--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think it's about time we gave up…" description: "\"I think it's about time we gave up religion and got back to God.\" — Lenny Bruce" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/358/lenny-bruce-4320_gave-up_i-think-it-s-about-time-we-gave-up-relig_102300.jpg" --- # I think it's about time we gave up religion and got back… ![“I think it's about time we gave up religion and got back to God.” quote by Lenny Bruce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/358/lenny-bruce-4320_gave-up_i-think-it-s-about-time-we-gave-up-relig_102300.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/358/lenny-bruce-4320_gave-up_i-think-it-s-about-time-we-gave-up-relig_102300.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/358/lenny-bruce-4320_gave-up_i-think-it-s-about-time-we-gave-up-relig_102300.jpg) > “I think it's about time we gave up religion and got back to God.” [Lenny Bruce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-bruce/) ## 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 suggests abandoning organized religion in favor of a direct, personal relationship with the divine, implying that institutional faith may distract from authentic spirituality. **In simple terms:** Drop religion, return to personal God. Key Takeaway Personal spirituality over institutional religion. Themes religion spirituality personal belief institutional critique Mood provocative reflective Type philosophical social commentary When to use this quote - Debates on secularism - Personal faith counseling - Philosophical discussions on God Key Concepts authenticity individualism Practical Applications - Encourage personal reflection on belief - Facilitate interfaith dialogue Questions to Reflect On - What benefits might organized religion provide that personal belief alone cannot? - How can one balance personal spirituality with communal responsibilities? A Different Perspective The statement oversimplifies complex roles religion plays in community, morality, and cultural identity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“If you want to get anywhere in religion, you got to keep it sweet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flannery-o-connor/if-you-want-to-get-anywhere-in-religion-you-got-to-keep-it-sweet/) [Flannery O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flannery-o-connor/) > [Once upon a time I gave a fuck.. The End](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mccarty/once-upon-a-time-i-gave-a-fuck-the-end/) [Kevin McCarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mccarty/) > [“Too often, we give God only the tired remnants of our time. If Jesus Christ had given us only the remnant of His time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-w-tozer/too-often-we-give-god-only-the-tired-remnants-of-our-time-if-jesus/) [A.W. Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-w-tozer/) > [They took away time, and they gave us the clock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdullah-ibrahim/they-took-away-time-and-they-gave-us-the-clock/) [Abdullah Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdullah-ibrahim/) > [If today you don't have time for those who gave all their time for you yesterday then tomorrow they will not have time to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-abraham/if-today-you-don-t-have-time-for-those-who-gave-all-their-time-for/) [Amit Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-abraham/) > [“Like as the waves make towards the pebbled shore, So do our minutes hasten to their end; Each changing place with that which goes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/like-as-the-waves-make-towards-the-pebbled-shore-so-do-our-minutes-2/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Once upon a time nobody gave a fuck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kid-cudi/once-upon-a-time-nobody-gave-a-fuck/) [Kid Cudi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kid-cudi/) > [There was a time when I gave a shit, don't be confused, this ISN'T it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/young-siddiq-prince/there-was-a-time-when-i-gave-a-shit-don-t-be-confused-this-isn-t-it/) [Young Siddiq Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/young-siddiq-prince/) > [Once upon a time I gave a damn, EXACTLY, once upon a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grisel-ramos/once-upon-a-time-i-gave-a-damn-exactly-once-upon-a-time/) Grisel Ramos > [It is time we gave man faith in woman -- and, still more, woman faith in herself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-stone/it-is-time-we-gave-man-faith-in-woman-and-still-more-woman-faith-in/) [Lucy Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-stone/) > [“How did you find me?" "I always know where you are, every moment.Five years ago you said you needed time, and I gave it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-feehan/how-did-you-find-me-i-always-know-where-you-are-every-moment-five/) [Christine Feehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-feehan/) > [Spending a lot of time alone, gave me a lot of time to think. A lot of time to think gave me the time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/spending-a-lot-of-time-alone-gave-me-a-lot-of-time-to-think-a-lot-of/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [In 1969, I gave up women and alcohol - it was the worst 20 minutes of my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-best/in-1969-i-gave-up-women-and-alcohol-it-was-the-worst-20-minutes-of-my/) [George Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-best/) > [I think that at a certain age, say