--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That story you heard? About how we were…" description: "\"“That story you heard? About how we were all created by a super-powerful dude named God who lives up in the sky? Total bullshit. The whole God thing is..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b06/ernest-cline-1857_fairy-tale_that-story-you-heard-about-how-we-were-a_318472.png" --- # That story you heard? About how we were all created by a… ![“That story you heard? About how we were all created by a super-powerful dude named God who lives up in the sky? Total bullshit. The whole God thing is actually an ancient fairy tale that people have been telling one another for thousands of years. We made it all up. Like Santa Claus and the Easter…” quote by Ernest Cline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b06/ernest-cline-1857_fairy-tale_that-story-you-heard-about-how-we-were-a_318472.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b06/ernest-cline-1857_fairy-tale_that-story-you-heard-about-how-we-were-a_318472.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b06/ernest-cline-1857_fairy-tale_that-story-you-heard-about-how-we-were-a_318472.png) > ““That story you heard? About how we were all created by a super-powerful dude named God who lives up in the sky? Total bullshit. The whole God thing is actually an ancient fairy tale that people have been telling one another for thousands of years. We made it all up. Like Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny.”” [Ernest Cline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-cline/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The narrator dismisses belief in God as a myth comparable to modern folklore, emphasizing human invention of such stories. **In simple terms:** God is a myth like Santa. Key Takeaway Question assumptions about faith. Themes skepticism mythology secularism Mood critical provocative Type philosophical controversial When to use this quote - debate - education - personal belief - media critique Key Concepts religion cultural narratives Questions to Reflect On - What role do myths play in society? - How can we discuss belief respectfully? A Different Perspective Such statements can alienate believers and oversimplify complex faith traditions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fairy tale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fairy-tale/) ## Related quotes > [“I wish someone had just told me the truth right up front, as soon as I was old enough to understand it. I wish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-cline/i-wish-someone-had-just-told-me-the-truth-right-up-front-as-soon-as-i/) [Ernest Cline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-cline/) > [“We all know the story. We heard it not long after the Night of Fire and Wind. You were the low born library girl…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elise-kova/we-all-know-the-story-we-heard-it-not-long-after-the-night-of-fire/) [Elise Kova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elise-kova/) > [I have outlived that care that curries public favour or dreads the public frown…let the hand of law strike me down if it will,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ned-kelly/i-have-outlived-that-care-that-curries-public-favour-or-dreads-the/) [Ned Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ned-kelly/) > [“Because it is human nature to believe the first story heard, and not its rebuttal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-longshore/because-it-is-human-nature-to-believe-the-first-story-heard-and-not/) [Katherine Longshore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-longshore/) > [The biggest thing is to let your voice be heard, let your story be heard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwyane-wade/the-biggest-thing-is-to-let-your-voice-be-heard-let-your-story-be/) [Dwyane Wade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwyane-wade/) > [They might know your name, not your story. They heard what you've done, but not what you've been through, so take their opinion of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley/they-might-know-your-name-not-your-story-they-heard-what-you-ve-done/) [Shirley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley/) > [“This is the saddest story I have ever heard.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ford-madox-ford/this-is-the-saddest-story-i-have-ever-heard/) [Ford Madox Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ford-madox-ford/) > [You know my name, not my story - you heard what ive done, not what ive been through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-know-my-name-not-my-story-you-heard-what-ive-done-not-what-ive/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life is a story told, a story told is a story heard, make yours an unforgettable tale.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/copyright-2002-john-udemba/life-is-a-story-told-a-story-told-is-a-story-heard-make-yours-an/) Copyright © 2002 John Udemba > [Storytelling in general is a communal act. Throughout human history, people would gather around, whether by the fire or at a tavern, and tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-gordon-levitt/storytelling-in-general-is-a-communal-act-throughout-human-history/) [Joseph Gordon-Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-gordon-levitt/) > [“Really, Agatha, you might have told me.” "Told you what?” Mairelon said. “That my ward was once a street thief? I didn’t think it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-c-wrede/really-agatha-you-might-have-told-me-told-you-what-mairelon-said-that/) [Patricia C. Wrede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-c-wrede/) > [“Learn to live, love and laugh…And to enjoy a good story when there is one to be heard.