontaine/god-doesn-t-create-suffering-claire-we-do-we-make-the-world-and-then/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a8/claire-fontaine-30185_quote_god-doesn-t-create-suffering-claire-we-d_2132861.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a8/claire-fontaine-30185_quote_god-doesn-t-create-suffering-claire-we-d_2132861.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a8/claire-fontaine-30185_quote_god-doesn-t-create-suffering-claire-we-d_2132861.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“God doesn't create suffering Claire, we do. We make the world and then we break it.” — Claire Fontaine", "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": "Claire Fontaine", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-fontaine/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“God doesn't create suffering Claire, we...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-fontaine/god-doesn-t-create-suffering-claire-we-do-we-make-the-world-and-then/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-fontaine/god-doesn-t-create-suffering-claire-we-do-we-make-the-world-and-then/#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 } } ] } ```