--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When men live as if there were no God, it…" description: "\"When men live as if there were no God, it becomes expedient for them that there should be none.\" — John Tillotson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4de/john-tillotson-8040_atheism_when-men-live-as-if-there-were-no-god-it_2605170.jpg" --- # When men live as if there were no God, it becomes… ![“When men live as if there were no God, it becomes expedient for them that there should be none.” quote by John Tillotson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4de/john-tillotson-8040_atheism_when-men-live-as-if-there-were-no-god-it_2605170.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4de/john-tillotson-8040_atheism_when-men-live-as-if-there-were-no-god-it_2605170.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4de/john-tillotson-8040_atheism_when-men-live-as-if-there-were-no-god-it_2605170.jpg) > “When men live as if there were no God, it becomes expedient for them that there should be none.” [John Tillotson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tillotson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Living without belief in God leads some to deem God unnecessary, revealing existential rationalizations. **In simple terms:** No belief can make God seem irrelevant. Key Takeaway Question assumptions about belief and meaning. Themes faith existence rationalization Mood contemplative neutral Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - personal belief - cultural discourse - ethical decisions Key Concepts theology philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What values guide you without divine belief? A Different Perspective Ignoring spiritual needs can cause emptiness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheism/) [Expedient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expedient/) [God Expedient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-expedient-1978638/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Live](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live/) [Live God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-god/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Men Live](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-live/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) ## Related quotes > [Men. You can't live with them, you can't shoot them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-addison-allen/men-you-can-t-live-with-them-you-can-t-shoot-them/) [Sarah Addison Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-addison-allen/) > [There is no expedient to which a man will not go to avoid the labor of thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-is-no-expedient-to-which-a-man-will-not-go-to-avoid-the-labor/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It may be expedient to take stock of all the affecting pieces that might shatter in the wake of an emotional earthquake, once red…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-pevernagie/it-may-be-expedient-to-take-stock-of-all-the-affecting-pieces-that/) [Erik Pevernagie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-pevernagie/) > [Why do we have a brain in the first place? Not to write books, articles, or plays; not to do science or play music.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-damasio/why-do-we-have-a-brain-in-the-first-place-not-to-write-books-articles/) [Antonio Damasio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-damasio/) > [Free trade is not a principle, it is an expedient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/free-trade-is-not-a-principle-it-is-an-expedient/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [“There is no expedient to which a man will not resort to avoid the real labor of thinking.” With”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-cialdini/there-is-no-expedient-to-which-a-man-will-not-resort-to-avoid-the-2/) [Robert B. Cialdini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-cialdini/) > [Dictatorships do cut down on rape, and pillage, not to mention sexual harassment, by the simple expedient of sending people to labour camps for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-amiel/dictatorships-do-cut-down-on-rape-and-pillage-not-to-mention-sexual/) [Barbara Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-amiel/) > [Ask yourself not if this or that is expedient, but if it is right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-paton/ask-yourself-not-if-this-or-that-is-expedient-but-if-it-is-right/) [Alan Paton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-paton/) > [It is sometimes expedient to forget what you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/it-is-sometimes-expedient-to-forget-what-you-know/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [“There is no expedient to which a man will not go to avoid the real labor of thinking.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/there-is-no-expedient-to-which-a-man-will-not-go-to-avoid-the-real/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [“Relish what is good and expedient.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaachynma-n-e-agu/relish-what-is-good-and-expedient/) [Jaachynma N.E. Agu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaachynma-n-e-agu/) > [“Don’t put the expedient ahead of the strategic”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/don-t-put-the-expedient-ahead-of-the-strategic/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [If you let your fear of consequence prevent you from following your deepest instinct, your life will be safe, expedient and thin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-butler-hathaway/if-you-let-your-fear-of-consequence-prevent-you-from-following-your/) [Katharine Butler Hathaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-butler-hathaway/) > [I will not stagger from expedient to expedient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/i-will-not-stagger-from-expedient-to-expedient/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [Protection is not a principle but an expedient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/protection-is-not-a-principle-but-an-expedient/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) ## More by John Tillotson > [Convulsive anger storms at large; or pale And silent, settles into full revenge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tillotson/convulsive-anger-storms-at-large-or-pale-and-silent-settles-into-full/) [John Tillotson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tillotson/) > [Religion in a magistrate strengthens his authority, because it procures veneration, and gains a reputation to it. In all the affairs of this world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tillotson/religion-in-a-magistrate-strengthens-his-authority-because-it/) [John Tillotson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tillotson/) > [A good word is an easy obligation; but not to speak ill requires only our silence, which costs us nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tillotson/a-good-word-is-an-easy-obligation-but-not-to-speak-ill-requires-only/) [John Tillotson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tillotson/) > [When a man has once forfeited the reputation of his integrity, he is set fast, and nothing will then serve his turn, neither truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tillotson/when-a-man-has-once-forfeited-the-reputation-of-his-integrity-he-is/) [John Tillotson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tillotson/) > [There is no readier way for a man to bring his own worth into question than by endeavoring to detract from the worth of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tillotson/there-is-no-readier-way-for-a-man-to-bring-his-own-worth-into/) [John Tillotson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tillotson/) > [Malice and hatred are very fretting and vexatious, and apt to make our minds sore and uneasy; but he that can moderate these