--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Initially, the God of the Old Testament…" description: "\"“Initially, the God of the Old Testament might seem overwhelming and domineering to you, or tyrannical, or perhaps even evil, which is good. It is the ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/366/criss-jami-320_agnosticism_initially-the-god-of-the-old-testament-m_1357939.jpg" --- # Initially, the God of the Old Testament might seem… ![“Initially, the God of the Old Testament might seem overwhelming and domineering to you, or tyrannical, or perhaps even evil, which is good. It is the first telling that God is indeed God, by sheer definition, and not some ear-tickling fairy by which one in his depravity is guaranteed to find…” quote by Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/366/criss-jami-320_agnosticism_initially-the-god-of-the-old-testament-m_1357939.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/366/criss-jami-320_agnosticism_initially-the-god-of-the-old-testament-m_1357939.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/366/criss-jami-320_agnosticism_initially-the-god-of-the-old-testament-m_1357939.jpg) > ““Initially, the God of the Old Testament might seem overwhelming and domineering to you, or tyrannical, or perhaps even evil, which is good. It is the first telling that God is indeed God, by sheer definition, and not some ear-tickling fairy by which one in his depravity is guaranteed to find another form of stale romanticism or love at first sight. For such a first impression as the latter would be problematic to the essence of Christianity. Therefore the Christians are right in saying that the nature of imperfect men cannot ultimately co-exist with the nature of a perfect God; and that the hope of each man is now desperately found in God's sending of Christ.”” [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. Explains that God’s overwhelming nature underscores divine perfection, contrasting with human imperfection and the need for Christ. **In simple terms:** God’s power shows perfection, highlighting human flaws and the need for Christ. Key Takeaway Recognize divine perfection and seek redemption. Themes theology humanity redemption Mood reflective serious Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - religious study - personal crisis - ethical discussions - interfaith dialogue Key Concepts divine perfection imperfection Christ’s role Questions to Reflect On - How does this view affect personal faith? - What does redemption mean today? A Different Perspective Interpretations of God’s nature vary widely. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Agnosticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agnosticism/) [Apologetics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apologetics/) [Atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheism/) [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) [Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christ/) [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Christians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christians/) [Depravity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depravity/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [First impression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-impression/) [First sight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-sight/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grace/) [Holiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holiness/) [Holy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holy/) [Justification](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justification/) [Justification by faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justification-by-faith/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love at first sight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-at-first-sight/) [Mercy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mercy/) [New testament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-testament/) [Old testament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-testament/) [Redemption](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/redemption/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) [Salvation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/salvation/) [Sanctification](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sanctification/) [Savior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/savior/) [Sin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sin/) [Skepticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skepticism/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) [Theism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theism/) [Theology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theology/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Tyrant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tyrant/) [Wrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrath/) [Wrath of god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrath-of-god/) ## Related quotes > [“What a domineering motherfucker. Who does he think he is?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-james/what-a-domineering-motherfucker-who-does-he-think-he-is/) [Ella James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-james/) > [“I don’t have to be a domineering bitch all the time, you know. I’ve just always preferred to be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harlem-dae/i-don-t-have-to-be-a-domineering-bitch-all-the-time-you-know-i-ve/) [Harlem Dae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harlem-dae/) > [“We all know so goddamn well what's best for other people that it seems unnecessary we get to know them before imposing our will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-nadeau/we-all-know-so-goddamn-well-what-s-best-for-other-people-that-it/) [Taylor Nadeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-nadeau/) > [“Love should not cause suffocation and death if it is truly love. Don't bundle someone into an uncomfortable cage just because you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/love-should-not-cause-suffocation-and-death-if-it-is-truly-love-don-t/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [“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/) > [“A religion deeply rooted in theology, is never above skepticism hinged upon the twin pillars; of reason & facts.