fifteen or sixteen, poetry is like masturbation. But later in life good poets burn their early…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/i-think-that-at-a-certain-age-say-fifteen-or-sixteen-poetry-is-like/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [If we gave up our freedom as the price of security, we would no longer be the great nation that we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/if-we-gave-up-our-freedom-as-the-price-of-security-we-would-no-longer/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) ## More by Lenny Bruce > [Satire is tragedy plus time. You give it enough time, the public, the reviewers will allow you to satirize it. Which is rather ridiculous,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-bruce/satire-is-tragedy-plus-time-you-give-it-enough-time-the-public-the/) [Lenny Bruce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-bruce/) > [I am influenced by every second of my waking hour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-bruce/i-am-influenced-by-every-second-of-my-waking-hour/) [Lenny Bruce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-bruce/) > [Never trust a preacher with more than two suits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-bruce/never-trust-a-preacher-with-more-than-two-suits/) [Lenny Bruce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-bruce/) > [I would be with a bunch of Kennedy fans watching the debate, and their comment would be, 'He's really slaughtering Nixon.' Then we would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-bruce/i-would-be-with-a-bunch-of-kennedy-fans-watching-the-debate-and-their/) [Lenny Bruce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-bruce/) > [If you're from New York and you're Catholic, you're still Jewish. If you're from Butte Montana and you're Jewish, you're still goyisch. The Air…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-bruce/if-you-re-from-new-york-and-you-re-catholic-you-re-still-jewish-if/) [Lenny Bruce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-bruce/) > [Alright, let's admit it, we Jews killed Christ - but it was only for three days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-bruce/alright-let-s-admit-it-we-jews-killed-christ-but-it-was-only-for/) [Lenny Bruce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-bruce/) > [“People are leaving the church and going back to God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-bruce/people-are-leaving-the-church-and-going-back-to-god/) [Lenny Bruce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-bruce/) > [Dig: I'm Jewish. Count Basie's Jewish. Ray Charles is Jewish. Eddie Cantor's goyish. B'nai B'rith is goyish; Hadassah, Jewish. If you live in New…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-bruce/dig-i-m-jewish-count-basie-s-jewish-ray-charles-is-jewish-eddie/) [Lenny Bruce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-bruce/) > [I won't say ours was a tough school, but we had our own coroner. We used to write essays like: What I'm going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-bruce/i-won-t-say-ours-was-a-tough-school-but-we-had-our-own-coroner-we/) [Lenny Bruce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-bruce/) > [“If you can't say "Fuck" you can't say, "Fuck the government.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-bruce/if-you-can-t-say-fuck-you-can-t-say-fuck-the-government/) [Lenny Bruce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-bruce/) > [“Take away the right to say ‘fuck’ and you take away the right to say ‘fuck the government.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-bruce/take-away-the-right-to-say-fuck-and-you-take-away-the-right-to-say/) [Lenny Bruce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-bruce/) > [The role of a comedian is to make the audience laugh, at a minimum of once every fifteen seconds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-bruce/the-role-of-a-comedian-is-to-make-the-audience-laugh-at-a-minimum-of/) [Lenny Bruce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-bruce/) > [If I get busted in New York, the freest city in the world, that will be the end of my career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-bruce/if-i-get-busted-in-new-york-the-freest-city-in-the-world-that-will-be/) [Lenny Bruce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-bruce/) > [“Liberals can understand everything but people who don't understand them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-bruce/liberals-can-understand-everything-but-people-who-don-t-understand/) [Lenny Bruce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-bruce/) > [Trying to figure things out was my gig. Without the human condition, there's no struggle, no pain and that means no laughter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-bruce/trying-to-figure-things-out-was-my-gig-without-the-human-condition/) [Lenny Bruce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-bruce/) [Explore all 112 Lenny Bruce quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-bruce/) ## More Gave up quotes > [If we gave up our freedom as the price of security, we would no longer be the great nation that we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/if-we-gave-up-our-freedom-as-the-price-of-security-we-would-no-longer/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [I think that at a certain age, say fifteen or sixteen, poetry is like masturbation. But later in life good poets burn their early…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/i-think-that-at-a-certain-age-say-fifteen-or-sixteen-poetry-is-like/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [In 1969, I gave up women and alcohol - it was the worst 20 minutes of my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-best/in-1969-i-gave-up-women-and-alcohol-it-was-the-worst-20-minutes-of-my/) [George Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-best/) > [Declaring victory without war .. the belief that India gave up the option of war under American pressure is totally wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atal-bihari-vajpayee/declaring-victory-without-war-the-belief-that-india-gave-up-the/) [Atal Bihari Vajpayee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atal-bihari-vajpayee/) > [Even in my really bad, drugged-out days, I didn't go away. I still toured, still did interviews. I never gave up the fight. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stevie-nicks/even-in-my-really-bad-drugged-out-days-i-didn-t-go-away-i-still/) [Stevie Nicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stevie-nicks/) > [What would happen if you were to allow everything to be exactly as it is? If you gave up the need for control, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adyashanti/what-would-happen-if-you-were-to-allow-everything-to-be-exactly-as-it/) [Adyashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adyashanti/) > [I sort of gave up on this whole human adventure a long time ago, divorced myself from it emotionally. It gives me an artistic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/i-sort-of-gave-up-on-this-whole-human-adventure-a-long-time-ago/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [Gracie: "Don't give up, Blanche. Women don't do that. Look at Betsy Ross, Martha Washington-they didn't give up. Look at Nina Jones." Blanche Morton:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gracie-allen/gracie-don-t-give-up-blanche-women-don-t-do-that-look-at-betsy-ross/) [Gracie Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gracie-allen/) > [I sped through heaven and saw god at work. I suffered holy pains. I dropped all my defenses and was afraid of nothing in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/i-sped-through-heaven-and-saw-god-at-work-i-suffered-holy-pains-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [We were 6 feet under. A lot of people gave up on us, including fans and critics and show promoters and record labels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacoby-shaddix/we-were-6-feet-under-a-lot-of-people-gave-up-on-us-including-fans-and/) [Jacoby Shaddix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacoby-shaddix/) > [I decided not to give the haters the satisfaction that they got me so bad I gave up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-black/i-decided-not-to-give-the-haters-the-satisfaction-that-they-got-me-so/) [Rebecca Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-black/) > [Its okay if you gave up and walked out on me, I gave up on myself a long time ago and I wasn't expecting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasmine-laura/its-okay-if-you-gave-up-and-walked-out-on-me-i-gave-up-on-myself-a/) [Jasmine Laura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasmine-laura/) > [I gave up on new poetry myself 30 years ago when most of it began to read like coded messages passing between lonely aliens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-baker/i-gave-up-on-new-poetry-myself-30-years-ago-when-most-of-it-began-to/) [Russell Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-baker/) > [In the end, the difference between a published writer and an unpublished one comes down to one thing: The unpublished writer gave up, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-delton/in-the-end-the-difference-between-a-published-writer-and-an/) [Judy Delton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-delton/) > [While I gave up God a long time ago, I never shook the habit of wanting to believe in something. So I replaced my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-vowell/while-i-gave-up-god-a-long-time-ago-i-never-shook-the-habit-of/) [Sarah Vowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-vowell/) Browse all 333 Gave up quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think it's about time we gave up religion and got back to God.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lenny Bruce" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-bruce/i-think-it-s-about-time-we-gave-up-religion-and-got-back-to-god/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Gave up" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-bruce/i-think-it-s-about-time-we-gave-up-religion-and-got-back-to-god/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/358/lenny-bruce-4320_gave-up_i-think-it-s-about-time-we-gave-up-relig_102300.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/358/lenny-bruce-4320_gave-up_i-think-it-s-about-time-we-gave-up-relig_102300.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/358/lenny-bruce-4320_gave-up_i-think-it-s-about-time-we-gave-up-relig_102300.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I think it's about time we gave up religion and got back to God.” — Lenny Bruce", "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": "Lenny Bruce", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-bruce/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I think it's about time we...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-bruce/i-think-it-s-about-time-we-gave-up-religion-and-got-back-to-god/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-bruce/i-think-it-s-about-time-we-gave-up-religion-and-got-back-to-god/#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 } } ] } ```