--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Lincoln had entirely outgrown juvenile…" description: "\"“Lincoln had entirely outgrown juvenile delight in religious argument. Talking with God seemed to the mature Lincoln more important than talking about ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f42/elton-trueblood-18687_argument_lincoln-had-entirely-outgrown-juvenile-d_1465485.jpg" --- # Lincoln had entirely outgrown juvenile delight in… ![“Lincoln had entirely outgrown juvenile delight in religious argument. Talking with God seemed to the mature Lincoln more important than talking about Him.” quote by Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f42/elton-trueblood-18687_argument_lincoln-had-entirely-outgrown-juvenile-d_1465485.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f42/elton-trueblood-18687_argument_lincoln-had-entirely-outgrown-juvenile-d_1465485.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f42/elton-trueblood-18687_argument_lincoln-had-entirely-outgrown-juvenile-d_1465485.jpg) > ““Lincoln had entirely outgrown juvenile delight in religious argument. Talking with God seemed to the mature Lincoln more important than talking about Him.”” [Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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. Lincoln grew beyond childish religious debates, valuing personal communion with God over doctrinal discussion. **In simple terms:** Lincoln preferred personal prayer to theological argument. Key Takeaway Seek personal spiritual connection over debate. Themes faith personal growth spirituality Mood contemplative reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal prayer - theological study - spiritual reflection Key Concepts maturity inner dialogue Questions to Reflect On - How does personal prayer shape your values? - What role does doctrine play in your spirituality? A Different Perspective Personal faith may still be influenced by external doctrine. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Argument](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument/) [Debate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/debate/) [Division](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/division/) [God Mature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-mature-1554721/) [Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lincoln/) [Lincoln Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lincoln-important-881772/) [Mature Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mature-lincoln-5304671/) [Prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer/) [Religious Argument](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious-argument-2495625/) [Talking God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talking-god/) [Talking With God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talking-with-god-221409/) [Unity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unity/) ## Related quotes > [“I had a talk with God today. However, it was very boring talking with God. You cannot learn something from someone who knows exactly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-suggs/i-had-a-talk-with-god-today-however-it-was-very-boring-talking-with/) [Lionel Suggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-suggs/) > [What you find I think in the mystical strain of Catholicism is that you're put in relationship with God, and you have many opportunities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hart/what-you-find-i-think-in-the-mystical-strain-of-catholicism-is-that/) [Kevin Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hart/) > [Prayer is talking with God about what we are doing together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/prayer-is-talking-with-god-about-what-we-are-doing-together/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [Prayer is talking with God. God knows your heart and is not so concerned with your words as He is with the attitude of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-mcdowell/prayer-is-talking-with-god-god-knows-your-heart-and-is-not-so/) [Josh McDowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-mcdowell/) > [Prayer is an earnest and familiar talking with God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knox/prayer-is-an-earnest-and-familiar-talking-with-god/) [John Knox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knox/) > [I had this idea that the coolest thing that could happen to you was talking with God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-had-this-idea-that-the-coolest-thing-that-could-happen-to-you-was/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [Anyone with the maturity to surrender entirely to God is mature enough for God to use.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/anyone-with-the-maturity-to-surrender-entirely-to-god-is-mature/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [There was a time when photographers were thought to be socially secondary, and, hence, not dangerous. Lincoln was more important than Brady. It didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-s-trow/there-was-a-time-when-photographers-were-thought-to-be-socially/) [George W. S. Trow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-s-trow/) > [Most fourth graders can't say why Abraham Lincoln is an important historical figure? Wow. This is far more distressing than if the news had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-orlean/most-fourth-graders-can-t-say-why-abraham-lincoln-is-an-important/) [Susan Orlean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-orlean/) > [Most historians agree that Abraham Lincoln was the most important man to ever occupy the White House because he abolished slavery and kept the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kitty-kelley/most-historians-agree-that-abraham-lincoln-was-the-most-important-man/) [Kitty Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kitty-kelley/) > [“OPENING VERSES by PASTOR THIEME HEB 4:12 The word of God is alive and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-b-thieme/opening-verses-by-pastor-thieme-heb-4-12-the-word-of-god-is-alive-and/) [R.B.Thieme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-b-thieme/) > [Infantile people complain and say that God is cruel or that there is no God. Mature people, however, know that there is wisdom