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-edward-simone/learn-to-live-love-and-laugh-and-to-enjoy-a-good-story-when-there-is/) [Val Edward Simone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-edward-simone/) > [“Between the lines of every story there is another story, and that is one that is never heard and can only be guessed at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/between-the-lines-of-every-story-there-is-another-story-and-that-is/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) > [“This all has got to be, patently, the most unbelievable, the most ridiculous story I have ever heard. Somehow coming from your mouth, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/this-all-has-got-to-be-patently-the-most-unbelievable-the-most/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [When one side only of a story is heard and often repeated, the human mind becomes impressed with it insensibly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/when-one-side-only-of-a-story-is-heard-and-often-repeated-the-human/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) ## More by Ernest Cline > [“Halliday’s favorites, like WarGames, Ghostbusters, Real Genius, Better Off Dead, or Revenge of the Nerds”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-cline/halliday-s-favorites-like-wargames-ghostbusters-real-genius-better/) [Ernest Cline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-cline/) > [“Ray seemed to subsist primarily on a diet of high-fructose junk food and old videogames. It was hard not to love the guy. Back”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-cline/ray-seemed-to-subsist-primarily-on-a-diet-of-high-fructose-junk-food/) [Ernest Cline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-cline/) > [“Besides, what if BSG and Firefly took place in the same universe? You ever consider that?” I”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-cline/besides-what-if-bsg-and-firefly-took-place-in-the-same-universe-you/) [Ernest Cline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-cline/) > [My characters are all kind of geek archetypes of people I've encountered at gaming and comic book conventions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-cline/my-characters-are-all-kind-of-geek-archetypes-of-people-i-ve/) [Ernest Cline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-cline/) > [“I understood her, trusted her, and loved her as a dear friend. None of that had changed, or could be changed by anything as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-cline/i-understood-her-trusted-her-and-loved-her-as-a-dear-friend-none-of/) [Ernest Cline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-cline/) > [“Dilettantes,’ Art3mis said. ‘It’s their own fault for not knowing all the Schoolhouse Rock! lyrics by heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-cline/dilettantes-art3mis-said-it-s-their-own-fault-for-not-knowing-all-the/) [Ernest Cline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-cline/) > [“I fired a last volley of plasma bolts at the unprotected enemy ship, which was already vibrating from the buildup of power in its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-cline/i-fired-a-last-volley-of-plasma-bolts-at-the-unprotected-enemy-ship/) [Ernest Cline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-cline/) > [I've heard Stephen King say that when you write a novel you end up revealing everything about yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-cline/i-ve-heard-stephen-king-say-that-when-you-write-a-novel-you-end-up/) [Ernest Cline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-cline/) > [Everybody uses pop culture as a shorthand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-cline/everybody-uses-pop-culture-as-a-shorthand/) [Ernest Cline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-cline/) > [“Something Daito had left to me in his will.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-cline/something-daito-had-left-to-me-in-his-will/) [Ernest Cline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-cline/) > [The clans began to bombard the outer force field with rockets, missiles, nukes, and harsh language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-cline/the-clans-began-to-bombard-the-outer-force-field-with-rockets/) [Ernest Cline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-cline/) > [“tried to keep my cool. I tried to remain skeptical. I reminded myself that I was a man of science, even if I did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-cline/tried-to-keep-my-cool-i-tried-to-remain-skeptical-i-reminded-myself/) [Ernest Cline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-cline/) > [I notice when I'm at a party where I don't know anybody - even if I have nothing in common with somebody - we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-cline/i-notice-when-i-m-at-a-party-where-i-don-t-know-anybody-even-if-i/) [Ernest Cline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-cline/) > [“Not trusting my instincts any further, I loaded up a piece of high-end avatar dance software called Travoltra, which I’d downloaded and tested earlier…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-cline/not-trusting-my-instincts-any-further-i-loaded-up-a-piece-of-high-end/) [Ernest Cline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-cline/) > [I burned through all of my extra lives in a matter of minutes, and my two least-favorite words appeared on the screen: GAME OVER.