--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I am waiting for them to prove that God…" description: "\"I am waiting for them to prove that God is really American.\" — Lawrence Ferlinghetti" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d3/lawrence-ferlinghetti-7689_am_i-am-waiting-for-them-to-prove-that-god_586307.jpg" --- # I am waiting for them to prove that God is really American. ![“I am waiting for them to prove that God is really American.” quote by Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d3/lawrence-ferlinghetti-7689_am_i-am-waiting-for-them-to-prove-that-god_586307.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d3/lawrence-ferlinghetti-7689_am_i-am-waiting-for-them-to-prove-that-god_586307.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d3/lawrence-ferlinghetti-7689_am_i-am-waiting-for-them-to-prove-that-god_586307.jpg) > “I am waiting for them to prove that God is really American.” [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker doubts that God aligns with American ideals, awaiting evidence. **In simple terms:** Questioning if God reflects American values. Key Takeaway Critically examine cultural narratives about divinity. Themes faith national identity skepticism Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type philosophical critical When to use this quote - religious discourse - political debate - media analysis Key Concepts theology cultural studies Questions to Reflect On - What defines God’s identity? - How do national narratives shape spirituality? A Different Perspective Faith may be personal, not national. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) ## Related quotes > [Want to prove God is real, just look into the eyes of a newborn child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ash-sweeney/want-to-prove-god-is-real-just-look-into-the-eyes-of-a-newborn-child/) [Ash Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ash-sweeney/) > [God is really only another artist. He invented the giraffe, the elephant and the cat. He has no real style, He just goes on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/god-is-really-only-another-artist-he-invented-the-giraffe-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [“Many Christians, including BioLogos, like to throw out the "you can't take the Bible literally" argument. They think it is the ultimate zinger that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-m-jackson/many-christians-including-biologos-like-to-throw-out-the-you-can-t/) [G.M. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-m-jackson/) > [“When I am alone with God I see that God is really all I have. All that matters. All that will last. At these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pola-muzyka/when-i-am-alone-with-god-i-see-that-god-is-really-all-i-have-all-that/) Pola Muzyka > [metaphors for God drawn from human experience can easily be literalized. While we are immediately aware that the personal God is not really a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-marie-schneiders/metaphors-for-god-drawn-from-human-experience-can-easily-be/) Sandra Marie Schneiders > [“The secrets of their hearts are laid bare. So they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!” (1 Cor. 14:25 NIV)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scotty-smith/the-secrets-of-their-hearts-are-laid-bare-so-they-will-fall-down-and/) [Scotty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scotty-smith/) > [To be with God is really to be involved in some enormous, overwhelming desire, and joy, and power which you cannot control, which controls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/to-be-with-god-is-really-to-be-involved-in-some-enormous-overwhelming/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) > [. God is really creative , I mean ..just look at me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad/god-is-really-creative-i-mean-just-look-at-me/) [Brad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad/) > [So few humans seem to fully exist themselves that I wonder if all this endless speculation and haggling about God is really an exploration…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/so-few-humans-seem-to-fully-exist-themselves-that-i-wonder-if-all/) [Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/) > [God is really only another artist. He invented the giraffe, the elephantand the cat. He has no real style, He just goes on trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/god-is-really-only-another-artist-he-invented-the-giraffe-the-3/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [“Is God really real?”This is a perennial question for the philosophy of religion. Fortunately, the Pythons have answers to it. Perhaps too many answers.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-a-reisch/is-god-really-real-this-is-a-perennial-question-for-the-philosophy-of/) George A. Reisch > [God is really only another artist. He invented the giraffe, the elephant, and the cat. He has no real style. He just keeps on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/god-is-really-only-another-artist-he-invented-the-giraffe-the-2/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [God is really opening up my eyes. As I live and prosper on, I learn so much. I thank God for the trials and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-is-really-opening-up-my-eyes-as-i-live-and-prosper-on-i-learn-so/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm wasting my time waiting for you to prove you are a waste of time. That's why it's better if I leave now like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meagan-b/i-m-wasting-my-time-waiting-for-you-to-prove-you-are-a-waste-of-time/) [Meagan B](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meagan-b/) > [Its not that I dont