--- 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/e53/kurt-vonnegut-41_bible_it-was-the-gospel-from-outer-space-by-ki_77926.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/e53/kurt-vonnegut-41_bible_it-was-the-gospel-from-outer-space-by-ki_77926.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e53/kurt-vonnegut-41_bible_it-was-the-gospel-from-outer-space-by-ki_77926.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e53/kurt-vonnegut-41_bible_it-was-the-gospel-from-outer-space-by-ki_77926.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.”” [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, suggesting they rationalize cruelty through selective storytelling and power dynamics. **In simple terms:** Satire exposes moral hypocrisy in religious myths. Key Takeaway Religious stories can mask power‑based cruelty. Themes satire religion power morality human nature Mood ironic critical thought‑provoking Type literary quote philosophical observation When to use this quote - theological study - literary analysis - cultural critique - political commentary Key Concepts mythic narrative ethical critique social hierarchy Practical Applications - examining religious texts for bias - using satire to reveal ethical contradictions Questions to Reflect On - How does power influence moral teachings? - Can satire effectively challenge deep‑seated beliefs? A Different Perspective Some argue the Gospels promote universal compassion, not selective cruelty. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Gospel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gospel/) [Gospels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gospels/) [New testament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-testament/) [Outer space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outer-space/) ## Related quotes > [“He supposed that the intent of the Gospels was to teach people, among other things, to be merciful, even to the lowest of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/he-supposed-that-the-intent-of-the-gospels-was-to-teach-people-among/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“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/) > [ “It was The Gospel From Outer Space, by Kilgore Trout. It was about a visitor from outer space... \[who\] made a serious study of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/it-was-the-gospel-from-outer-space-by-kilgore-trout-it-was-about-a-2/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [What the Gospels actually said was: don't kill anyone until you are absolutely sure they aren't well connected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/what-the-gospels-actually-said-was-don-t-kill-anyone-until-you-are/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“But the Gospels actually taught this: Before you kill somebody, make absolutely sure he isn’t well connected.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/but-the-gospels-actually-taught-this-before-you-kill-somebody-make/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“The Gospels actually taught this: Before you kill somebody, make absolutely sure he isn't well connected. so it goes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/the-gospels-actually-taught-this-before-you-kill-somebody-make/) [KURT VONNEGUT](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“Jesus as a “teacher” is much safer than Jesus as the gospels actually present him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright/jesus-as-a-teacher-is-much-safer-than-jesus-as-the-gospels-actually/) [N.T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright/) > [“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/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“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-3/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“The visitor from outer space made a gift to Earth of a new Gospel. In it, Jesus really was a nobody, and a pain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/the-visitor-from-outer-space-made-a-gift-to-earth-of-a-new-gospel-in/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [In order to have and meet the right guy,you need to be with the wrong guys first. God always save the best for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-order-to-have-and-meet-the-right-guy-you-need-to-be-with-the-wrong/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [¥ Dedicated to all d Galz.. who Hav been hurted at any instance of lyf... ¥ Every Girl Has Her Unique Type Of Guy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dedicated-to-all-d-galz-who-hav-been-hurted-at-any-instance-of-lyf/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [So many gals fall in love with the wrong guys simply bcz the wrong guy usually says all the right things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/so-many-gals-fall-in-love-with-the-wrong-guys-simply-bcz-the-wrong/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [A lot of girls keep their feels to themselves because they're tired of pouring their hearts out to the wrong guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-lot-of-girls-keep-their-feels-to-themselves-because-they-re-tired/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Sometimes you meet a really nice guy, but no matter how you try, you can’t seem to make yourself want him. But that’s not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/sometimes-you-meet-a-really-nice-guy-but-no-matter-how-you-try-you/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) ## More by Kurt Vonnegut > [“You must bloom as a writer and I must bloom as a painter. Everything else about us is uninteresting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/you-must-bloom-as-a-writer-and-i-must-bloom-as-a-painter-everything/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“People aren't supposed to look back.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/people-aren-t-supposed-to-look-back/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“Have a good nap, did you?” said the porter. “Yes,” said Billy. “Man,” said the porter, “you sure had a hard-on.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/have-a-good-nap-did-you-said-the-porter-yes-said-billy-man-said-the/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“I told him that if we doubted that we are demons in Hell, he should read The Mysterious Stranger, which Mark Twain wrote in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-told-him-that-if-we-doubted-that-we-are-demons-in-hell-he-should/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [ “Thomas Jefferson High School \[..\] His high school was named after a slave owner who was also one of the world’s greatest theoreticians on… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/thomas-jefferson-high-school-his-high-school-was-named-after-a-slave/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“I had a certain amount of skill as a dramatist, and Dr. Goebbels wanted me to use it”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-had-a-certain-amount-of-skill-as-a-dramatist-and-dr-goebbels-wanted/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [I was some of the mud that got to sit up and look around. 