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-cline/i-burned-through-all-of-my-extra-lives-in-a-matter-of-minutes-and-my/) [Ernest Cline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-cline/) [Explore all 184 Ernest Cline quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-cline/) ## More Fairy tale quotes > [“From that time on they both looked forward to sleeping together. I might even say that the goal of their lovemaking was not so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/from-that-time-on-they-both-looked-forward-to-sleeping-together-i/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [I know my hair is out of the '60's, my clothes are '50's and the shoes I wear are from the '40's. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/i-know-my-hair-is-out-of-the-60-s-my-clothes-are-50-s-and-the-shoes-i/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) > [I have always been fascinated by the supernatural elements in stories, whether fairy tales, myths, film or literature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trudi-canavan/i-have-always-been-fascinated-by-the-supernatural-elements-in-stories/) [Trudi Canavan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trudi-canavan/) > [“If this were a fairy tale, this would be the part where the fishboy appears and Diana shoots him through the heart. Because he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-moskowitz/if-this-were-a-fairy-tale-this-would-be-the-part-where-the-fishboy/) [Hannah Moskowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-moskowitz/) > [“Yes sir, the fish was left in place of the crystal ball. It's been bagged and tagged for analysis.” Great. Now we have another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-f-stewart/yes-sir-the-fish-was-left-in-place-of-the-crystal-ball-it-s-been/) [A.F. Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-f-stewart/) > [Here is the world of imagination, hopes, and dreams. In this timeless land of enchantment, the age of chivalry, magic and make-believe are reborn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/here-is-the-world-of-imagination-hopes-and-dreams-in-this-timeless/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [Look at Jane Austen. Her characters derive in a reasonably straight line from fairy tales.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-davies/look-at-jane-austen-her-characters-derive-in-a-reasonably-straight/) [Andrew Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-davies/) > [Letters crossing in the post, unfamiliar tunes heard three times in one day, the way that blows of fate descend upon the same bowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/letters-crossing-in-the-post-unfamiliar-tunes-heard-three-times-in/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [“He always had bread crumbs in his voice, and I followed them like a fairy tale.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courtney-c-stevens/he-always-had-bread-crumbs-in-his-voice-and-i-followed-them-like-a/) [Courtney C. Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courtney-c-stevens/) > [“What the Boy chiefly dabbled in was natural history and fairy tales, and he just took them as they came, in a sandwichy sort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-grahame/what-the-boy-chiefly-dabbled-in-was-natural-history-and-fairy-tales/) [Kenneth Grahame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-grahame/) > [“Go out into the world, traveler. See what the long nights and hard days feel like, after a week of them.” “Perhaps I will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-arden/go-out-into-the-world-traveler-see-what-the-long-nights-and-hard-days/) [Katherine Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-arden/) > [I grew up watching monster movies and horror movies, which I felt were like fairy tales and I think this always spoke to me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-burton/i-grew-up-watching-monster-movies-and-horror-movies-which-i-felt-were/) [Tim Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-burton/) > [“The consolation of fairy-stories, the joy of the happy ending; or more correctly of the good catastrophe, the sudden joyous "turn" (for there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/the-consolation-of-fairy-stories-the-joy-of-the-happy-ending-or-more/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) > [Here about the beach I wandered, nourishing a youth sublime With the fairy tales of science, and the long result of Time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/here-about-the-beach-i-wandered-nourishing-a-youth-sublime-with-the/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [How much more of the mosque, of prayer and fasting? Better go drunk and begging round the taverns. Khayyam, drink wine, for soon this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omar-khayy-m/how-much-more-of-the-mosque-of-prayer-and-fasting-better-go-drunk-and/) [Omar Khayyam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omar-khayy-m/) [Browse all 1,689 Fairy tale quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fairy-tale/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“That story you heard? About how we were all created by a super-powerful dude named God who lives up in the sky? 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