affections…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tillotson/malice-and-hatred-are-very-fretting-and-vexatious-and-apt-to-make-our/) [John Tillotson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tillotson/) > [Surely modesty never hurt any cause; and the confidence of man seems to me to be much like the wrath of man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tillotson/surely-modesty-never-hurt-any-cause-and-the-confidence-of-man-seems/) [John Tillotson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tillotson/) > [So that we pursue the happiness of this world just as little Children chase birds, when we think we are come very near it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tillotson/so-that-we-pursue-the-happiness-of-this-world-just-as-little-children/) [John Tillotson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tillotson/) > [How often might a man, after he had jumbled a set of letters in a bag, fling them out upon the ground before they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tillotson/how-often-might-a-man-after-he-had-jumbled-a-set-of-letters-in-a-bag/) [John Tillotson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tillotson/) > [If a man were only to deal in the world for a day, and should never have occasion to converse more with mankind, never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tillotson/if-a-man-were-only-to-deal-in-the-world-for-a-day-and-should-never/) [John Tillotson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tillotson/) > [They who are in the highest places, and have the most power, have the least liberty, because they are the most observed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tillotson/they-who-are-in-the-highest-places-and-have-the-most-power-have-the/) [John Tillotson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tillotson/) > [The angriest person in a controversy is the one most liable to be in the wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tillotson/the-angriest-person-in-a-controversy-is-the-one-most-liable-to-be-in/) [John Tillotson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tillotson/) > [If God were not a necessary Being of Himself, He might almost seem to be made for the use and benefit of men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tillotson/if-god-were-not-a-necessary-being-of-himself-he-might-almost-seem-to/) [John Tillotson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tillotson/) > [“Fill each day with life and heart. There is no pleasure in the world comparable to the delight and satisfaction that a good person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tillotson/fill-each-day-with-life-and-heart-there-is-no-pleasure-in-the-world/) [John Tillotson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tillotson/) > [Whether religion be true or false, it must be necessarily granted to be the only wise principle and safe hypothesis for a man to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tillotson/whether-religion-be-true-or-false-it-must-be-necessarily-granted-to/) [John Tillotson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tillotson/) [Explore all 85 John Tillotson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tillotson/) ## More Atheism quotes > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [“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/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [No philosophy, no religion, has ever brought so glad a message to the world as this good news of Atheism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-besant/no-philosophy-no-religion-has-ever-brought-so-glad-a-message-to-the/) [Annie Besant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-besant/) > [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/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [The inner defenses are unconscious. They consist of a kind of magic aura which the mind builds around cherished belief. Arguments which penetrate into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-inner-defenses-are-unconscious-they-consist-of-a-kind-of-magic/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [God speaks through me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/god-speaks-through-me/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [A knowledge of the existence of something we cannot penetrate, of the manifestations of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty - it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/a-knowledge-of-the-existence-of-something-we-cannot-penetrate-of-the/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [You cannot ... transmute some incoherent mixture of words into sense merely by introducing the three-letter word "God" to be its grammatical subject.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-flew/you-cannot-transmute-some-incoherent-mixture-of-words-into-sense/) [Antony Flew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-flew/) > [Many humanists have argued that happiness involves a combination of hedonism and creative moral development; that an exuberant life fuses excellence and enjoyment, meaning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kurtz/many-humanists-have-argued-that-happiness-involves-a-combination-of/) [Paul Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kurtz/) > [If, with all the time at my disposal, with all the wealth of the resources of this vast universe, to do with as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/if-with-all-the-time-at-my-disposal-with-all-the-wealth-of-the/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [Do you think that was kind? Do you think it was godlike? What would you think of a physician, if a woman came to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-h-gardener/do-you-think-that-was-kind-do-you-think-it-was-godlike-what-would-you/) [Helen H. Gardener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-h-gardener/) > [Science can destroy religion by ignoring it as well as by disproving its tenets. No one ever demonstrated, so far as I am aware,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/science-can-destroy-religion-by-ignoring-it-as-well-as-by-disproving/) [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) > [Honest investigation is utterly impossible within the pale of any church, for the reason, that if you think the church is right you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/honest-investigation-is-utterly-impossible-within-the-pale-of-any/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) [Browse all 4,769 Atheism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When men live as if there were no God, it becomes expedient for them that there should be none.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Tillotson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tillotson/when-men-live-as-if-there-were-no-god-it-becomes-expedient-for-them/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Atheism" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tillotson/when-men-live-as-if-there-were-no-god-it-becomes-expedient-for-them/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4de/john-tillotson-8040_atheism_when-men-live-as-if-there-were-no-god-it_2605170.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4de/john-tillotson-8040_atheism_when-men-live-as-if-there-were-no-god-it_2605170.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4de/john-tillotson-8040_atheism_when-men-live-as-if-there-were-no-god-it_2605170.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When men live as if there were no God, it becomes expedient for them that there should be none.” — John Tillotson", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John Tillotson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tillotson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When men live as if there...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tillotson/when-men-live-as-if-there-were-no-god-it-becomes-expedient-for-them/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tillotson/when-men-live-as-if-there-were-no-god-it-becomes-expedient-for-them/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```