--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If the average man is made in God's…" description: "\"“If the average man is made in God's image, then a man such as Beethoven or Aristotle is plainly superior to God, and so God may be jealous of him, and..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/889/h-l-mencken-2-5374_god_if-the-average-man-is-made-in-god-s-imag_338486.jpg" --- # If the average man is made in God's image, then a man such… ![“If the average man is made in God's image, then a man such as Beethoven or Aristotle is plainly superior to God, and so God may be jealous of him, and eager to see his superiority perish with his bodily frame. All animal breeders know how difficult it is to maintain a fine strain. The universe…” quote by H.L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/889/h-l-mencken-2-5374_god_if-the-average-man-is-made-in-god-s-imag_338486.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/889/h-l-mencken-2-5374_god_if-the-average-man-is-made-in-god-s-imag_338486.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/889/h-l-mencken-2-5374_god_if-the-average-man-is-made-in-god-s-imag_338486.jpg) > ““If the average man is made in God's image, then a man such as Beethoven or Aristotle is plainly superior to God, and so God may be jealous of him, and eager to see his superiority perish with his bodily frame. All animal breeders know how difficult it is to maintain a fine strain. The universe seems to be in a conspiracy to encourage the endless reproduction of peasants and Socialists, but a subtle and mysterious opposition stands eternally against the reproduction of philosophers.”” [H.L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human excellence is portrayed as a threat to divine authority, suggesting a cosmic tension between superior individuals and the masses. **In simple terms:** Great minds challenge higher powers. Key Takeaway Value exceptional talent while acknowledging humility. Themes elitism philosophy power human nature Mood critical thought‑provoking Type essay philosophical When to use this quote - leadership development - talent management - ethical debates Key Concepts existentialism social hierarchy Questions to Reflect On - Is superiority inherent or constructed? - How should society balance elite contributions with egalitarian values? A Different Perspective It can foster arrogance and devalue collective effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) ## Related quotes > [If the average man is made in God's image, then such a man as Beethoven or Aristotle is plainly superior to God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/if-the-average-man-is-made-in-god-s-image-then-such-a-man-as/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [If the average man is made in God's image, then a man such as Beethoven or Aristotle is plainly superior to God, and so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/if-the-average-man-is-made-in-god-s-image-then-a-man-such-as-2/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [“The one, who can see all his own faults, he is superior of even God Himself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/the-one-who-can-see-all-his-own-faults-he-is-superior-of-even-god/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“Whom can you consider as God? It is he who has become completely independent in this world and he does not have anyone above…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/whom-can-you-consider-as-god-it-is-he-who-has-become-completely/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“There are three stupids: A woman who thinks she does not deserve more, a man who believes he is superior, and a God who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/there-are-three-stupids-a-woman-who-thinks-she-does-not-deserve-more/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [That she does not crouch today where St Paul tried to bind her, she owes to the men who are grand and brave enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-h-gardener/that-she-does-not-crouch-today-where-st-paul-tried-to-bind-her-she/) [Helen H. Gardener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-h-gardener/) > [“Fear God. Based on everything we’ve seen of God in the Old Testament, this is pretty good advice. God is jealous. God is angry.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-wenke/fear-god-based-on-everything-we-ve-seen-of-god-in-the-old-testament/) [Joe Wenke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-wenke/) > [“The air of a deposed prince. falsehood as restorative-if they wouldnt do that if they wouldnt do all that they do. the body as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-koertge/the-air-of-a-deposed-prince-falsehood-as-restorative-if-they-wouldnt/) [Ron Koertge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-koertge/) > [Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bible/thou-shalt-not-bow-down-thyself-to-them-nor-serve-them-for-i-the-lord/) [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bible/) > [“Love motivates self-less jealousy. God is jealous on our behalf. He is jealous for us to know the One True God. He is jealous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/love-motivates-self-less-jealousy-god-is-jealous-on-our-behalf-he-is/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [“If God is jealous herein, we should be so, afraid of offering any worship to God otherwise than as he has appointed in his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henry/if-god-is-jealous-herein-we-should-be-so-afraid-of-offering-any/) [Matthew Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-henry/) > [Every god is a jealous god after the breakdown of the bicameral mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-jaynes/every-god-is-a-jealous-god-after-the-breakdown-of-the-bicameral-mind/) [Julian Jaynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-jaynes/) > [“Man is like a bride unto God. God is jealous when man veers away from Him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaachynma-n-e-agu/man-is-like-a-bride-unto-god-god-is-jealous-when-man-veers-away-from/) [Jaachynma N.E. Agu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaachynma-n-e-agu/) > [If you will not have God (and He is a jealous God), you should pay your respects to Hitler or Stalin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-will-not-have-god-and-he-is-a-jealous-god-you-should-pay-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Every man or woman who loves Him, they hate Him too, because He's a hard God, a jealous God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/every-man-or-woman-who-loves-him-they-hate-him-too-because-he-s-a/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) ## More by H.L. Mencken > [“Suffice it to say that the vile arts of the hussy prevailed over that noble and upright man—that she enticed him, by adroit appeals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken-2/suffice-it-to-say-that-the-vile-arts-of-the-hussy-prevailed-over-that/) [H.L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken-2/) > [“I can't recall a single masculine figure created by a woman who is not, at bottom, a booby.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken-2/i-can-t-recall-a-single-masculine-figure-created-by-a-woman-who-is/) [H.L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken-2/) > [“As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken-2/as-democracy-is-perfected-the-office-of-president-represents-more-and/) [H.L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken-2/) > [ “If there had been any formidable body of cannibals in the country he \[Harry Truman\] would have promised to provide them with free missionaries,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken-2/if-there-had-been-any-formidable-body-of-cannibals-in-the-country-he/) [H.L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken-2/) > [“I have seen something of the horrors of war, and much too much of the worse horrors of peace.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken-2/i-have-seen-something-of-the-horrors-of-war-and-much-too-much-of-the/) [H.L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken-2/) > [“Don’t tell me. I have been there. No longer ago than last Tuesday—or was it last Monday?—I went into one of those big restaurants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken-2/don-t-tell-me-i-have-been-there-no-longer-ago-than-last-tuesday-or/) [H.L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken-2/) > [“ONE OF the most irrational of all the conventions of modern society is the one to the effect that religious opinions should be respected.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken-2/one-of-the-most-irrational-of-all-the-conventions-of-modern-society/) [H.L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken-2/) > [“But though every normal man thus cherishes the soothing unction that he is the intellectual superior of all women, and particularly of his wife,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken-2/but-though-every-normal-man-thus-cherishes-the-soothing-unction-that/) [H.L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken-2/) > [“The American moron’s mind simply does not run in that direction; he wants to keep his Ford, even at the cost of losing the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken-2/the-american-moron-s-mind-simply-does-not-run-in-that-direction-he/) [H.L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken-2/) > [“Once I ventured the guess that men worked in response to a vague inner urge for self-expression. But that was probably a shaky theory,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken-2/once-i-ventured-the-guess-that-men-worked-in-response-to-a-vague/) [H.L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken-2/) > [“He writes the worst English that I have ever encountered. It reminds me of a string of wet sponges; it reminds me of tattered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken-2/he-writes-the-worst-english-that-i-have-ever-encountered-it-reminds/) [H.L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken-2/) > [“For men become civilized, not in proportion to their willingness to believe, but in proportion to their readiness to doubt. The more stupid the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken-2/for-men-become-civilized-not-in-proportion-to-their-willingness-to/) [H.L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken-2/) > [“Where is the graveyard of dead gods? What lingering mourner waters their mounds? There was a time when Jupiter was the king of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken-2/where-is-the-graveyard-of-dead-gods-what-lingering-mourner-waters/) [H.L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken-2/) > [“If I had my way no man guilty of golf would be eligible to any office of trust or profit under the United States,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken-2/if-i-had-my-way-no-man-guilty-of-golf-would-be-eligible-to-any-office/) [H.L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken-2/) > [“Socialism, Puritanism, Philistinism, Christianity— he saw them all as allotropic forms of democracy, as variations upon the endless struggle of quantity against quality, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken-2/socialism-puritanism-philistinism-christianity-he-saw-them-all-as/) [H.L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken-2/) [Explore