and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/infantile-people-complain-and-say-that-god-is-cruel-or-that-there-is/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [This willful deafness to religious argument, so new in our history, has had various effects. A principal one is encouragement of the already widespread…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-murchison/this-willful-deafness-to-religious-argument-so-new-in-our-history-has/) [William Murchison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-murchison/) > [The religion that has to be supported by law is without value, not only, but a fraud and a curse. The religious argument that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/the-religion-that-has-to-be-supported-by-law-is-without-value-not/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [“Cop-out excuses and catch-phrase dismissals can only work so long before the holes in the religious argument cannot be ignored any longer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-dustcircle/cop-out-excuses-and-catch-phrase-dismissals-can-only-work-so-long/) [Steve Dustcircle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-dustcircle/) ## More by Elton Trueblood > [“We are in the monsoons and we must weather it out - the way of wisdom is, instead of pining for calmer days, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-trueblood/we-are-in-the-monsoons-and-we-must-weather-it-out-the-way-of-wisdom/) [Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-trueblood/) > [“In the Church he (Lincoln) saw people who, though they hated war as much as the editors did, saw with clarity what the moral…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-trueblood/in-the-church-he-lincoln-saw-people-who-though-they-hated-war-as-much/) [Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-trueblood/) > [“It is most remarkable that Lincoln, when he saw so much that was vulnerable in the leadership of the Church, did not move to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-trueblood/it-is-most-remarkable-that-lincoln-when-he-saw-so-much-that-was/) [Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-trueblood/) > [“He (Lincoln) differed from fanatical moralists primarily in that he was always perplexed. No sooner did he believe he was doing God's will that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-trueblood/he-lincoln-differed-from-fanatical-moralists-primarily-in-that-he-was/) [Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-trueblood/) > [“Contradiction is the perfect evidence, he (Lincoln) thought, of human fallibility.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-trueblood/contradiction-is-the-perfect-evidence-he-lincoln-thought-of-human/) [Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-trueblood/) > [“There are many instances in history of people who allow their skepticism to cut the nerve of moral effort, and there are numerous people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-trueblood/there-are-many-instances-in-history-of-people-who-allow-their/) [Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-trueblood/) > [“He (Lincoln) saw how intellectually and spiritually impoverished a person would be if he was limited to his own personal resources. The Bible, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-trueblood/he-lincoln-saw-how-intellectually-and-spiritually-impoverished-a/) [Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-trueblood/) > [“Take all of this Book upon reason that you can, and the balance on faith, and you will live and die a happier man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-trueblood/take-all-of-this-book-upon-reason-that-you-can-and-the-balance-on/) [Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-trueblood/) > [“From the prophets of Israel Lincoln had learned the note will idea that there can be serving people, with responsibility to the entire "family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-trueblood/from-the-prophets-of-israel-lincoln-had-learned-the-note-will-idea/) [Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-trueblood/) > [“The Biblical language was so deeply embedded in the great man's mind that it became his normal way of speaking.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-trueblood/the-biblical-language-was-so-deeply-embedded-in-the-great-man-s-mind/) [Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-trueblood/) > [“He (Lincoln) recognized the delicate balance between immanence and transcendence, refusing to settle for either of these alone. His was a God who was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-trueblood/he-lincoln-recognized-the-delicate-balance-between-immanence-and/) [Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-trueblood/) > [“Always, in Lincoln's mature theology, there is paradox. There is starting this, yet there is also tenderness; there is melancholy, yet there is also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-trueblood/always-in-lincoln-s-mature-theology-there-is-paradox-there-is/) [Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-trueblood/) > [“He was too perplexed to please the conventional and too reverent. to please the infidels.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-trueblood/he-was-too-perplexed-to-please-the-conventional-and-too-reverent-to/) [Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-trueblood/) > [“A major element in Lincoln's greatness was the way in which he could hold a strong moral position without the usual accompaniment of self-righteousness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-trueblood/a-major-element-in-lincoln-s-greatness-was-the-way-in-which-he-could/) [Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-trueblood/) > [“The difficulty was not that of following a moral principle at personal cost; the difficulty was that of knowing what to do when there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-trueblood/the-difficulty-was-not-that-of-following-a-moral-principle-at/) [Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-trueblood/) [Explore all 34 Elton Trueblood quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-trueblood/) ## More Argument quotes > [A flourishing, morally credible media is a vital component in the maintenance of genuinely public talk, argument about common good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-williams/a-flourishing-morally-credible-media-is-a-vital-component-in-the/) [Rowan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-williams/) > [Preaching