--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's a sort of curious phenomenon that…" description: "\"It's a sort of curious phenomenon that God is somehow not quite as nice as the devil; the devil doesn't punish you for behaving well, but God punishes ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74c/jacob-bronowski-3073_behaving-badly_it-s-a-sort-of-curious-phenomenon-that-g_1233052.png" --- # It's a sort of curious phenomenon that God is somehow not… ![“It's a sort of curious phenomenon that God is somehow not quite as nice as the devil; the devil doesn't punish you for behaving well, but God punishes you for behaving badly.” quote by Jacob Bronowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74c/jacob-bronowski-3073_behaving-badly_it-s-a-sort-of-curious-phenomenon-that-g_1233052.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74c/jacob-bronowski-3073_behaving-badly_it-s-a-sort-of-curious-phenomenon-that-g_1233052.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74c/jacob-bronowski-3073_behaving-badly_it-s-a-sort-of-curious-phenomenon-that-g_1233052.png) > “It's a sort of curious phenomenon that God is somehow not quite as nice as the devil; the devil doesn't punish you for behaving well, but God punishes you for behaving badly.” [Jacob Bronowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bronowski/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Bronowski observes that divine punishment seems harsher than the devil's, suggesting a paradox in moral reward and punishment. **In simple terms:** God appears stricter than the devil in punishing bad behavior. Key Takeaway Reflect on the nature of moral consequences. Themes theology philosophy morality Mood thought‑provoking reflective Type philosophical theological When to use this quote - personal moral decisions - religious discussions - ethical debates Key Concepts divine justice ethical paradox Questions to Reflect On - Why might people view divine punishment as harsher? - How does this perception affect behavior? A Different Perspective Interpretations vary across cultures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Behaving badly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behaving-badly/) [Behaving God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behaving-god-3821408/) [Curious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curious/) [Devil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devil/) [God Punishes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-punishes-1208489/) [God Quite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-quite-711644/) [Nice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nice/) [Phenomenon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phenomenon/) [Phenomenon God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phenomenon-god-3821409/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) ## Related quotes > [“He is one of those whom God has not quite finished.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/he-is-one-of-those-whom-god-has-not-quite-finished/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [Most of us know about God, but that is quite different from knowing God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/most-of-us-know-about-god-but-that-is-quite-different-from-knowing-god/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [Sometimes I think that God is quite cruel? He first shows you this world - makes us feel we could possess anything in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tower-of-god/sometimes-i-think-that-god-is-quite-cruel-he-first-shows-you-this/) [Tower Of God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tower-of-god/) > [I have not the courage to search through books for beautiful prayers. . . Unable either to say them all or choose between them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/therese-of-lisieux/i-have-not-the-courage-to-search-through-books-for-beautiful-prayers/) [Therese of Lisieux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/therese-of-lisieux/) > [After the events of the 20th century, God, quite reasonably, left Europe. But He's still here in the United States.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/after-the-events-of-the-20th-century-god-quite-reasonably-left-europe/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [It is one thing to believe in God; it is quite another to believe God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-one-thing-to-believe-in-god-it-is-quite-another-to-believe-god/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [God has, quite literally, all the time in the world for each one of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/god-has-quite-literally-all-the-time-in-the-world-for-each-one-of-us/) [Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/) > [Oh, save me God, but not quite yet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-du-plessix-gray/oh-save-me-god-but-not-quite-yet/) [Francine du Plessix Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-du-plessix-gray/) > [The idea of a personal God is quite alien to me and seems even naïve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-idea-of-a-personal-god-is-quite-alien-to-me-and-seems-even-na-ve/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [God operates by different rules of time and space. And God's infinite greatness, which we would expect to diminish us, actually makes possible the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/god-operates-by-different-rules-of-time-and-space-and-god-s-infinite/) [Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/) > [Don't you think that God is quite cruel? When he first shows you this world - makes us feel we could possess anything in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tower-of-god/don-t-you-think-that-god-is-quite-cruel-when-he-first-shows-you-this/) [Tower Of God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tower-of-god/) > [God always punishes us for what we can't imagine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/god-always-punishes-us-for-what-we-can-t-imagine/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“God punishes sins, but the world I see only punishes lack of foresight and blunders.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emilia-pardo-baz-n/god-punishes-sins-but-the-world-i-see-only-punishes-lack-of-foresight/) [Emilia Pardo Bazán](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emilia-pardo-baz-n/) > [I cannot believe there is a god who punishes and rewards, for I see honest folk unlucky, and rogues unlucky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/i-cannot-believe-there-is-a-god-who-punishes-and-rewards-for-i-see/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [I see only with deep regret that God punishes so many of His children for their numerous stupidities, for which only He Himself can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/i-see-only-with-deep-regret-that-god-punishes-so-many-of-his-children/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) ## More by Jacob Bronowski > [“A man becomes creative, whether he is an artist or a scientist, when he finds a new unity in the variety of nature. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-bronowski/a-man-becomes-creative-whether-he-is-an-artist-or-a-scientist-when-he/) [Jacob Bronowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bronowski/) > [We are all shot through with enough motives to make a massacre, any day of the week that we want to give them their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-bronowski/we-are-all-shot-through-with-enough-motives-to-make-a-massacre-any/) [Jacob Bronowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bronowski/) > [A popular cliche in philosophy says that science is pure analysis or reductionism, like taking the rainbow to pieces; and art is pure synthesis,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-bronowski/a-popular-cliche-in-philosophy-says-that-science-is-pure-analysis-or/) [Jacob Bronowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bronowski/) > [The great poem and the deep theorem are new to every reader, and yet are his own experiences, because he himself recreates them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-bronowski/the-great-poem-and-the-deep-theorem-are-new-to-every-reader-and-yet/) [Jacob Bronowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bronowski/) > [“The Renaissance established the dignity of man. 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And what his work showed is that when the answers are simple too, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-bronowski/einstein-was-a-man-who-could-ask-immensely-simple-questions-and-what/) [Jacob Bronowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bronowski/) > [Revolutions are not made by fate but by men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-bronowski/revolutions-are-not-made-by-fate-but-by-men/) [Jacob Bronowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bronowski/) > [“I am infinitely saddened to find myself suddenly surrounded in the west by a sense of terrible loss of nerve, a retreat from knowledge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-bronowski/i-am-infinitely-saddened-to-find-myself-suddenly-surrounded-in-the/) [Jacob Bronowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bronowski/) > [The most remarkable discovery ever made by scientists is science itself. The discovery must be compared in importance with the invention of cave-painting and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-bronowski/the-most-remarkable-discovery-ever-made-by-scientists-is-science/) [Jacob Bronowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bronowski/) > [There are three creative ideas which, each in its turn, have been central to science. They are the idea of order, the idea of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-bronowski/there-are-three-creative-ideas-which-each-in-its-turn-have-been/) [Jacob Bronowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bronowski/) > [It is important that students bring a certain rafamuffin, barefoot, irreverence to their studies; they are not here to worship what is known, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-bronowski/it-is-important-that-students-bring-a-certain-rafamuffin-barefoot/) [Jacob Bronowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bronowski/) > [The hand is the cutting edge of the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-bronowski/the-hand-is-the-cutting-edge-of-the-mind/) [Jacob Bronowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bronowski/) > [To me the most interesting thing about man is that he is an animal who practices art and science and in every known society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-bronowski/to-me-the-most-interesting-thing-about-man-is-that-he-is-an-animal/) [Jacob Bronowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bronowski/) [Explore all 140 Jacob Bronowski quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bronowski/) ## More Behaving badly quotes > [“It is important you understand how fear affects you and how it drives human behavior so you can start to see situations and people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-giles/it-is-important-you-understand-how-fear-affects-you-and-how-it-drives/) [Kimberly Giles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-giles/) > [“Don Pedro Luis de Borja-Pierluigi Borgia to the Italians—was still in his mid-twenties when he became the first member of his family to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-j-meyer/don-pedro-luis-de-borja-pierluigi-borgia-to-the-italians-was-still-in/) [G.J. 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I shine the light on celebrities behaving badly, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/i-think-what-i-do-is-noble-i-think-my-job-title-is-entertainer-i/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [One of the things I've learned in playing a character like Becca from 'You're the Worst' is that there really is such a joy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-varney/one-of-the-things-i-ve-learned-in-playing-a-character-like-becca-from/) [Janet Varney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-varney/) > [Newspapers and magazines didn't want pictures of musicians behaving badly back then. Now, because of the Internet, that's all the media wants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-rock/newspapers-and-magazines-didn-t-want-pictures-of-musicians-behaving/) [Mick Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-rock/) > [You can not have comedy unless people are behaving badly. You can't have it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keegan-michael-key/you-can-not-have-comedy-unless-people-are-behaving-badly-you-can-t/) [Keegan-Michael Key](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keegan-michael-key/) > [“The development of the biologically toxic Mauna Kea Observatories (MKO) is the fruition of professional astronomers behaving badly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-development-of-the-biologically-toxic-mauna-kea-observatories-mko/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [I like movies about women behaving badly, because women behave badly just like men, and we're not always adorable and cute about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/i-like-movies-about-women-behaving-badly-because-women-behave-badly/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [Women behaving badly has always been funny, to me personally, so I knew I wanted to do something like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nahnatchka-khan/women-behaving-badly-has-always-been-funny-to-me-personally-so-i-knew/) [Nahnatchka Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nahnatchka-khan/) > [Looking back at that now I shudder at my naivety: while 'Men Behaving Badly' remains a brilliant sitcom, how did I ever aspire to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-widdicombe/looking-back-at-that-now-i-shudder-at-my-naivety-while-men-behaving/) [Josh Widdicombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-widdicombe/) > [It's a tragedy what is happening, what Bush is doing. 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