--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Religion has no power if God is not truly…" description: "\"“Religion has no power if God is not truly 'dangerous,' but religion also seeks to manage God, and make God safe. The second commandment speaks against..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55b/daniel-meeter-193058_love-and-fear_religion-has-no-power-if-god-is-not-trul_611903.jpg" --- # Religion has no power if God is not truly 'dangerous,' but… ![“Religion has no power if God is not truly 'dangerous,' but religion also seeks to manage God, and make God safe. The second commandment speaks against the management of God. We cannot help but make our images of God, for God has given us imagination. But every image we make of God is finally a…” quote by Daniel Meeter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55b/daniel-meeter-193058_love-and-fear_religion-has-no-power-if-god-is-not-trul_611903.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55b/daniel-meeter-193058_love-and-fear_religion-has-no-power-if-god-is-not-trul_611903.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55b/daniel-meeter-193058_love-and-fear_religion-has-no-power-if-god-is-not-trul_611903.jpg) > ““Religion has no power if God is not truly 'dangerous,' but religion also seeks to manage God, and make God safe. The second commandment speaks against the management of God. We cannot help but make our images of God, for God has given us imagination. But every image we make of God is finally a box: a cage, potentially an idol, from which the living God keeps breaking out. And if we try to keep God there, then God comes out with 'jealousy' to overturn our careful construction. The third commandment speaks against the management of God. To take God's name in vain is to make God useful to our projects and ourselves. We are wont to trivialize the truth of God and then disparage it for being trivial. We are told God's name in order to love this God, but loving God is not managing God but fearing \[respecting\] God. And with God, the attitudes of love and fear \[respect\] are not contradictory but complementary.”” [Daniel Meeter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-meeter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The text explores the paradox of managing God, emphasizing reverence over control, and sees love and fear as complementary attitudes toward the divine. **In simple terms:** Respectful love, not control, defines proper relationship with God. Key Takeaway Balance love with reverent awe. Themes theology respect love fear idolatry spirituality Mood philosophical contemplative serious Type Love and fear:1 Loving god:0 Management:0 Religion:1 Spirituality:1 Manage God:0 God Managing:0 Dangerous Religion:0 Managing God:0 Respecting God:0 When to use this quote - personal prayer - interfaith dialogue - ethical reflection Key Concepts divine paradox ethical worship psychology of reverence Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance love and fear of the divine? - What risks arise from trying to control God? A Different Perspective May be abstract. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dangerous Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dangerous-religion-3032029/) [God Managing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-managing-1368342/) [Love and fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-and-fear/) [Loving god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loving-god/) [Manage God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manage-god-921468/) [Management](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/management/) [Managing God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/managing-god-4966976/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Respecting God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respecting-god-4966977/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) ## Related quotes > [“So in a man’s mind, he appraises, negotiates, defines, delineates, weighs the information, and that includes God. As you can see, this is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-wood/so-in-a-man-s-mind-he-appraises-negotiates-defines-delineates-weighs/) [Geoffrey Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-wood/) > [“Henry Ford had a successful way of conquering insecurity, worry, and anxiety. When asked if he ever worried, Mr. Ford replied, “No, I believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-bowser/henry-ford-had-a-successful-way-of-conquering-insecurity-worry-and/) [Mark Bowser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-bowser/) > [I believe God is managing affairs and that He doesn't need any advice from me. With God in charge, I believe everything will work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/i-believe-god-is-managing-affairs-and-that-he-doesn-t-need-any-advice/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) > [When I asked him -Mr.Henry Ford- if he ever worried, he replied: "No. I believe God is managing affairs and that He doesn't need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/when-i-asked-him-mr-henry-ford-if-he-ever-worried-he-replied-no-i/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [In its Roman-era setting, for example, Christianity was so different that critics of the time referred to it as a "superstition" (meaning a bogus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-hurtado/in-its-roman-era-setting-for-example-christianity-was-so-different/) [Larry Hurtado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-hurtado/) > [“Religious illiteracy is more dangerous because religion is the most volatile constituent of culture, because religion has been, in addition to one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-prothero/religious-illiteracy-is-more-dangerous-because-religion-is-the-most/) [Stephen R. Prothero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-prothero/) > [In all modern history, interference with science in the supposed interest of religion, no matter how conscientious such interference may have been, has resulted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-dickson-white/in-all-modern-history-interference-with-science-in-the-supposed/) [Andrew Dickson White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-dickson-white/) > [Islam is a dangerous religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-houellebecq/islam-is-a-dangerous-religion/) [Michel Houellebecq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-houellebecq/) > [You know the people who have the bumper stickers that say "Windows 95 = Mac '89"? These are the faithful, and I respect their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-louis-gassee/you-know-the-people-who-have-the-bumper-stickers-that-say-windows-95/) [Jean-Louis