--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was surprised. I'd always associated…" description: "\"I was surprised. I'd always associated belief in heaven with, frankly, a kind of intellectual disengagement. But Gus wasn't dumb.\" — John Green" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c98/john-green-12_afterlife_i-was-surprised-i-d-always-associated-be_3126996.jpg" --- # I was surprised. I'd always associated belief in heaven… ![“I was surprised. I'd always associated belief in heaven with, frankly, a kind of intellectual disengagement. But Gus wasn't dumb.” quote by John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c98/john-green-12_afterlife_i-was-surprised-i-d-always-associated-be_3126996.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c98/john-green-12_afterlife_i-was-surprised-i-d-always-associated-be_3126996.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c98/john-green-12_afterlife_i-was-surprised-i-d-always-associated-be_3126996.jpg) > “I was surprised. I'd always associated belief in heaven with, frankly, a kind of intellectual disengagement. But Gus wasn't dumb.” [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Belief in an afterlife can coexist with intelligence; faith doesn’t imply ignorance. **In simple terms:** Faith and intellect can coexist. Key Takeaway Respect diverse beliefs without assuming ignorance. Themes faith intelligence stereotypes Mood reflective open‑minded Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - discussions on religion - education - personal growth Key Concepts philosophy psychology literature Questions to Reflect On - How do you reconcile faith with critical thinking? - What biases affect our view of belief? A Different Perspective Some may still view belief as irrational. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Afterlife](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afterlife/) [Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) [Disengagement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disengagement/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Heaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heaven/) [Intellectual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intellectual/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Surprised](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surprised/) ## Related quotes > [I'm always kind of surprised how much I'm associated with country music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tift-merritt/i-m-always-kind-of-surprised-how-much-i-m-associated-with-country/) [Tift Merritt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tift-merritt/) > [Anyway, that was the last good day I had with Gus until the Last Good Day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/anyway-that-was-the-last-good-day-i-had-with-gus-until-the-last-good/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [You know how we make a Scotch and water in this home?" "No, sir," Gus said. "We pour Scotch into a glass and then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/you-know-how-we-make-a-scotch-and-water-in-this-home-no-sir-gus-said/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [You’re joining us for dinner, I hope?” asked his mom. She was small and brunette and vaguely mousy. “I guess?” I said. “I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/you-re-joining-us-for-dinner-i-hope-asked-his-mom-she-was-small-and/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [He took a bite, swallowed. "God. If asparagus tasted like that all the time, I'd be vegetarian, too." Some people in a lacquered wooden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/he-took-a-bite-swallowed-god-if-asparagus-tasted-like-that-all-the/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“So afterward, while I was getting eviscerated by chemo, for some reason I decided to feel really hopeful. Not about survival but I felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/so-afterward-while-i-was-getting-eviscerated-by-chemo-for-some-reason/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“People always get used to beauty, though.” “I haven’t gotten used to you just yet,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/people-always-get-used-to-beauty-though-i-haven-t-gotten-used-to-you-4/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Augustus Waters was sitting on the front step as we pulled into the driveway. He was holding a bouquet of bright orange tulips just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/augustus-waters-was-sitting-on-the-front-step-as-we-pulled-into-the/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Omnia Cellula e Cellula”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/omnia-cellula-e-cellula/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I want more numbers than I’m likely to get, and God, I want more numbers for Augustus Waters than he got. But, Gus, my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-want-more-numbers-than-i-m-likely-to-get-and-god-i-want-more/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [When surprised and excited and innocent Gus emerged from Grand Gesture Metaphorically Inclined Augustus, I literally could not resist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/when-surprised-and-excited-and-innocent-gus-emerged-from-grand/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Dad had a sign of his own. MY BEAUTIFUL FAMILY, it read, and then underneath that (AND GUS).](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/dad-had-a-sign-of-his-own-my-beautiful-family-it-read-and-then/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [So how’s it going?” “Okay. Glad to be home, I guess. Gus told me you were in the ICU?” “Yeah,” I said. “Sucks,” he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/so-how-s-it-going-okay-glad-to-be-home-i-guess-gus-told-me-you-were/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Ma'am,' Augustus said, nodding toward her, 'your daughter's car has just been deservedly egged by a blind man. Please close the door and go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/ma-am-augustus-said-nodding-toward-her-your-daughter-s-car-has-just-2/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I pointed at the little kids goading each other to jump from rib cage to shoulder and Gus answered just loud enough for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-pointed-at-the-little-kids-goading-each-other-to-jump-from-rib-cage/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) ## More by John Green > [Issac:"I dislike living in a world without Augustus Waters." Computer: "I don't understand-" Issac: "Me neither. Pause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/issac-i-dislike-living-in-a-world-without-augustus-waters-computer-i/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“I just want to stay away from people and read books and think”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-just-want-to-stay-away-from-people-and-read-books-and-think/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [She smiled with all the delight of a kid on Christmas morning and said, "Y'all smoke to enjoy it. I smoke to die." -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/she-smiled-with-all-the-delight-of-a-kid-on-christmas-morning-and/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [A Margo for each of us--and each more mirror than window.