--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For me, the great problem growing up in…" description: "\"For me, the great problem growing up in England was that I had a very narrow concept of what God can be, and it was damn close to an old man with a bea..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/000/john-cleese-1768_beard_for-me-the-great-problem-growing-up-in-e_3169992.jpg" --- # For me, the great problem growing up in England was that I… ![“For me, the great problem growing up in England was that I had a very narrow concept of what God can be, and it was damn close to an old man with a beard.” quote by John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/000/john-cleese-1768_beard_for-me-the-great-problem-growing-up-in-e_3169992.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/000/john-cleese-1768_beard_for-me-the-great-problem-growing-up-in-e_3169992.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/000/john-cleese-1768_beard_for-me-the-great-problem-growing-up-in-e_3169992.jpg) > “For me, the great problem growing up in England was that I had a very narrow concept of what God can be, and it was damn close to an old man with a beard.” [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He realized his early view of God was limited to a stereotypical old be, restricting his spiritual imagination. **In simple terms:** His idea of God was too narrow. Key Takeaway Broaden your concept of the divine. Themes spirituality open‑mindedness growth Mood thoughtful reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal reflection - religious study - creative writing Key Concepts theology cognitive bias Questions to Reflect On - How might expanding your image of God change your life? - What stereotypes shape your beliefs? A Different Perspective A narrow view can limit empathy and cultural understanding. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beard/) [Concept God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concept-god/) [Damn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/damn/) [England](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/england/) [England Narrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/england-narrow-5765305/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Growing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing/) [Growing England](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-england-541264/) [Growing up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-up/) [Narrow Concept](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/narrow-concept-5765304/) [Old man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-man/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) ## Related quotes > [There was definitely a wild side to me that couldn't run free growing up in England.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-oxenberg/there-was-definitely-a-wild-side-to-me-that-couldn-t-run-free-growing/) [Catherine Oxenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-oxenberg/) > [Growing up in England, people told you why you couldn't do things. Suddenly, I had a publisher banging on my door, and was given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-bantock/growing-up-in-england-people-told-you-why-you-couldn-t-do-things/) [Nick Bantock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-bantock/) > [I am very aware that I'm the product of growing up in England and the tradition of designing and making, of England industrialising first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ive/i-am-very-aware-that-i-m-the-product-of-growing-up-in-england-and-the/) [Jonathan Ive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ive/) > [Growing up in England I've leant more on my English side, but Stath is what would have happened if I leant more on my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-demetriou/growing-up-in-england-i-ve-leant-more-on-my-english-side-but-stath-is/) [Jamie Demetriou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-demetriou/) > [Many prominent scientists - including Darwin, Einstein, and Planck - have considered the concept of God very seriously. What are your thoughts on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-b-anfinsen/many-prominent-scientists-including-darwin-einstein-and-planck-have/) [Christian B. Anfinsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-b-anfinsen/) > [If we take away any of the attributes of God, we do not weaken God but we weaken our concept of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/if-we-take-away-any-of-the-attributes-of-god-we-do-not-weaken-god-but/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [Although the notion of one god may give comfort to those in need of a daddy, it reminds the rest of us that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/although-the-notion-of-one-god-may-give-comfort-to-those-in-need-of-a/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Anytime you turn on your own concept of God, you are no longer a free man. 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There are many people who say it's not God,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-b-newberg/the-concept-of-god-can-be-very-interfering-for-some-and-very-opening/) [Andrew B. Newberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-b-newberg/) > [“The truth is, that the concept of God which I had always entertained, and which I had accused Christians of teaching to the world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/the-truth-is-that-the-concept-of-god-which-i-had-always-entertained/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [...I might continue to believe that there is no god even if it were proved that there is. A religious friend of mine once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/i-might-continue-to-believe-that-there-is-no-god-even-if-it-were/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [Learning to be flexible in values takes a very long time...Of course I felt a little uncomfortable during questioning the concept of God, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacque-fresco/learning-to-be-flexible-in-values-takes-a-very-long-time-of-course-i/) [Jacque Fresco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacque-fresco/) > [“There is only one giver and that is God. Even the laws of gravity justify this concept. Therefore, God always gives us without expecting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/there-is-only-one-giver-and-that-is-god-even-the-laws-of-gravity/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) ## More by John Cleese > [Too many people confuse being serious with being solemn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/too-many-people-confuse-being-serious-with-being-solemn/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [Nerves are always a big problem for me, which is why I loved doing American sitcoms. Because you know when you do the take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/nerves-are-always-a-big-problem-for-me-which-is-why-i-loved-doing/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [years ago we would have been burned for this. 