---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is no more terrifying experience…"
description: "\"“There is no more terrifying experience for a Christian than to discover he has suddenly become a rationalist.”\" — Halldór Kiljan Laxness"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bce/halld-r-kiljan-laxness-47318_christian_there-is-no-more-terrifying-experience-f_1881412.jpg"
---

#  There is no more terrifying experience for a Christian…

![“There is no more terrifying experience for a Christian than to discover he has suddenly become a rationalist.” quote by Halldór Kiljan Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bce/halld-r-kiljan-laxness-47318_christian_there-is-no-more-terrifying-experience-f_1881412.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bce/halld-r-kiljan-laxness-47318_christian_there-is-no-more-terrifying-experience-f_1881412.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bce/halld-r-kiljan-laxness-47318_christian_there-is-no-more-terrifying-experience-f_1881412.jpg)

> ““There is no more terrifying experience for a Christian than to discover he has suddenly become a rationalist.””

[Halldór Kiljan Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-kiljan-laxness/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A Christian confronting rationalism feels a profound existential shock, as faith and reason clash.

**In simple terms:** Faith meets reason, causing deep discomfort.

Key Takeaway

Embrace questioning while honoring belief.

Themes

faith reason existential crisis

Mood

conflicted thoughtful

Type

philosophical spiritual

When to use this quote

- personal crisis
- spiritual questioning
- academic debate

Key Concepts

theology philosophy identity crisis

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you reconcile faith with logical inquiry?
- Can doubt coexist with devotion?

A Different Perspective

Rationalism can erode community support for believers.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) [Rationalist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rationalist/) [Terrifying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrifying/)

## Related quotes

> [It's a very strange and quite terrifying experience to watch yourself on TV. I never like to do it with other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-bird/it-s-a-very-strange-and-quite-terrifying-experience-to-watch-yourself/)

[Simon Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-bird/)

> [If you ever find yourself on a boat in the middle of the ocean, you look around in every direction and don't see anything.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-james-marshall/if-you-ever-find-yourself-on-a-boat-in-the-middle-of-the-ocean-you/)

[Kerry James Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-james-marshall/)

> [You go into this survival instinct mode, when you feel like your life is in jeopardy. I found myself in the bathroom with my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-roberts/you-go-into-this-survival-instinct-mode-when-you-feel-like-your-life/)

[Emma Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-roberts/)

> [“Twice I flushed grouse, always a terrifying experience: an instantaneous explosion from the undergrowth at your feet, like balled socks fired from a gun,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bryson/twice-i-flushed-grouse-always-a-terrifying-experience-an/)

[Bill Bryson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bryson/)

> [The only place I do avoid is Trafalgar Square on New Year's Eve. I saw in the New Year there once - it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlene-phillips/the-only-place-i-do-avoid-is-trafalgar-square-on-new-year-s-eve-i-saw/)

[Arlene Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlene-phillips/)

> [My sister and I were driving at night and were followed by guys on a bike. It was a terrifying experience. The ordeal made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shenaz-treasury/my-sister-and-i-were-driving-at-night-and-were-followed-by-guys-on-a/)

[Shenaz Treasury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shenaz-treasury/)

> [Part of the rationalist ethos is binding yourself emotionally to an absolutely lawful reductionistic universe - a universe containing no ontologically basic mental things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/part-of-the-rationalist-ethos-is-binding-yourself-emotionally-to-an/)

[Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/)

> [“And nothing . . . disquiets a rationalist more than a forest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-pogue-harrison/and-nothing-disquiets-a-rationalist-more-than-a-forest/)

[Robert Pogue Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-pogue-harrison/)

> [“If I have to take police protection in my own country from my own people, then there is something wrong with me, I'm fighting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-dabholkar/if-i-have-to-take-police-protection-in-my-own-country-from-my-own/)

Narendra Dabholkar

> [“The romantic seeks only to get his head into the heavens. The rationalist seeks to get the heavens into his head – and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/the-romantic-seeks-only-to-get-his-head-into-the-heavens-the/)

[G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/)

> [I was born into a working class Irish Catholic family at the brutal bottom of the Great Depression. I suppose this early imprinting and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-anton-wilson/i-was-born-into-a-working-class-irish-catholic-family-at-the-brutal/)

[Robert Anton Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-anton-wilson/)

> [“Some of them are blinding glimpses of the obvious (BGOs), several overlap, and I make no claims of discovery. The fundamental proposition – and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-andrew-hugh-gordon/some-of-them-are-blinding-glimpses-of-the-obvious-bgos-several/)

[Gilbert Andrew Hugh Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-andrew-hugh-gordon/)

> [ “They \[progressives\] are men and women who tend to believe that the human being is perfectible and social progress predictable, and that the instrument… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/they-progressives-are-men-and-women-who-tend-to-believe-that-the/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I'm a rationalist and a skeptic, someone who safely separates faith from reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-wittes/i-m-a-rationalist-and-a-skeptic-someone-who-safely-separates-faith/)

[Benjamin Wittes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-wittes/)

> [Ideas are 10 a penny. It's the execution that's the hard thing to do. House is standing up against a tide of sentiment and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-laurie/ideas-are-10-a-penny-it-s-the-execution-that-s-the-hard-thing-to-do/)

[Hugh Laurie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-laurie/)

