--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What would it be like really and…" description: "\"“What would it be like really and absolutely to believe? (...) To know, really and absolutely know, that there's a Divine Being not set in time or spac..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d1/john-le-carre-651_believe_what-would-it-be-like-really-and-absolut_2259498.jpg" --- # What would it be like really and absolutely to believe?… ![“What would it be like really and absolutely to believe? (...) To know, really and absolutely know, that there's a Divine Being not set in time or space who reads your thoughts better than you ever did, and probably before you even have them? To believe that God sends you to war, God bends the path…” quote by John le Carré](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d1/john-le-carre-651_believe_what-would-it-be-like-really-and-absolut_2259498.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d1/john-le-carre-651_believe_what-would-it-be-like-really-and-absolut_2259498.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d1/john-le-carre-651_believe_what-would-it-be-like-really-and-absolut_2259498.jpg) > ““What would it be like really and absolutely to believe? (...) To know, really and absolutely know, that there's a Divine Being not set in time or space who reads your thoughts better than you ever did, and probably before you even have them? To believe that God sends you to war, God bends the path of bullets, decides which of his children will die, or have their legs blown off, or make a few hundred million on Wall Street, depending on today's Grand Design?”” [John le Carré](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage questions the nature of absolute belief in a divine plan, juxtaposing free will with predestination and the randomness of fate. **In simple terms:** It ponders belief in a controlling God versus chance. Key Takeaway Consider how belief shapes perception of events. Themes faith free will destiny uncertainty Mood contemplative skeptical hopeful Type philosophical theological existential When to use this quote - personal crisis - war decisions - financial risk - spiritual searching Key Concepts theology philosophy determinism randomness Questions to Reflect On - Do you think belief limits personal agency? - How does faith influence moral choices? A Different Perspective Belief may be comforting but can also justify harmful actions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Absolutely Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absolutely-believe-1154457/) [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Believe God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe-god/) [Know Divine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-divine-579833/) [Probably Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/probably-believe-4691081/) [Wall St](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wall-st/) [Wall street](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wall-street/) ## Related quotes > [I probably believe in God in a non-denominational way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-davis/i-probably-believe-in-god-in-a-non-denominational-way/) [Kristin Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-davis/) > [At some time in your life, you probably had someone believe in you when you didn't believe in yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/at-some-time-in-your-life-you-probably-had-someone-believe-in-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I certainly believe that God did create the world, yeah, absolutely I believe that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-strobel/i-certainly-believe-that-god-did-create-the-world-yeah-absolutely-i/) [Lee Strobel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-strobel/) > [When you know that you are eternal you can play your true role in time. When you know you are divine you can become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-meera/when-you-know-that-you-are-eternal-you-can-play-your-true-role-in/) [Mother Meera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-meera/) > [“I have found what I set out to know: a direct experience of the Divine. Whether I'm seated before a lighted candle, calm and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meggan-watterson/i-have-found-what-i-set-out-to-know-a-direct-experience-of-the-divine/) [Meggan Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meggan-watterson/) > [We never know through what Divine mysteries of compensation the great Father of the universe may be carrying out His sublime plan; but those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinah-maria-murlock-craik/we-never-know-through-what-divine-mysteries-of-compensation-the-great/) [Dinah Maria Murlock Craik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dinah-maria-murlock-craik/) > [I do not know of any divine commands. I do know of most important human ones. I do not know the needs of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-h-gardener/i-do-not-know-of-any-divine-commands-i-do-know-of-most-important/) [Helen H. Gardener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-h-gardener/) > [Knowing her we will know that we are her divine children in a relationship of complete, unconditionally loving intimacy; we will know that nature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-harvey/knowing-her-we-will-know-that-we-are-her-divine-children-in-a/) [Andrew Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-harvey/) > [“If you fuse knowledge of your transcendent origin with tireless service in and for God, you will come, on earth and in this body,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-harvey/if-you-fuse-knowledge-of-your-transcendent-origin-with-tireless/) [Andrew Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-harvey/) > [As we all know, too much of any divine thing is destruction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-we-all-know-too-much-of-any-divine-thing-is-destruction/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The divine is in the present and