--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If there is a god, he is not only a…" description: "\"If there is a god, he is not only a wizard at leaving clues behind. More than anything, he's a master of concealment. And the world is not something th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7b/jostein-gaarder-676_bangs_if-there-is-a-god-he-is-not-only-a-wizar_2591847.jpg" --- # If there is a god, he is not only a wizard at leaving… ![“If there is a god, he is not only a wizard at leaving clues behind. More than anything, he's a master of concealment. And the world is not something that gives itself away. The heavens still keep their secrets. There is little gossip amongst the stars. But no one has forgotten the Big Bang yet…” quote by Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7b/jostein-gaarder-676_bangs_if-there-is-a-god-he-is-not-only-a-wizar_2591847.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7b/jostein-gaarder-676_bangs_if-there-is-a-god-he-is-not-only-a-wizar_2591847.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7b/jostein-gaarder-676_bangs_if-there-is-a-god-he-is-not-only-a-wizar_2591847.jpg) > “If there is a god, he is not only a wizard at leaving clues behind. More than anything, he's a master of concealment. And the world is not something that gives itself away. The heavens still keep their secrets. There is little gossip amongst the stars. But no one has forgotten the Big Bang yet. Since then, silence has reigned supreme, and every thing there is moving away. One can still come across a moon. Or a comet. Just don't expect friendly greetings. No visiting cards are printed in space.” [Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. If a god exists, he conceals clues, keeping the universe secret; the cosmos is silent, expanding, and unwelcoming. **In simple terms:** God hides clues; the universe is secret and expanding. Key Takeaway Accept mystery in existence. Themes religion cosmology existence Mood contemplative melancholic Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - personal reflection - scientific inquiry - spiritual practice Key Concepts theology existentialism Questions to Reflect On - What does cosmic silence imply? - How do you seek meaning? A Different Perspective Some may find this view nihilistic. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Big bang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-bang/) [Comets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comets/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Gossip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gossip/) [Greetings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greetings/) [Heaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heaven/) [Heavens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heavens/) [If there is a god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/if-there-is-a-god/) [Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moon/) [Moving away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moving-away/) [Secret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secret/) [Silence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silence/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Stars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stars/) [Wizards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wizards/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“If there is a god, he is not only a wizard at leaving clues behind. More than anything, he's a master of concealment. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/if-there-is-a-god-he-is-not-only-a-wizard-at-leaving-clues-behind/) [Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) > [The churches had left me cold, but I thought there's got to be a God. I remember going out, this is in Charleston, South…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goswami-kriyananda/the-churches-had-left-me-cold-but-i-thought-there-s-got-to-be-a-god-i/) [Goswami Kriyananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goswami-kriyananda/) > [If there be a God, I think he would like me to paint Africa British-Red as possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecil-rhodes/if-there-be-a-god-i-think-he-would-like-me-to-paint-africa-british/) [Cecil Rhodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecil-rhodes/) > [Most people in the world believe that if there is a God, you relate to God by being good. Most religions are based on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/most-people-in-the-world-believe-that-if-there-is-a-god-you-relate-to/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [There are no limits to where our brains can take us. We are, if there be a God, God's gracious creation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/there-are-no-limits-to-where-our-brains-can-take-us-we-are-if-there/) [John Lydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lydon/) > [I'm glad some people have that faith. I don't have that faith. If there is a God, a caring God, then we have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-matthews/i-m-glad-some-people-have-that-faith-i-don-t-have-that-faith-if-there/) [Dave Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-matthews/) > [If there is a God, I don't think He would demand that anyone bow down or stand up to Him. I often have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/if-there-is-a-god-i-don-t-think-he-would-demand-that-anyone-bow-down/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [I have made up my mind that if there is a God, he will be merciful to the merciful. Upon that rock I stand.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/i-have-made-up-my-mind-that-if-there-is-a-god-he-will-be-merciful-to/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [When I began my career as a cosmologist some twenty years ago, I was a convinced atheist. I never in my wildest dreams imagined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-j-tipler/when-i-began-my-career-as-a-cosmologist-some-twenty-years-ago-i-was-a/) [Frank J. Tipler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-j-tipler/) > [If I believe in God and life after death and you do not, and if there is no God, we both lose when we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/if-i-believe-in-god-and-life-after-death-and-you-do-not-and-if-there/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [With or without religion, you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weinberg/with-or-without-religion-you-would-have-good-people-doing-good-things/) [Steven Weinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weinberg/) > [In the christian view, the ultimate evidence for the existence of God is Jesus Christ. If there is a God, we characters in his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/in-the-christian-view-the-ultimate-evidence-for-the-existence-of-god/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [If there is a God, then he was particularly harsh to me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-caldwell/if-there-is-a-god-then-he-was-particularly-harsh-to-me/) [Taylor Caldwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-caldwell/) > [The prayer of the agnostic: "O God, if there is a God, save my soul if I have a soul."