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You might as well have a commandment that states,'Thou shalt fly'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/loving-your-neighbour-as-much-as-yourself-is-practically-bloody/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [Creativity is not the possession of some special talent. It’s about the willingness to play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/creativity-is-not-the-possession-of-some-special-talent-it-s-about/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [England is a fairly envious little country and it's embodied in the press. They don't like anyone being more distinguished than they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/england-is-a-fairly-envious-little-country-and-it-s-embodied-in-the/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [I used to desire many, many things, but now I have just one desire, and that's to get rid of all my other desires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/i-used-to-desire-many-many-things-but-now-i-have-just-one-desire-and/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [I think the hard thing for young comedians is that the majority of the young people in the audience out there don't have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/i-think-the-hard-thing-for-young-comedians-is-that-the-majority-of/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [I wish you wusses would stop whining about your unhappiness. I'm really fed up with it. Pour yourself a scotch and pull yourself together.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/i-wish-you-wusses-would-stop-whining-about-your-unhappiness-i-m/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [On movies, I like to involve the cast in the writing of the script. I like to have a rehearsal period, after which I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/on-movies-i-like-to-involve-the-cast-in-the-writing-of-the-script-i/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [I had a very, very difficult relationship with my mother, who was supremely self-centred. She was hilariously self-centred. 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When someone sees you wearing a beard, they're seeing something in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohsin-hamid/a-beard-is-something-that-is-almost-like-a-mirror-to-the-viewer-when/) [Mohsin Hamid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohsin-hamid/) > [“Nay! Faith, let me not play a woman! I have a beard coming!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/nay-faith-let-me-not-play-a-woman-i-have-a-beard-coming/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [The barman sidled toward them out of a back room. He was a grump-looking old man with a great deal of a long gray…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-barman-sidled-toward-them-out-of-a-back-room-he-was-a-grump/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I was born with a beard. We're quite hairy down in Latin America. We don't have to use sponges when we wash dishes. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devendra-banhart/i-was-born-with-a-beard-we-re-quite-hairy-down-in-latin-america-we/) [Devendra Banhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devendra-banhart/) > [“beard framing a face that had started to show his age, weathered and lined from years”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-allibone/beard-framing-a-face-that-had-started-to-show-his-age-weathered-and/) [Richard Allibone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-allibone/) > [If I can play, and change the mind of one person about being a Muslim player and having a beard, then I'll feel as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moeen-ali/if-i-can-play-and-change-the-mind-of-one-person-about-being-a-muslim/) [Moeen Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moeen-ali/) > [“Pride is like a beard. It is just keeps growing; the solution?- Shave it every day.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-ong/pride-is-like-a-beard-it-is-just-keeps-growing-the-solution-shave-it/) [George Ong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-ong/) > [“I have no idea why this is. I’m sure somebody with a beard and too much time on their hands would say it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-spalding/i-have-no-idea-why-this-is-i-m-sure-somebody-with-a-beard-and-too/) [Nick Spalding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-spalding/) > [They were bullyin' him, Hermione, 'cause he's so small!" said Hagrid. "Small?" said Hermione. "Small?" "Hermione, I couldn't leave him," said Hagrid, tears now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/they-were-bullyin-him-hermione-cause-he-s-so-small-said-hagrid-small/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Allow me," said the elf, proffering Gimlet's beard to Frito, who was now sneezing uncontrollably.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-harvard-lampoon/allow-me-said-the-elf-proffering-gimlet-s-beard-to-frito-who-was-now/) [The Harvard Lampoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-harvard-lampoon/) > [Never insult a mans beard, you either get thunder or lightning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/si-robertson/never-insult-a-mans-beard-you-either-get-thunder-or-lightning/) [Si Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/si-robertson/) > [If we didn't live venturously, plucking the wild goat by the beard, and trembling over precipices, we should never be depressed, I've no doubt;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/if-we-didn-t-live-venturously-plucking-the-wild-goat-by-the-beard-and/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [If I had to choose between the two ways of approaching the deity, I should prefer the existential relational way, to the abstract philosophical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-moore-cross/if-i-had-to-choose-between-the-two-ways-of-approaching-the-deity-i/) [Frank Moore Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-moore-cross/) > [“Shave that Moses beard and you might have better luck. 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