--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Whether you think Jesus was God or not…" description: "\"Whether you think Jesus was God or not, you must admit he was a first-rate political economist.\" — George Bernard Shaw" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac0/george-bernard-shaw-68_agnostic_whether-you-think-jesus-was-god-or-not-y_780630.png" --- # Whether you think Jesus was God or not, you must admit he… ![“Whether you think Jesus was God or not, you must admit he was a first-rate political economist.” quote by George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac0/george-bernard-shaw-68_agnostic_whether-you-think-jesus-was-god-or-not-y_780630.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac0/george-bernard-shaw-68_agnostic_whether-you-think-jesus-was-god-or-not-y_780630.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac0/george-bernard-shaw-68_agnostic_whether-you-think-jesus-was-god-or-not-y_780630.png) > “Whether you think Jesus was God or not, you must admit he was a first-rate political economist.” [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Shaw argues that Jesus displayed sophisticated economic insight, regardless of theological views. **In simple terms:** Jesus acted like a skilled political economist. Key Takeaway Recognize practical wisdom in historical figures. Themes politics economics religion leadership Mood critical thoughtful Type analytical historical When to use this quote - Teaching history - political debate - policy analysis Key Concepts Economic theory historical analysis critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - How does economic analysis change our view of religious leaders? - Can practical skill be separated from spiritual influence? A Different Perspective Shaw’s view may oversimplify complex theological roles. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Agnostic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agnostic/) [Economics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economics/) [Economist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economist/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jesus/) [Jesus god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jesus-god/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [You can make even a parrot into a learned political economist - all he must learn are the two words "supply" and "demand."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/you-can-make-even-a-parrot-into-a-learned-political-economist-all-he/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [History should be to the political economist a wellspring of experience and wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/history-should-be-to-the-political-economist-a-wellspring-of/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [No real English gentleman, in his secret soul, was ever sorry for the death of a political economist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-bagehot/no-real-english-gentleman-in-his-secret-soul-was-ever-sorry-for-the/) [Walter Bagehot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-bagehot/) > [The business of a Political Economist is neither to recommend nor to dissuade, but to state general principles, which it is fatal to neglect,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassau-william-senior/the-business-of-a-political-economist-is-neither-to-recommend-nor-to/) [Nassau William Senior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassau-william-senior/) > [One of the best predictors of policy around is Thomas Ferguson's investment theory of politics, as he calls it - very outstanding political economist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/one-of-the-best-predictors-of-policy-around-is-thomas-ferguson-s/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The ministers are in duty bound to denounce all intellectual pride, and show that we are never quite so dear to God as when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/the-ministers-are-in-duty-bound-to-denounce-all-intellectual-pride/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [There are four things that we ought to do with the Word of God - admit it as the Word of God, commit it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wilberforce/there-are-four-things-that-we-ought-to-do-with-the-word-of-god-admit/) [William Wilberforce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wilberforce/) > [God I admit I'm just a weak person I lost so many people jesus I dont know what to do I dont but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalya-johnson/god-i-admit-i-m-just-a-weak-person-i-lost-so-many-people-jesus-i-dont/) [Natalya Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalya-johnson/) > [But if we admit God, must we admit Miracle? Indeed, indeed, you have no security against it. That is the bargain. Theology says to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/but-if-we-admit-god-must-we-admit-miracle-indeed-indeed-you-have-no/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [God ceases to be God only for those who can admit the possibility of His non-existence, and that conception is in itself the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-casanova/god-ceases-to-be-god-only-for-those-who-can-admit-the-possibility-of/) [Giacomo Casanova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-casanova/) > [To worship God is to admit that we are entirely contrary to Him, and that He is willing to make us like Himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brother-lawrence/to-worship-god-is-to-admit-that-we-are-entirely-contrary-to-him-and/) [Brother Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brother-lawrence/) > [“Dear God, I admit that I’m a sinner. I am sorry for my sins. Please forgive me and save me. I ask this in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/dear-god-i-admit-that-i-m-a-sinner-i-am-sorry-for-my-sins-please/) [Tim LaHaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lahaye/) > [The happiness of credulity is a cheap and dangerous quality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/the-happiness-of-credulity-is-a-cheap-and-dangerous-quality/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [“Belief in God meant belief in the old tribal idol called Jehovah; and I would not pretend I did not know whether it existed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/belief-in-god-meant-belief-in-the-old-tribal-idol-called-jehovah-and/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [The policy of letting things alone, in the practical sense that the Government should never interfere with business or go into business itself, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/the-policy-of-letting-things-alone-in-the-practical-sense-that-the/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) ## More by George Bernard Shaw > [I love little children too but I don't cut off their heads and stick them in vases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/i-love-little-children-too-but-i-don-t-cut-off-their-heads-and-stick/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [Blasphemy and sedition (meaning the truth about Church and State).](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/blasphemy-and-sedition-meaning-the-truth-about-church-and-state/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [In the arts of life, man invents nothing; but in the arts of death he outdoes Nature herself, and produces by chemistry and machinery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/in-the-arts-of-life-man-invents-nothing-but-in-the-arts-of-death-he/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [“My religious convictions and scientific views cannot at present be more specifically defined than as those of a believer in creative evolution. I desire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/my-religious-convictions-and-scientific-views-cannot-at-present-be/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [What a man believes may be ascertained, not from his creed, but from the assumptions on which he habitually acts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/what-a-man-believes-may-be-ascertained-not-from-his-creed-but-from/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [You are my inspiration and my folly. You are my light across the sea, my million nameless joys, and my day's wage. You are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/you-are-my-inspiration-and-my-folly-you-are-my-light-across-the-sea/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [Men have to do some awfully mean things to keep up