Believe in god Quote by John Irving
““As often as I feel certain that God exists, I feel as often at a loss to say what difference it makes—that He exists—or even: that to believe in God, which I do, raises more questions than it presents answers. Thus, when I am feeling my most faithful, I also feel full of a few hard questions that I would like to put to God—I mean, critical questions of the How-Can-He, How-Could-He, How-Dare-You variety. “For example, I would like to ask God to give us back Owen Meany,” Mr. Merrill said; when he spread his arms wide, the fingers of his right hand were dancing again in the beam of light. “O God—give him back, give him back to us!” Pastor Merrill asked. It was so quiet in Hurd’s Church,””
About This Quote
Source Novel: A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving, 1989
The speaker wrestles with faith, feeling that belief in God raises more questions than answers, and longs for divine intervention in personal loss.
In simple terms: Faith can create doubts and unanswered questions.
Key Takeaway
Embrace questioning as part of belief.
Themes
faith
doubt
theology
human longing
divine intervention
Mood
contemplative
melancholic
Type
philosophical
theological
When to use this quote
- grieving a loved one
- seeking meaning in suffering
- questioning religious doctrine
Key Concepts
existentialism
theodicy
personal loss
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you reconcile belief with unanswered questions?
- What role does doubt play in deepening faith?
A Different Perspective
Faith may not provide clear answers to personal pain.
![“JUST BECAUSE A BUNCH OF ATHEISTS ARE BETTER WRITERS THAN THE GUYS WHO WROTE THE BIBLE DOESN'T NECESSARILY MAKE THEM RIGHT!" [Owen Meany] said crossly. "LOOK AT THOSE WEIRDO TV MIRACLE-WORKERS--THEY'RE TRYING TO GET PEOPLE TO BELIEVE IN MAGIC! BUT THE REAL MIRACLES AREN'T ANYTHING YOU CAN…” quote by John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/70e/john-irving-337_atheists_just-because-a-bunch-of-atheists-are-bet_31804.jpg)
