--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I shall not convert you at the end of my…" description: "\"I shall not convert you at the end of my argument. I think the argument is sound. I hold that belief in God is not merely as reasonable as other belief..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7e/cornelius-van-til-30277_argument_i-shall-not-convert-you-at-the-end-of-my_2731412.png" --- # I shall not convert you at the end of my argument. I think… ![“I shall not convert you at the end of my argument. I think the argument is sound. I hold that belief in God is not merely as reasonable as other belief, or even a little or infinitely more probably true than other belief; I hold rather that unless you believe in God you can logically believe in…” quote by Cornelius Van Til](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7e/cornelius-van-til-30277_argument_i-shall-not-convert-you-at-the-end-of-my_2731412.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7e/cornelius-van-til-30277_argument_i-shall-not-convert-you-at-the-end-of-my_2731412.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7e/cornelius-van-til-30277_argument_i-shall-not-convert-you-at-the-end-of-my_2731412.png) > “I shall not convert you at the end of my argument. I think the argument is sound. I hold that belief in God is not merely as reasonable as other belief, or even a little or infinitely more probably true than other belief; I hold rather that unless you believe in God you can logically believe in nothing else.” [Cornelius Van Til](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-van-til/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote argues that belief in God is a necessary precondition for any logical belief, asserting that without God, rational belief collapses. **In simple terms:** Belief in God is required for rational thought. Key Takeaway Recognize the role of foundational beliefs. Themes theology philosophy logic Mood thoughtful critical Type apologetic philosophical When to use this quote - academic debate - personal faith discussions - apologetics seminars Key Concepts foundationalism presuppositionalism Questions to Reflect On - Is rational belief possible without a deity? - How does presuppositionalism affect dialogue? A Different Perspective Assumes God’s existence without proof. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Argument](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument/) [Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) [Belief in god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief-in-god/) [Believe in god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe-in-god/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Sound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sound/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [“I hold that belief in God is not merely as reasonable as other belief, or even a little or infinitely more probably true than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-van-til/i-hold-that-belief-in-god-is-not-merely-as-reasonable-as-other-belief/) [Cornelius Van Til](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-van-til/) > [“Reasonableness is a matter of degree. Beliefs can be very reasonable (Japan exists), fairly reasonable (quarks exist), not unreasonable (there's intelligent life on other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-law/reasonableness-is-a-matter-of-degree-beliefs-can-be-very-reasonable/) Stephen Law > [“She stood and tried hard not to believe in God. It seemed mean and petty to have more belief in God when things were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-galsworthy/she-stood-and-tried-hard-not-to-believe-in-god-it-seemed-mean-and/) [John Galsworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-galsworthy/) > [Everybody dies. There’s nothing you can do about it. Whether or not you eat six almonds a day. Whether or not you believe in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/everybody-dies-there-s-nothing-you-can-do-about-it-whether-or-not-you/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [God exist whether or not men may choose to believe in Him. 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Maugham > [“Where one, without fault is placed under circumstances sufficient to excite the fears of it reasonable man that another designs to commit it felony,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-maxwell-brown/where-one-without-fault-is-placed-under-circumstances-sufficient-to/) [Richard Maxwell Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-maxwell-brown/) > [The existence of God is not logically necessary, and yet, on the basis of some profound peculiar empirical order in the universe, it seems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kedar-joshi/the-existence-of-god-is-not-logically-necessary-and-yet-on-the-basis/) [Kedar Joshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kedar-joshi/) > [While theoretically a person may block God out, logically there will be a breakdown because ultimately all enunciation implies a moral doctrine of some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/while-theoretically-a-person-may-block-god-out-logically-there-will/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [“I was leaving God out in my reckoning. 