their respectability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/men-have-to-do-some-awfully-mean-things-to-keep-up-their/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [The schoolmaster is the person who takes the children off the parents' hands for a consideration. That is to say, he establishes a child…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/the-schoolmaster-is-the-person-who-takes-the-children-off-the-parents/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [As long as I have a want, I have a reason for living. Satisfaction is death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/as-long-as-i-have-a-want-i-have-a-reason-for-living-satisfaction-is/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [The camera can represent flesh so superbly that, if I dared, I would never photograph a figure without asking that figure to take its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/the-camera-can-represent-flesh-so-superbly-that-if-i-dared-i-would/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [A man who is not a communist at the age of twenty is a fool. Any man who is still communist at the age…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/a-man-who-is-not-a-communist-at-the-age-of-twenty-is-a-fool-any-man/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [But to admire a strong person and to live under that strong person’s thumb are two different things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/but-to-admire-a-strong-person-and-to-live-under-that-strong-person-s/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [Socialism is the same as Communism, only better English.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/socialism-is-the-same-as-communism-only-better-english/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [The person who is ignorant enough to believe that his nourishment depends on meat is in a horrible dilemma.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/the-person-who-is-ignorant-enough-to-believe-that-his-nourishment/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [In the arts of peace Man is a bungler.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/in-the-arts-of-peace-man-is-a-bungler/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) [Explore all 1,640 George Bernard Shaw quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) ## More Agnostic quotes > [“She herself vacillated when it came to belief. She did not particularly believe in God. Or, rather, she didn't believe in a particular God.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allegra-goodman/she-herself-vacillated-when-it-came-to-belief-she-did-not/) [Allegra Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allegra-goodman/) > [The prayer of the agnostic: "O God, if there is a God, save my soul if I have a soul."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-renan/the-prayer-of-the-agnostic-o-god-if-there-is-a-god-save-my-soul-if-i/) [Ernest Renan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-renan/) > [I'm actually, for the most part, a complete agnostic politically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-witten/i-m-actually-for-the-most-part-a-complete-agnostic-politically/) [Edward Witten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-witten/) > [Even when I was saying I was Agnostic and trying to figure out my thoughts, I felt God was allowing me to do that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfre-woodard/even-when-i-was-saying-i-was-agnostic-and-trying-to-figure-out-my/) [Alfre Woodard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfre-woodard/) > [There is, in fact, nothing about religious opinions that entitles them to any more respect than other opinions get. On the contrary, they tend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/there-is-in-fact-nothing-about-religious-opinions-that-entitles-them/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [“Some people are so stiff and inhumane as the dogma's they believe in”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/some-people-are-so-stiff-and-inhumane-as-the-dogma-s-they-believe-in/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [“An atheist is someone who is disappointed in his search of god. He is a man who strongly needed god but couldn't find him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/an-atheist-is-someone-who-is-disappointed-in-his-search-of-god-he-is/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [If a humanist or an atheist or an agnostic says, "We'll bake you a pie," we can go right into the kitchen and bake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madalyn-murray-o-hair/if-a-humanist-or-an-atheist-or-an-agnostic-says-we-ll-bake-you-a-pie/) [Madalyn Murray O'Hair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madalyn-murray-o-hair/) > [I'm agnostic because I went through the usual process of parents insisting you go to church, and yet they didn't. So there's me, sitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ridley-scott/i-m-agnostic-because-i-went-through-the-usual-process-of-parents/) [Ridley Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ridley-scott/) > [Intellect, at its best, can make you agnostic. Being theist or atheist is still a matter of choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raheel-farooq/intellect-at-its-best-can-make-you-agnostic-being-theist-or-atheist/) [Raheel Farooq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raheel-farooq/) > [To be agnostic is to be open-minded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-be-agnostic-is-to-be-open-minded/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [All Gaza's temples are torn down and burned and the city is cleansed of every belief but the Christian faith. The most stubborn opponents,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsay-macmullen/all-gaza-s-temples-are-torn-down-and-burned-and-the-city-is-cleansed/) [Ramsay MacMullen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsay-macmullen/) > [I'm still agnostic. But in the words of Elton Richards, I'm now a reverant agnostic. Which isn't an oxymoron, I swear. I now believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-still-agnostic-but-in-the-words-of-elton-richards-i-m-now-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I'm agnostic. By definition, I'm unsure of what to believe in, but I'm also borderline-capable of believing in anything and everything, or nothing at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-lola/i-m-agnostic-by-definition-i-m-unsure-of-what-to-believe-in-but-i-m/) [Lauren Lola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-lola/) > [“The Agnostic is one who asserts 'what no one denies' that there are limits to the sphere of human intelligence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-stephen/the-agnostic-is-one-who-asserts-what-no-one-denies-that-there-are/) [Leslie Stephen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-stephen/) [Browse all 492 Agnostic quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agnostic/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Whether you think Jesus was God or not, you must admit he was a first-rate political economist.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George Bernard Shaw" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/whether-you-think-jesus-was-god-or-not-you-must-admit-he-was-a-first/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Agnostic" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/whether-you-think-jesus-was-god-or-not-you-must-admit-he-was-a-first/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac0/george-bernard-shaw-68_agnostic_whether-you-think-jesus-was-god-or-not-y_780630.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac0/george-bernard-shaw-68_agnostic_whether-you-think-jesus-was-god-or-not-y_780630.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac0/george-bernard-shaw-68_agnostic_whether-you-think-jesus-was-god-or-not-y_780630.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Whether you think Jesus was God or not, you must admit he was a first-rate political economist.” — George Bernard Shaw", "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": "George Bernard Shaw", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Whether you think Jesus was God...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/whether-you-think-jesus-was-god-or-not-you-must-admit-he-was-a-first/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/whether-you-think-jesus-was-god-or-not-you-must-admit-he-was-a-first/#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 } } ] } ```