--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Whether you say that a god does exist, or…" description: "\"“Whether you say that a god does exist, or that none do, it is a claim to know (or at least believe in) something. Once you claim to know something, yo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/204/lewis-n-roe-21462_agnosticism_whether-you-say-that-a-god-does-exist-or_3068195.jpg" --- # Whether you say that a god does exist, or that none do, it… ![“Whether you say that a god does exist, or that none do, it is a claim to know (or at least believe in) something. Once you claim to know something, you can't call that a lack of belief in the opposite view and then say it's the place that you started.” quote by Lewis N. Roe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/204/lewis-n-roe-21462_agnosticism_whether-you-say-that-a-god-does-exist-or_3068195.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/204/lewis-n-roe-21462_agnosticism_whether-you-say-that-a-god-does-exist-or_3068195.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/204/lewis-n-roe-21462_agnosticism_whether-you-say-that-a-god-does-exist-or_3068195.jpg) > ““Whether you say that a god does exist, or that none do, it is a claim to know (or at least believe in) something. Once you claim to know something, you can't call that a lack of belief in the opposite view and then say it's the place that you started.”” [Lewis N. Roe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-n-roe/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Claiming knowledge of a god precludes true belief in the opposite view. **In simple terms:** Knowing one belief blocks belief in its opposite. Key Takeaway Recognize limits of certainty. Themes epistemology theology logic Mood inquisitive critical Type philosophical theoretical When to use this quote - debate clubs - theology studies - ethical discussions - personal reflection Key Concepts belief systems philosophical argument Questions to Reflect On - How do you handle conflicting beliefs? - What role does doubt play in faith? A Different Perspective Overconfidence can hinder open‑minded dialogue. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Agnosticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agnosticism/) [Atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheism/) [Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) ## Related quotes > [Those who are guilty of the argumentum ad ignorantiam profess belief in something because its opposite cannot be proved ... In the realm where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-weaver/those-who-are-guilty-of-the-argumentum-ad-ignorantiam-profess-belief/) [Richard M. Weaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-weaver/) > [“The claim to know that no god exists is just irrational. The non-existence of any god has no evidence, let alone proof. To know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-n-roe/the-claim-to-know-that-no-god-exists-is-just-irrational-the-non/) [Lewis N. Roe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-n-roe/) > [“The atheist might have no proof for the supernatural, but they also have no proof against it. If we start at a neutral position…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-n-roe/the-atheist-might-have-no-proof-for-the-supernatural-but-they-also/) [Lewis N. Roe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-n-roe/) > [I finally decided that I'm a creature of emotion as well as of reason. Emotionally, I am an atheist. I don't have the evidence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac/i-finally-decided-that-i-m-a-creature-of-emotion-as-well-as-of-reason/) [Isaac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac/) > [Skepticism is my nature, freethought is my methodology, agnosticism is my conclusion after 25 years of being in the ministry, and atheism is my opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-dewitt/skepticism-is-my-nature-freethought-is-my-methodology-agnosticism-is/) Jerry DeWitt > [An atheist, like a Christian, holds that we can know whether or not there is a God. The Christian holds that we can know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/an-atheist-like-a-christian-holds-that-we-can-know-whether-or-not/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“All atheists will go to heaven. If god exists, not believing in him does not take him away and he cannot justly condemn those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/all-atheists-will-go-to-heaven-if-god-exists-not-believing-in-him/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [We are enabled to apprehend at all what is sublime and noble only by the perpetual instilling and drenching of the reality that surrounds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/we-are-enabled-to-apprehend-at-all-what-is-sublime-and-noble-only-by/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The world is continuous flux and is impermanent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/the-world-is-continuous-flux-and-is-impermanent/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [The religious hypothesis, therefore, must be considered only as a particular method of accounting for the visible phenomena of the universe: but no just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/the-religious-hypothesis-therefore-must-be-considered-only-as-a/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [Intellect, at its best, can make you agnostic. Being theist or atheist is still a matter of choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raheel-farooq/intellect-at-its-best-can-make-you-agnostic-being-theist-or-atheist/) [Raheel Farooq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raheel-farooq/) > [“An atheist is someone who is disappointed in his search of god. He is a man who strongly needed god but couldn't find him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/an-atheist-is-someone-who-is-disappointed-in-his-search-of-god-he-is/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [“Some people are so stiff and inhumane as the dogma's they believe in”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/some-people-are-so-stiff-and-inhumane-as-the-dogma-s-they-believe-in/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [The prayer of the agnostic: "O God, if there is a God, save my soul if I have a soul."