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-renan/the-prayer-of-the-agnostic-o-god-if-there-is-a-god-save-my-soul-if-i/) [Ernest Renan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-renan/) > [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/) ## More by Jostein Gaarder > [“I no longer feel the need to see and sense more than I've already experienced. I just want so desperately to hang on what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/i-no-longer-feel-the-need-to-see-and-sense-more-than-i-ve-already/) [Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) > [The most subversive people are those who ask questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/the-most-subversive-people-are-those-who-ask-questions/) [Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) > [The sophists were as a rule men who had traveled widely and seen different forms of government. Both conventions and local laws in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/the-sophists-were-as-a-rule-men-who-had-traveled-widely-and-seen/) [Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) > [Where did the world come from? The question has an answer, even though I cannot get to it. It is a good question. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/where-did-the-world-come-from-the-question-has-an-answer-even-though/) [Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) > [“As soon as she concentrated on being alive now, the thought of dying also came into her mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/as-soon-as-she-concentrated-on-being-alive-now-the-thought-of-dying/) [Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) > [“Po haljini sam mogao da vidim kako njeno telo diše, jer se haljina dizala i spuštala, dizala i spuštala, skoro kao da morski talasi…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/po-haljini-sam-mogao-da-vidim-kako-njeno-telo-di-e-jer-se-haljina/) [Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) > [Since the Renaissance, people have had to get used to living their life on a random planet in the vast galaxy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/since-the-renaissance-people-have-had-to-get-used-to-living-their/) [Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) > [“without imagination, nothing really new will ever be created.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/without-imagination-nothing-really-new-will-ever-be-created/) [Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) > [“The German poet Goethe once said that "he who cannot draw on three thousand years is living from hand to mouth." I don't want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/the-german-poet-goethe-once-said-that-he-who-cannot-draw-on-three/) [Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) > [“Sophie left the den and wandered about in the large garden. She tried to forget what she had learned at school, especially in science…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/sophie-left-the-den-and-wandered-about-in-the-large-garden-she-tried/) [Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) > [...long before the child learns to talk properly-and long before it learns to think philosophically-the world will have become a habit. A pity, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/long-before-the-child-learns-to-talk-properly-and-long-before-it/) [Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) > [“any one question can be more explosive than a thousand answers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/any-one-question-can-be-more-explosive-than-a-thousand-answers/) [Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) > [“We can't own each other's past. The question is whether we have a future together.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/we-can-t-own-each-other-s-past-the-question-is-whether-we-have-a/) [Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) > [“Uno no muere en medio del quinto acto.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/uno-no-muere-en-medio-del-quinto-acto/) [Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) > [“Wer das Schicksal durchschauen will, muss es überleben.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/wer-das-schicksal-durchschauen-will-muss-es-berleben/) [Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) [Explore all 305 Jostein Gaarder quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) ## More Bangs quotes > [The very first company I started failed with a great bang. The second one failed a little bit less, but still failed. The third…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-levchin/the-very-first-company-i-started-failed-with-a-great-bang-the-second/) [Max Levchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-levchin/) > [Between the idea And the reality Between the motion And the act Falls the Shadow For Thine is the Kingdom Between the conception And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/between-the-idea-and-the-reality-between-the-motion-and-the-act-falls/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [About 120 million of us place the big bang 2,500 years after the Babylonians and Sumerians learned to brew beer. If our polls are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/about-120-million-of-us-place-the-big-bang-2-500-years-after-the/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [And you've actually watched it yourself?' I asked. 'Willingly?' Sure. I had to see it, you know? Besides we should be safe. 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Bang your head against the wall, but apathy is worse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-henley/insect-politics-indifferent-universe-bang-your-head-against-the-wall/) [Don Henley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-henley/) > [When people can't abide things as they are, when they can't abide the present, they do one of two things ... either they ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/when-people-can-t-abide-things-as-they-are-when-they-can-t-abide-the/) [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) > [I give money to Unicef because I like the 'bang for your buck' aspect. Here's $10, go and save 1,000 kids from blindness!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emo-philips/i-give-money-to-unicef-because-i-like-the-bang-for-your-buck-aspect/) [Emo Philips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emo-philips/) > [how can he love me then not? He went,he ran. And I cannot bring him back. 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"Oh, waily, waily, it's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/she-folded-her-arms-and-then-shouted-right-you-thieving-scunners-how/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) Browse all 462 Bangs quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If there is a god, he is not only a wizard at leaving clues behind. More than anything, he's a master of concealment. And the world is not something that gives itself away. The heavens still keep their secrets. There is little gossip amongst the stars. But no one has forgotten the Big Bang yet. Since then, silence has reigned supreme, and every thing there is moving away. One can still come across a moon. Or a comet. Just don't expect friendly greetings. 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