--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Perhaps we invented the gods so that we…" description: "\"Perhaps we invented the gods so that we could put the blame on them. They gave us permission to eat flesh. They gave us permission to play with unclean..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/242/j-m-coetzee-2-5391_blame_perhaps-we-invented-the-gods-so-that-we_1447613.jpg" --- # Perhaps we invented the gods so that we could put the… ![“Perhaps we invented the gods so that we could put the blame on them. They gave us permission to eat flesh. They gave us permission to play with unclean things. It's not our fault, it's theirs. We're just their children.” quote by J. M. Coetzee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/242/j-m-coetzee-2-5391_blame_perhaps-we-invented-the-gods-so-that-we_1447613.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/242/j-m-coetzee-2-5391_blame_perhaps-we-invented-the-gods-so-that-we_1447613.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/242/j-m-coetzee-2-5391_blame_perhaps-we-invented-the-gods-so-that-we_1447613.jpg) > “Perhaps we invented the gods so that we could put the blame on them. They gave us permission to eat flesh. They gave us permission to play with unclean things. It's not our fault, it's theirs. We're just their children.” [J. M. Coetzee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-coetzee-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humans create deities to shift responsibility for immoral acts onto an external power. **In simple terms:** We blame gods for bad deeds. Key Takeaway Question responsibility instead of blaming. Themes religion accountability morality psychology Mood reflective critical Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - political discourse - ethical debates - personal guilt - cultural criticism Key Concepts theodicy projection social control Questions to Reflect On - Do you ever use external forces to excuse your actions? - How does this belief affect moral accountability? A Different Perspective Attributing blame to gods can hinder personal growth and societal change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Gods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gods/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) ## Related quotes > [She thought there were no Gods; no one was to blame; and so she evolved this atheist's religion of doing good for the sake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/she-thought-there-were-no-gods-no-one-was-to-blame-and-so-she-evolved/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [Man invented the gods. Then the gods went off on their own, but not far.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/man-invented-the-gods-then-the-gods-went-off-on-their-own-but-not-far/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [“Men have enslaved each other since they invented gods to forgive them for doing it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-grahame-smith/men-have-enslaved-each-other-since-they-invented-gods-to-forgive-them/) [Seth Grahame-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-grahame-smith/) > [“Do I need permission to breathe, Sir?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kallypso-masters/do-i-need-permission-to-breathe-sir/) [Kallypso Masters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kallypso-masters/) > [What he means by this is that instead of saying you'll "try", you need to "do". 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Because so many feel like they're waiting for someone to say, 'You're good, you're pretty, I give you permission'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/why-are-women-immobile-because-so-many-feel-like-they-re-waiting-for/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [ NaNo\[ National Novel Writing Month\] is an awesome opportunity to stretch your writing muscles and gives you permission to write in a way you… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-j-howard/nano-national-novel-writing-month-is-an-awesome-opportunity-to/) Michelle J. Howard > [ \[Religion\] attacks us in our deepest integrity - the core of our self-respect. 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Coetzee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-coetzee-2/) > [“The Empire does not require that its servants love each other, merely that they perform their duty.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-coetzee-2/the-empire-does-not-require-that-its-servants-love-each-other-merely/) [J. M. Coetzee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-coetzee-2/) > [The most important of all rights is the right to life, and I cannot foresee a day when domesticated animals will be granted that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-coetzee-2/the-most-important-of-all-rights-is-the-right-to-life-and-i-cannot/) [J. M. Coetzee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-coetzee-2/) [Explore all 96 J. M. 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