--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In the face of nature's overwhelming…" description: "\"In the face of nature's overwhelming forces, humans needed a God who would protect them from harm. When they felt that they had broken the law or commi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60e/deepak-chopra-63_broken_in-the-face-of-nature-s-overwhelming-for_1164610.jpg" --- # In the face of nature's overwhelming forces, humans needed… ![“In the face of nature's overwhelming forces, humans needed a God who would protect them from harm. When they felt that they had broken the law or committed wrongdoing, people turned to a God who would judge them on the one hand and redeem their sins on the other. In this way, purely from…” quote by Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60e/deepak-chopra-63_broken_in-the-face-of-nature-s-overwhelming-for_1164610.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60e/deepak-chopra-63_broken_in-the-face-of-nature-s-overwhelming-for_1164610.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60e/deepak-chopra-63_broken_in-the-face-of-nature-s-overwhelming-for_1164610.jpg) > “In the face of nature's overwhelming forces, humans needed a God who would protect them from harm. When they felt that they had broken the law or committed wrongdoing, people turned to a God who would judge them on the one hand and redeem their sins on the other. In this way, purely from slef-interest, the project of creating God in our own image proceeded--and continues to proceed.” [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human societies create deities to manage fear and moral accountability, reflecting self‑interest and the need for protection and judgment. **In simple terms:** People invent gods to feel safe and judged. Key Takeaway Recognize how fear shapes belief systems. Themes religion psychology human nature authority morality Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - cultural rituals - legal systems - personal crises - ethical decision‑making Key Concepts theism self‑interest social contract Questions to Reflect On - Why do we seek external judgment? - How does fear influence moral choices? A Different Perspective Belief in gods can also limit personal responsibility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Broken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/broken/) [Committed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/committed/) [Creating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creating/) [Creating God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creating-god-1313779/) [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Felt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/felt/) [Force](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/force/) [God image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-image/) [God Protect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-protect/) [Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands/) [Harm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harm/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Judging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judging/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Needed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needed/) [Needed God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needed-god-366838/) [Overwhelming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overwhelming/) [Overwhelming force](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overwhelming-force/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Projects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/projects/) [Protect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protect/) [Sin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sin/) [Turned God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turned-god-885366/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Wrongdoing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrongdoing/) ## Related quotes > [“It is as if in creating us God asked a question, and in awakening us to contemplation He answered the question, so that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/it-is-as-if-in-creating-us-god-asked-a-question-and-in-awakening-us/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [“In creating you, God has already given you everything you need to live a life of endurance, abundance, and purpose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandy-lucas/in-creating-you-god-has-already-given-you-everything-you-need-to-live/) [Brandy Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandy-lucas/) > [When we think with love, we are literally co-creating with God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/when-we-think-with-love-we-are-literally-co-creating-with-god/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [“To expose the roots of liberal democracy in ethinic conflict is an act of destruction that is necessary to lay the foundations for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitchell-heisman/to-expose-the-roots-of-liberal-democracy-in-ethinic-conflict-is-an/) [Mitchell Heisman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitchell-heisman/) > [All of your life you have been told that God created you. I come now to tell you this: You are creating God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neale-donald-walsch/all-of-your-life-you-have-been-told-that-god-created-you-i-come-now/) [Neale Donald Walsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neale-donald-walsch/) > [Thinking is creating with God, as thinking is writing with the ready writer; and worlds are only leaves turned over in the process of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/thinking-is-creating-with-god-as-thinking-is-writing-with-the-ready/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [The beginning is God. The end is action. Action is God creating-or God experienced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neale-donald-walsch/the-beginning-is-god-the-end-is-action-action-is-god-creating-or-god/) [Neale Donald Walsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neale-donald-walsch/) > [So give me the political economist, the sanitary reformer, the engineer; and take your saints and virgins, relics and miracles. The spinning-jenny and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kingsley/so-give-me-the-political-economist-the-sanitary-reformer-the-engineer/) [Charles Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kingsley/) > [Creating some god for one's inspirations was always a good way to avoid accusations of pride should the scheme succeed, as well as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/creating-some-god-for-one-s-inspirations-was-always-a-good-way-to/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [Maybe it's time to stop creating God in our image and let Him create you in His.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-batterson/maybe-it-s-time-to-stop-creating-god-in-our-image-and-let-him-create/) [Mark Batterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-batterson/) > [ Predictability would also seem to inspire confidence that a President \[Donald\] Trump would refrain from deciding to respond with overwhelming force when he is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/predictability-would-also-seem-to-inspire-confidence-that-a-president/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [He has made us the master organizers of the world . . . to overwhelm the forces of reaction throught the earth . