--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I am not here to merely argue about the…" description: "\"I am not here to merely argue about the perplexities regarding theism or philosophy, but to be a light to the world and to reach out to those who long ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c41/criss-jami-320_arguing_i-am-not-here-to-merely-argue-about-the_2343977.jpg" --- # I am not here to merely argue about the perplexities… ![“I am not here to merely argue about the perplexities regarding theism or philosophy, but to be a light to the world and to reach out to those who long to be a part of that light.” quote by Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c41/criss-jami-320_arguing_i-am-not-here-to-merely-argue-about-the_2343977.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c41/criss-jami-320_arguing_i-am-not-here-to-merely-argue-about-the_2343977.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c41/criss-jami-320_arguing_i-am-not-here-to-merely-argue-about-the_2343977.jpg) > “I am not here to merely argue about the perplexities regarding theism or philosophy, but to be a light to the world and to reach out to those who long to be a part of that light.” [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Aim to be a beacon, guiding seekers toward truth and unity. **In simple terms:** Be a light for those seeking truth. Key Takeaway Cultivate guiding presence. Themes spirituality leadership hope Mood inspirational hopeful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - community service - spiritual counseling - public speaking Key Concepts philosophy ethics Questions to Reflect On - How can you offer light without imposing? - What does “light” mean to you? A Different Perspective Not everyone wants guidance; imposing light can be intrusive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Theism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theism/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Consciously or unconsciously, most theists see in gods and devils, heaven and hell, reward and punishment, a whip to lash the people into obedience,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/consciously-or-unconsciously-most-theists-see-in-gods-and-devils-2/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [“Suppose that a great commotion arises in the street about something, let us say a lamp-post, which many influential persons desire to pull down.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/suppose-that-a-great-commotion-arises-in-the-street-about-something/) [G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/) > [“The foundation of morality on the human sentiments of what is acceptable behavior versus repulsive behavior has always made morals susceptible to change. Much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/the-foundation-of-morality-on-the-human-sentiments-of-what-is/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“I'm always talking to God about whether or not he exists - that's how I know I'm a theist.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/i-m-always-talking-to-god-about-whether-or-not-he-exists-that-s-how-i/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“It is debatable whether blind faith is truly faith at all. Faith is the perceptive gray area where scientific facts meet an individual's experiential…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/it-is-debatable-whether-blind-faith-is-truly-faith-at-all-faith-is/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“Initially, the God of the Old Testament might seem overwhelming and domineering to you, or tyrannical, or perhaps even evil, which is good. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/initially-the-god-of-the-old-testament-might-seem-overwhelming-and/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [Of all the major religions, or lack thereof, the atheist's is one of the best pretenders: his foundation for all existences, as well as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/of-all-the-major-religions-or-lack-thereof-the-atheist-s-is-one-of/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“Think outside the box? Indeed. But to add balance to that, one should not in the process forget what the inside of the box…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/think-outside-the-box-indeed-but-to-add-balance-to-that-one-should/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“It is not that men become too intelligent for God,' says the Apologist, 'but rather they become too arrogant for intelligence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/it-is-not-that-men-become-too-intelligent-for-god-says-the-apologist/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“The whole war between the atheist and the theist comes down to this: the atheist believes a 'what' created the universe; the theist believes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/the-whole-war-between-the-atheist-and-the-theist-comes-down-to-this/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“If I were to believe in God enough to call him a murderer, then I might also believe enough that he, as a spirit,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/if-i-were-to-believe-in-god-enough-to-call-him-a-murderer-then-i/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“Some of the simplest of truths are also some of the most difficult of truths, but such is Christianity: 'If it's not about Christ,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/some-of-the-simplest-of-truths-are-also-some-of-the-most-difficult-of/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“The wrong approaches to faith and to skepticism are equally detrimental to the path. For the former declares its answers too soon and is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/the-wrong-approaches-to-faith-and-to-skepticism-are-equally/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [The acute experience of great beauty readily evokes a nameless yearning for something more than earth can offer. Elegant splendor reawakens our spirit's aching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-dubay/the-acute-experience-of-great-beauty-readily-evokes-a-nameless/) [Thomas Dubay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-dubay/) > [When life is so harsh that a man loses all hope in himself, then he raises his eyes to a shining rock, worshipping it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/when-life-is-so-harsh-that-a-man-loses-all-hope-in-himself-then-he/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) ## More by Criss Jami > [The only activity a cynic will find contagious is yawning, that is, with other people, at other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/the-only-activity-a-cynic-will-find-contagious-is-yawning-that-is/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“Religion, like science, is only noteworthy when it emphasizes a matter of what is true rather than whose belief is greater or lesser or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/religion-like-science-is-only-noteworthy-when-it-emphasizes-a-matter/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“Slander does to a soul what cancer does to a cell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/slander-does-to-a-soul-what-cancer-does-to-a-cell/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [The hated man is the result of his hater's pride rather than his hater's conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/the-hated-man-is-the-result-of-his-hater-s-pride-rather-than-his/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [What is a genius? A person who demands little to nothing from others, but is often found extremely difficult to have around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/what-is-a-genius-a-person-who-demands-little-to-nothing-from-others/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [A man does not have to feel less than human to realize his sin; oppositely, he has to realize that he gets no special…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/a-man-does-not-have-to-feel-less-than-human-to-realize-his-sin/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [I would rather my descendants have greater abilities and a greater knowledge of the love of Christ than I do, much like standing on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/i-would-rather-my-descendants-have-greater-abilities-and-a-greater/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“Create with the heart; build with the mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/create-with-the-heart-build-with-the-mind/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [Peace is more of an internal settlement rather than what is visible on the external.