--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The glutton cannot turn his mind to God,”…" description: "\"“The glutton cannot turn his mind to God,” he said dismissively. “But neither can the starving man.”\" — Katherine Arden" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9f/katherine-arden-7546_glutton_the-glutton-cannot-turn-his-mind-to-god_1260421.jpg" --- # The glutton cannot turn his mind to God,” he said… ![“The glutton cannot turn his mind to God,” he said dismissively. “But neither can the starving man.” quote by Katherine Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9f/katherine-arden-7546_glutton_the-glutton-cannot-turn-his-mind-to-god_1260421.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9f/katherine-arden-7546_glutton_the-glutton-cannot-turn-his-mind-to-god_1260421.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9f/katherine-arden-7546_glutton_the-glutton-cannot-turn-his-mind-to-god_1260421.jpg) > ““The glutton cannot turn his mind to God,” he said dismissively. “But neither can the starving man.”” [Katherine Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-arden/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Both excess and deprivation can blind people from spiritual insight; balance is needed. **In simple terms:** Both excess and lack hinder spiritual focus. Key Takeaway Seek moderation in life. Themes spirituality balance human condition Mood reflective serious Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - religious practice - dietary habits - financial planning Key Concepts moderation mindfulness ethical living Questions to Reflect On - How does scarcity affect your values? - What excesses distract you from purpose? A Different Perspective Extreme positions may be culturally reinforced; moderation is hard to maintain. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dismissively Starving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dismissively-starving-4005009/) [Glutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/glutton/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Russian-folklore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/russian-folklore-161731/) [Said Dismissively](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said-dismissively-784799/) [Starving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/starving/) [Starving Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/starving-man-656819/) [Vasilisa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vasilisa-200377/) ## Related quotes > [“Many people say ‘Better to die’ until the time comes to do it,” Morozko returned.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-arden/many-people-say-better-to-die-until-the-time-comes-to-do-it-morozko/) [Katherine Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-arden/) > [“You cannot take vengeance on a whole people because of the doings of a few wicked men.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-arden/you-cannot-take-vengeance-on-a-whole-people-because-of-the-doings-of/) [Katherine Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-arden/) > [“There is no such thing as magic.” “But you just—” “Things are or they are not, Vasya,” he interrupted. “If you want something, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-arden/there-is-no-such-thing-as-magic-but-you-just-things-are-or-they-are/) [Katherine Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-arden/) > [“Go out into the world, traveler. See what the long nights and hard days feel like, after a week of them.” “Perhaps I will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-arden/go-out-into-the-world-traveler-see-what-the-long-nights-and-hard-days/) [Katherine Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-arden/) > [“ Witch . The word drifted across his mind. We call such women so, because we have no other name .”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-arden/witch-the-word-drifted-across-his-mind-we-call-such-women-so-because/) [Katherine Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-arden/) > [“I don’t feel like a traveler now,” Vasya admitted, low, to Morozko . “Neither do travelers, often enough,” the frost-demon returned.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-arden/i-don-t-feel-like-a-traveler-now-vasya-admitted-low-to-morozko/) [Katherine Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-arden/) > [“The more one knows, the sooner one grows old,” Midnight returned cheerfully.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-arden/the-more-one-knows-the-sooner-one-grows-old-midnight-returned/) [Katherine Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-arden/) > [“I did not know I was to be outdone by a little magic boy and his tricks,” he said. “I salute you, magician.” He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-arden/i-did-not-know-i-was-to-be-outdone-by-a-little-magic-boy-and-his/) [Katherine Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-arden/) > [“Oh, Marya Morevna! Do you know how the church-folk call me, me and my daughter Gamayun, when they paint us on their ceilings? They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/oh-marya-morevna-do-you-know-how-the-church-folk-call-me-me-and-my/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [De tall, dark vun--dere's nothing special about him at all," ter Borcht said dismissively of Fang, who hadn't moved since the doctor had come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/de-tall-dark-vun-dere-s-nothing-special-about-him-at-all-ter-borcht/) [James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/) > [She looked at me. "What? Is there something wrong with my idea?" "It's not very heroic," I said dismissively. "I was expecting something