--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: True religion is not about possessing the…" description: "\"True religion is not about possessing the truth. No religion does that. It is rather an invitation into a journey that leads one toward the mystery of ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a4/john-shelby-spong-1488_answers_true-religion-is-not-about-possessing-th_2556480.png" --- # True religion is not about possessing the truth. No… ![“True religion is not about possessing the truth. No religion does that. It is rather an invitation into a journey that leads one toward the mystery of God. Idolatry is religion pretending that it has all the answers.” quote by John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a4/john-shelby-spong-1488_answers_true-religion-is-not-about-possessing-th_2556480.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a4/john-shelby-spong-1488_answers_true-religion-is-not-about-possessing-th_2556480.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a4/john-shelby-spong-1488_answers_true-religion-is-not-about-possessing-th_2556480.png) > “True religion is not about possessing the truth. No religion does that. It is rather an invitation into a journey that leads one toward the mystery of God. Idolatry is religion pretending that it has all the answers.” [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Religion should be an invitation to mystery, not a claim of absolute truth, avoiding idolatry. **In simple terms:** Religion invites mystery, not absolute answers. Key Takeaway Seek spiritual growth through open inquiry. Themes faith spirituality humility inquiry mystery Mood contemplative thoughtful inquisitive Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - personal meditation - interfaith workshops - theological study groups Key Concepts theology existentialism interfaith dialogue Questions to Reflect On - How does embracing mystery affect personal faith? - What practices foster humility in belief? A Different Perspective Dogmatic certainty can alienate seekers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Answers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answers/) [Commitment to god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commitment-to-god/) [Connecting with god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/connecting-with-god/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [God Idolatry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-idolatry-1114440/) [Idol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idol/) [Idolatry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idolatry/) [Idolatry Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idolatry-religion-1567834/) [Intimacy with god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intimacy-with-god/) [Invitations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invitations/) [Journey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journey/) [Mystery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mystery/) [Mystery of god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mystery-of-god/) [Possessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possessing/) [Pretending](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pretending/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [True religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-religion/) [Trust in god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trust-in-god/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Truth Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-religion-931617/) ## Related quotes > [The mystery of God hugs you in its all-encompassing arms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hildegard-of-bingen/the-mystery-of-god-hugs-you-in-its-all-encompassing-arms/) [Hildegard of Bingen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hildegard-of-bingen/) > [God is not a Christian, God is not a Jew, or a Muslim, or a Hindu, or a Buddhist. All of those are human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/god-is-not-a-christian-god-is-not-a-jew-or-a-muslim-or-a-hindu-or-a/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [One has only the choice between God and idolatry. There is no other possibility. For the faculty of worship is in us, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/one-has-only-the-choice-between-god-and-idolatry-there-is-no-other/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [We make a god out of whatever we find most joy in. So find your joy in God and be done with all idolatry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/we-make-a-god-out-of-whatever-we-find-most-joy-in-so-find-your-joy-in/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [Whatever a man seeks, honors, or exalts more than God, this is the god of idolatry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernard-ullathorne/whatever-a-man-seeks-honors-or-exalts-more-than-god-this-is-the-god/) [William Bernard Ullathorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernard-ullathorne/) > [An idol is something that we look to for things that only God can give. Idolatry functions widely inside religious communities when doctrinal truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/an-idol-is-something-that-we-look-to-for-things-that-only-god-can/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [A woman's vanity is interested in making the object of her choice the god of her idolatry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/a-woman-s-vanity-is-interested-in-making-the-object-of-her-choice-the/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Thou god of our idolatry, the press. . . . Thou fountain, at which drink the good and wise; Thou ever-bubbling spring of endless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/thou-god-of-our-idolatry-the-press-thou-fountain-at-which-drink-the/) [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) > [When your thoughts and opinions become intellectual gods in rebellion against the Word of God, you are in idolatry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/when-your-thoughts-and-opinions-become-intellectual-gods-in-rebellion/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [Whatever a man seeks, honors, or exalts more than God is the god of his idolatry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernard-ullathorne/whatever-a-man-seeks-honors-or-exalts-more-than-god-is-the-god-of-his/) [William Bernard Ullathorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernard-ullathorne/) > [Religion is just a path for finding truth: Religion is not truth. It is just a path. And different people follow different paths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-moorjani/religion-is-just-a-path-for-finding-truth-religion-is-not-truth-it-is/) [Anita Moorjani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-moorjani/) > [I am an atheist, and if an atheist and a pope think the same things, there must be something true. There must be some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oriana-fallaci/i-am-an-atheist-and-if-an-atheist-and-a-pope-think-the-same-things/) [Oriana Fallaci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oriana-fallaci/) > [The soul of all is one soul and the truth is one truth, under whatever religion it is hidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hazrat-inayat-khan/the-soul-of-all-is-one-soul-and-the-truth-is-one-truth-under-whatever/) [Hazrat Inayat Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hazrat-inayat-khan/) > [My political life has been informed by the view that if there was any truth to religion there wouldn't really be any need for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/my-political-life-has-been-informed-by-the-view-that-if-there-was-any/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“Talk to me about the truth of religion and I'll listen gladly. Talk to me about the duty of religion and I'll listen submissively.