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-j-beveridge/he-has-made-us-the-master-organizers-of-the-world-to-overwhelm-the/) [Albert J. Beveridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-j-beveridge/) > [When a just cause reaches its flood-tide...whatever stands in its way must fall before its overwhelming force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-chapman-catt/when-a-just-cause-reaches-its-flood-tide-whatever-stands-in-its-way/) [Carrie Chapman Catt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-chapman-catt/) > [My advice is: 1. Be judicious in the use of military force. 2. When military force is required, use overwhelming force. 3. Do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-stivers/my-advice-is-1-be-judicious-in-the-use-of-military-force-2-when/) [Steve Stivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-stivers/) > [“For this decision, too, he had submitted to the overwhelming force of Sharon’s personality, whose longings and needs seemed inalienable rights, whereas Marcus’s were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/panio-gianopoulos/for-this-decision-too-he-had-submitted-to-the-overwhelming-force-of/) [Panio Gianopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/panio-gianopoulos/) ## More by Deepak Chopra > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [“Molecules form and dissolve, returning to the primordial soup of atoms. But consciousness survives the death of the molecules on which it rides. What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/molecules-form-and-dissolve-returning-to-the-primordial-soup-of-atoms/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Unbounded awareness is the reservoir of possibilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/unbounded-awareness-is-the-reservoir-of-possibilities/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Spiritual awareness is not only one of the keys to the healing process. Spiritual awareness is the only way that healing can occur.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/spiritual-awareness-is-not-only-one-of-the-keys-to-the-healing/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [All experiences are either positive for your brain or negative. If you maximize the positive ones, you are shaping the brain you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/all-experiences-are-either-positive-for-your-brain-or-negative-if-you/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [There are only 2 responses to the world, fear or love. Your life depends on which one you choose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/there-are-only-2-responses-to-the-world-fear-or-love-your-life/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [If you take the the insults of your fellow human beings personally, you will be offended for the rest of your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/if-you-take-the-the-insults-of-your-fellow-human-beings-personally/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [A person desperately searching for love," Merlin said, "reminds me of a fish desperately searching for water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/a-person-desperately-searching-for-love-merlin-said-reminds-me-of-a/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Fighting your ego is a melodrama of the ego.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/fighting-your-ego-is-a-melodrama-of-the-ego/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [The same faint song is heard in everything: "Behold yourself".](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/the-same-faint-song-is-heard-in-everything-behold-yourself/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [“All creativity is based on quantum leaps and uncertainty.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/all-creativity-is-based-on-quantum-leaps-and-uncertainty/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [The soul knows everything. Be who you are and your life will transform forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/the-soul-knows-everything-be-who-you-are-and-your-life-will-transform/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [The willingness to reach inside every part of yourself opens the door to total understanding. You place your entire identity on the line, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/the-willingness-to-reach-inside-every-part-of-yourself-opens-the-door/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Be willing to redefine yourself every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/be-willing-to-redefine-yourself-every-day/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [To have weakness is not to be flawed--it's to be complete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/to-have-weakness-is-not-to-be-flawed-it-s-to-be-complete/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) [Explore all 1,675 Deepak Chopra quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) ## More Broken quotes > [Broken by hardships, disappointments and tragedy, people can become discouraged and cynical. But lives can also be mended. Put back together well, they won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-goodier/broken-by-hardships-disappointments-and-tragedy-people-can-become/) [Steve Goodier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-goodier/) > [You don't want to fix things that aren't broken, so that kind of stops you from make changes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-weidman/you-don-t-want-to-fix-things-that-aren-t-broken-so-that-kind-of-stops/) [Chris Weidman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-weidman/) > [How else but through a broken heart may Lord Christ enter in?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/how-else-but-through-a-broken-heart-may-lord-christ-enter-in/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The worst advice? 'Don't listen to the critics.' I think that you really ought to listen to the critics, because sometimes they're telling you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-worst-advice-don-t-listen-to-the-critics-i-think-that-you-really/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Marriage is a desperate thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/marriage-is-a-desperate-thing/) [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) > [The child who ran weeping to you with a cut finger is now brought home, smiling gamely, with a broken collarbone and incredible contusions-…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-brown/the-child-who-ran-weeping-to-you-with-a-cut-finger-is-now-brought/) [Pam Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-brown/) > [There is no pain like the first time you get your heart broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ne-yo/there-is-no-pain-like-the-first-time-you-get-your-heart-broken/) [Ne-Yo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ne-yo/) > [Broken china lasts longer than unbroken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-renard/broken-china-lasts-longer-than-unbroken/) [Jules Renard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-renard/) > [My life was incoherent to me. I felt it quivering, spitting out broken teeth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-fox/my-life-was-incoherent-to-me-i-felt-it-quivering-spitting-out-broken/) [Paula Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-fox/) > [Don't fix what's not broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-atkins/don-t-fix-what-s-not-broken/) [Robert Atkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-atkins/) > [“ving self and others is an every second of every day of every week, of every month, of every year gift that should not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjo-jendayi/ving-self-and-others-is-an-every-second-of-every-day-of-every-week-of/) [Sanjo Jendayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjo-jendayi/) > [Your head's like mine, like all our heads; big enough to contain every god and devil there ever was. 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