--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is not really necessary to destroy…" description: "\"It is not really necessary to destroy nature in order to gain God's favor or even his undivided attention.\" — Ian McHarg" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b75/ian-mcharg-64139_attention_it-is-not-really-necessary-to-destroy-na_2383185.png" --- # It is not really necessary to destroy nature in order to… ![“It is not really necessary to destroy nature in order to gain God's favor or even his undivided attention.” quote by Ian McHarg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b75/ian-mcharg-64139_attention_it-is-not-really-necessary-to-destroy-na_2383185.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b75/ian-mcharg-64139_attention_it-is-not-really-necessary-to-destroy-na_2383185.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b75/ian-mcharg-64139_attention_it-is-not-really-necessary-to-destroy-na_2383185.png) > “It is not really necessary to destroy nature in order to gain God's favor or even his undivided attention.” [Ian McHarg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcharg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. It argues that harming the environment is not required to earn divine approval, emphasizing stewardship over destruction. **In simple terms:** You can honor God without damaging nature. Key Takeaway Protect nature while seeking spiritual fulfillment. Themes environmental ethics spirituality stewardship Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - conservation projects - faith‑based activism - policy advocacy Key Concepts sacredness of earth ethical responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How can faith inspire ecological care? - What actions reflect reverence for creation? A Different Perspective Some traditions still link sacrifice to divine favor. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Environmental](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environmental/) [Favor Undivided](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/favor-undivided-5908976/) [Favors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/favors/) [Gain God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gain-god-761226/) [Gains](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gains/) [God Favor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-favor-670985/) [God's Favor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gods-favor/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Undivided attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/undivided-attention/) ## Related quotes > [Prosperity cannot be a proof of God's favor, since it is what the devil promises to those who worship him. (Matt. 4:9)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/prosperity-cannot-be-a-proof-of-god-s-favor-since-it-is-what-the/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [To mend our own relationship with God, regaining God's favor after having once lost it, is beyond the power of any one of us.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/to-mend-our-own-relationship-with-god-regaining-god-s-favor-after/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [“God's favor floats as it were over all this and finds joy in turning all those miseries to the greater profit of those who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-francis-de-sales/god-s-favor-floats-as-it-were-over-all-this-and-finds-joy-in-turning/) [St. Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-francis-de-sales/) > [“People will notice that there is something different about you when you are marked with God's favor because you were persistent to stay with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-kunneman/people-will-notice-that-there-is-something-different-about-you-when/) [Hank Kunneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-kunneman/) > [They wont understand God's favor on your life,but they arent supposed to.Don't shrink!Step into your season.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikkie/they-wont-understand-god-s-favor-on-your-life-but-they-arent-supposed/) [Nikkie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikkie/) > [Power tends to confuse itself with virtue, and a great nation is peculiarly susceptible to the idea that its power is a sign of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-william-fulbright/power-tends-to-confuse-itself-with-virtue-and-a-great-nation-is/) [J. William Fulbright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-william-fulbright/) > [“Christian ethics is not a matter of discovering what's going on in the world and getting in tune with it. It isn't a matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright/christian-ethics-is-not-a-matter-of-discovering-what-s-going-on-in/) [N.T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright/) > [Walking with God doesn't lead to God's favor; God's favor leads to walking with God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/walking-with-god-doesn-t-lead-to-god-s-favor-god-s-favor-leads-to/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) > [“..:God's favor could bring controversy among His people when they lack understanding. His grace over you, could be someone elses burden due to envy;..”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-garcia/god-s-favor-could-bring-controversy-among-his-people-when-they-lack/) [Rafael Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-garcia/) > [“We do good works, not in order to be saved, but because we are saved; not in order to earn God's favor, but with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-brett-harris/we-do-good-works-not-in-order-to-be-saved-but-because-we-are-saved/) [Alex Brett Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-brett-harris/) > [To a well deserving person God will show favor. To an ill deserving person He will simply be just.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plautus/to-a-well-deserving-person-god-will-show-favor-to-an-ill-deserving/) [Plautus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plautus/) > [I believe we must choose the path to faith, freedom and individual liberty. It starts with us, here today, now, Working together, with God's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-w-shannon/i-believe-we-must-choose-the-path-to-faith-freedom-and-individual/) [T.W. Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-w-shannon/) > [“To believe is indeed to lose the understanding in order to gain God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ren-kierkegaard/to-believe-is-indeed-to-lose-the-understanding-in-order-to-gain-god/) [Søren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ren-kierkegaard/) > [Prayer is not a painful effort to gain from God help in the varying needs of life. Prayer is the desire to possess God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadhu-sundar-singh/prayer-is-not-a-painful-effort-to-gain-from-god-help-in-the-varying/) [Sadhu Sundar Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadhu-sundar-singh/) > [Do you really mean the only reason you try to be good is to gain God's approval and reward? That's not morality, that's just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/do-you-really-mean-the-only-reason-you-try-to-be-good-is-to-gain-god/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) ## More by Ian McHarg > [Man is a blind, witless, low brow, anthropocentric clod who inflicts lesions upon the earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcharg/man-is-a-blind-witless-low-brow-anthropocentric-clod-who-inflicts/) [Ian McHarg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcharg/) > [Let us green the earth, restore the earth, heal the earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcharg/let-us-green-the-earth-restore-the-earth-heal-the-earth/) [Ian McHarg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcharg/) > [The most important issue of the 21st century will be the condition of the global environment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcharg/the-most-important-issue-of-the-21st-century-will-be-the-condition-of/) [Ian McHarg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcharg/) > [We are the bullies of the earth: strong, foul, coarse, greedy, careless, indifferent to others, laying waste as we proceed, leaving wounds, welts, lesions,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcharg/we-are-the-bullies-of-the-earth-strong-foul-coarse-greedy-careless/) [Ian McHarg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcharg/) [Explore all 5 Ian McHarg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcharg/) ## More Attention quotes > [It appears to me that one great cause of our difference in opinion on subjects which we often discuss is that you have always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ricardo/it-appears-to-me-that-one-great-cause-of-our-difference-in-opinion-on/) [David Ricardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ricardo/) > [People pay far too much attention to the television and they're quite literal in some ways. 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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/) > [What people don't normally know about us is the hustle is very real, and it's sorely driven a lot by how we consider ourselves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lzzy-hale/what-people-don-t-normally-know-about-us-is-the-hustle-is-very-real/) [Lzzy Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lzzy-hale/) > [For me, the term "psychotherapy" is limiting. It implies that we work with mind and emotions, but excludes the body and pays scant attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-diamond/for-me-the-term-psychotherapy-is-limiting-it-implies-that-we-work/) [Jed Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-diamond/) > [When you approach something to photograph it, first be still with yourself until the object of your attention affirms your presence. Then don't leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minor-white/when-you-approach-something-to-photograph-it-first-be-still-with/) [Minor White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minor-white/) > [I'm writing about real things. Real people. Real characters. You have to believe what I write about is true or you wouldn't pay any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/i-m-writing-about-real-things-real-people-real-characters-you-have-to/) [Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/) > [ I went to a mosque in Philadelphia with \[my wife\] in December 24, 1999. 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Thanksgiving will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-murray/let-us-thank-god-heartily-as-often-as-we-pray-that-we-have-his-spirit/) [Andy Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-murray/) > [Enlightened people live in very charged states of attention, with a tremendous power circuiting through them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/enlightened-people-live-in-very-charged-states-of-attention-with-a/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [We must have a welfare system that we can afford, which will mean giving greater attention to directing the welfare program toward its primary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/we-must-have-a-welfare-system-that-we-can-afford-which-will-mean/) [Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/) > [The director's job should give you a sense of music without drawing attention to itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hackford/the-director-s-job-should-give-you-a-sense-of-music-without-drawing/) [Taylor Hackford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hackford/) [Browse all 10,153 Attention quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is not really necessary to destroy nature in order to gain God's favor or even his undivided attention.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ian McHarg" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcharg/it-is-not-really-necessary-to-destroy-nature-in-order-to-gain-god-s/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Attention" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcharg/it-is-not-really-necessary-to-destroy-nature-in-order-to-gain-god-s/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b75/ian-mcharg-64139_attention_it-is-not-really-necessary-to-destroy-na_2383185.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b75/ian-mcharg-64139_attention_it-is-not-really-necessary-to-destroy-na_2383185.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b75/ian-mcharg-64139_attention_it-is-not-really-necessary-to-destroy-na_2383185.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is not really necessary to destroy nature in order to gain God's favor or even his undivided attention.” — Ian McHarg", "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": "Ian McHarg", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcharg/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It is not really necessary to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcharg/it-is-not-really-necessary-to-destroy-nature-in-order-to-gain-god-s/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcharg/it-is-not-really-necessary-to-destroy-nature-in-order-to-gain-god-s/#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 } } ] } ```