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/talk-to-me-about-the-truth-of-religion-and-i-ll-listen-gladly-talk-to/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) ## More by John Shelby Spong > [The way that I see Christianity is that its role is to enhance the life of every person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/the-way-that-i-see-christianity-is-that-its-role-is-to-enhance-the/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [The Sins of Scripture is an interesting title; most people don't put sins and scripture together in the same title. It jars people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/the-sins-of-scripture-is-an-interesting-title-most-people-don-t-put/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [“When a human life is open to all that humanity can be, humanity and divinity flow together as one. It was and is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/when-a-human-life-is-open-to-all-that-humanity-can-be-humanity-and/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [I don't see Jesus as rescuing the fallen; I see Jesus as expanding the potential of life. The primary reason the old idea of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/i-don-t-see-jesus-as-rescuing-the-fallen-i-see-jesus-as-expanding-the/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [The Bible interprets life from its particular perspective; it does not record in a factual way the human journey through history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/the-bible-interprets-life-from-its-particular-perspective-it-does-not/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [My basis of morality is this: does this action enhance life, or does it denigrate life? Does it build up or does it tear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/my-basis-of-morality-is-this-does-this-action-enhance-life-or-does-it/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [I want the traditional family upheld, but I don't want it upheld to the detriment of other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/i-want-the-traditional-family-upheld-but-i-don-t-want-it-upheld-to/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [We live in a very pluralistic society today. There are Buddhists, Hindus, Jews, atheists, Roman Catholics, Evangelical Christians, and Christians like me. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/we-live-in-a-very-pluralistic-society-today-there-are-buddhists/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [The Bible was written between 3,000 and 2,000 years ago, and it's filled with the knowledge that people had in that period of time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/the-bible-was-written-between-3-000-and-2-000-years-ago-and-it-s/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [We are in a survival mentality, and that's hard-wired into our humanity, because we are the winners of an evolutionary struggle of millions and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/we-are-in-a-survival-mentality-and-that-s-hard-wired-into-our/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [Some people think prayer stops bullets or rockets or land mines. It doesn't. That's magic, that's not God. Sometimes, you're just in the wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/some-people-think-prayer-stops-bullets-or-rockets-or-land-mines-it/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [The Hebrew scriptures say it's okay to enslave anybody except your fellow Jews. It says you should enslave only your neighbors. I say to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/the-hebrew-scriptures-say-it-s-okay-to-enslave-anybody-except-your/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [ I know Jerry \[Falwell\] fairly well, and he's probably not bright enough to recognize all of the implications of what he said. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/i-know-jerry-falwell-fairly-well-and-he-s-probably-not-bright-enough/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [Benedict XVI kept saying that homosexuals are deviant. They're not deviant. They're deviant only if you say that anyone who is different from me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/benedict-xvi-kept-saying-that-homosexuals-are-deviant-they-re-not/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [ I find it fascinating that Paul \[the apostol\], writing to the Galatians, responds to the question, "What does it mean to live in Christ?"… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/i-find-it-fascinating-that-paul-the-apostol-writing-to-the-galatians/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) [Explore all 236 John Shelby Spong quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) ## More Answers quotes > [The one thing that I keep learning over and over again is that I don't know nothing. I mean, that's my life lesson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/the-one-thing-that-i-keep-learning-over-and-over-again-is-that-i-don/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [Sometimes a question can hurt more than an answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/sometimes-a-question-can-hurt-more-than-an-answer/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [You feed yourself. Make sure you have all the information, whether it's aesthetic, scientific, mathematical, I don't care what it is. Then you walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-feed-yourself-make-sure-you-have-all-the-information-whether-it-s/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [I have long felt that the way to keep children out of trouble is to keep them interested in things. Lecturing to children is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/i-have-long-felt-that-the-way-to-keep-children-out-of-trouble-is-to/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [“As long as you keep searching,the answers will come.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-kynock/as-long-as-you-keep-searching-the-answers-will-come/) [Mitch Kynock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-kynock/) > [The answer to deep anxiety is the deep adoration of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/the-answer-to-deep-anxiety-is-the-deep-adoration-of-god/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [A dialogue is very important. It is a form of communication in which question and answer continue till a question is left without an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-dialogue-is-very-important-it-is-a-form-of-communication-in-which/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [There is a comfort in rituals, and rituals provide a framework for stability when you are trying to find answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-norville/there-is-a-comfort-in-rituals-and-rituals-provide-a-framework-for/) [Deborah Norville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-norville/) > [A religious person answers to God, not to the elected or non-elected official.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/a-religious-person-answers-to-god-not-to-the-elected-or-non-elected/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [Let us remember that every worldview-not just Christianity's-must give an explanation or an answer for evil and suffering...this is not just a problem distinctive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/let-us-remember-that-every-worldview-not-just-christianity-s-must/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [Instead of asking a girl how she feels, try looking through her recently listened to songs. The lyrics are the answer to all your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/instead-of-asking-a-girl-how-she-feels-try-looking-through-her/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For someone to ask 'Who did you play for' and to be able to answer a single name 'Liverpool' that would be brilliant...I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-carragher/for-someone-to-ask-who-did-you-play-for-and-to-be-able-to-answer-a/) [Jamie Carragher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-carragher/) > [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [Enjoying life isn't about finding the answers, but living the questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-margolis/enjoying-life-isn-t-about-finding-the-answers-but-living-the-questions/) [Sue Margolis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-margolis/) [Browse all 7,843 Answers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answers/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "True religion is not about possessing the truth. 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