with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/she-looked-at-me-what-is-there-something-wrong-with-my-idea-it-s-not/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“You can’t hurt him. He’s an endangered species!” “Vampires are not endangered.” Van’s tone made it clear that it was his life’s work to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keeble/you-can-t-hurt-him-he-s-an-endangered-species-vampires-are-not/) [Helen Keeble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keeble/) > [“They had a lot of rules that got in the way," Kade said dismissively. "Those are called laws, Kade”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffany-snow/they-had-a-lot-of-rules-that-got-in-the-way-kade-said-dismissively/) [Tiffany Snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffany-snow/) > [“I consider myself a student of success. I’m no better or smarter than anyone else. I’m just another starving man showing others where the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-t-arsenault/i-consider-myself-a-student-of-success-i-m-no-better-or-smarter-than/) [Mark T. Arsenault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-t-arsenault/) > [... a starving man doesn't ask what the meal is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-sexton/a-starving-man-doesn-t-ask-what-the-meal-is/) [Anne Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-sexton/) ## More by Katherine Arden > [“Go out into the world, traveler. See what the long nights and hard days feel like, after a week of them.” “Perhaps I will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-arden/go-out-into-the-world-traveler-see-what-the-long-nights-and-hard-days/) [Katherine Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-arden/) > [“Sasha looked at his sister. He had never thought of her as girlish, but the last trace of softness was gone. The quick brain,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-arden/sasha-looked-at-his-sister-he-had-never-thought-of-her-as-girlish-but/) [Katherine Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-arden/) > [“The generals fought among themselves. Such times always bred masterless men, and everyone within the Horde’s reach suffered.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-arden/the-generals-fought-among-themselves-such-times-always-bred/) [Katherine Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-arden/) > [“The lamb came forth at last, draggled and spindly, black as a dead tree in the rain.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-arden/the-lamb-came-forth-at-last-draggled-and-spindly-black-as-a-dead-tree/) [Katherine Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-arden/) > [“Every time you take one path, you must live with the memory of the other: of a life left unchosen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-arden/every-time-you-take-one-path-you-must-live-with-the-memory-of-the/) [Katherine Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-arden/) > [“Perhaps I am not so wise as you would have me, for all my years in this world. I do not know what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-arden/perhaps-i-am-not-so-wise-as-you-would-have-me-for-all-my-years-in/) [Katherine Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-arden/) > [“The brave live,” replied Morozko. “The cowards die in the snow. I did not know which you were.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-arden/the-brave-live-replied-morozko-the-cowards-die-in-the-snow-i-did-not/) [Katherine Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-arden/) > [“There was a time, not long ago When flowers grew all year When days were long And nights star-strewn And men lived free from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-arden/there-was-a-time-not-long-ago-when-flowers-grew-all-year-when-days/) [Katherine Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-arden/) > [“Girls were happy to be married. Olga had glowed when her husband put a jewel on her finger and took her away. Maybe Vasya…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-arden/girls-were-happy-to-be-married-olga-had-glowed-when-her-husband-put-a/) [Katherine Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-arden/) > [“Am I a child? Always someone else must decide for me. But this I will decide for myself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-arden/am-i-a-child-always-someone-else-must-decide-for-me-but-this-i-will/) [Katherine Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-arden/) > [“I must be old, Pyotr thought to himself, if my son is being kind to me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-arden/i-must-be-old-pyotr-thought-to-himself-if-my-son-is-being-kind-to-me/) [Katherine Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-arden/) > [“We who live forever can know no courage, nor do we love enough to give our lives.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-arden/we-who-live-forever-can-know-no-courage-nor-do-we-love-enough-to-give/) [Katherine Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-arden/) > [“His voice was like snow at midnight.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-arden/his-voice-was-like-snow-at-midnight/) [Katherine Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-arden/) > [“The more one knows, the sooner one grows old,” Midnight returned cheerfully.