---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Every people have gods to suit their…"
description: "\"Every people have gods to suit their circumstances.\" — Henry David Thoreau"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba5/henry-david-thoreau-20_circumstances_every-people-have-gods-to-suit-their-cir_864961.jpg"
---

#  Every people have gods to suit their circumstances.

![“Every people have gods to suit their circumstances.” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba5/henry-david-thoreau-20_circumstances_every-people-have-gods-to-suit-their-cir_864961.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba5/henry-david-thoreau-20_circumstances_every-people-have-gods-to-suit-their-cir_864961.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba5/henry-david-thoreau-20_circumstances_every-people-have-gods-to-suit-their-cir_864961.jpg)

> “Every people have gods to suit their circumstances.”

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

## About This Quote

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

People create deities that reflect their social and personal needs, shaping belief systems to fit their lives.

**In simple terms:** People invent gods that match their situations.

Key Takeaway

Recognize how context shapes belief.

Themes

religion culture psychology

Mood

contemplative analytical

Type

philosophical observational

When to use this quote

- personal crisis
- political movements
- social cohesion
- identity formation

Key Concepts

anthropology mythmaking

Questions to Reflect On

- How do your circumstances influence your spiritual views?
- Can you imagine a world without tailored deities?

A Different Perspective

Beliefs may be used to justify harmful actions.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Gods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gods/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/)

## Related quotes

> [Gods? Don't let that impress you. Anyone can be a god if they have enough worshippers. You don't even have to have powers anymore.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-harris/gods-don-t-let-that-impress-you-anyone-can-be-a-god-if-they-have/)

[Joanne Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-harris/)

> [People are gods, God is in each of us, we are all gods as we want to be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miroslav-mircevski-spasov/people-are-gods-god-is-in-each-of-us-we-are-all-gods-as-we-want-to-be/)

[Miroslav Mircevski Spasov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miroslav-mircevski-spasov/)

> [“The opinions held by most people about the gods are not true conceptions of them but fallacious notions, according to which awful penalties are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/the-opinions-held-by-most-people-about-the-gods-are-not-true/)

[Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/)

> [Were there a people of gods, their government would be democratic. So perfect a government is not for men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-baptiste-rousseau/were-there-a-people-of-gods-their-government-would-be-democratic-so/)

[Jean-Baptiste Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-baptiste-rousseau/)

> [It was in a mist the Tuatha de Danaan, the people of the gods of Dana, or as some called them, the Men of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lady-gregory/it-was-in-a-mist-the-tuatha-de-danaan-the-people-of-the-gods-of-dana/)

[Lady Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lady-gregory/)

> [Tragic heroes always moan when the gods take an interest in them, but it's the people the gods ignore who get the really tough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/tragic-heroes-always-moan-when-the-gods-take-an-interest-in-them-but/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [“People create their own gods so that they could compete with other people's gods. It is not the humanity that fights but human gods.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aporva-kala/people-create-their-own-gods-so-that-they-could-compete-with-other/)

[Aporva Kala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aporva-kala/)

> [If only we were wiser or better people, perhaps the gods would explain to us the mad, unbearable things they do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/if-only-we-were-wiser-or-better-people-perhaps-the-gods-would-explain/)

[Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/)

> [I hate to tell this to people but most gods were invented by someone. I'm sorry. It's just that I'm in the present, whereas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grayson-perry/i-hate-to-tell-this-to-people-but-most-gods-were-invented-by-someone/)

[Grayson Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grayson-perry/)

> [Gods dont kill people. People with Gods kill people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-viaene/gods-dont-kill-people-people-with-gods-kill-people/)

David Viaene

> [“whether or not people get the gods that they deserve, they tend to get the gods (and demons) that their animals deserve—”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-doniger/whether-or-not-people-get-the-gods-that-they-deserve-they-tend-to-get/)

[Wendy Doniger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-doniger/)

> [Most people's Gods are self-reflective. God just has to be like you. You get concerned, so you assume God must get concerned. You get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/most-people-s-gods-are-self-reflective-god-just-has-to-be-like-you/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

> [People are Gods masterpieces, created for the purposes that God has already mapped out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lecrae/people-are-gods-masterpieces-created-for-the-purposes-that-god-has/)

[LeCrae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lecrae/)

> [In my years, I have seen that people must be their own gods and make their own good fortune. The bad will come or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-my-years-i-have-seen-that-people-must-be-their-own-gods-and-make/)

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

> [“ 'Are our gods better than Olaf's god?' Alfdis laughed. 'That's a silly question. Gods are gods. Our gods have been with us since…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-erich/are-our-gods-better-than-olaf-s-god-alfdis-laughed-that-s-a-silly/)

