--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It does not matter whether you have…" description: "\"It does not matter whether you have religion or are an agnostic believe in nothing, You can only appreciate (without knowing or understanding) the myst..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4c/jack-kornfield-936_agnostic_it-does-not-matter-whether-you-have-reli_2196661.png" --- # It does not matter whether you have religion or are an… ![“It does not matter whether you have religion or are an agnostic believe in nothing, You can only appreciate (without knowing or understanding) the mysteries of life.” quote by Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4c/jack-kornfield-936_agnostic_it-does-not-matter-whether-you-have-reli_2196661.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4c/jack-kornfield-936_agnostic_it-does-not-matter-whether-you-have-reli_2196661.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4c/jack-kornfield-936_agnostic_it-does-not-matter-whether-you-have-reli_2196661.png) > “It does not matter whether you have religion or are an agnostic believe in nothing, You can only appreciate (without knowing or understanding) the mysteries of life.” [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life’s mysteries can be appreciated without needing to fully understand or belong to a religion. **In simple terms:** Appreciate mysteries without belief. Key Takeaway Embrace wonder beyond doctrine. Themes spirituality open‑mindedness humility Mood contemplative curious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal reflection - interfaith dialogue - philosophical contemplation Key Concepts Mysticism existential curiosity Questions to Reflect On - How do you find meaning without belief? - Can wonder replace certainty? A Different Perspective May lack concrete explanations, leading to uncertainty. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Agnostic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agnostic/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Mystery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mystery/) [Mystery of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mystery-of-life/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding/) ## Related quotes > [Within the mystery of life there is the infinite darkness of the night sky lit by distant orbs of fire, the cobbled skin of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/within-the-mystery-of-life-there-is-the-infinite-darkness-of-the/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [If you believe, you believe; if you're faithful, you're faithful. I don't care what your religion is. The same if you're agnostic. That should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ridley-scott/if-you-believe-you-believe-if-you-re-faithful-you-re-faithful-i-don-t/) [Ridley Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ridley-scott/) > [Any one who thinks is an agnostic about something, otherwise he must believe that he is possessed of all knowledge. And the proper place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/any-one-who-thinks-is-an-agnostic-about-something-otherwise-he-must/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [“I accepted it’s okay to not be totally sure about where you live. It’s okay to be somewhere with most of your heart when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-fox/i-accepted-it-s-okay-to-not-be-totally-sure-about-where-you-live-it-s/) Amber Fox > [I was brought up to appreciate the here and now, and, knowing this is your only life, to view death as an inevitable and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-e-grant/i-was-brought-up-to-appreciate-the-here-and-now-and-knowing-this-is/) [Richard E. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-e-grant/) > [Love was the key to understanding all of the mysteries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/love-was-the-key-to-understanding-all-of-the-mysteries/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“When you’re in love, you’re capable of learning everything and knowing things you had never dared even to think, because love is the key…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/when-you-re-in-love-you-re-capable-of-learning-everything-and-knowing/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [When youre in love, youre capable of learning everything and knowing things you had never dared even to think, because love is the key…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-youre-in-love-youre-capable-of-learning-everything-and-knowing/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you were in love, you were capable of learning everything and of knowing things you had never dared even to think, because love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/when-you-were-in-love-you-were-capable-of-learning-everything-and-of/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [It is the basic principle of spiritual life that we learn the deepest things in unknown territory. Often it is when we feel most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/it-is-the-basic-principle-of-spiritual-life-that-we-learn-the-deepest/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [“Letting go is a central theme in spiritual practice, as we see the preciousness and brevity of life. When letting go is called for,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/letting-go-is-a-central-theme-in-spiritual-practice-as-we-see-the/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [If astronomy teaches anything, it teaches that man is but a detail in the evolution of the universe, and the resemblant though diverse details…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percival-lowell/if-astronomy-teaches-anything-it-teaches-that-man-is-but-a-detail-in/) [Percival Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percival-lowell/) > [These