--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It was The Gospel From Outer Space, by…" description: "\"“It was The Gospel From Outer Space, by Kilgore Trout. It was about a visitor from outer space... [who] made a serious study of Christianity, to learn,..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93d/kurt-vonnegut-41_bible_it-was-the-gospel-from-outer-space-by-ki_1230081.jpg" --- # It was The Gospel From Outer Space, by Kilgore Trout. It… ![“It was The Gospel From Outer Space, by Kilgore Trout. It was about a visitor from outer space... [who] made a serious study of Christianity, to learn, if he could, why Christians found it so easy to be cruel. He concluded that at least part of the trouble was slipshod storytelling in the New…” quote by Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93d/kurt-vonnegut-41_bible_it-was-the-gospel-from-outer-space-by-ki_1230081.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93d/kurt-vonnegut-41_bible_it-was-the-gospel-from-outer-space-by-ki_1230081.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93d/kurt-vonnegut-41_bible_it-was-the-gospel-from-outer-space-by-ki_1230081.jpg) > ““It was The Gospel From Outer Space, by Kilgore Trout. It was about a visitor from outer space... \[who\] made a serious study of Christianity, to learn, if he could, why Christians found it so easy to be cruel. He concluded that at least part of the trouble was slipshod storytelling in the New Testament. He supposed that the intent of the Gospels was to teach people, among other things, to be merciful, even to the lowest of the low. But the Gospels actually taught this: Before you kill somebody, make absolutely sure he isn't well connected. So it goes. The flaw in the Christ stories, said the visitor from outer space, was that Christ, who didn't look like much, was actually the Son of the Most Powerful Being in the Universe. Readers understood that, so, when they came to the crucifixion, they naturally thought...: Oh, boy — they sure picked the wrong guy to lynch that time! And that thought had a brother: "There are right people to lynch." Who? People not well connected. So it goes. The visitor from outer space made a gift to Earth of a new Gospel. In it, Jesus really was a nobody, and a pain in the neck to a lot of people with better connections than he had. He still got to say all the lovely and puzzling things he said in the other Gospels. So the people amused themselves one day by nailing him to a cross and planting the cross in the ground. There couldn't possibly be any repercussions, the lynchers thought. The reader would have to think that too, since the Gospel hammered home again and again what a nobody Jesus was. And then, just before the nobody died, the heavens opened up, and there was thunder and lightning. The voice of God came crashing down. He told the people that he was adopting the bum as his son, giving him the full powers and privileges of the Son of the Creator of the Universe throughout all eternity. God said this: From this moment on, He will punish anybody who torments a bum who has no connections!”” [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A satirical alien observer critiques Christian narratives, exposing moral hypocrisy and power dynamics in religious storytelling. **In simple terms:** A space visitor sees Christianity as flawed and cruel. Key Takeaway Question power and power in faith. Themes satire religion power morality hypocrisy Mood ironic critical thought‑provoking Type satirical philosophical When to use this quote - political discourse - religious debate - ethical analysis Key Concepts social critique theology authoritarianism Questions to Reflect On - How do power structures shape moral teachings? - Can satire reveal hidden truths? A Different Perspective The humor may downplay real suffering. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Gospel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gospel/) [New testament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-testament/) [Outer space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outer-space/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Thunder and lightning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thunder-and-lightning/) [Voice of god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voice-of-god/) ## Related quotes > [“The visitor from outer space made a serious study of Christianity, to learn, if he could, why Christians found it so easy to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/the-visitor-from-outer-space-made-a-serious-study-of-christianity-to-2/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“The visitor from outer space made a gift to Earth of a new Gospel. 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Lucky me, lucky mud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-was-some-of-the-mud-that-got-to-sit-up-and-look-around-lucky-me/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“The town was Newport, Rhode Island, U.S.A., Earth, Solar System, Milky Way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/the-town-was-newport-rhode-island-u-s-a-earth-solar-system-milky-way/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“Her face was one of a kind, a surprising variation that made observers think, Yes--that would be another very nice way for people to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/her-face-was-one-of-a-kind-a-surprising-variation-that-made-observers/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“You finally fell in love, I see,” said Salo. “Only an Earthling year ago,” said Constant. “It took us that long to realize that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/you-finally-fell-in-love-i-see-said-salo-only-an-earthling-year-ago/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“Like all Earthlings at the point of death, Mary Young sent faint reminders of herself to those who had known her. 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The flaw in the Christ stories, said the visitor from outer space, was that Christ, who didn't look like much, was actually the Son of the Most Powerful Being in the Universe. Readers understood that, so, when they came to the crucifixion, they naturally thought...: Oh, boy — they sure picked the wrong guy to lynch that time! And that thought had a brother: \"There are right people to lynch.\" Who? People not well connected. So it goes. The visitor from outer space made a gift to Earth of a new Gospel. In it, Jesus really was a nobody, and a pain in the neck to a lot of people with better connections than he had. He still got to say all the lovely and puzzling things he said in the other Gospels. So the people amused themselves one day by nailing him to a cross and planting the cross in the ground. There couldn't possibly be any repercussions, the lynchers thought. The reader would have to think that too, since the Gospel hammered home again and again what a nobody Jesus was. And then, just before the nobody died, the heavens opened up, and there was thunder and lightning. The voice of God came crashing down. He told the people that he was adopting the bum as his son, giving him the full powers and privileges of the Son of the Creator of the Universe throughout all eternity. 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