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/a-margo-for-each-of-us-and-each-more-mirror-than-window/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“No one ever says good-bye unless they want to see you again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/no-one-ever-says-good-bye-unless-they-want-to-see-you-again/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Neither novels or their readers benefit from any attempts to divine whether any facts hide inside a story. Such efforts attack the very idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/neither-novels-or-their-readers-benefit-from-any-attempts-to-divine/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Traffic's not too bad on Sheridan, and I'm cornering the car like it's the Indy 500, and we're listening to my favorite NMH song,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/traffic-s-not-too-bad-on-sheridan-and-i-m-cornering-the-car-like-it-s/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Praise God for good nurses.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/praise-god-for-good-nurses/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [So I was ugly. I was never fat, really, and I never wore headgear or had zits or anything. But I was ugly. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/so-i-was-ugly-i-was-never-fat-really-and-i-never-wore-headgear-or-had/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Nothing has ever looked like that ever in all of human history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/nothing-has-ever-looked-like-that-ever-in-all-of-human-history/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“said to him quietly, as if I couldn’t hear or something. Dad was about to respond but I interrupted.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/said-to-him-quietly-as-if-i-couldn-t-hear-or-something-dad-was-about/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I believe humans have souls, and I believe in the conservation of souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-believe-humans-have-souls-and-i-believe-in-the-conservation-of-souls/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“He was hot. A nonhotboy stares at you relentlessly and it is, at best, awkward and, at worst, a form of assault. But a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/he-was-hot-a-nonhotboy-stares-at-you-relentlessly-and-it-is-at-best/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I think if you keep the box closed long enough you do kill the cat, actually.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-think-if-you-keep-the-box-closed-long-enough-you-do-kill-the-cat/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Imagining the future is a kind of nostalgia. (...) You spend your whole life stuck in the labyrinth, thinking about how you'll escape it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/imagining-the-future-is-a-kind-of-nostalgia-you-spend-your-whole-life/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) [Explore all 3,614 John Green quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) ## More Afterlife quotes > [I don't believe in an afterlife. I don't believe in a single or multiple godhead. I respect people who do, but I don't believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-judt/i-don-t-believe-in-an-afterlife-i-don-t-believe-in-a-single-or/) [Tony Judt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-judt/) > [“There was no attack on religion because people were generally indifferent to religion. They were neither hot nor cold. They were the tepid, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-day/there-was-no-attack-on-religion-because-people-were-generally/) [Dorothy Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-day/) > [I guess on one hand I believe it doesn't matter if there is life after death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-morton/i-guess-on-one-hand-i-believe-it-doesn-t-matter-if-there-is-life/) [Joe Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-morton/) > [“And what if there are only spiders there, or something of that sort”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/and-what-if-there-are-only-spiders-there-or-something-of-that-sort/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“The obsession with the afterlife is born of a panic at not having memories of a before-life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-cavanagh/the-obsession-with-the-afterlife-is-born-of-a-panic-at-not-having/) [Dean Cavanagh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-cavanagh/) > [... the man in the violent situation reveals those qualities least dispensable in his personality, those qualities which are all he will have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flannery-o-connor/the-man-in-the-violent-situation-reveals-those-qualities-least/) [Flannery O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flannery-o-connor/) > [“Most people would probably call me a ghost. I am, after all, dead. But I don't think of myself that way. It wasn't so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-pike/most-people-would-probably-call-me-a-ghost-i-am-after-all-dead-but-i/) [Christopher Pike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-pike/) > [If critics and fanboys weren't suckers for simplistic nihilism and high-pressure marketing, Afterlife would be universally acclaimed as a visionary feat, superior to Inception…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/armond-white/if-critics-and-fanboys-weren-t-suckers-for-simplistic-nihilism-and/) [Armond White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/armond-white/) > [“People, I thought, wanted security. They couldn’t bare the idea of death being a big black nothing, couldn’t bear the thought of their loved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/people-i-thought-wanted-security-they-couldn-t-bare-the-idea-of-death/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“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/) > [Sometimes I think the resurrection of the body, unless much improved in construction, a mistake!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-underhill/sometimes-i-think-the-resurrection-of-the-body-unless-much-improved/) [Evelyn Underhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-underhill/) > [It's my firm conclusion that human meaning comes from humans, not from a supernatural source. After we die, our hopes for an afterlife reside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-graffin/it-s-my-firm-conclusion-that-human-meaning-comes-from-humans-not-from/) [Greg Graffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-graffin/) > [“One's past can't be erased, it can only be learned from, the child taught her.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-balcomb/one-s-past-can-t-be-erased-it-can-only-be-learned-from-the-child/) [H. L. Balcomb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-balcomb/) > [It was like I’d stepped out into an afterlife. Only there were no angels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-christopher/it-was-like-i-d-stepped-out-into-an-afterlife-only-there-were-no/) [Lucy Christopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-christopher/) > [“death is predestined for all mortals. Souls live forever, but the body does not. Unless you are immortal, both the soul and body are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yelle-hughes/death-is-predestined-for-all-mortals-souls-live-forever-but-the-body/) [Yelle Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yelle-hughes/) [Browse all 844 Afterlife quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afterlife/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was surprised. I'd always associated belief in heaven with, frankly, a kind of intellectual disengagement. 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