Gassee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-louis-gassee/) > [“Thinking the guy up ahead knows what he's doing is the most dangerous religion there is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/thinking-the-guy-up-ahead-knows-what-he-s-doing-is-the-most-dangerous/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [To be of no church is dangerous. Religion, of which the rewards are distant, and which is animated only by faith and hope, will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/to-be-of-no-church-is-dangerous-religion-of-which-the-rewards-are/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [There are only two feelings, Love and fear: There are only two languages, Love and fear: There are only two activities, Love and fear:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/there-are-only-two-feelings-love-and-fear-there-are-only-two/) [Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/) > [“ "There are basically two movements of consciousness: love and fear. Love is allowing what is, and fear is resisting it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nirmala/there-are-basically-two-movements-of-consciousness-love-and-fear-love/) [Nirmala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nirmala/) > [The only thing we have to fear is fear itself-and possibly teh bogey man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-paulsen/the-only-thing-we-have-to-fear-is-fear-itself-and-possibly-teh-bogey/) [Pat Paulsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-paulsen/) > [We should understand well that all things are the work of the Great Spirit. We should know the Great Spirit is within all things:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-elk/we-should-understand-well-that-all-things-are-the-work-of-the-great/) [Black Elk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-elk/) ## More Love and fear quotes > [We should understand well that all things are the work of the Great Spirit. We should know the Great Spirit is within all things:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-elk/we-should-understand-well-that-all-things-are-the-work-of-the-great/) [Black Elk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-elk/) > [The only thing we have to fear is fear itself-and possibly teh bogey man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-paulsen/the-only-thing-we-have-to-fear-is-fear-itself-and-possibly-teh-bogey/) [Pat Paulsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-paulsen/) > [“ "There are basically two movements of consciousness: love and fear. Love is allowing what is, and fear is resisting it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nirmala/there-are-basically-two-movements-of-consciousness-love-and-fear-love/) [Nirmala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nirmala/) > [There are only two feelings, Love and fear: There are only two languages, Love and fear: There are only two activities, Love and fear:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/there-are-only-two-feelings-love-and-fear-there-are-only-two/) [Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/) > [Perfect love casteth out fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/perfect-love-casteth-out-fear/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [This is because fear and love are enemies. They come from two opposing kingdoms. Fear comes from the devil, who would like nothing more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-silk/this-is-because-fear-and-love-are-enemies-they-come-from-two-opposing/) [Danny Silk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-silk/) > [“Better to love and fear than feel nothing”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/better-to-love-and-fear-than-feel-nothing/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Carol Guess's poems are sexy, intuitive, angry, and hopeful. These lyrical narratives measure the impossibly small distance between love and fear. They are a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-schomburg/carol-guess-s-poems-are-sexy-intuitive-angry-and-hopeful-these/) [Zachary Schomburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-schomburg/) > [As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/as-we-are-liberated-from-our-own-fear-our-presence-automatically/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [It can be the most difficult thing to do, but love conquers fear and love conquers hate and this love that you choose will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-perry/it-can-be-the-most-difficult-thing-to-do-but-love-conquers-fear-and/) [Katy Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-perry/) > [Our interactions with one another reflect a dance between love and fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/our-interactions-with-one-another-reflect-a-dance-between-love-and/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [There are two emotions: love and fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iyanla-vanzant/there-are-two-emotions-love-and-fear/) [Iyanla Vanzant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iyanla-vanzant/) > [Don't move the way fear makes you move. Move the way love makes you move. Move the way joy makes you move.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/don-t-move-the-way-fear-makes-you-move-move-the-way-love-makes-you/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [Love and fear are the two opposite ends of the continuum, as far as I'm concerned. When we are not in love, we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-canfield/love-and-fear-are-the-two-opposite-ends-of-the-continuum-as-far-as-i/) [Jack Canfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-canfield/) > [“She gave him a happy look as he followed her out on the water-soaked wooden walk. "This could be fun," she said, then turned,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/she-gave-him-a-happy-look-as-he-followed-her-out-on-the-water-soaked/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) [Browse all 108 Love and fear quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-and-fear/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Religion has no power if God is not truly 'dangerous,' but religion also seeks to manage God, and make God safe. The second commandment speaks against the management of God. We cannot help but make our images of God, for God has given us imagination. But every image we make of God is finally a box: a cage, potentially an idol, from which the living God keeps breaking out. And if we try to keep God there, then God comes out with 'jealousy' to overturn our careful construction. The third commandment speaks against the management of God. 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