--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We need to be agnostics first and then…" description: "\"We need to be agnostics first and then there is some chance at arriving at a sensible system of belief.\" — D. Elton Trueblood" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c52/d-elton-trueblood-26225_agnosticism_we-need-to-be-agnostics-first-and-then-t_1886949.png" --- # We need to be agnostics first and then there is some… ![“We need to be agnostics first and then there is some chance at arriving at a sensible system of belief.” quote by D. Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c52/d-elton-trueblood-26225_agnosticism_we-need-to-be-agnostics-first-and-then-t_1886949.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c52/d-elton-trueblood-26225_agnosticism_we-need-to-be-agnostics-first-and-then-t_1886949.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c52/d-elton-trueblood-26225_agnosticism_we-need-to-be-agnostics-first-and-then-t_1886949.png) > “We need to be agnostics first and then there is some chance at arriving at a sensible system of belief.” [D. Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-elton-trueblood/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We must first suspend certainty, then we can possibly develop a reasonable belief system. **In simple terms:** First be open, then seek sensible beliefs. Key Takeaway Stay open to questioning before forming beliefs. Themes open‑mindedness faith reasoning Mood contemplative inquisitive Type philosophical religious When to use this quote - religious debate - personal reflection - academic study Key Concepts skepticism epistemology Questions to Reflect On - What beliefs would you hold if you stopped doubting? - How does uncertainty shape your values? A Different Perspective Assuming agnosticism may delay commitment to any belief. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Agnosticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agnosticism/) [Agnostics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agnostics/) [Agnostics Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agnostics-chance-2700991/) [Arriving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arriving/) [Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) [Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Need Agnostics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/need-agnostics-2700990/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Sensible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sensible/) [Sensible Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sensible-belief-2700992/) ## Related quotes > [“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/) > [“My gut instinct is that these heavens and hells exist nowhere else except in our hearts and minds”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/my-gut-instinct-is-that-these-heavens-and-hells-exist-nowhere-else/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [“Don't create unbelief or doubt in people's minds. When you do so you ruin their lives and you have nothing to give them in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/don-t-create-unbelief-or-doubt-in-people-s-minds-when-you-do-so-you/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [I do believe in God, but I think it's very healthy for a believer to spend time in the pragmatism of agnosticism, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-mcconaughey/i-do-believe-in-god-but-i-think-it-s-very-healthy-for-a-believer-to/) [Matthew McConaughey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-mcconaughey/) > [“Good gods are scarce because the majority of gods are created by evil men”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/good-gods-are-scarce-because-the-majority-of-gods-are-created-by-evil/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [“Much terror in religion is not the will of god, it is created by power hungry clerics who thirst for absolute power and claim…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/much-terror-in-religion-is-not-the-will-of-god-it-is-created-by-power/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [“God is powerful. Even those who claim not to believe in him fear him. Though their mouths may confess to disbelieve in him, their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/god-is-powerful-even-those-who-claim-not-to-believe-in-him-fear-him/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [“Why do religious believers hate unbelievers? The feel threatened by them, they feel besieged by them. Religions consider themselves as separate tribes in their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/why-do-religious-believers-hate-unbelievers-the-feel-threatened-by/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [“The eyes of god are upon you, I mean the eyes of society. We are prisoners of societies in which we live”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/the-eyes-of-god-are-upon-you-i-mean-the-eyes-of-society-we-are/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [“No one knows what god thinks of anything. He only knows and no one can claim to penetrate into his mysteries. Those who do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/no-one-knows-what-god-thinks-of-anything-he-only-knows-and-no-one-can/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [“Give me something to worship; whatever.” Cries the human soul”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/give-me-something-to-worship-whatever-cries-the-human-soul/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [“Once you believe that god is not a private property of anybody, you are on your way to becoming a new messiah. Maybe your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/once-you-believe-that-god-is-not-a-private-property-of-anybody-you/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [“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/) > [“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/) > [“Each mind conceives god in its own way. There may be as many variation of the god figure as there are people in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/each-mind-conceives-god-in-its-own-way-there-may-be-as-many-variation/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) ## More by D. Elton Trueblood > [One of the noblest words in our language is "grace," defined as "unearned blessing." We live by grace far more than by anything else.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-elton-trueblood/one-of-the-noblest-words-in-our-language-is-grace-defined-as-unearned/) [D. Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-elton-trueblood/) > [The more we study the early Church, the more we realize that it was a society of ministers. About the only similarity between the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-elton-trueblood/the-more-we-study-the-early-church-the-more-we-realize-that-it-was-a/) [D. Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-elton-trueblood/) > [The Christian is joyful, not because he is blind to injustice and suffering, but because he is convinced that these, in the light of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-elton-trueblood/the-christian-is-joyful-not-because-he-is-blind-to-injustice-and/) [D. Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-elton-trueblood/) > [It takes a noble man to plant a seed for a tree that will someday give shade to people he may never meet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-elton-trueblood/it-takes-a-noble-man-to-plant-a-seed-for-a-tree-that-will-someday/) [D. Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-elton-trueblood/) > [Our religion is one which challenges the ordinary human standards by holding that the ideal of life is the spirit of a little child.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-elton-trueblood/our-religion-is-one-which-challenges-the-ordinary-human-standards-by/) [D. Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-elton-trueblood/) > [Democracy is necessitated by the fact that all men are sinners; it is made possible by the fact that we know it. ...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-elton-trueblood/democracy-is-necessitated-by-the-fact-that-all-men-are-sinners-it-is/) [D. Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-elton-trueblood/) > [At the profoundest depths in life, men talk not about God but with Him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-elton-trueblood/at-the-profoundest-depths-in-life-men-talk-not-about-god-but-with-him/) [D. Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-elton-trueblood/) > [If the average church should suddenly take seriously the notion that every lay member man or woman is really a minister of Christ, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-elton-trueblood/if-the-average-church-should-suddenly-take-seriously-the-notion-that/) [D. Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-elton-trueblood/) > [This historic Christian doctrine of the divinity of Christ does not simply mean that Jesus is like God. It is far more radical than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-elton-trueblood/this-historic-christian-doctrine-of-the-divinity-of-christ-does-not/) [D. Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-elton-trueblood/) > [The ultimate verification of our religion consists of the changed lives to which it can point and for which it is responsible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-elton-trueblood/the-ultimate-verification-of-our-religion-consists-of-the-changed/) [D. Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-elton-trueblood/) > [The world is equally shocked at hearing Christianity criticized and seeing it practiced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-elton-trueblood/the-world-is-equally-shocked-at-hearing-christianity-criticized-and/) [D. Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-elton-trueblood/) > [A man has made at least a start on discovering the meaning of human life when he plants shade trees under which he knows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-elton-trueblood/a-man-has-made-at-least-a-start-on-discovering-the-meaning-of-human/) [D. Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-elton-trueblood/) > [No vital Christianity is possible unless at least three aspects of it are developed. These are the inner life of devotion, the outer life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-elton-trueblood/no-vital-christianity-is-possible-unless-at-least-three-aspects-of-it/) [D. Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-elton-trueblood/) > [Faith is not belief without proof, but trust without reservation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-elton-trueblood/faith-is-not-belief-without-proof-but-trust-without-reservation/) [D. Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-elton-trueblood/) > [The only way to happiness is never to give happiness a thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-elton-trueblood/the-only-way-to-happiness-is-never-to-give-happiness-a-thought/) [D. Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-elton-trueblood/) [Explore all 22 D. Elton Trueblood quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-elton-trueblood/) ## 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": "We need to be agnostics first and then there is some chance at arriving at a sensible system of belief.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "D. 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