--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I look up into the starry heavens at…" description: "\"When I look up into the starry heavens at night and reflect upon what it is I really see there, I am constrained to say, ´there is no god´.\" — John Bur..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47f/john-burroughs-1157_heaven_when-i-look-up-into-the-starry-heavens-a_2446436.png" --- # When I look up into the starry heavens at night and… ![“When I look up into the starry heavens at night and reflect upon what it is I really see there, I am constrained to say, ´there is no god´.” quote by John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47f/john-burroughs-1157_heaven_when-i-look-up-into-the-starry-heavens-a_2446436.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47f/john-burroughs-1157_heaven_when-i-look-up-into-the-starry-heavens-a_2446436.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47f/john-burroughs-1157_heaven_when-i-look-up-into-the-starry-heavens-a_2446436.png) > “When I look up into the starry heavens at night and reflect upon what it is I really see there, I am constrained to say, ´there is no god´.” [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He observes the night sky and concludes that the absence of evidence for a deity leads him to deny God's existence. **In simple terms:** Seeing stars leads him to deny God. Key Takeaway Question assumptions about divinity. Themes skepticism existentialism nature Mood contemplative skeptical Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - stargazing - philosophical reflection - debates on faith Key Concepts atheism empiricism cosmology Questions to Reflect On - What evidence would change your view? - How does awe affect belief? A Different Perspective The conclusion may overlook personal or experiential aspects of belief. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Heaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heaven/) [Heavens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heavens/) [Heavens Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heavens-night-533106/) [Look Starry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/look-starry-533108/) [Look up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/look-up/) [Looks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looks/) [Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moon/) [Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night/) [Night Reflect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night-reflect-533107/) [Starry Heavens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/starry-heavens-533105/) [There is no god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/there-is-no-god/) ## Related quotes > [Two things strike me dumb: the infinite starry heavens, and the sense of right and wrong in man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/two-things-strike-me-dumb-the-infinite-starry-heavens-and-the-sense/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [“Can it be that there is not enough space for man in this beautiful world, under those immeasurable, starry heavens?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/can-it-be-that-there-is-not-enough-space-for-man-in-this-beautiful/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [When we look up into the starry night sky, we tend to see reflections of ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-paglen/when-we-look-up-into-the-starry-night-sky-we-tend-to-see-reflections/) [Trevor Paglen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-paglen/) > [“Adolescence impelled her eyes to stay at an even keel, to deal with the ground before flickering to the heavens. Night became not dotted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomm-quackenbush/adolescence-impelled-her-eyes-to-stay-at-an-even-keel-to-deal-with/) [Thomm Quackenbush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomm-quackenbush/) > [“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/) > [“From the club of what atheist call false hope and false god (which offer solace to weak minds), atheist are calling you to their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/from-the-club-of-what-atheist-call-false-hope-and-false-god-which/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [You see many stars in the sky at night, but not when the sun rises. Can you therefore say that there are no stars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramakrishna/you-see-many-stars-in-the-sky-at-night-but-not-when-the-sun-rises-can/) [Ramakrishna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramakrishna/) > [“Don’t curse the gods; you will feel shame when you have to call on them for help”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/don-t-curse-the-gods-you-will-feel-shame-when-you-have-to-call-on/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [“God has not yet revealed himself to no one in no unclear terms. Religions are attempts to find him; on that level they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/god-has-not-yet-revealed-himself-to-no-one-in-no-unclear-terms/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [“All religions are man-made; God has not yet revealed himself beyond doubt to anybody.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/all-religions-are-man-made-god-has-not-yet-revealed-himself-beyond/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [“There is nothing behind the curtains of religions, people put there whatever their imaginations can fathom”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/there-is-nothing-behind-the-curtains-of-religions-people-put-there/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [“Each mind conceives god in its own way. There may be as many variation of the god figure as there are people in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/each-mind-conceives-god-in-its-own-way-there-may-be-as-many-variation/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [“Don't create unbelief or doubt in people's minds. When you do so you ruin their lives and you have nothing to give them in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/don-t-create-unbelief-or-doubt-in-people-s-minds-when-you-do-so-you/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [“Once you believe that god is not a private property of anybody, you are on your way to becoming a new messiah. Maybe your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/once-you-believe-that-god-is-not-a-private-property-of-anybody-you/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [“Atheists are the most honest of the human race. These people are unable to live a double life; they are unable to lie to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/atheists-are-the-most-honest-of-the-human-race-these-people-are/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) ## More by John Burroughs > [As life nears its end with me, I find myself meditating more and more upon the mystery of its nature and origin, yet without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/as-life-nears-its-end-with-me-i-find-myself-meditating-more-and-more/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [Certainly in the United States, you have a constituency in the form of the weapons laboratories, and you also have the branches of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/certainly-in-the-united-states-you-have-a-constituency-in-the-form-of/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [When Darwin published his conclusion that man was descended from an apelike ancestor who was again descended from a still lower type, most people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/when-darwin-published-his-conclusion-that-man-was-descended-from-an/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [Science sees the process of evolution from the outside, as one might a train of cars going by, and resolves it into the physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/science-sees-the-process-of-evolution-from-the-outside-as-one-might-a/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [Maybe that will happen with other countries as well. And so, that's why one of the things that groups like mine that work for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/maybe-that-will-happen-with-other-countries-as-well-and-so-that-s-why/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [One can only learn his powers of action by action, and his powers of thought by thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/one-can-only-learn-his-powers-of-action-by-action-and-his-powers-of/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [I was born with a chronic anxiety about the weather.