believe youre sincere¦ I just dont feel like waiting for you to prove me wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-wather/its-not-that-i-dont-believe-youre-sincere-i-just-dont-feel-like/) Leigh Wather ## More by Lawrence Ferlinghetti > [“I am waiting for the meek to be blessed and inherit the earth... without taxes”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/i-am-waiting-for-the-meek-to-be-blessed-and-inherit-the-earth-without/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [We have to raise the consciousness; the only way poets can change the world is to raise the consciousness of the general populace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/we-have-to-raise-the-consciousness-the-only-way-poets-can-change-the/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [I didn’t know that painters and writers retired. They’re like soldiers – they just fade away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/i-didn-t-know-that-painters-and-writers-retired-they-re-like-soldiers/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [I certainly was surprised to be named Poet Laureate of this far-out city on the left side of the world, and I gratefully accept,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/i-certainly-was-surprised-to-be-named-poet-laureate-of-this-far-out/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [Paperbacks weren't considered real books in the book trade. Up till then it was just murder mysteries, potboilers, 25-cent pocket books sold in newsstands.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/paperbacks-weren-t-considered-real-books-in-the-book-trade-up-till/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [Poetry is the shadow cast by our streetlight imaginations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/poetry-is-the-shadow-cast-by-our-streetlight-imaginations/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [The real literary editors have mostly been fired. Those that remain are all ottom line editors; everything depends on the money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/the-real-literary-editors-have-mostly-been-fired-those-that-remain/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [“Cast up the heart flops over gasping 'Love' a foolish fish which tries to draw its breath from flesh of air And no one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/cast-up-the-heart-flops-over-gasping-love-a-foolish-fish-which-tries/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [The paintings may communicate even better because people are lazy and they can look at a painting with less effort than they can read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/the-paintings-may-communicate-even-better-because-people-are-lazy-and/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [Poetry can change the world, just like any art can change the world, by changing consciousness. Of course this was the great slogan of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/poetry-can-change-the-world-just-like-any-art-can-change-the-world-by/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [As I get older I perceive Life has its tail in its mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/as-i-get-older-i-perceive-life-has-its-tail-in-its-mouth/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [Almost every truly creative being alienated & expatriated in his own country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/almost-every-truly-creative-being-alienated-expatriated-in-his-own/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [The future of publishing lies with the small and medium-sized presses, because the big publishers in New York are all part of huge conglomerates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/the-future-of-publishing-lies-with-the-small-and-medium-sized-presses/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [The art has to make it on its own, without explanations, and it’s the same for poetry. If the poem or the painting has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/the-art-has-to-make-it-on-its-own-without-explanations-and-it-s-the/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [There is an ecstatic mechanism in birds that makes them fly upwards in spite of worms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/there-is-an-ecstatic-mechanism-in-birds-that-makes-them-fly-upwards/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) [Explore all 88 Lawrence Ferlinghetti quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) ## More Am quotes > [I don't own designer clothes, or a sports car, or a huge house, but I am seeing the world, experiencing amazing things, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roz-savage/i-don-t-own-designer-clothes-or-a-sports-car-or-a-huge-house-but-i-am/) [Roz Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roz-savage/) > [I think I am against stereotype. Generally, Asian guys are more quiet - they study and have a good work ethic. Generally, I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-lee/i-think-i-am-against-stereotype-generally-asian-guys-are-more-quiet/) [Bobby Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-lee/) > [I am not a depressive person at all, but I reflect a lot on my life, and life in general, from the perspective of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-am-not-a-depressive-person-at-all-but-i-reflect-a-lot-on-my-life/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [Any incarnation of 'Batman' I am delighted to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-west/any-incarnation-of-batman-i-am-delighted-to-do/) [Adam West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-west/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? 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