--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When we talk to God, it's praying. We God…" description: "\"When we talk to God, it's praying. We God talks to us, it's Schizophrenia.\" — Lily Tomlin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18b/lily-tomlin-3278_praying-god_when-we-talk-to-god-it-s-praying-we-god_2968744.png" --- # When we talk to God, it's praying. We God talks to us… ![“When we talk to God, it's praying. We God talks to us, it's Schizophrenia.” quote by Lily Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18b/lily-tomlin-3278_praying-god_when-we-talk-to-god-it-s-praying-we-god_2968744.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18b/lily-tomlin-3278_praying-god_when-we-talk-to-god-it-s-praying-we-god_2968744.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18b/lily-tomlin-3278_praying-god_when-we-talk-to-god-it-s-praying-we-god_2968744.png) > “When we talk to God, it's praying. We God talks to us, it's Schizophrenia.” [Lily Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-tomlin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Talking to God is prayer; when God speaks to us, it is labeled as schizophrenia, highlighting differing perceptions of spiritual experiences. **In simple terms:** Prayer vs. perceived mental illness. Key Takeaway Question how we label spiritual experiences. Themes faith mental health perception language Mood humorous provocative Type social philosophical When to use this quote - counseling - spiritual practice - public discourse Key Concepts Psychiatry theology Questions to Reflect On - How do we differentiate spiritual vs. mental experiences? - What language changes perception? A Different Perspective Stigma can hinder understanding. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Praying God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/praying-god/) [Talk To God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talk-to-god/) ## Related quotes > [If you talk to God, you are praying; If God talks to you, you have schizophrenia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-szasz/if-you-talk-to-god-you-are-praying-if-god-talks-to-you-you-have/) [Thomas Szasz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-szasz/) > [When we talk to god, it's prayer. When god talks to us, it's schizophrenia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-tomlin/when-we-talk-to-god-it-s-prayer-when-god-talks-to-us-it-s/) [Lily Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-tomlin/) > [Why is it that when we talk to God we're said to be praying but when God talks to us we're schizophrenic?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-tomlin/why-is-it-that-when-we-talk-to-god-we-re-said-to-be-praying-but-when/) [Lily Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-tomlin/) > [“If a man wants to be always in God’s company, he must pray regularly and read spiritual books regularly. When we pray, we talk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isidore-of-seville/if-a-man-wants-to-be-always-in-god-s-company-he-must-pray-regularly/) [Isidore of Seville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isidore-of-seville/) > [In our prayers, we talk to God, in our Bible study, God talks to us, and we had better let God do most of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-l-moody/in-our-prayers-we-talk-to-god-in-our-bible-study-god-talks-to-us-and/) [Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/) > [If you tell people you talk to God, they'll think you're religious, but if you say God talks to you, it's ten to one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fulghum/if-you-tell-people-you-talk-to-god-they-ll-think-you-re-religious-but/) [Robert Fulghum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fulghum/) > [You talk to God, you're religious. God talks to you, you're psychotic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-egan/you-talk-to-god-you-re-religious-god-talks-to-you-you-re-psychotic/) Doris Egan > [“We talk to God—that is prayer; God talks to us—that is inspiration. We go apart to get still, that new life, new inspiration, new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-emilie-cady/we-talk-to-god-that-is-prayer-god-talks-to-us-that-is-inspiration-we/) [H. Emilie Cady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-emilie-cady/) > [When we talk to God, we're praying. When God talks to us, we're schizophrenic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-wagner/when-we-talk-to-god-we-re-praying-when-god-talks-to-us-we-re/) [Jane Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-wagner/) > [We talk to God--that is prayer; God talks to us--that is inspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-emilie-cady/we-talk-to-god-that-is-prayer-god-talks-to-us-that-is-inspiration/) [H. Emilie Cady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-emilie-cady/) > [I'm praying to the Creator of the world, the King of the universe, the all-powerful, all-knowing, all-faithful God. I'm praying to the God who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hybels/i-m-praying-to-the-creator-of-the-world-the-king-of-the-universe-the/) [Bill Hybels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hybels/) > [“Prayer is communication. Communication involves dialoguing and listening. You talk, God listens. Then God talks and you listen. I think many people, like me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-r-davis/prayer-is-communication-communication-involves-dialoguing-and/) [Lynn R. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-r-davis/) > [I want to talk about God in a literary way. But I think I would have a very hard time praying to God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/i-want-to-talk-about-god-in-a-literary-way-but-i-think-i-would-have-a/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [“I cannot pray. I talk to God through my sculpture and painting.' 'That's also prayer.' He smiled faintly, the morning sun on his face.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaim-potok/i-cannot-pray-i-talk-to-god-through-my-sculpture-and-painting-that-s/) [Chaim Potok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaim-potok/) > [Don't count how many times you talk to God, just TALK!!!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-cowell/don-t-count-how-many-times-you-talk-to-god-just-talk/) [Larry Cowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-cowell/) ## More by Lily Tomlin > [If truth is beauty, how come no one has their hair done in a library.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-tomlin/if-truth-is-beauty-how-come-no-one-has-their-hair-done-in-a-library/) [Lily Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-tomlin/) > [“So if you've had a good time tonight, or if you've had a good time any night, for gosh sake's why not drop a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-tomlin/so-if-you-ve-had-a-good-time-tonight-or-if-you-ve-had-a-good-time-any/) [Lily Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-tomlin/) > [“Forgiveness means giving up all hope for a better past.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-tomlin/forgiveness-means-giving-up-all-hope-for-a-better-past/) [Lily Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-tomlin/) > [I bought a box of animal crackers, but there was nothing inside. They'd eaten each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-tomlin/i-bought-a-box-of-animal-crackers-but-there-was-nothing-inside-they-d/) [Lily Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-tomlin/) > [Wouldn't it be great if we all grew up to be what we wanted to be? The world would be full of nurses, firemen,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-tomlin/wouldn-t-it-be-great-if-we-all-grew-up-to-be-what-we-wanted-to-be-the/) [Lily Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-tomlin/) > [You know being relevant or coming up with something interesting, funny to say about what's current is just as hard as it might ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-tomlin/you-know-being-relevant-or-coming-up-with-something-interesting-funny/) [Lily Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-tomlin/) > [I wanted to be a stage actress. I wanted to be a New York actress and have a community with other actors. I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-tomlin/i-wanted-to-be-a-stage-actress-i-wanted-to-be-a-new-york-actress-and/) [Lily Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-tomlin/) > [We have reason to believe that man first walked upright to free his hands for masturbation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-tomlin/we-have-reason-to-believe-that-man-first-walked-upright-to-free-his/) [Lily Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-tomlin/) > [We don't care. We don't have to. We're the phone company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-tomlin/we-don-t-care-we-don-t-have-to-we-re-the-phone-company/) [Lily Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-tomlin/) > [No matter how cynical I get, I can't keep up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-tomlin/no-matter-how-cynical-i-get-i-can-t-keep-up/) [Lily Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-tomlin/) > [In the depths of the night, fear grips my heart. It paralyzes my mind. But most of all, I feel very, very alone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-tomlin/in-the-depths-of-the-night-fear-grips-my-heart-it-paralyzes-my-mind/) [Lily Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-tomlin/) > [“I always wondered why somebody didn't do something about that. And then I realized I was somebody.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-tomlin/i-always-wondered-why-somebody-didn-t-do-something-about-that-and/) [Lily Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-tomlin/) > [Sometimes I worry about being a success in a mediocre world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-tomlin/sometimes-i-worry-about-being-a-success-in-a-mediocre-world/) [Lily Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-tomlin/) > [And yet humanity is so not evolved that how can you expect anything absolutely major to happen? Look how long, we move ahead in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-tomlin/and-yet-humanity-is-so-not-evolved-that-how-can-you-expect-anything/) [Lily Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-tomlin/) > [The whole idea of being in captivity in such limited