--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: - Every time someone cries out in prayer…" description: "\"- Every time someone cries out in prayer and I can't answer, I feel guilty about not being God. - That doesn't sound good. - I understand that I have a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbb/eliezer-yudkowsky-1207_answers_every-time-someone-cries-out-in-prayer-a_1614701.png" --- # - Every time someone cries out in prayer and I can't… ![“- Every time someone cries out in prayer and I can't answer, I feel guilty about not being God. - That doesn't sound good. - I understand that I have a problem, and I know what I need to do to solve it, all right? I'm working on it. Of course, Harry hadn't said what the solution was. The solution…” quote by Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbb/eliezer-yudkowsky-1207_answers_every-time-someone-cries-out-in-prayer-a_1614701.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbb/eliezer-yudkowsky-1207_answers_every-time-someone-cries-out-in-prayer-a_1614701.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbb/eliezer-yudkowsky-1207_answers_every-time-someone-cries-out-in-prayer-a_1614701.png) > “- Every time someone cries out in prayer and I can't answer, I feel guilty about not being God. - That doesn't sound good. - I understand that I have a problem, and I know what I need to do to solve it, all right? I'm working on it. Of course, Harry hadn't said what the solution was. The solution, obviously, was to hurry up and become God.” [Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Feeling guilty for not answering prayers reflects a misplaced sense of responsibility; solving problems requires human effort, not divine self‑assignment. **In simple terms:** Guilt arises when we expect ourselves to be godlike; we must act as humans. Key Takeaway Accept human limits and focus on concrete actions. Themes faith guilt human limitation responsibility aspiration Mood thoughtful analytical philosophical Type ethical spiritual psychological When to use this quote - personal crises - ethical dilemmas - spiritual practice - decision making Key Concepts theology ethical self‑expectation problem solving Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance humility with agency? - What practical steps replace divine‑like expectations? A Different Perspective Believing one must become god may lead to unrealistic expectations and burnout. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cry/) [Guilty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guilty/) [Prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Sound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sound/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“Every time someone cries out in prayer and I can't answer, I feel guilty about not being God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-time-someone-cries-out-in-prayer-and-i-can-t-answer-i-feel-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If by prayer Incessant I could hope to change the will Of him who all things can, I would not cease To weary him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/if-by-prayer-incessant-i-could-hope-to-change-the-will-of-him-who-all/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [“  Familiar to our eyes, all places else   Inhospitable appeer and desolate,   Nor knowing us nor known: and if by prayer   Incessant I could hope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/familiar-to-our-eyes-all-places-else-inhospitable-appeer-and-desolate/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [Here's probably a short answer - I never feel in this piece that I'm stepping out and being Andrea Martin. 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