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Without this foundation, we are condemned to live essentially formless lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/armstrong-williams/a-belief-in-god-helps-provide-a-foundation-to-arbitrate-our-decisions/) [Armstrong Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/armstrong-williams/) > [“What is it about our specific belief in God and His wishes that makes us so angry at the specific beliefs of another? What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-austen/what-is-it-about-our-specific-belief-in-god-and-his-wishes-that-makes/) Chuck Austen > [ I remember clearly that when I was little it was explained to me \[that\] the way that babies were made was that God put… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ira-glass/i-remember-clearly-that-when-i-was-little-it-was-explained-to-me-that/) [Ira Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ira-glass/) ## More by Cornelius Van Til > [The only proof for the existence of God is that without God you couldn't prove anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-van-til/the-only-proof-for-the-existence-of-god-is-that-without-god-you/) [Cornelius Van Til](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-van-til/) > [“How shortsighted and how uncultured, then, are the efforts of believers in Christ when they seek for snatches of worldly culture for themselves by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-van-til/how-shortsighted-and-how-uncultured-then-are-the-efforts-of-believers/) [Cornelius Van Til](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-van-til/) > [ He \[Christ\] came to bring peace, to be sure, but the peace that He came to bring must be built upon the complete destruction… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-van-til/he-christ-came-to-bring-peace-to-be-sure-but-the-peace-that-he-came/) [Cornelius Van Til](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-van-til/) > [Agnosticism is epistemologically self-contradictory on its own assumptions because its claim to make no assertion about ultimate reality rests upon a most comprehensive assertion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-van-til/agnosticism-is-epistemologically-self-contradictory-on-its-own/) [Cornelius Van Til](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-van-til/) > [To admit one's own presuppositions and to point out the presuppositions of others is therefore to maintain that all reasoning is, in the nature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-van-til/to-admit-one-s-own-presuppositions-and-to-point-out-the/) [Cornelius Van Til](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-van-til/) > [So, as we have our tea, I propose not only to operate on your heart so as to change your will, but also on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-van-til/so-as-we-have-our-tea-i-propose-not-only-to-operate-on-your-heart-so/) [Cornelius Van Til](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-van-til/) > [ “\[The intellect of fallen man\] may be compared to a buzz-saw that is sharp and shining, ready to cut the boards that come to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-van-til/the-intellect-of-fallen-man-may-be-compared-to-a-buzz-saw-that-is/) [Cornelius Van Til](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-van-til/) > [When man thinks in self-conscious submission to the voluntary revelation of the self-sufficient God, he has therewith the only possible ground of certainty for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-van-til/when-man-thinks-in-self-conscious-submission-to-the-voluntary/) [Cornelius Van Til](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-van-til/) > [Anti-theism presupposes Theism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-van-til/anti-theism-presupposes-theism/) [Cornelius Van Til](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-van-til/) > [It is not kindness to tell patients that need strong medicine that nothing serious is wrong with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-van-til/it-is-not-kindness-to-tell-patients-that-need-strong-medicine-that/) [Cornelius Van Til](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-van-til/) > [There are those, of course, who deny that they need any form of authority. 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Moreover, it speaks of everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-van-til/the-bible-is-authoritative-on-everything-of-which-it-speaks-moreover/) [Cornelius Van Til](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-van-til/) > [“I hold that belief in God is not merely as reasonable as other belief, or even a little or infinitely more probably true than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-van-til/i-hold-that-belief-in-god-is-not-merely-as-reasonable-as-other-belief/) [Cornelius Van Til](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-van-til/) > [If one does not make human knowledge wholly dependent upon the original self-knowledge and consequent revelation of God to man, then man will have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-van-til/if-one-does-not-make-human-knowledge-wholly-dependent-upon-the/) [Cornelius Van Til](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-van-til/) [Explore all 17 Cornelius Van Til quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-van-til/) ## More Argument quotes > [A flourishing, morally credible media is a vital component in the maintenance of genuinely public talk, argument about common good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-williams/a-flourishing-morally-credible-media-is-a-vital-component-in-the/) [Rowan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-williams/) > [Preaching to the choir actually arms the choir with arguments and elevates the choir's discourse. 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