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mamur-mustapha/a-religion-deeply-rooted-in-theology-is-never-above-skepticism-hinged/) [Mamur Mustapha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mamur-mustapha/) > [“It's not always a question of you changing your mind. I think very often your mind changes you. You suddenly realise that without having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-s-not-always-a-question-of-you-changing-your-mind-i-think-very/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“I sought out the laws which govern nature, solid or ethereal, and after much pondering I perceived that the Universe had not been formed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatole-france/i-sought-out-the-laws-which-govern-nature-solid-or-ethereal-and-after/) [Anatole France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatole-france/) > [“Self talk and self prayer: When you audible the first and correctly interpret, the white coats correct you in a nuthouse. When you audible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-spellman/self-talk-and-self-prayer-when-you-audible-the-first-and-correctly/) [Brian Spellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-spellman/) > [“Most reject the more repugnant or indefensible dogmas while still holding onto some core belief. Many believers will proudly describe themselves as "reasonable" or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aron-ra/most-reject-the-more-repugnant-or-indefensible-dogmas-while-still/) [Aron Ra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aron-ra/) > [“BLACK AND WHITE I was born into A religion of Light, But with so many other Religions and Philosophies, How do I know which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/black-and-white-i-was-born-into-a-religion-of-light-but-with-so-many/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [ “\[On scientist Carl Friedrich Gauss\] \[Carl Friedrich\] Gauss told his friend Rudolf Wagner, a professor of biology at Gottingen University, that he did not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerhard-falk/on-scientist-carl-friedrich-gauss-carl-friedrich-gauss-told-his/) Gerhard Falk > [“That's what drives science though: trying to find out the way things are, the way they were, and the way it really works. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aron-ra/that-s-what-drives-science-though-trying-to-find-out-the-way-things/) [Aron Ra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aron-ra/) > [The essence of Christianity is told us in the Garden of Eden history. The fruit that was forbidden was on the tree of knowledge.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-zappa/the-essence-of-christianity-is-told-us-in-the-garden-of-eden-history/) [Frank Zappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-zappa/) > [The essence of Christianity...is an ever-new encounter with... the God who speaks to us, who approaches us and who befriends us!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/the-essence-of-christianity-is-an-ever-new-encounter-with-the-god-who/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) ## 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 Agnosticism quotes > [A knowledge of the existence of something we cannot penetrate, of the manifestations of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty - it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/a-knowledge-of-the-existence-of-something-we-cannot-penetrate-of-the/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [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/) > [“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/) > [Agnosticism is the natural attitude of the evolutionist. How can a brute mind comprehend spiritual things?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-jennings-bryan/agnosticism-is-the-natural-attitude-of-the-evolutionist-how-can-a/) [William Jennings Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-jennings-bryan/) > [“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/) > [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/) > [The religious hypothesis, therefore, must be considered only as a particular method of accounting for the visible phenomena of the universe: but no just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/the-religious-hypothesis-therefore-must-be-considered-only-as-a/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [The world is continuous flux and is impermanent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/the-world-is-continuous-flux-and-is-impermanent/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [“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/) > [I have only a small flickering light to guide me in the darkness of a thick forest. Up comes a theologian and blows it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/i-have-only-a-small-flickering-light-to-guide-me-in-the-darkness-of-a/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [“...The Presidential election has given me less anxiety than I myself could have imagined. The next administration will be a troublesome one, to whomsoever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/the-presidential-election-has-given-me-less-anxiety-than-i-myself/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [We are enabled to apprehend at all what is sublime and noble only by the perpetual instilling and drenching of the reality that surrounds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/we-are-enabled-to-apprehend-at-all-what-is-sublime-and-noble-only-by/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“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/) [Browse all 275 Agnosticism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agnosticism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Initially, the God of the Old Testament might seem overwhelming and domineering to you, or tyrannical, or perhaps even evil, which is good. It is the first telling that God is indeed God, by sheer definition, and not some ear-tickling fairy by which one in his depravity is guaranteed to find another form of stale romanticism or love at first sight. For such a first impression as the latter would be problematic to the essence of Christianity. 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