## More by Halldór Kiljan Laxness

> [“Bishop: No verifying! If people tell lies, that's as may be. If they've come up with some credo or other, so much the better!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-kiljan-laxness/bishop-no-verifying-if-people-tell-lies-that-s-as-may-be-if-they-ve/)

[Halldór Kiljan Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-kiljan-laxness/)

> [“When the boat had gone a few oar-strokes away from land they were still standing on the beach, gazing after the boy whom an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-kiljan-laxness/when-the-boat-had-gone-a-few-oar-strokes-away-from-land-they-were/)

[Halldór Kiljan Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-kiljan-laxness/)

> [“A determinação e o destino são irmãos, e ambos repousam no mesmo coração.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-kiljan-laxness/a-determina-o-e-o-destino-s-o-irm-os-e-ambos-repousam-no-mesmo-cora-o/)

[Halldór Kiljan Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-kiljan-laxness/)

> [“Those who deck themselves out in stolen gods are not viable. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-kiljan-laxness/those-who-deck-themselves-out-in-stolen-gods-are-not-viable/)

[Halldór Kiljan Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-kiljan-laxness/)

[Explore all 5 Halldór Kiljan Laxness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-kiljan-laxness/)

## More Christian quotes

> [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. "Jameson, open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/i-need-a-bath-he-chuckled-you-smell-of-smoke-as-do-i-the-duke-turned/)

[Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/)

> [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/)

[Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/)

> [The truth is, of course, that the curtness of the Ten Commandments is an evidence, not of the gloom and narrowness of a religion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-truth-is-of-course-that-the-curtness-of-the-ten-commandments-is/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Why do Christians sing when they are together? The reason is, quite simply, because in singing together it is possible for them to speak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/why-do-christians-sing-when-they-are-together-the-reason-is-quite/)

[Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/)

> [I'm very used to working with first time actors - you can just look back at 'E.T.' with Drew Barrymore, and Christian Bale from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-m-very-used-to-working-with-first-time-actors-you-can-just-look/)

[Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/)

> [“A question for Christians who accept evolution: When did we gain a "soul"? Did Homo habilis have a soul? Homo ergaster? Did God only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-g-mcafee/a-question-for-christians-who-accept-evolution-when-did-we-gain-a/)

[David G. McAfee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-g-mcafee/)

> [Always have the fear of God in your heart, and remember that God is always with you, everywhere, whether you are walking or sitting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennadius-of-constantinople/always-have-the-fear-of-god-in-your-heart-and-remember-that-god-is/)

[Gennadius of Constantinople](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennadius-of-constantinople/)

> [For many, the call to be a Christian can seem demanding, even overwhelming. But we need not be afraid or feel inadequate. The Savior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-hales/for-many-the-call-to-be-a-christian-can-seem-demanding-even/)

[Robert D. Hales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-hales/)

> [A real Christian in an odd number anyway. He feels supreme love for One whom he has never seen, talks familiarly every day to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-real-christian-in-an-odd-number-anyway-he-feels-supreme-love-for/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [When the Lord Jesus Christ became my surety . . . He went to Calvary's cross, and all my guilt was charged against Him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-allen-ironside/when-the-lord-jesus-christ-became-my-surety-he-went-to-calvary-s/)

[Henry Allen Ironside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-allen-ironside/)

> [The world's history is a divine poem, of which the history of every nation is a canto, and every man a word. Its strains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/the-world-s-history-is-a-divine-poem-of-which-the-history-of-every/)

[James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/)

> [Poor David Hume is dying fast, but with more real cheerfulness and good humor and with more real resignation to the necessary course of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/poor-david-hume-is-dying-fast-but-with-more-real-cheerfulness-and/)

[Adam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-smith/)

> [“Is there any holy beings like human beings?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/is-there-any-holy-beings-like-human-beings/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [Jeff Chu's pilgrimage across America to discover his own place as a gay man in the Christian church as well as attitudes about being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-freitas/jeff-chu-s-pilgrimage-across-america-to-discover-his-own-place-as-a/)

[Donna Freitas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-freitas/)

> [We need to discover all over again that worship is natural to the Christian, as it was to the godly Israelites who wrote the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/we-need-to-discover-all-over-again-that-worship-is-natural-to-the/)

[J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/)

[Browse all 14,306 Christian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“There is no more terrifying experience for a Christian than to discover he has suddenly become a rationalist.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Halldór Kiljan Laxness"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-kiljan-laxness/there-is-no-more-terrifying-experience-for-a-christian-than-to/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Christian"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-kiljan-laxness/there-is-no-more-terrifying-experience-for-a-christian-than-to/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bce/halld-r-kiljan-laxness-47318_christian_there-is-no-more-terrifying-experience-f_1881412.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bce/halld-r-kiljan-laxness-47318_christian_there-is-no-more-terrifying-experience-f_1881412.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bce/halld-r-kiljan-laxness-47318_christian_there-is-no-more-terrifying-experience-f_1881412.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“There is no more terrifying experience for a Christian than to discover he has suddenly become a rationalist.” — Halldór Kiljan Laxness",
                "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": "Halldór Kiljan Laxness",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-kiljan-laxness/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“There is no more terrifying experience...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-kiljan-laxness/there-is-no-more-terrifying-experience-for-a-christian-than-to/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-kiljan-laxness/there-is-no-more-terrifying-experience-for-a-christian-than-to/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
