--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We talk about God as though he was like a…" description: "\"We talk about God as though he was like a somebody. We ask him to bless our nation, or save our Queen, or give us a fine day for the picnic. And we act..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a5/karen-armstrong-1053_asks_we-talk-about-god-as-though-he-was-like_208260.jpg" --- # We talk about God as though he was like a somebody. We ask… ![“We talk about God as though he was like a somebody. We ask him to bless our nation, or save our Queen, or give us a fine day for the picnic. And we actually expect him to be on our side in an election or war even though our opponents are also God's children.” quote by Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a5/karen-armstrong-1053_asks_we-talk-about-god-as-though-he-was-like_208260.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a5/karen-armstrong-1053_asks_we-talk-about-god-as-though-he-was-like_208260.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a5/karen-armstrong-1053_asks_we-talk-about-god-as-though-he-was-like_208260.jpg) > “We talk about God as though he was like a somebody. We ask him to bless our nation, or save our Queen, or give us a fine day for the picnic. And we actually expect him to be on our side in an election or war even though our opponents are also God's children.” [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People anthropomorphize deity, seeking divine intervention for personal or political goals, ignoring universal humanity. **In simple terms:** We treat God like a tool for our aims. Key Takeaway Recognize shared humanity beyond religious expectations. Themes religion anthropomorphism politics Mood contemplative critical Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - political discourse - interfaith dialogue - personal prayer Key Concepts theology humanism Questions to Reflect On - How does projecting desires onto God affect faith? - Can we separate spirituality from politics? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Election](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/election/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nations/) [Picnics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/picnics/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [We need to not just ask God but thank Him for everything like our health, our family. And ask Him to bless our homes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-altuve/we-need-to-not-just-ask-god-but-thank-him-for-everything-like-our/) [Jose Altuve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-altuve/) > [All I am saying is that anyone can do this. Anyone can ask and anyone can bless, whether anyone has authorized you to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-brown-taylor/all-i-am-saying-is-that-anyone-can-do-this-anyone-can-ask-and-anyone/) [Barbara Brown Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-brown-taylor/) > [“Knowing that God is the Provider of Limitless Blessing, I’d like to challenge you, in the midst of your own trials, to ask how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-elizabeth-anderson/knowing-that-god-is-the-provider-of-limitless-blessing-i-d-like-to/) [Suzanne Elizabeth Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-elizabeth-anderson/) > [“When you walk in fellowship with God, you do not have to ask Him to bless you. He wants to bless you!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-t-blackaby/when-you-walk-in-fellowship-with-god-you-do-not-have-to-ask-him-to/) [Henry T. Blackaby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-t-blackaby/) > [I could wish there were a God, if it were only to ask him to bless thee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gaskell/i-could-wish-there-were-a-god-if-it-were-only-to-ask-him-to-bless-thee/) [Elizabeth Gaskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gaskell/) > [God's children and their happiness are my reasons for being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-skelton/god-s-children-and-their-happiness-are-my-reasons-for-being/) [Red Skelton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-skelton/) > [“When the mundane looms larger than eternal life, we forget who God is, who we are, and who our children are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-furman/when-the-mundane-looms-larger-than-eternal-life-we-forget-who-god-is/) [Gloria Furman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-furman/) > [“All God’s children have shoes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/all-god-s-children-have-shoes/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [If the veil of the world's machinery were lifted off, how much we would find is done in answer to the prayers of God's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-murray/if-the-veil-of-the-world-s-machinery-were-lifted-off-how-much-we/) [Robert E. Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-murray/) > [We're all God's children. We are all special people, and the Pope is no different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/igor-babailov/we-re-all-god-s-children-we-are-all-special-people-and-the-pope-is-no/) [Igor Babailov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/igor-babailov/) > [My humanity, in common with all of God's children, gives the greatest flight to my full range of my possibilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-ashe/my-humanity-in-common-with-all-of-god-s-children-gives-the-greatest/) [Arthur Ashe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-ashe/) > [We help God's children best by providing ways to build faith in Jesus Christ and in His restored gospel when they are young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/we-help-god-s-children-best-by-providing-ways-to-build-faith-in-jesus/) [Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/) > [You might not think it now, but if you are one of God's children, you are going to figure it out by the end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-macdonald/you-might-not-think-it-now-but-if-you-are-one-of-god-s-children-you/) [James MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-macdonald/) > [“It is a solemn thing, and no small scandal in the Kingdom, to see God's children starving while actually seated at the Father's table.