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-renan/the-prayer-of-the-agnostic-o-god-if-there-is-a-god-save-my-soul-if-i/) [Ernest Renan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-renan/) > [A knowledge of the existence of something we cannot penetrate, of the manifestations of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty - it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/a-knowledge-of-the-existence-of-something-we-cannot-penetrate-of-the/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) ## More by Lewis N. Roe > [“As far back as history records people thinking, thinking people have been befuddled by the mysteries of life and existence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-n-roe/as-far-back-as-history-records-people-thinking-thinking-people-have/) [Lewis N. Roe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-n-roe/) > [“God's being good does not somehow magically make all Christians good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-n-roe/god-s-being-good-does-not-somehow-magically-make-all-christians-good/) [Lewis N. Roe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-n-roe/) > [“God could easily at any moment prove he existed beyond doubt with some amazing show of power which would have everyone kneel to him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-n-roe/god-could-easily-at-any-moment-prove-he-existed-beyond-doubt-with/) [Lewis N. Roe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-n-roe/) > [“We have to judge all evidence with the same amount of scrutiny. We want truth, not confirmation of whatever our preference is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-n-roe/we-have-to-judge-all-evidence-with-the-same-amount-of-scrutiny-we/) [Lewis N. Roe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-n-roe/) > [“It's possible that aliens are building blancmange fortresses on a distant planet millions of light years away. It could be true even though we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-n-roe/it-s-possible-that-aliens-are-building-blancmange-fortresses-on-a/) [Lewis N. Roe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-n-roe/) > [“It's important to understand that if someone calls themselves a Christian, it does not automatically make everything they do an act of Christianity, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-n-roe/it-s-important-to-understand-that-if-someone-calls-themselves-a/) [Lewis N. Roe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-n-roe/) > [“The atheist might have no proof for the supernatural, but they also have no proof against it. If we start at a neutral position…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-n-roe/the-atheist-might-have-no-proof-for-the-supernatural-but-they-also/) [Lewis N. Roe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-n-roe/) > [“Science and observation can only ever tell us the way that things are. They have no influence on the way that things should be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-n-roe/science-and-observation-can-only-ever-tell-us-the-way-that-things-are/) [Lewis N. Roe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-n-roe/) > [“...personal experiences are probably the most convincing reason to believe for any individual who has had them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-n-roe/personal-experiences-are-probably-the-most-convincing-reason-to/) [Lewis N. Roe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-n-roe/) > [“Think of it this way: if you wandered into a cave and saw scratched into the wall some markings which on closer inspection read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-n-roe/think-of-it-this-way-if-you-wandered-into-a-cave-and-saw-scratched/) [Lewis N. Roe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-n-roe/) > [“To be good, is to be like God. Our purpose in life is to try and reach that standard. We will always fall short,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-n-roe/to-be-good-is-to-be-like-god-our-purpose-in-life-is-to-try-and-reach/) [Lewis N. Roe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-n-roe/) > [“If you are to suppose that natural reasons are the cause of everything, then it can only lead to the conclusion that consciousness is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-n-roe/if-you-are-to-suppose-that-natural-reasons-are-the-cause-of/) [Lewis N. Roe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-n-roe/) > [“Desire, problem solving, and communication are all signs of intelligence and awareness. My cat has these, so it's quite possible he has a soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-n-roe/desire-problem-solving-and-communication-are-all-signs-of/) [Lewis N. Roe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-n-roe/) > [“The claim to know that no god exists is just irrational. The