you must be present to experience it. When you vacate the present and recede into your mind,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-browning/the-divine-is-in-the-present-and-you-must-be-present-to-experience-it/) [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) > [You will know that the divine is so great and of such a nature that it sees and hears everything at once, is present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/you-will-know-that-the-divine-is-so-great-and-of-such-a-nature-that/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [I absolutely believe in Heaven and Hell. They're just like what the Bible says they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-gannon/i-absolutely-believe-in-heaven-and-hell-they-re-just-like-what-the/) [Jeff Gannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-gannon/) > [Love at first sight? I absolutely believe in it! You've got to keep the faith. Who doesn't like the idea that you could see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/love-at-first-sight-i-absolutely-believe-in-it-you-ve-got-to-keep-the/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [Absolutely I believe. If you don't believe in aliens, you're not working your imagination enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-ryder/absolutely-i-believe-if-you-don-t-believe-in-aliens-you-re-not/) [Sam Ryder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-ryder/) ## More by John le Carré > [The creation of George Smiley, the retired spy recalled to hunt for just such a high-ranking mole in 'Tinker, Tailor,' was extremely personal. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/the-creation-of-george-smiley-the-retired-spy-recalled-to-hunt-for/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [All power corrupts but some must govern.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/all-power-corrupts-but-some-must-govern/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [During the Cold War, we lived in coded times when it wasn't easy and there were shades of grey and ambiguity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/during-the-cold-war-we-lived-in-coded-times-when-it-wasn-t-easy-and/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [“You're history, Donohue. You think countries run the fucking world! Go back to fucking Sunday school. It's 'God save our multinational' they're singing these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/you-re-history-donohue-you-think-countries-run-the-fucking-world-go/) [John le Carré](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [When you're my age and you see a story, you better go for it pretty quickly. I'd just like to get a few more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/when-you-re-my-age-and-you-see-a-story-you-better-go-for-it-pretty/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [The trouble is, when professional spies go out of their way to make a definitive statement about one of their own, the public tends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/the-trouble-is-when-professional-spies-go-out-of-their-way-to-make-a/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [Ideologies have no heart of their own. They're the whores and angels of our striving selves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/ideologies-have-no-heart-of-their-own-they-re-the-whores-and-angels/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [Home's where you go when you run out of homes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/home-s-where-you-go-when-you-run-out-of-homes/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [“Pain observed is journalistic pain. It's diplomatic pain. It's television pain, over as soon as you switch off your beastly set.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/pain-observed-is-journalistic-pain-it-s-diplomatic-pain-it-s/) [John le Carré](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [The greatest threat to mankind comes from the renunciation of individual scruple in favor of institutional denominators. . . . Real heroism lies, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/the-greatest-threat-to-mankind-comes-from-the-renunciation-of/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [“and the wood smoke will roll out of the fireplace on to the carpet we paid too much for on that rainy afternoon in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/and-the-wood-smoke-will-roll-out-of-the-fireplace-on-to-the-carpet-we/) [John le Carré](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [“Middle children weep longer than their brothers and sisters. Over her mother’s shoulder, stilling her pains and her injured pride, Jackie Lacon watched the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/middle-children-weep-longer-than-their-brothers-and-sisters-over-her/) [John le Carré](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [For decades to come the spy world will continue to be the collective couch where the subconscious of each nation is confessed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/for-decades-to-come-the-spy-world-will-continue-to-be-the-collective/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [I happen to write by hand. I don't even type. John Le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/i-happen-to-write-by-hand-i-don-t-even-type-john-le-carre/) [John Le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [The more identities a man has, the more they express the person they conceal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/the-more-identities-a-man-has-the-more-they-express-the-person-they/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) [Explore all 409 John le Carré quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) [Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“What would it be like really and absolutely to believe? (...) To know, really and absolutely know, that there's a Divine Being not set in time or space who reads your thoughts better than you ever did, and probably before you even have them? 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