---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I am an Agnostic because I am not afraid…"
description: "\"“I am an Agnostic because I am not afraid to think. I am not afraid of any god in the universe who would send me or any other man or woman to hell. If ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ddb/clarence-darrow-1714_agnostic_i-am-an-agnostic-because-i-am-not-afraid_1015597.png"
---

#  I am an Agnostic because I am not afraid to think. I am…

![“I am an Agnostic because I am not afraid to think. I am not afraid of any god in the universe who would send me or any other man or woman to hell. If there were such a being, he would not be a god; he would be a devil.” quote by Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ddb/clarence-darrow-1714_agnostic_i-am-an-agnostic-because-i-am-not-afraid_1015597.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ddb/clarence-darrow-1714_agnostic_i-am-an-agnostic-because-i-am-not-afraid_1015597.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ddb/clarence-darrow-1714_agnostic_i-am-an-agnostic-because-i-am-not-afraid_1015597.png)

> ““I am an Agnostic because I am not afraid to think. I am not afraid of any god in the universe who would send me or any other man or woman to hell. If there were such a being, he would not be a god; he would be a devil.””

[Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/)

## About This Quote

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

The speaker identifies as agnostic, emphasizing fearlessness in questioning and rejecting a deity who would punish, labeling such a being a devil instead of a god.

**In simple terms:** Agnosticism is about fearless questioning of divine judgment.

Key Takeaway

Question fear‑based beliefs.

Themes

religion skepticism freedom of thought

Mood

critical inquisitive

Type

philosophical debate

When to use this quote

- debate forums
- personal belief exploration
- ethical decision making
- public speaking

Key Concepts

agnosticism theodicy ethical autonomy

Questions to Reflect On

- What would change if you stopped fearing divine judgment?
- How does labeling a punitive deity as a devil affect your worldview?

A Different Perspective

It may overlook the comfort some find in faith.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Afraid God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid-god/) [Afraid Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid-think-758809/) [Agnostic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agnostic/) [Agnostic Afraid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agnostic-afraid-2232286/) [Agnosticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agnosticism/) [Atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheism/) [Devil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devil/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Hell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hell/) [Hell God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hell-god-1597176/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/) [Universe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universe/)

## Related quotes

> [I am not afraid of any god in the universe who would send me or any other man or woman to hell. If there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/i-am-not-afraid-of-any-god-in-the-universe-who-would-send-me-or-any/)

[Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/)

> [I do not consider it an insult, but rather a compliment to be called an agnostic. I do not pretend to know where many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/i-do-not-consider-it-an-insult-but-rather-a-compliment-to-be-called/)

[Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/)

> [“Belief in God meant belief in the old tribal idol called Jehovah; and I would not pretend I did not know whether it existed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/belief-in-god-meant-belief-in-the-old-tribal-idol-called-jehovah-and/)

[George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/)

> [An atheist has to know a lot more than I know. An atheist is someone who knows there is no god. By some definitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/an-atheist-has-to-know-a-lot-more-than-i-know-an-atheist-is-someone/)

[Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/)

> [I finally decided that I'm a creature of emotion as well as of reason. Emotionally, I am an atheist. I don't have the evidence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac/i-finally-decided-that-i-m-a-creature-of-emotion-as-well-as-of-reason/)

[Isaac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac/)

> [An atheist, like a Christian, holds that we can know whether or not there is a God. The Christian holds that we can know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/an-atheist-like-a-christian-holds-that-we-can-know-whether-or-not/)

[Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/)

> [“All atheists will go to heaven. If god exists, not believing in him does not take him away and he cannot justly condemn those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/all-atheists-will-go-to-heaven-if-god-exists-not-believing-in-him/)

[Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/)

> [“We should be agnostic about those things for which there is no evidence. We should not hold beliefs merely because they gratify our desires…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-should-be-agnostic-about-those-things-for-which-there-is-no/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“The Agnostic is one who asserts 'what no one denies' that there are limits to the sphere of human intelligence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-stephen/the-agnostic-is-one-who-asserts-what-no-one-denies-that-there-are/)

[Leslie Stephen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-stephen/)

> [“I'm agnostic. By definition, I'm unsure of what to believe in, but I'm also borderline-capable of believing in anything and everything, or nothing at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-lola/i-m-agnostic-by-definition-i-m-unsure-of-what-to-believe-in-but-i-m/)