eyes, tho' clear To outward view of blemish or of spot, Bereft of light, their seeing have forgot, Nor to their idle orbs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/these-eyes-tho-clear-to-outward-view-of-blemish-or-of-spot-bereft-of/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [ No visiting angel, or explorer from another planet, could have guessed that this bland orb \[Earth\] teemed with vermin, with world-mastering, self-torturing, incipiently angelic… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaf-stapledon/no-visiting-angel-or-explorer-from-another-planet-could-have-guessed/) [Olaf Stapledon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaf-stapledon/) > [Astronomers have built telescopes which can show myriads of stars unseen before; but when a man looks through a tear in his own eye,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/astronomers-have-built-telescopes-which-can-show-myriads-of-stars/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) ## More by Jack Kornfield > [“When we let go of our battles and open our heart to things as they are, then we come to rest in the present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/when-we-let-go-of-our-battles-and-open-our-heart-to-things-as-they/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [In opening we can see how many times we have mistaken small identities and fearful beliefs for our true nature and how limiting this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/in-opening-we-can-see-how-many-times-we-have-mistaken-small/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [Wherever you are is the perfect place to awaken. This moment is the exact place to practice compassion and loving awareness. You have all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/wherever-you-are-is-the-perfect-place-to-awaken-this-moment-is-the/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [Acceptance does not mean inaction. We may need to respond, strongly at times...From a peaceful center we can respond instead of react. Unconscious reactions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/acceptance-does-not-mean-inaction-we-may-need-to-respond-strongly-at/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [To live in this precious animal body on this earth is as great a part of spiritual life as anything else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/to-live-in-this-precious-animal-body-on-this-earth-is-as-great-a-part/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [We do not have to improve ourselves; we just have to let go of what blocks our heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/we-do-not-have-to-improve-ourselves-we-just-have-to-let-go-of-what/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [To open deeply, as genuine spiritual life requires, we need tremendous courage and strength, a kind of warrior spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/to-open-deeply-as-genuine-spiritual-life-requires-we-need-tremendous/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [As we step out of the way new things are born.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/as-we-step-out-of-the-way-new-things-are-born/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [For most of us, generosity is a quality that must be developed. We have to respect that it will grow gradually; otherwise our spirituality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/for-most-of-us-generosity-is-a-quality-that-must-be-developed-we-have/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [What is truly a part of our spiritual path is that which brings us alive. If gardening brings us alive, that is part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/what-is-truly-a-part-of-our-spiritual-path-is-that-which-brings-us/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [“Working with these distractions, steadying the canoe, letting the waves pass by, and coming back again and again in a quiet and collected way,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/working-with-these-distractions-steadying-the-canoe-letting-the-waves/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [To understand ourselves and our life is the point of insight meditation: to understand and to be free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/to-understand-ourselves-and-our-life-is-the-point-of-insight/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [To let go in the deepest recesses of the heart, to release all struggle and wanting, leads us to that knowing which is timeless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/to-let-go-in-the-deepest-recesses-of-the-heart-to-release-all/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [Wisdom says we are nothing. Love says we are everything. Between these two our life flows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/wisdom-says-we-are-nothing-love-says-we-are-everything-between-these/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [Breathing meditation can quiet the mind, open the body, and develop a great power of concentration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/breathing-meditation-can-quiet-the-mind-open-the-body-and-develop-a/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) [Explore all 324 Jack Kornfield quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) ## More Agnostic quotes > [“She herself vacillated when it came to belief. She did not particularly believe in God. Or, rather, she didn't believe in a particular God.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allegra-goodman/she-herself-vacillated-when-it-came-to-belief-she-did-not/) [Allegra Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allegra-goodman/) > [The prayer of the agnostic: "O God, if there is a God, save my soul if I have a soul."