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. She released a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/like-all-earthlings-at-the-point-of-death-mary-young-sent-faint/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“And contrast Mary Kathleen, if you will, with my wife Ruth, the Ophelia of the death camps, who believed that even the most intelligent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/and-contrast-mary-kathleen-if-you-will-with-my-wife-ruth-the-ophelia/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [Someday, someday, this crazy world will have to end, And our God will take things back that He to us did lend. And if,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/someday-someday-this-crazy-world-will-have-to-end-and-our-god-will/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“They were going back to the slaughterhouse for souvenirs of the war.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/they-were-going-back-to-the-slaughterhouse-for-souvenirs-of-the-war/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“There are plenty of good reasons for fighting," I said, "but no good reason ever to hate without reservation, to imagine that God Almighty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/there-are-plenty-of-good-reasons-for-fighting-i-said-but-no-good/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) [Explore all 2,089 Kurt Vonnegut quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) ## More Bible quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [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/) > [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. He hates it so much that He was willing to take on human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/god-hates-hell-he-hates-the-idea-of-people-going-there-he-hates-it-so/) [Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/) > [“The Devil can cite Scripture for his purpose, Sergeant,’ Anthony Payne replied. ‘That is from The Merchant of Venice, but it holds great truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arnold/the-devil-can-cite-scripture-for-his-purpose-sergeant-anthony-payne/) Michael Arnold > [When you put your hand on the Bible, you are saying something much stronger than just telling your peers that you're going to tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-greenwood/when-you-put-your-hand-on-the-bible-you-are-saying-something-much/) [Lee Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-greenwood/) > [“Scripture also teaches that human beings are morally responsible creatures”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-peterson/scripture-also-teaches-that-human-beings-are-morally-responsible/) Robert A. Peterson > [“The wife of a junior officer cooped up in a horrible canvas partition in steerage for five months wrote: "I had enjoyed much peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-taylor/the-wife-of-a-junior-officer-cooped-up-in-a-horrible-canvas-partition/) Stephen Taylor > [O Word of God incarnate . . . It is the golden casket Where gems of truth are stored; It is the heaven-drawn picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walsham-how/o-word-of-god-incarnate-it-is-the-golden-casket-where-gems-of-truth/) Walsham How > [How can I trust that the Bible is reliable?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/how-can-i-trust-that-the-bible-is-reliable/) [Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/) > [Every plant which my heavenly father has not planted with be uprooted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesus-christ/every-plant-which-my-heavenly-father-has-not-planted-with-be-uprooted/) [Jesus Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesus-christ/) > [Where I come from you're not raised to think on your own. It's not that you're pushed to read the Bible. The Bible is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abel-ferrara/where-i-come-from-you-re-not-raised-to-think-on-your-own-it-s-not/) [Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/) > [“I felt like praying or something, when I was in bed, but I couldn't do it. I can't always pray when I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-felt-like-praying-or-something-when-i-was-in-bed-but-i-couldn-t-do/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [What comes to mind when you think of heaven? Heaven is referred to in fifty-four of the Bible's sixty-six books, and the final two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jeremiah/what-comes-to-mind-when-you-think-of-heaven-heaven-is-referred-to-in/) [David Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jeremiah/) > [“While it is in one sense a result of God’s presence within us, the New Testament also describes a process involved in our “putting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/while-it-is-in-one-sense-a-result-of-god-s-presence-within-us-the-new/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [The definition of a Church is crystal clear in the New Testament. We see the picture of it. They came together the first day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/the-definition-of-a-church-is-crystal-clear-in-the-new-testament-we/) [John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) [Browse all 8,465 Bible quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“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.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kurt Vonnegut" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/it-was-the-gospel-from-outer-space-by-kilgore-trout-it-was-about-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bible" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/it-was-the-gospel-from-outer-space-by-kilgore-trout-it-was-about-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e53/kurt-vonnegut-41_bible_it-was-the-gospel-from-outer-space-by-ki_77926.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e53/kurt-vonnegut-41_bible_it-was-the-gospel-from-outer-space-by-ki_77926.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e53/kurt-vonnegut-41_bible_it-was-the-gospel-from-outer-space-by-ki_77926.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It was The Gospel From Outer Space, by Kilgore Trout. It was about a visitor from outer space...[who] made a…” — Kurt Vonnegut", "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": "Kurt Vonnegut", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“It was The Gospel From Outer...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/it-was-the-gospel-from-outer-space-by-kilgore-trout-it-was-about-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/it-was-the-gospel-from-outer-space-by-kilgore-trout-it-was-about-a/#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 } } ] } ```