--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We don't only invent God; we also…" description: "\"We don't only invent God; we also discover God. Looking at the creation, we strive to deduce the nature of the creator. We take familiar images of powe..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/faf/forrest-church-30545_bigs_we-don-t-only-invent-god-we-also-discove_3054173.jpg" --- # We don't only invent God; we also discover God. Looking at… ![“We don't only invent God; we also discover God. Looking at the creation, we strive to deduce the nature of the creator. We take familiar images of power and expand them until they become big enough to encompass the divine.” quote by Forrest Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/faf/forrest-church-30545_bigs_we-don-t-only-invent-god-we-also-discove_3054173.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/faf/forrest-church-30545_bigs_we-don-t-only-invent-god-we-also-discove_3054173.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/faf/forrest-church-30545_bigs_we-don-t-only-invent-god-we-also-discove_3054173.jpg) > “We don't only invent God; we also discover God. Looking at the creation, we strive to deduce the nature of the creator. We take familiar images of power and expand them until they become big enough to encompass the divine.” [Forrest Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forrest-church/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creating and discovering concepts of God involves expanding familiar power images to encompass the divine. **In simple terms:** We expand familiar images to understand divinity. Key Takeaway Explore and broaden spiritual concepts. Themes theology creativity discovery divine Mood inquisitive contemplative Type spiritual philosophical When to use this quote - artistic expression - religious study - personal meditation Key Concepts metaphor expansion philosophical inquiry Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance imagination with doctrine? - What images best represent the divine? A Different Perspective Expanding images may oversimplify complex theology. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Creation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creation/) [Creator](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creator/) [Divine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/divine/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) ## Related quotes > [“The more you discover about God, the more you discover about yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/may-patterson/the-more-you-discover-about-god-the-more-you-discover-about-yourself/) May Patterson > [When we have Nothing left but God... We Discover that God is Enough...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-we-have-nothing-left-but-god-we-discover-that-god-is-enough/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“All religions of a spiritual nature are inventions of man. He has created an entire system of gods with nothing more than his carnal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-szandor-lavey/all-religions-of-a-spiritual-nature-are-inventions-of-man-he-has-2/) [Anton Szandor LaVey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-szandor-lavey/) > [Why would the disciples invent a God whose holiness was more terrifying than the forces of nature that provoked them to invent a god…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/why-would-the-disciples-invent-a-god-whose-holiness-was-more/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If God did not exist, we should have to invent him. If God did exist, we should have to abolish Him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/if-god-did-not-exist-we-should-have-to-invent-him-if-god-did-exist-we/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [If mankind were born tomorrow it would divide into groups; each would scramble to invent their one and only god, and set about butchering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/if-mankind-were-born-tomorrow-it-would-divide-into-groups-each-would/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [“Man is the only animal on earth intelligent enough to invent God and foolish enough to believe in Him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manoj-vaz/man-is-the-only-animal-on-earth-intelligent-enough-to-invent-god-and/) [Manoj Vaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manoj-vaz/) > [“If human beings had really tried to invent a god, we would never have invented the God of Christianity. He’s just too terrifying. Our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-hahn/if-human-beings-had-really-tried-to-invent-a-god-we-would-never-have/) [Scott Hahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-hahn/) > [It was the craving to be a one and only people which impelled the ancient Hebrews to invent a one and only God whose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/it-was-the-craving-to-be-a-one-and-only-people-which-impelled-the/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [There was no religion in my life growing up. Did God invent us or did we invent God?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-izzard/there-was-no-religion-in-my-life-growing-up-did-god-invent-us-or-did/) [Eddie Izzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-izzard/) > [That's all religion is -- some principle you believe in . . . man has accomplished far more miracles than the God he invented.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-steiger/that-s-all-religion-is-some-principle-you-believe-in-man-has/) [Rod Steiger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-steiger/) > [“You never believed in God, Doc, did you? You said if God created man in His image, why couldn't man invent a God that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabih-alameddine/you-never-believed-in-god-doc-did-you-you-said-if-god-created-man-in/) [Rabih Alameddine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabih-alameddine/) > [No books ever go into my laboratory. The thing I am to do and the way are revealed to me the moment I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington-carver/no-books-ever-go-into-my-laboratory-the-thing-i-am-to-do-and-the-way/) [George Washington Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington-carver/) > [“It’s only when you find God that you can discover your calling”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/it-s-only-when-you-find-god-that-you-can-discover-your-calling/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [There are special moments of incredible closeness with God when you discover something new about who he is and about who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-are-special-moments-of-incredible-closeness-with-god-when-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Forrest Church > [Members in the Commonwealth of God are not bound together by the specifics of their religion, for the nature of our interdependency does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forrest-church/members-in-the-commonwealth-of-god-are-not-bound-together-by-the/) [Forrest Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forrest-church/) > [“Where's your church?" "We're standing in it." "But this is a bookstore and it's a Friday." "Yes, but you might also choose to see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forrest-church/where-s-your-church-we-re-standing-in-it-but-this-is-a-bookstore-and/) [Forrest Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forrest-church/) > [Death is not a curse to be outwitted no matter the cost. Death is the natural pivot on which life turns, without which