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-renan/the-prayer-of-the-agnostic-o-god-if-there-is-a-god-save-my-soul-if-i/) [Ernest Renan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-renan/) > [I'm actually, for the most part, a complete agnostic politically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-witten/i-m-actually-for-the-most-part-a-complete-agnostic-politically/) [Edward Witten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-witten/) > [Even when I was saying I was Agnostic and trying to figure out my thoughts, I felt God was allowing me to do that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfre-woodard/even-when-i-was-saying-i-was-agnostic-and-trying-to-figure-out-my/) [Alfre Woodard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfre-woodard/) > [There is, in fact, nothing about religious opinions that entitles them to any more respect than other opinions get. On the contrary, they tend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/there-is-in-fact-nothing-about-religious-opinions-that-entitles-them/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [“Some people are so stiff and inhumane as the dogma's they believe in”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/some-people-are-so-stiff-and-inhumane-as-the-dogma-s-they-believe-in/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [“An atheist is someone who is disappointed in his search of god. He is a man who strongly needed god but couldn't find him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/an-atheist-is-someone-who-is-disappointed-in-his-search-of-god-he-is/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [If a humanist or an atheist or an agnostic says, "We'll bake you a pie," we can go right into the kitchen and bake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madalyn-murray-o-hair/if-a-humanist-or-an-atheist-or-an-agnostic-says-we-ll-bake-you-a-pie/) [Madalyn Murray O'Hair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madalyn-murray-o-hair/) > [I'm agnostic because I went through the usual process of parents insisting you go to church, and yet they didn't. So there's me, sitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ridley-scott/i-m-agnostic-because-i-went-through-the-usual-process-of-parents/) [Ridley Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ridley-scott/) > [Intellect, at its best, can make you agnostic. Being theist or atheist is still a matter of choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raheel-farooq/intellect-at-its-best-can-make-you-agnostic-being-theist-or-atheist/) [Raheel Farooq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raheel-farooq/) > [To be agnostic is to be open-minded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-be-agnostic-is-to-be-open-minded/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [All Gaza's temples are torn down and burned and the city is cleansed of every belief but the Christian faith. The most stubborn opponents,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsay-macmullen/all-gaza-s-temples-are-torn-down-and-burned-and-the-city-is-cleansed/) [Ramsay MacMullen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsay-macmullen/) > [I'm still agnostic. But in the words of Elton Richards, I'm now a reverant agnostic. Which isn't an oxymoron, I swear. I now believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-still-agnostic-but-in-the-words-of-elton-richards-i-m-now-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I'm agnostic. By definition, I'm unsure of what to believe in, but I'm also borderline-capable of believing in anything and everything, or nothing at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-lola/i-m-agnostic-by-definition-i-m-unsure-of-what-to-believe-in-but-i-m/) [Lauren Lola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-lola/) > [“The Agnostic is one who asserts 'what no one denies' that there are limits to the sphere of human intelligence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-stephen/the-agnostic-is-one-who-asserts-what-no-one-denies-that-there-are/) [Leslie Stephen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-stephen/) [Browse all 492 Agnostic quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agnostic/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It does not matter whether you have religion or are an agnostic believe in nothing, You can only appreciate (without knowing or understanding) the mysteries of life.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jack Kornfield" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/it-does-not-matter-whether-you-have-religion-or-are-an-agnostic/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Agnostic" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/it-does-not-matter-whether-you-have-religion-or-are-an-agnostic/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4c/jack-kornfield-936_agnostic_it-does-not-matter-whether-you-have-reli_2196661.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4c/jack-kornfield-936_agnostic_it-does-not-matter-whether-you-have-reli_2196661.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4c/jack-kornfield-936_agnostic_it-does-not-matter-whether-you-have-reli_2196661.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It does not matter whether you have religion or are an agnostic believe in nothing, You can only appreciate…” — Jack Kornfield", "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": "Jack Kornfield", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It does not matter whether you...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/it-does-not-matter-whether-you-have-religion-or-are-an-agnostic/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/it-does-not-matter-whether-you-have-religion-or-are-an-agnostic/#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 } } ] } ```