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-arden/the-more-one-knows-the-sooner-one-grows-old-midnight-returned/) [Katherine Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-arden/) > [“In winter it is impossible to be still. Even sitting by the fire, one is watching the coals, stirring the soup, fighting - always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-arden/in-winter-it-is-impossible-to-be-still-even-sitting-by-the-fire-one/) [Katherine Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-arden/) [Explore all 90 Katherine Arden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-arden/) ## More Glutton quotes > [I'm a bit of a glutton - I eat too much of all that is good to eat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rene-redzepi/i-m-a-bit-of-a-glutton-i-eat-too-much-of-all-that-is-good-to-eat/) [Rene Redzepi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rene-redzepi/) > [“All worries are less with wine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/all-worries-are-less-with-wine/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [I am not a glutton - I am an explorer of food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/i-am-not-a-glutton-i-am-an-explorer-of-food/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [I am a glutton for tranquility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wole-soyinka/i-am-a-glutton-for-tranquility/) [Wole Soyinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wole-soyinka/) > [Sooner or later even the most ambitious glutton must crawl away and seek the solace of the vomitorium.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/sooner-or-later-even-the-most-ambitious-glutton-must-crawl-away-and/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [Gluttony is a great fault; but we do not necessarily dislike a glutton. We only dislike the glutton when he becomes a gourmet-that is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/gluttony-is-a-great-fault-but-we-do-not-necessarily-dislike-a-glutton/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Hunger gives flavour to the food.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/hunger-gives-flavour-to-the-food/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [He who distinguishes the true savor of his food can never be a glutton; he who does not cannot be otherwise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/he-who-distinguishes-the-true-savor-of-his-food-can-never-be-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“Many obese people spend a significant amount of their energy on suppressing the urge to tell some of the people who are staring at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/many-obese-people-spend-a-significant-amount-of-their-energy-on/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [Two ill meales make the third a glutton.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/two-ill-meales-make-the-third-a-glutton/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [Glutton- A person who escapes the evils of moderation by committing dyspepsia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/glutton-a-person-who-escapes-the-evils-of-moderation-by-committing/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [“Some people when they see cheese, chocolate or cake they don't think of calories.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/some-people-when-they-see-cheese-chocolate-or-cake-they-don-t-think/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [“The glutton usually realizes that gout is ever ready to pounce, and that alcohol is bad for him. But possible disaster weighs light in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/the-glutton-usually-realizes-that-gout-is-ever-ready-to-pounce-and/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [A gourmet is just a glutton with brains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-w-haberman/a-gourmet-is-just-a-glutton-with-brains/) [Philip W Haberman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-w-haberman/) > [One of my struggles is that I'm a glutton. There's always those very simple, long, old-ass things, but they're very real to me, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willis-earl-beal/one-of-my-struggles-is-that-i-m-a-glutton-there-s-always-those-very/) [Willis Earl Beal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willis-earl-beal/) [Browse all 24 Glutton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/glutton/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The glutton cannot turn his mind to God,” he said dismissively. “But neither can the starving man.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Katherine Arden" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-arden/the-glutton-cannot-turn-his-mind-to-god-he-said-dismissively-but/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Glutton" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-arden/the-glutton-cannot-turn-his-mind-to-god-he-said-dismissively-but/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9f/katherine-arden-7546_glutton_the-glutton-cannot-turn-his-mind-to-god_1260421.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9f/katherine-arden-7546_glutton_the-glutton-cannot-turn-his-mind-to-god_1260421.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9f/katherine-arden-7546_glutton_the-glutton-cannot-turn-his-mind-to-god_1260421.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The glutton cannot turn his mind to God,” he said dismissively. “But neither can the starving man.” — Katherine Arden", "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": "Katherine Arden", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-arden/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The glutton cannot turn his mind...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-arden/the-glutton-cannot-turn-his-mind-to-god-he-said-dismissively-but/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-arden/the-glutton-cannot-turn-his-mind-to-god-he-said-dismissively-but/#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 } } ] } ```