all 99 H.L. Mencken quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken-2/) ## More God quotes > [I don't drink much anymore, but when I traveled with Frank Sinatra, God rest his soul, I used to drink like I could do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-rickles/i-don-t-drink-much-anymore-but-when-i-traveled-with-frank-sinatra-god/) [Don Rickles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-rickles/) > [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. He hates it so much that He was willing to take on human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/god-hates-hell-he-hates-the-idea-of-people-going-there-he-hates-it-so/) [Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/) > [“am not suggesting that successes in academics, athletics, or vocation somehow stand outside God’s good plan. Learning and play are joys that God himself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-paul-jones/am-not-suggesting-that-successes-in-academics-athletics-or-vocation/) [Timothy Paul Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-paul-jones/) > [I pray that wherever we are and whatever duties we have in the priesthood of God, we will be united in the cause to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/i-pray-that-wherever-we-are-and-whatever-duties-we-have-in-the/) [Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [God's love never fail :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-s-love-never-fail/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Here's the reality. The image of a white Jesus has been used to justify enslavement, conquest, colonialism, the genocide of indigenous peoples. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/here-s-the-reality-the-image-of-a-white-jesus-has-been-used-to/) [Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/) > [The faster you go, the shorter you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-faster-you-go-the-shorter-you-are/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [A lot of people have been saying 'The 100' reminds them of 'Lord Of The Flies,' 'Lost' and 'Battlestar Galactica,' and all of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-avgeropoulos/a-lot-of-people-have-been-saying-the-100-reminds-them-of-lord-of-the/) [Marie Avgeropoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-avgeropoulos/) > [As we are coming to the end of the year, I want you to forget about the past, the failure, the negative thoughts or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-we-are-coming-to-the-end-of-the-year-i-want-you-to-forget-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I wonder: when a Jehovah's Witness dies and goes to Heaven, does God hide behind the door and pretend He's not home?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-celio/i-wonder-when-a-jehovah-s-witness-dies-and-goes-to-heaven-does-god/) [Brian Celio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-celio/) > [What would God have me do with my life?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/what-would-god-have-me-do-with-my-life/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [God always gets the glory when Jesus comes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louie-giglio/god-always-gets-the-glory-when-jesus-comes/) [Louie Giglio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louie-giglio/) > [“Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/do-all-the-good-you-can-by-all-the-means-you-can-in-all-the-ways-you/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [You are a God Act like one!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-leary/you-are-a-god-act-like-one/) [Timothy Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-leary/) [Browse all 37,707 God quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If the average man is made in God's image, then a man such as Beethoven or Aristotle is plainly superior to God, and so God may be jealous of him, and eager to see his superiority perish with his bodily frame. All animal breeders know how difficult it is to maintain a fine strain. The universe seems to be in a conspiracy to encourage the endless reproduction of peasants and Socialists, but a subtle and mysterious opposition stands eternally against the reproduction of philosophers.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "H.L. Mencken" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken-2/if-the-average-man-is-made-in-god-s-image-then-a-man-such-as/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "God" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken-2/if-the-average-man-is-made-in-god-s-image-then-a-man-such-as/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/889/h-l-mencken-2-5374_god_if-the-average-man-is-made-in-god-s-imag_338486.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/889/h-l-mencken-2-5374_god_if-the-average-man-is-made-in-god-s-imag_338486.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/889/h-l-mencken-2-5374_god_if-the-average-man-is-made-in-god-s-imag_338486.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If the average man is made in God's image, then a man such as Beethoven or Aristotle is plainly superior to…” — H.L. Mencken", "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": "H.L. Mencken", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken-2/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“If the average man is made...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken-2/if-the-average-man-is-made-in-god-s-image-then-a-man-such-as/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken-2/if-the-average-man-is-made-in-god-s-image-then-a-man-such-as/#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 } } ] } ```