space, especially in a zoo, causes elephants to suffer. They develop all kinds of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-tomlin/the-whole-idea-of-being-in-captivity-in-such-limited-space-especially/) [Lily Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-tomlin/) [Explore all 135 Lily Tomlin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-tomlin/) ## More Praying God quotes > [I believe many a man is praying to God to fill him, when he is full already with something else. Before we pray that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-l-moody/i-believe-many-a-man-is-praying-to-god-to-fill-him-when-he-is-full/) [Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/) > [I'll pit my God against your god any day, I say to the Calvinists. It's not their god I'm praying to… The God I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brunonia-barry/i-ll-pit-my-god-against-your-god-any-day-i-say-to-the-calvinists-it-s/) [Brunonia Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brunonia-barry/) > [If we would have God in the closet, God must have us out of the closet. There is no way of praying to God,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-mckendree-bounds/if-we-would-have-god-in-the-closet-god-must-have-us-out-of-the-closet/) [Edward McKendree Bounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-mckendree-bounds/) > [St. Teresa of Avila wrote: 'All difficulties in prayer can be traced to one cause: praying as if God were absent.' This is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-keating/st-teresa-of-avila-wrote-all-difficulties-in-prayer-can-be-traced-to/) [Thomas Keating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-keating/) > [Anyone who has the habit of speaking before God's majesty as if he were speaking to a slave, careless about how he is speaking,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/anyone-who-has-the-habit-of-speaking-before-god-s-majesty-as-if-he/) [Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [Empty yourself from Grudges, Be honest while praying to God in your conversation with him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kishore-bansal/empty-yourself-from-grudges-be-honest-while-praying-to-god-in-your/) [Kishore Bansal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kishore-bansal/) > [We never understand what we're praying, and God, in His mercy, does not answer our prayers according to our understanding, but according to His…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/we-never-understand-what-we-re-praying-and-god-in-his-mercy-does-not/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) > [I stepped on my new phone and heard a crack !! Immediately I started praying God please ! It should be my leg that broke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-stepped-on-my-new-phone-and-heard-a-crack-immediately-i-started/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [What do you mean by praying that God will have mercy upon all men, and save them with an everlasting salvation, and then tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gadsby/what-do-you-mean-by-praying-that-god-will-have-mercy-upon-all-men-and/) William Gadsby > [Praying that God will give them also honest hearts that will serve people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/praying-that-god-will-give-them-also-honest-hearts-that-will-serve/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When the dream in our heart is one that God has planted there, a strange happiness flowers into us. At that moment all of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-marshall/when-the-dream-in-our-heart-is-one-that-god-has-planted-there-a/) [Catherine Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-marshall/) > [When praying for the Lord's will about something questionable, don't give up if you don't receive clear leading after one prayer; just keep on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hutson/when-praying-for-the-lord-s-will-about-something-questionable-don-t/) [Curtis Hutson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hutson/) > [“For all the hopeful dreamers morons out there... Stop praying for God to make things happen for you. Just make them happen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziad-k-abdelnour/for-all-the-hopeful-dreamers-morons-out-there-stop-praying-for-god-to/) [Ziad K. Abdelnour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziad-k-abdelnour/) > [I want to talk about God in a literary way. But I think I would have a very hard time praying to God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/i-want-to-talk-about-god-in-a-literary-way-but-i-think-i-would-have-a/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [If you talk to God, you are praying; If God talks to you, you have schizophrenia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-szasz/if-you-talk-to-god-you-are-praying-if-god-talks-to-you-you-have/) [Thomas Szasz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-szasz/) [Browse all 39 Praying God quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/praying-god/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When we talk to God, it's praying. 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