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/it-is-a-solemn-thing-and-no-small-scandal-in-the-kingdom-to-see-god-s/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [We don’t want to limit what God can do in our children by trying to parent them alone—Trust God to take care of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stormie-omartian/we-don-t-want-to-limit-what-god-can-do-in-our-children-by-trying-to/) [Stormie Omartian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stormie-omartian/) ## More by Karen Armstrong > [If it is written and read with serious attention, a novel, like a myth or any great work of art, can become an initiation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/if-it-is-written-and-read-with-serious-attention-a-novel-like-a-myth/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [A gentleman is not born but crafted. He had to work on himself in the same way as a sculptor shaped a rough stone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/a-gentleman-is-not-born-but-crafted-he-had-to-work-on-himself-in-the/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [I was a lousy nun. I couldn't do it. I couldn't find God. It wasn't suitable for me. It is suitable for very few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/i-was-a-lousy-nun-i-couldn-t-do-it-i-couldn-t-find-god-it-wasn-t/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [I have become convinced, through my studies, that the only way to achieve a safe, just and viable world is to live by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/i-have-become-convinced-through-my-studies-that-the-only-way-to/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [In the past some of the most influential Jewish, Christian and Muslim theologians, such as Maimonides, Aquinas and Ibn Sina, made it clear that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/in-the-past-some-of-the-most-influential-jewish-christian-and-muslim/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [The great task of our time is to build a global society, where people can live together in peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/the-great-task-of-our-time-is-to-build-a-global-society-where-people/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [We want to create, never mind the leaders or the bishops or chief rabbis or imams, or Popes. We want to create a grassroots…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/we-want-to-create-never-mind-the-leaders-or-the-bishops-or-chief/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [If we don't manage to implement the Golden Rule globally, so that we treat all peoples, wherever and whoever they may be, as though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/if-we-don-t-manage-to-implement-the-golden-rule-globally-so-that-we/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [After I left the convent, for 15 years I was worn out with religion, I wanted nothing whatever to do with it. I felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/after-i-left-the-convent-for-15-years-i-was-worn-out-with-religion-i/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [“As we have seen, so many of the things we once took for granted have proved unreliable that we may have to “forget” old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/as-we-have-seen-so-many-of-the-things-we-once-took-for-granted-have/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [Yet a personal God can become a grave liability. He can be a mere idol carved in our own image, a projection of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/yet-a-personal-god-can-become-a-grave-liability-he-can-be-a-mere-idol/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [“I discovered that I felt at home and alive in the silence, which compelled me to enter my interior world and around there. Without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/i-discovered-that-i-felt-at-home-and-alive-in-the-silence-which/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [Each of the world religions has its own particular genius, its own special insight into the nature and requirements of compassion, and has something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/each-of-the-world-religions-has-its-own-particular-genius-its-own/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [“all rightly guided religion that submitted wholly to God, refused to worship man-made deities and preached that justice and equality came from the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/all-rightly-guided-religion-that-submitted-wholly-to-god-refused-to/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [“advocates of evolutionary theory since Thomas H. Huxley (1825–95) have found altruism problematic.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/advocates-of-evolutionary-theory-since-thomas-h-huxley-1825-95-have/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) [Explore all 296 Karen Armstrong quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) ## More Asks quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [I don't wear a watch because I want my arms to weigh the same. 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If you were a director you'd like to work in Hollywood too.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-polanski/why-did-erich-von-stronheim-leave-germany-why-did-hitchcock-leave/) [Roman Polanski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-polanski/) > [There is nothing more I ask of this life than this moment, exactly so. And suddenly forever seems like too short a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-andreas/there-is-nothing-more-i-ask-of-this-life-than-this-moment-exactly-so/) [Brian Andreas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-andreas/) > [Success will come when the societal attitude changes and not a single woman in America asks herself the question 'What did I do?'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/success-will-come-when-the-societal-attitude-changes-and-not-a-single/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [The most fundamental question we can ever ask ourselves is whether or not the universe we live in is friendly or hostile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-most-fundamental-question-we-can-ever-ask-ourselves-is-whether-or/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The rich people are apparently leaving America. They're giving up their citizenship. 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That's th' appliance only Which your disease requires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/ask-god-for-temp-rance-that-s-th-appliance-only-which-your-disease/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I don't know how to say it exactly. Only...I want to die as myself. Does that make any sense?' he asks. I shake my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/i-don-t-know-how-to-say-it-exactly-only-i-want-to-die-as-myself-does/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [Physicist Isador Isaac Rabi, who won a Nobel Prize for inventing a technique that permitted scientists to probe the structure of atoms and molecules…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-saul-wurman/physicist-isador-isaac-rabi-who-won-a-nobel-prize-for-inventing-a/) [Richard Saul Wurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-saul-wurman/) Browse all 7,138 Asks quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We talk about God as though he was like a somebody. We ask him to bless our nation, or save our Queen, or give us a fine day for the picnic. 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