[Lauren Lola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-lola/)

> [To be agnostic is to be open-minded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-be-agnostic-is-to-be-open-minded/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Intellect, at its best, can make you agnostic. Being theist or atheist is still a matter of choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raheel-farooq/intellect-at-its-best-can-make-you-agnostic-being-theist-or-atheist/)

[Raheel Farooq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raheel-farooq/)

> [“An atheist is someone who is disappointed in his search of god. He is a man who strongly needed god but couldn't find him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/an-atheist-is-someone-who-is-disappointed-in-his-search-of-god-he-is/)

[Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/)

> [“Some people are so stiff and inhumane as the dogma's they believe in”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/some-people-are-so-stiff-and-inhumane-as-the-dogma-s-they-believe-in/)

[Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/)

> [The prayer of the agnostic: "O God, if there is a God, save my soul if I have a soul."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-renan/the-prayer-of-the-agnostic-o-god-if-there-is-a-god-save-my-soul-if-i/)

[Ernest Renan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-renan/)

## More by Clarence Darrow

> [We know life is futile. A man who considers that his life is of very wonderful importance is awfully close to a padded cell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/we-know-life-is-futile-a-man-who-considers-that-his-life-is-of-very/)

[Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/)

> [Great wealth often curses all who touch it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/great-wealth-often-curses-all-who-touch-it/)

[Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/)

> [Punishment as punishment is not admissible unless the offender has had the free will to select his course.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/punishment-as-punishment-is-not-admissible-unless-the-offender-has/)

[Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/)

> [“One of the bravest, grandest champions of human liberty the world has ever seen. {Darrow on the great Robert Ingersoll }”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/one-of-the-bravest-grandest-champions-of-human-liberty-the-world-has/)

[Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/)

> [I cannot tell and I shall never know how many words of mine might have given birth to cruelty in place of love and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/i-cannot-tell-and-i-shall-never-know-how-many-words-of-mine-might/)

[Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/)

> [“As long as the world shall last there will be wrongs, and if no man objected and if no man rebelled, those wrongs would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/as-long-as-the-world-shall-last-there-will-be-wrongs-and-if-no-man/)

[Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/)

> [I have never killed a man, but I have read many obituaries with great pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/i-have-never-killed-a-man-but-i-have-read-many-obituaries-with-great/)

[Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/)

> [Lost causes are the only ones worth fighting for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/lost-causes-are-the-only-ones-worth-fighting-for/)

[Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/)

> [One believes in the truthfulness of a man because of his long experience with the man, and because the man has always told a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/one-believes-in-the-truthfulness-of-a-man-because-of-his-long/)

[Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/)

> [Physical deformity, calls forth our charity. But the infinite misfortune of moral deformity calls forth nothing but hatred and vengeance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/physical-deformity-calls-forth-our-charity-but-the-infinite/)

[Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/)

> [Men have always been obliged to fight to preserve liberty. Constitutions and laws do not safeguard liberty. It can be preserved only by a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/men-have-always-been-obliged-to-fight-to-preserve-liberty/)

[Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/)

> [“ Robert G. Ingersoll was a great man. a wonderful intellect, a great soul of matchless courage, one of the great men of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/robert-g-ingersoll-was-a-great-man-a-wonderful-intellect-a-great-soul/)

[Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/)

> [Everybody is a potential murderer. I've never killed anyone, but I frequently get satisfaction reading the obituary notices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/everybody-is-a-potential-murderer-i-ve-never-killed-anyone-but-i/)

[Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/)

> [The first half of our lives are ruined by our parents and the second half by our children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/the-first-half-of-our-lives-are-ruined-by-our-parents-and-the-second/)

[Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/)

> [If there is a soul, what is it, and where did it come from, and where does it go? Can anyone who is guided…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/if-there-is-a-soul-what-is-it-and-where-did-it-come-from-and-where/)

[Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/)

[Explore all 213 Clarence Darrow quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/)

## More Agnostic quotes

> [“She herself vacillated when it came to belief. She did not particularly believe in God. Or, rather, she didn't believe in a particular God.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allegra-goodman/she-herself-vacillated-when-it-came-to-belief-she-did-not/)

[Allegra Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allegra-goodman/)

> [The prayer of the agnostic: "O God, if there is a God, save my soul if I have a soul."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-renan/the-prayer-of-the-agnostic-o-god-if-there-is-a-god-save-my-soul-if-i/)

