--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Grandpa Eli had often told me that the…" description: "\"“Grandpa Eli had often told me that the real truth was seldom what we thought it was. \"Most of the time,\" he said,\"people choose to believe a story bec..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8e/deborah-epperson-70768_faith_grandpa-eli-had-often-told-me-that-the-r_2774825.jpg" --- # Grandpa Eli had often told me that the real truth was… ![“Grandpa Eli had often told me that the real truth was seldom what we thought it was. "Most of the time," he said,"people choose to believe a story because it fills their need. At other times, they're afrad not to believe it. Then right or wrong, that belief becomes their truty.” quote by deborah epperson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8e/deborah-epperson-70768_faith_grandpa-eli-had-often-told-me-that-the-r_2774825.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8e/deborah-epperson-70768_faith_grandpa-eli-had-often-told-me-that-the-r_2774825.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8e/deborah-epperson-70768_faith_grandpa-eli-had-often-told-me-that-the-r_2774825.jpg) > ““Grandpa Eli had often told me that the real truth was seldom what we thought it was. "Most of the time," he said,"people choose to believe a story because it fills their need. At other times, they're afrad not to believe it. Then right or wrong, that belief becomes their truty.”” [deborah epperson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-epperson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often adopt beliefs that satisfy emotional needs, even if they conflict with evidence, and may fear abandoning them. **In simple terms:** Beliefs are driven by needs, not facts. Key Takeaway Question the motives behind your beliefs. Themes psychology belief bias Mood skeptical thoughtful Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - decision making - political discourse - personal relationships - media consumption Key Concepts cognitive bias need fulfillment Questions to Reflect On - Why do you cling to certain beliefs? - What need does this belief fulfill? A Different Perspective Beliefs can also be grounded in rational analysis and truth‑seeking. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Belief Truty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief-truty-3267918/) [Believe Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe-story-453430/) [Choose Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choose-believe-525941/) [Eli Told](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eli-told-3267917/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Real truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-truth/) [Right or wrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-or-wrong/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Truth Seldom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-seldom-599518/) ## Related quotes > [Truth seldom is pleasant; it is almost invariably bitter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/truth-seldom-is-pleasant-it-is-almost-invariably-bitter/) [Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/) > [It has always been desirable to tell the truth, but seldom if ever necessary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-balfour/it-has-always-been-desirable-to-tell-the-truth-but-seldom-if-ever/) [Arthur Balfour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-balfour/) > [“Truth is seldom romantic.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/truth-is-seldom-romantic/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [“Everyone talks about justice, but there can be no justice where there is no truth, and these are times when truth is seldom recognized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/everyone-talks-about-justice-but-there-can-be-no-justice-where-there/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“Men will not accept truth at the hands of their enemies, and truth is seldom offered to them by their friends”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/men-will-not-accept-truth-at-the-hands-of-their-enemies-and-truth-is/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [“Those who get into the business of truth are seldom satisfied. For truth is organic and destined for change.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keela-sanders/those-who-get-into-the-business-of-truth-are-seldom-satisfied-for/) [Keela Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keela-sanders/) > [“Oh, It's truth you want? Be careful, my lady. Tyrion says that people often claim to hunger for the truth, but seldom like the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/oh-it-s-truth-you-want-be-careful-my-lady-tyrion-says-that-people/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [In a world where it is so easy to neglect, deny, corrupt and suppress the truth, the scientist may find his discipline severe. 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Central truths can be revolutionary if put to work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-harkness/the-truth-is-seldom-found-in-extremes-central-truths-can-be/) [Georgia Harkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-harkness/) > [Many of you have already found out, and others will find out in the course of their lives, that truth eludes us if we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/many-of-you-have-already-found-out-and-others-will-find-out-in-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [People often claim to hunger for truth, but seldom like the taste when it's served up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-often-claim-to-hunger-for-truth-but-seldom-like-the-taste-when/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [As long as there's one person to believe it, there's no story that can't be true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-auster/as-long-as-there-s-one-person-to-believe-it-there-s-no-story-that-can/) [Paul Auster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-auster/) > [I firmly believe that a story is only as good as the villain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/i-firmly-believe-that-a-story-is-only-as-good-as-the-villain/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) ## More by deborah epperson > [“A line in the sand can become a rut. A rut can become a ditch, and a ditch can be worn down into a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-epperson/a-line-in-the-sand-can-become-a-rut-a-rut-can-become-a-ditch-and-a/) [Deborah Epperson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-epperson/) > [“Most of the time, I think of myself as being invisible. Not invisible like a ghost, but like a souvenir plate from last year's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-epperson/most-of-the-time-i-think-of-myself-as-being-invisible-not-invisible/) [Deborah Epperson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-epperson/) > [“Henry chuckled. "I expect Helen to be Helen. It wouldn't be fair to tell her I love her and then insist she change who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-epperson/henry-chuckled-i-expect-helen-to-be-helen-it-wouldn-t-be-fair-to-tell/) [Deborah Epperson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-epperson/) [Explore all 4 deborah epperson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-epperson/) ## More Faith quotes > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Eternal Trinity... mystery deep as the sea, You could give me no greater gift than the gift of Yourself. For You are a fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-catherine-of-siena/eternal-trinity-mystery-deep-as-the-sea-you-could-give-me-no-greater/) [St. Catherine of Siena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-catherine-of-siena/) > [Keep the faith, and keep going strong!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doreen-virtue/keep-the-faith-and-keep-going-strong/) [Doreen Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doreen-virtue/) > [It’s so important to create in your own voice, to hold onto what makes you unique, and have faith in your vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/it-s-so-important-to-create-in-your-own-voice-to-hold-onto-what-makes/) [John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/) > [Faith gives you a certain structure and meaning to your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riffat-hassan/faith-gives-you-a-certain-structure-and-meaning-to-your-life/) [Riffat Hassan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riffat-hassan/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [“No man is prejudiced in favour of a thing, knowing it to be wrong. He is attached to it on the belief of its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/no-man-is-prejudiced-in-favour-of-a-thing-knowing-it-to-be-wrong-he/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [Holiness sincerity, and faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/holiness-sincerity-and-faith/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [“The only limitations for your life are the limiting beliefs in your mind. —Matt Morris”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-morris-1/the-only-limitations-for-your-life-are-the-limiting-beliefs-in-your/) [Matt Morris (1](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-morris-1/) > [“Just because your faith is shaken doesn’t mean the faith is shaken. 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