--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've been an agnostic for as long as I…" description: "\"I've been an agnostic for as long as I can remember ... so I don't know where we go. But if it turns out that the lights are just turned off and nothin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f11/john-chancellor-38740_agnostic_i-ve-been-an-agnostic-for-as-long-as-i-c_1543842.jpg" --- # I've been an agnostic for as long as I can remember ... so… ![“I've been an agnostic for as long as I can remember ... so I don't know where we go. But if it turns out that the lights are just turned off and nothing happens, well, that's okay.” quote by John Chancellor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f11/john-chancellor-38740_agnostic_i-ve-been-an-agnostic-for-as-long-as-i-c_1543842.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f11/john-chancellor-38740_agnostic_i-ve-been-an-agnostic-for-as-long-as-i-c_1543842.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f11/john-chancellor-38740_agnostic_i-ve-been-an-agnostic-for-as-long-as-i-c_1543842.jpg) > “I've been an agnostic for as long as I can remember ... so I don't know where we go. But if it turns out that the lights are just turned off and nothing happens, well, that's okay.” [John Chancellor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-chancellor/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He expresses uncertainty about life's direction, embracing agnosticism and acceptance of unknown outcomes **In simple terms:** He is uncertain about the future but finds peace in acceptance Key Takeaway Embrace uncertainty and find comfort in the unknown Themes philosophy existentialism spiritual doubt Mood contemplative calm Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - life planning - mental health - creative pursuits - spiritual exploration Key Concepts meaning of life belief systems personal reflection Questions to Reflect On - How do you cope with not knowing the future? - What practices help you stay calm amid ambiguity? A Different Perspective Uncertainty can cause anxiety and indecision ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Agnostic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agnostic/) [Atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheism/) [Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light/) [Positive atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/positive-atheism/) [Things happen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-happen/) ## Related quotes > [I don't think I've ever been an agnostic. I've always thought there's a superior power, that this is not the real world and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/i-don-t-think-i-ve-ever-been-an-agnostic-i-ve-always-thought-there-s/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [Let's avoid the flashing lights and just do what feels right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raghib-clitso/let-s-avoid-the-flashing-lights-and-just-do-what-feels-right/) [Raghib Clitso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raghib-clitso/) > [You might be a redneck if motel 6 turns off the lights when they see you coming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-foxworthy/you-might-be-a-redneck-if-motel-6-turns-off-the-lights-when-they-see/) [Jeff Foxworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-foxworthy/) > [I used to hate red lights. Now they just give me time to text.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-used-to-hate-red-lights-now-they-just-give-me-time-to-text/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I was told I'd never work again, but once you come out, it's like someone turns on the lights, and your life will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoey-tur/i-was-told-i-d-never-work-again-but-once-you-come-out-it-s-like/) [Zoey Tur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoey-tur/) > [Anybody who gets into bed and turns out the lights the first night in the White House probably feels a little bit of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/anybody-who-gets-into-bed-and-turns-out-the-lights-the-first-night-in/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [“It’s so dark - as if all the lights are just there to make the other places seem darker.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mahy/it-s-so-dark-as-if-all-the-lights-are-just-there-to-make-the-other/) [Margaret Mahy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mahy/) > [Old friend, there are people—young and old—that I like, and people that I do not like. The former are always in short supply. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-macdonald/old-friend-there-are-people-young-and-old-that-i-like-and-people-that/) [John D. MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-macdonald/) > [Donald Trump is accomplishing getting, particularly white, working-class voters, who are turned off by their own party.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-ann-reid/donald-trump-is-accomplishing-getting-particularly-white-working/) [Joy-Ann Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-ann-reid/) > [There are some girls who are turned on by my body, and some others who are turned off. but for the majority i just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-schwarzenegger/there-are-some-girls-who-are-turned-on-by-my-body-and-some-others-who/) [Arnold Schwarzenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-schwarzenegger/) > [When I am kicking around show ideas, or really any idea, usually an image comes to me. I don't really start with a character…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-kripke/when-i-am-kicking-around-show-ideas-or-really-any-idea-usually-an/) [Eric Kripke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-kripke/) > [“i feel like my life is so scattered right now. like it’s all these small pieces of paper and someone’s turned on the fan.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-feel-like-my-life-is-so-scattered-right-now-like-it-s-all-these/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [The way you really find out about the performer's seriousness about the cause is how long they stay with it when the spotlight gets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-redford/the-way-you-really-find-out-about-the-performer-s-seriousness-about/) [Robert Redford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-redford/) > [the crucial disadvantage of aggression, competitiveness and skepticism as national characteristics is that these qualities cannot be turned off at five o'clock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-halsey/the-crucial-disadvantage-of-aggression-competitiveness-and-skepticism/) [Margaret Halsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-halsey/) > [We are not being true to the artist as a man if we consider his art work junk simply because we differ with his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-are-not-being-true-to-the-artist-as-a-man-if-we-consider-his-art/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by John Chancellor > [The most successful people do not make up the rules as they go. They have a set of rules that they follow and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-chancellor/the-most-successful-people-do-not-make-up-the-rules-as-they-go-they/) [John Chancellor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-chancellor/) > [There's the Ronald Reagan cupped-ear gambit. The press is deliberately and systematically kept away from him. All you hear is a bunch of monkeys…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-chancellor/there-s-the-ronald-reagan-cupped-ear-gambit-the-press-is-deliberately/) [John Chancellor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-chancellor/) > [I know of no one who would be a good High Commissioner of Palestine except God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-chancellor/i-know-of-no-one-who-would-be-a-good-high-commissioner-of-palestine/) [John Chancellor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-chancellor/) > [In fact, most deaths are not tragic. Few people die because of a flaw in character, which is the essential element of tragedy. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-chancellor/in-fact-most-deaths-are-not-tragic-few-people-die-because-of-a-flaw/) [John Chancellor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-chancellor/) > [The function of good journalism is to take information and add value to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-chancellor/the-function-of-good-journalism-is-to-take-information-and-add-value/) [John Chancellor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-chancellor/) > [The American government is doing whatever it wants to, without any representative of the American public watching what it is doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-chancellor/the-american-government-is-doing-whatever-it-wants-to-without-any/) [John Chancellor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-chancellor/) > [Now the 21st century approaches and with it the inevitability of change. We must wonder if the American people will find renewal and rejuvenation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-chancellor/now-the-21st-century-approaches-and-with-it-the-inevitability-of/) [John Chancellor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-chancellor/) > [The avenues in my neighborhood are Pride, Covetousness and Lust; the cross streets are Anger, Gluttony, Envy and Sloth. I live over on Sloth,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-chancellor/the-avenues-in-my-neighborhood-are-pride-covetousness-and-lust-the/) [John Chancellor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-chancellor/) > [Action based only on principles isn't always good even if it feels good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-chancellor/action-based-only-on-principles-isn-t-always-good-even-if-it-feels/) [John Chancellor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-chancellor/) > [Action based only on principles isnt always good even if it feels good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-chancellor/action-based-only-on-principles-isnt-always-good-even-if-it-feels-good/) [John Chancellor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-chancellor/) [Explore all 11 John Chancellor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-chancellor/) ## 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": "I've been an agnostic for as long as I can remember ... so I don't know where we go. 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