[Ernest Renan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-renan/)

> [I'm actually, for the most part, a complete agnostic politically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-witten/i-m-actually-for-the-most-part-a-complete-agnostic-politically/)

[Edward Witten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-witten/)

> [Even when I was saying I was Agnostic and trying to figure out my thoughts, I felt God was allowing me to do that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfre-woodard/even-when-i-was-saying-i-was-agnostic-and-trying-to-figure-out-my/)

[Alfre Woodard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfre-woodard/)

> [There is, in fact, nothing about religious opinions that entitles them to any more respect than other opinions get. On the contrary, they tend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/there-is-in-fact-nothing-about-religious-opinions-that-entitles-them/)

[H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/)

> [“Some people are so stiff and inhumane as the dogma's they believe in”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/some-people-are-so-stiff-and-inhumane-as-the-dogma-s-they-believe-in/)

[Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/)

> [“An atheist is someone who is disappointed in his search of god. He is a man who strongly needed god but couldn't find him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/an-atheist-is-someone-who-is-disappointed-in-his-search-of-god-he-is/)

[Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/)

> [If a humanist or an atheist or an agnostic says, "We'll bake you a pie," we can go right into the kitchen and bake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madalyn-murray-o-hair/if-a-humanist-or-an-atheist-or-an-agnostic-says-we-ll-bake-you-a-pie/)

[Madalyn Murray O'Hair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madalyn-murray-o-hair/)

> [I'm agnostic because I went through the usual process of parents insisting you go to church, and yet they didn't. So there's me, sitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ridley-scott/i-m-agnostic-because-i-went-through-the-usual-process-of-parents/)

[Ridley Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ridley-scott/)

> [Intellect, at its best, can make you agnostic. Being theist or atheist is still a matter of choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raheel-farooq/intellect-at-its-best-can-make-you-agnostic-being-theist-or-atheist/)

[Raheel Farooq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raheel-farooq/)

> [To be agnostic is to be open-minded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-be-agnostic-is-to-be-open-minded/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [All Gaza's temples are torn down and burned and the city is cleansed of every belief but the Christian faith. The most stubborn opponents,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsay-macmullen/all-gaza-s-temples-are-torn-down-and-burned-and-the-city-is-cleansed/)

[Ramsay MacMullen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsay-macmullen/)

> [I'm still agnostic. But in the words of Elton Richards, I'm now a reverant agnostic. Which isn't an oxymoron, I swear. I now believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-still-agnostic-but-in-the-words-of-elton-richards-i-m-now-a/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“I'm agnostic. By definition, I'm unsure of what to believe in, but I'm also borderline-capable of believing in anything and everything, or nothing at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-lola/i-m-agnostic-by-definition-i-m-unsure-of-what-to-believe-in-but-i-m/)

[Lauren Lola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-lola/)

> [“The Agnostic is one who asserts 'what no one denies' that there are limits to the sphere of human intelligence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-stephen/the-agnostic-is-one-who-asserts-what-no-one-denies-that-there-are/)

[Leslie Stephen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-stephen/)

[Browse all 492 Agnostic quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agnostic/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“I am an Agnostic because I am not afraid to think. I am not afraid of any god in the universe who would send me or any other man or woman to hell. If there were such a being, he would not be a god; he would be a devil.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Clarence Darrow"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/i-am-an-agnostic-because-i-am-not-afraid-to-think-i-am-not-afraid-of/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Agnostic"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/i-am-an-agnostic-because-i-am-not-afraid-to-think-i-am-not-afraid-of/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ddb/clarence-darrow-1714_agnostic_i-am-an-agnostic-because-i-am-not-afraid_1015597.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ddb/clarence-darrow-1714_agnostic_i-am-an-agnostic-because-i-am-not-afraid_1015597.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ddb/clarence-darrow-1714_agnostic_i-am-an-agnostic-because-i-am-not-afraid_1015597.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I am an Agnostic because I am not afraid to think. I am not afraid of any god in the universe who would send…” — Clarence Darrow",
                "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": "Clarence Darrow",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“I am an Agnostic because I...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/i-am-an-agnostic-because-i-am-not-afraid-to-think-i-am-not-afraid-of/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/i-am-an-agnostic-because-i-am-not-afraid-to-think-i-am-not-afraid-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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