to the choir actually arms the choir with arguments and elevates the choir's discourse. There's a reason the right does it and does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/preaching-to-the-choir-actually-arms-the-choir-with-arguments-and/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) > [Lutherans, whose arguments and mistakes will not be difficult to contest or discover, do not want to attribute any value to works, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-servetus/lutherans-whose-arguments-and-mistakes-will-not-be-difficult-to/) [Michael Servetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-servetus/) > [Any comprehensive doctrine, religious or secular, can be introduced into any political argument at any time, but I argue that people who do this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/any-comprehensive-doctrine-religious-or-secular-can-be-introduced/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [As opposed to getting into arguments about, well, these folks have been treated fairly so now we're going to be doing things that, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-opposed-to-getting-into-arguments-about-well-these-folks-have-been/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [There could be no more powerful argument against mixing religion and government than the success of independent African American churches in placing racial segregation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jacoby/there-could-be-no-more-powerful-argument-against-mixing-religion-and/) [Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/) > [The inner defenses are unconscious. They consist of a kind of magic aura which the mind builds around cherished belief. Arguments which penetrate into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-inner-defenses-are-unconscious-they-consist-of-a-kind-of-magic/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [On the stage, the characters express themselves more through words than images. So the arguments of the characters and the tension between characters -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/on-the-stage-the-characters-express-themselves-more-through-words/) [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) > [One argument goes that recessions are good for female artists because when money flies out the window, women are allowed in the house. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-saltz/one-argument-goes-that-recessions-are-good-for-female-artists-because/) [Jerry Saltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-saltz/) > [All of the barriers to innovation in the energy sector are arguments for a big commitment to public investment. Only the public sector can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nordhaus/all-of-the-barriers-to-innovation-in-the-energy-sector-are-arguments/) [Ted Nordhaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nordhaus/) > [“Arguments led by subjectivity are a waste of time. And, if they take place online, add to that, a waste of one’s keyboard.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/arguments-led-by-subjectivity-are-a-waste-of-time-and-if-they-take/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [If in the middle of an argument I suddenly fall silent it does not mean you have won... No it means you should probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hussein-nishah/if-in-the-middle-of-an-argument-i-suddenly-fall-silent-it-does-not/) [Hussein Nishah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hussein-nishah/) > [Don't get divorced after your first argument! I have a lot of friends that have one fight and that's it, they get divorced. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-ripa/don-t-get-divorced-after-your-first-argument-i-have-a-lot-of-friends/) [Kelly Ripa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-ripa/) > [“The motive behind my arguments have always been to come at truth. I am not interested in conquering anyone with my ideologies or seeking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crystal-evans/the-motive-behind-my-arguments-have-always-been-to-come-at-truth-i-am/) [Crystal Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crystal-evans/) > [In presenting a mathematical argument the great thing is to give the educated reader the chance to catch on at once to the momentary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edensor-littlewood/in-presenting-a-mathematical-argument-the-great-thing-is-to-give-the/) [John Edensor Littlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edensor-littlewood/) [Browse all 3,479 Argument quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Lincoln had entirely outgrown juvenile delight in religious argument. Talking with God seemed to the mature Lincoln more important than talking about Him.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Elton Trueblood" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-trueblood/lincoln-had-entirely-outgrown-juvenile-delight-in-religious-argument/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Argument" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-trueblood/lincoln-had-entirely-outgrown-juvenile-delight-in-religious-argument/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f42/elton-trueblood-18687_argument_lincoln-had-entirely-outgrown-juvenile-d_1465485.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f42/elton-trueblood-18687_argument_lincoln-had-entirely-outgrown-juvenile-d_1465485.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f42/elton-trueblood-18687_argument_lincoln-had-entirely-outgrown-juvenile-d_1465485.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Lincoln had entirely outgrown juvenile delight in religious argument. Talking with God seemed to the mature…” — Elton Trueblood", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Elton Trueblood", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-trueblood/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Lincoln had entirely outgrown juvenile delight...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-trueblood/lincoln-had-entirely-outgrown-juvenile-delight-in-religious-argument/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-trueblood/lincoln-had-entirely-outgrown-juvenile-delight-in-religious-argument/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```