non-existence of any god has no evidence, let alone proof. To know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-n-roe/the-claim-to-know-that-no-god-exists-is-just-irrational-the-non/) [Lewis N. Roe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-n-roe/) > [“When looking for evidence that something exists, it's silly to start by assuming that it is impossible. Taking any assumptions into study is bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-n-roe/when-looking-for-evidence-that-something-exists-it-s-silly-to-start/) [Lewis N. Roe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-n-roe/) [Explore all 29 Lewis N. Roe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-n-roe/) ## More Agnosticism quotes > [A knowledge of the existence of something we cannot penetrate, of the manifestations of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty - it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/a-knowledge-of-the-existence-of-something-we-cannot-penetrate-of-the/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The prayer of the agnostic: "O God, if there is a God, save my soul if I have a soul."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-renan/the-prayer-of-the-agnostic-o-god-if-there-is-a-god-save-my-soul-if-i/) [Ernest Renan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-renan/) > [“Some people are so stiff and inhumane as the dogma's they believe in”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/some-people-are-so-stiff-and-inhumane-as-the-dogma-s-they-believe-in/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [Agnosticism is the natural attitude of the evolutionist. How can a brute mind comprehend spiritual things?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-jennings-bryan/agnosticism-is-the-natural-attitude-of-the-evolutionist-how-can-a/) [William Jennings Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-jennings-bryan/) > [“An atheist is someone who is disappointed in his search of god. He is a man who strongly needed god but couldn't find him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/an-atheist-is-someone-who-is-disappointed-in-his-search-of-god-he-is/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [Intellect, at its best, can make you agnostic. Being theist or atheist is still a matter of choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raheel-farooq/intellect-at-its-best-can-make-you-agnostic-being-theist-or-atheist/) [Raheel Farooq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raheel-farooq/) > [To be agnostic is to be open-minded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-be-agnostic-is-to-be-open-minded/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The religious hypothesis, therefore, must be considered only as a particular method of accounting for the visible phenomena of the universe: but no just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/the-religious-hypothesis-therefore-must-be-considered-only-as-a/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [The world is continuous flux and is impermanent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/the-world-is-continuous-flux-and-is-impermanent/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [“I'm agnostic. By definition, I'm unsure of what to believe in, but I'm also borderline-capable of believing in anything and everything, or nothing at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-lola/i-m-agnostic-by-definition-i-m-unsure-of-what-to-believe-in-but-i-m/) [Lauren Lola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-lola/) > [“The Agnostic is one who asserts 'what no one denies' that there are limits to the sphere of human intelligence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-stephen/the-agnostic-is-one-who-asserts-what-no-one-denies-that-there-are/) [Leslie Stephen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-stephen/) > [I have only a small flickering light to guide me in the darkness of a thick forest. Up comes a theologian and blows it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/i-have-only-a-small-flickering-light-to-guide-me-in-the-darkness-of-a/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [“...The Presidential election has given me less anxiety than I myself could have imagined. The next administration will be a troublesome one, to whomsoever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/the-presidential-election-has-given-me-less-anxiety-than-i-myself/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [We are enabled to apprehend at all what is sublime and noble only by the perpetual instilling and drenching of the reality that surrounds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/we-are-enabled-to-apprehend-at-all-what-is-sublime-and-noble-only-by/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“We should be agnostic about those things for which there is no evidence. We should not hold beliefs merely because they gratify our desires…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-should-be-agnostic-about-those-things-for-which-there-is-no/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 275 Agnosticism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agnosticism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Whether you say that a god does exist, or that none do, it is a claim to know (or at least believe in) something. Once you claim to know something, you can't call that a lack of belief in the opposite view and then say it's the place that you started.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lewis N. 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