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/i-was-born-with-a-chronic-anxiety-about-the-weather/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [When the woodpecker is searching for food, or laying siege to some hidden grub, the sound of his hammer is dead or muffled and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/when-the-woodpecker-is-searching-for-food-or-laying-siege-to-some/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [In what bold relief stand out the lives of all walkers of the snow! The snow is a great tell-tale, and blabs as effectually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/in-what-bold-relief-stand-out-the-lives-of-all-walkers-of-the-snow/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [In October, a maple tree before your window lights up your room like a great lamp. Even on cloudy days, its presence helps to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/in-october-a-maple-tree-before-your-window-lights-up-your-room-like-a/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [One can return to their place of birth, but one cannot go back to your youth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/one-can-return-to-their-place-of-birth-but-one-cannot-go-back-to-your/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [I still find each day too short..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/i-still-find-each-day-too-short/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [What a severe yet master artist old Winter is... No longer the canvas and the pigments, but the marble and the chisel...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/what-a-severe-yet-master-artist-old-winter-is-no-longer-the-canvas/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [Following World War II, the U.S. was the architect of the UN system, and the world financial system, and the Human Rights Declaration, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/following-world-war-ii-the-u-s-was-the-architect-of-the-un-system-and/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [“Go to the sea or climb the mountain, and with the ruggedest and the savagest you will find likewise the fairest and the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/go-to-the-sea-or-climb-the-mountain-and-with-the-ruggedest-and-the/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) [Explore all 281 John Burroughs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) ## More Heaven quotes > [Heaven lies around us in our infancy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-golding/heaven-lies-around-us-in-our-infancy/) [William Golding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-golding/) > [The more perfect the sight is the more delightful the beautiful object. The more perfect the appetite, the sweeter the food. The more musical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/the-more-perfect-the-sight-is-the-more-delightful-the-beautiful/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) > [A real Christian in an odd number anyway. He feels supreme love for One whom he has never seen, talks familiarly every day to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-real-christian-in-an-odd-number-anyway-he-feels-supreme-love-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I believe that on any trip to heaven, there are always detours through hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-finney/i-believe-that-on-any-trip-to-heaven-there-are-always-detours-through/) [Richard Finney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-finney/) > [When I get a chance to play golf or go on a boat with good people, take the boat out and put some lobsters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-mac/when-i-get-a-chance-to-play-golf-or-go-on-a-boat-with-good-people/) [Bernie Mac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-mac/) > [Every saved person this side of heaven owes the gospel to every lost person this side of hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-platt/every-saved-person-this-side-of-heaven-owes-the-gospel-to-every-lost/) [David Platt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-platt/) > [When you have accomplished your goal simply walk away. This is the path way to Heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/when-you-have-accomplished-your-goal-simply-walk-away-this-is-the/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [I wonder: when a Jehovah's Witness dies and goes to Heaven, does God hide behind the door and pretend He's not home?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-celio/i-wonder-when-a-jehovah-s-witness-dies-and-goes-to-heaven-does-god/) [Brian Celio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-celio/) > [By the time you have no difficulties in your life, you have achieved Heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-brown/by-the-time-you-have-no-difficulties-in-your-life-you-have-achieved/) [Charles Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-brown/) > [I'm what is known as gradually disintegrating. I don't fear the next world, or anything. I don't fear hell, and I don't look forward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hepburn/i-m-what-is-known-as-gradually-disintegrating-i-don-t-fear-the-next/) [Katharine Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hepburn/) > [Now I am in the place I call this wide wide Heaven because it includes all my simplest desires but also the most humble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-sebold/now-i-am-in-the-place-i-call-this-wide-wide-heaven-because-it/) [Alice Sebold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-sebold/) > [I do not want a kingdom, or heaven; what I want is to remove the trouble of the oppressed, the poor, and the needy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-want-a-kingdom-or-heaven-what-i-want-is-to-remove-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“God is the highest good of the reasonable creature, and the enjoyment of him is the only happiness with which our souls can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-alcorn/god-is-the-highest-good-of-the-reasonable-creature-and-the-enjoyment/) [Randy Alcorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-alcorn/) > [“The Creator sat upon the throne, thinking. Behind him stretched the illimitable continent of heaven, steeped in a glory of light and color; before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/the-creator-sat-upon-the-throne-thinking-behind-him-stretched-the/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) [Browse all 9,540 Heaven quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heaven/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I look up into the starry heavens at night and reflect upon what it is I really see there, I am constrained to say, ´there is no god´.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Burroughs" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/when-i-look-up-into-the-starry-heavens-at-night-and-reflect-upon-what/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Heaven" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/when-i-look-up-into-the-starry-heavens-at-night-and-reflect-upon-what/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47f/john-burroughs-1157_heaven_when-i-look-up-into-the-starry-heavens-a_2446436.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47f/john-burroughs-1157_heaven_when-i-look-up-into-the-starry-heavens-a_2446436.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47f/john-burroughs-1157_heaven_when-i-look-up-into-the-starry-heavens-a_2446436.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I look up into the starry heavens at night and reflect upon what it is I really see there, I am…” — John Burroughs", "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": "John Burroughs", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I look up into the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/when-i-look-up-into-the-starry-heavens-at-night-and-reflect-upon-what/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/when-i-look-up-into-the-starry-heavens-at-night-and-reflect-upon-what/#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 } } ] } ```