James Erich

## More by Henry David Thoreau

> [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [“Men say they know many things; But lo! they have taken wings, — The arts and sciences, And a thousand appliances; The wind that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/men-say-they-know-many-things-but-lo-they-have-taken-wings-the-arts/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [“This spending of the best part of one's life earning money in order to enjoy a questionable liberty during the least valuable part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/this-spending-of-the-best-part-of-one-s-life-earning-money-in-order/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-doing-good-that-is-one-of-the-professions-which-is-full/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [A traveler who looks at things with an impartial eye may see what the oldest inhabitant has not observed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-traveler-who-looks-at-things-with-an-impartial-eye-may-see-what-the/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [In proportion as our inward life fails, we go more constantly and desperately to the post office. You may depend on it, that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-proportion-as-our-inward-life-fails-we-go-more-constantly-and/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [I had three chairs in my house; one for solitude, two for friendship, three for society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-had-three-chairs-in-my-house-one-for-solitude-two-for-friendship/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [The still youthful energies of the globe have only to be directed in their proper channel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-still-youthful-energies-of-the-globe-have-only-to-be-directed-in/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [Concord's little arch does not span all our fate, nor is what transpires under it law for the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/concord-s-little-arch-does-not-span-all-our-fate-nor-is-what/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [The lumberers rarely trouble themselves to put out their fires, such is the dampness of the primitive forest; and this is one cause, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-lumberers-rarely-trouble-themselves-to-put-out-their-fires-such/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [“When he has obtained those things which are necessary to life, there is another alternative than to obtain the superfluities; and that is, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/when-he-has-obtained-those-things-which-are-necessary-to-life-there/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [Wealth is measured by the level of experience in all aspects of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/wealth-is-measured-by-the-level-of-experience-in-all-aspects-of-life/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

[Explore all 3,376 Henry David Thoreau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

## More Circumstances quotes

> [I'm often moved by the circumstances around some of my characters, but I don't think I've actually cried watching myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-m-often-moved-by-the-circumstances-around-some-of-my-characters-but/)

[Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/)

> [Jobs and money are never the primary cause of stress. Thinking, negative thinking causes stress. The real cause of all problems lie in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/jobs-and-money-are-never-the-primary-cause-of-stress-thinking/)

[Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/)

> [Although under particular circumstances, the violence method - any method - can be justified, nevertheless once you commit violence, then counterviolence will be returned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/although-under-particular-circumstances-the-violence-method-any/)

[Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/)

> [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

> [Trust is about keeping commitments, but in many instances, circumstances change and organizations therefore shed commitments, things such as retiree medical benefits, pension obligations,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/trust-is-about-keeping-commitments-but-in-many-instances/)

[Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/)

> [The fortunate circumstances of our lives are generally found, at last, to be of our own producing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/the-fortunate-circumstances-of-our-lives-are-generally-found-at-last/)

[Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/)

> [“The set of circumstances that justifies the use of deadly force is a situation of immediate danger of death or great bodily harm to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/massad-ayoob/the-set-of-circumstances-that-justifies-the-use-of-deadly-force-is-a/)

[Massad Ayoob](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/massad-ayoob/)

> [My sister-in-law works for a group that supports orphanages in Cairo. She and her colleagues take care of children left behind by circumstances beyond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamed-elbaradei/my-sister-in-law-works-for-a-group-that-supports-orphanages-in-cairo/)

[Mohamed ElBaradei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamed-elbaradei/)

> [It's impossible to know who Donald might have been under different circumstances and with different parents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-l-trump/it-s-impossible-to-know-who-donald-might-have-been-under-different/)

[Mary L. Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-l-trump/)

> [When we watch a play under the standard circumstances, we've lost volition and time is passing. A still play feels like an existential threat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-greenberg/when-we-watch-a-play-under-the-standard-circumstances-we-ve-lost/)

[Richard Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-greenberg/)

> [Being positive helps you to keep away negative thoughts. And helps you to stand in adverse circumstances with the hope that in the end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/being-positive-helps-you-to-keep-away-negative-thoughts-and-helps-you/)

[Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/)

> [It seemed to me that the human beings I met reacted pretty much the same to the same stimuli. Different idioms,yes. Circumstances and conditions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zora-neale-hurston/it-seemed-to-me-that-the-human-beings-i-met-reacted-pretty-much-the/)

[Zora Neale Hurston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zora-neale-hurston/)

> [I don't think you would have missed that putt, but in these circumstances, I would never give you the opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicklaus/i-don-t-think-you-would-have-missed-that-putt-but-in-these/)

[Jack Nicklaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicklaus/)

> [I used to think I could shape the circumstances around me, but now I know Jesus uses circumstances to shape me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/i-used-to-think-i-could-shape-the-circumstances-around-me-but-now-i/)

[Bob Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/)

> [Instead of complaining about your circumstances, get busy creating new ones. You either suffer the pain of discipline or the pain of regret.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/instead-of-complaining-about-your-circumstances-get-busy-creating-new/)

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

Browse all 4,560 Circumstances quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Every people have gods to suit their circumstances.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Henry David Thoreau"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/every-people-have-gods-to-suit-their-circumstances/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Circumstances"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/every-people-have-gods-to-suit-their-circumstances/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba5/henry-david-thoreau-20_circumstances_every-people-have-gods-to-suit-their-cir_864961.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba5/henry-david-thoreau-20_circumstances_every-people-have-gods-to-suit-their-cir_864961.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba5/henry-david-thoreau-20_circumstances_every-people-have-gods-to-suit-their-cir_864961.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Every people have gods to suit their circumstances.” — Henry David Thoreau",
                "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": "Henry David Thoreau",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Every people have gods to suit...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/every-people-have-gods-to-suit-their-circumstances/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/every-people-have-gods-to-suit-their-circumstances/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