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/peace-is-more-of-an-internal-settlement-rather-than-what-is-visible/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“Our entire lives we witness individuals, the ones who break some of the most culturally sensitive moral codes, ruined permanently by the media -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/our-entire-lives-we-witness-individuals-the-ones-who-break-some-of/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [Senses of humor define people, as factions, deeper rooted than religious or political opinions. When carrying out everyday tasks, opinions are rather easy to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/senses-of-humor-define-people-as-factions-deeper-rooted-than/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [I believe in evolution in the sense that a short-tempered man is the successor of a crybaby.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/i-believe-in-evolution-in-the-sense-that-a-short-tempered-man-is-the/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“God speaks of his children shining best in ways that only he can provide. The heavens lift one as a golden child while the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/god-speaks-of-his-children-shining-best-in-ways-that-only-he-can/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [It is never just disagreement but always intellectual dishonesty that is the apologist's worst enemy. And its apprentice is ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/it-is-never-just-disagreement-but-always-intellectual-dishonesty-that/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“Always work towards a dream or you'll always dream of working elsewhere.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/always-work-towards-a-dream-or-you-ll-always-dream-of-working/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) [Explore all 684 Criss Jami quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) ## More Arguing quotes > [I do wish you wouldn't argue with me when I'm knitting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-durrell/i-do-wish-you-wouldn-t-argue-with-me-when-i-m-knitting/) [Gerald Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-durrell/) > [Any comprehensive doctrine, religious or secular, can be introduced into any political argument at any time, but I argue that people who do this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/any-comprehensive-doctrine-religious-or-secular-can-be-introduced/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [It's fine to talk about politics with people you agree with. But it is rude to argue about politics with people you disagree with.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/it-s-fine-to-talk-about-politics-with-people-you-agree-with-but-it-is/) [Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/) > [Men are fair, and they have learned not to personalize anger - they can disagree with you and argue to the bone, but afterward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-farrell/men-are-fair-and-they-have-learned-not-to-personalize-anger-they-can/) [Warren Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-farrell/) > [When Eudæmonidas heard a philosopher arguing that only a wise man can be a good general, "This is a wonderful speech," said he; "but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/when-eud-monidas-heard-a-philosopher-arguing-that-only-a-wise-man-can/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [Fasting is required, staying away from fighting and arguing and bombing of masjids is still going on. Hatred is still manifested between Sunni and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-farrakhan/fasting-is-required-staying-away-from-fighting-and-arguing-and/) [Louis Farrakhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-farrakhan/) > [The problem for the Left, however, is that the moment it stops painting the Right as vile, it has to argue the issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/the-problem-for-the-left-however-is-that-the-moment-it-stops-painting/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/to-argue-with-a-person-who-has-renounced-the-use-of-reason-is-like/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [You can argue that the Terminator movies reboot their world each time they go back in time, but that doesn't negate the value of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hayter/you-can-argue-that-the-terminator-movies-reboot-their-world-each-time/) [David Hayter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hayter/) > [We may argue eloquently that 'Honesty is the best Policy' - unfortunately, the moment honesty is adopted for the sake of policy it mysteriously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/we-may-argue-eloquently-that-honesty-is-the-best-policy-unfortunately/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [I'm a very serious person, but I don't take myself very seriously and I would rather laugh all day than argue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stone-cold-steve-austin/i-m-a-very-serious-person-but-i-don-t-take-myself-very-seriously-and/) [Stone Cold Steve Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stone-cold-steve-austin/) > [These eyes, tho' clear To outward view of blemish or of spot, Bereft of light, their seeing have forgot, Nor to their idle orbs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/these-eyes-tho-clear-to-outward-view-of-blemish-or-of-spot-bereft-of/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [There's crucial distinction that has to be drawn between the Shari'a, which is this hugely expansive vision of cosmic order that I've been describing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadakat-kadri/there-s-crucial-distinction-that-has-to-be-drawn-between-the-shari-a/) [Sadakat Kadri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadakat-kadri/) > [Only fools argue whether to eat meat or not. They don't understand truth nor do they meditate on it. Who can define what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guru-nanak/only-fools-argue-whether-to-eat-meat-or-not-they-don-t-understand/) [Guru Nanak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-nanak/) > [The surest sign that you haven't any sense is to argue with one who hasn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/the-surest-sign-that-you-haven-t-any-sense-is-to-argue-with-one-who/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) Browse all 1,908 Arguing quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I am not here to merely argue about the perplexities regarding theism or philosophy, but to be a light to the world and to reach out to those who long to be a part of that light.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Criss Jami" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/i-am-not-here-to-merely-argue-about-the-perplexities-regarding-theism/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Arguing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/i-am-not-here-to-merely-argue-about-the-perplexities-regarding-theism/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c41/criss-jami-320_arguing_i-am-not-here-to-merely-argue-about-the_2343977.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c41/criss-jami-320_arguing_i-am-not-here-to-merely-argue-about-the_2343977.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c41/criss-jami-320_arguing_i-am-not-here-to-merely-argue-about-the_2343977.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I am not here to merely argue about the perplexities regarding theism or philosophy, but to be a light to…” — Criss Jami", "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": "Criss Jami", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I am not here to merely...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/i-am-not-here-to-merely-argue-about-the-perplexities-regarding-theism/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/i-am-not-here-to-merely-argue-about-the-perplexities-regarding-theism/#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 } } ] } ```