life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forrest-church/death-is-not-a-curse-to-be-outwitted-no-matter-the-cost-death-is-the/) [Forrest Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forrest-church/) > [“None of us is fully able to perceive the truth that shines through another person’s window, nor the falsehood that we may perceive as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forrest-church/none-of-us-is-fully-able-to-perceive-the-truth-that-shines-through/) [Forrest Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forrest-church/) > [The goal is to live in such a way that our lives will prove worth dying for... The one thing that can't be taken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forrest-church/the-goal-is-to-live-in-such-a-way-that-our-lives-will-prove-worth/) [Forrest Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forrest-church/) > [God seeks us as eagerly as we seek God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forrest-church/god-seeks-us-as-eagerly-as-we-seek-god/) [Forrest Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forrest-church/) > [“God language can tie people into knots, of course. In part, that is because ‘God’ is not God's name. Referring to the highest power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forrest-church/god-language-can-tie-people-into-knots-of-course-in-part-that-is/) [Forrest Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forrest-church/) > [Remember, Angels are both God's messengers and God's message, witness to eternity in time, to the presence of the divine amidst the ordinary. Every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forrest-church/remember-angels-are-both-god-s-messengers-and-god-s-message-witness-2/) [Forrest Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forrest-church/) > [“Whenever we give our hearts in love, the burden of our vulnerability grows. We risk being rebuffed or embarrassed or inadequate. Beyond these things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forrest-church/whenever-we-give-our-hearts-in-love-the-burden-of-our-vulnerability/) [Forrest Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forrest-church/) > [America's egalitarian mandate reflects the liberality of the creator, and thus countermands, by divine witness, all feudal and aristocratic structures. It also parallels the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forrest-church/america-s-egalitarian-mandate-reflects-the-liberality-of-the-creator/) [Forrest Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forrest-church/) > [The world does not owe us a living, we owe the world a living, our own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forrest-church/the-world-does-not-owe-us-a-living-we-owe-the-world-a-living-our-own/) [Forrest Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forrest-church/) > [We Unitarian Universalists have inherited a magnificent theological legacy. In a sweeping answer to creeds that divide the human family, Unitarianism proclaims that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forrest-church/we-unitarian-universalists-have-inherited-a-magnificent-theological/) [Forrest Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forrest-church/) > [Most of us would agree that the important thing about Jesus is not his supposed miraculous birth or the claim that he was resurrected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forrest-church/most-of-us-would-agree-that-the-important-thing-about-jesus-is-not/) [Forrest Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forrest-church/) > [“So it's pretty simple for me: Love when you can. Do the work that is yours to do. Be the person that is yours…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forrest-church/so-it-s-pretty-simple-for-me-love-when-you-can-do-the-work-that-is/) [Forrest Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forrest-church/) > [“I say to my congregants, "If you believe in God, the best thing you can do for yourself is to suspend your belief for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forrest-church/i-say-to-my-congregants-if-you-believe-in-god-the-best-thing-you-can/) [Forrest Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forrest-church/) [Explore all 17 Forrest Church quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forrest-church/) ## More Bigs quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [It is said that history turns on small hinges. A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [I'm a true believer in prayer, a big believer in prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-jackson/i-m-a-true-believer-in-prayer-a-big-believer-in-prayer/) [Janet Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-jackson/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [The only regret I have in my career, is my managers wanted a big payday, and I wanted four or five more fights before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-cooney/the-only-regret-i-have-in-my-career-is-my-managers-wanted-a-big/) [Gerry Cooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-cooney/) > [It goes to show you how we in the press so often miss the big stories that are right under our noses. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-goes-to-show-you-how-we-in-the-press-so-often-miss-the-big-stories/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [Okay, so I'll admit I'm curious. Big deal. We both know what that leads to. Dead cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/okay-so-i-ll-admit-i-m-curious-big-deal-we-both-know-what-that-leads/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [I don't want this to be a distraction. This has been distracting enough. I'm not going to rehash this going forward. I'm sure other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-werth/i-don-t-want-this-to-be-a-distraction-this-has-been-distracting/) [Jayson Werth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-werth/) > [I didn't get how big it was until I went home, turned on the television and saw it on all the news, and later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/i-didn-t-get-how-big-it-was-until-i-went-home-turned-on-the/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [It’s a small thing to help one animal, but to that one animal it’s a big thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-baur/it-s-a-small-thing-to-help-one-animal-but-to-that-one-animal-it-s-a/) [Gene Baur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-baur/) > [Since I was a little child, my nose - I think it's too big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-dion/since-i-was-a-little-child-my-nose-i-think-it-s-too-big/) [Celine Dion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-dion/) > [People forget that there is a big difference between coercion and persuasion. The idea that evangelism is coercive is nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/people-forget-that-there-is-a-big-difference-between-coercion-and/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [I turn a lot of stuff down - big, big movies, the kind I wouldn't want to go to the cinema to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-fox/i-turn-a-lot-of-stuff-down-big-big-movies-the-kind-i-wouldn-t-want-to/) [Matthew Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-fox/) > [I got in trouble my whole life for having a big mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-tyler/i-got-in-trouble-my-whole-life-for-having-a-big-mouth/) [Steven Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-tyler/) Browse all 15,539 Bigs quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We don't only invent God; we also discover God. Looking at the creation, we strive to deduce the nature of the creator. 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