--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Why is it that when we talk to God we're…" description: "\"Why is it that when we talk to God we're said to be praying but when God talks to us we're schizophrenic?\" — Lily Tomlin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a70/lily-tomlin-3278_god_why-is-it-that-when-we-talk-to-god-we-re_3209421.png" --- # Why is it that when we talk to God we're said to be… ![“Why is it that when we talk to God we're said to be praying but when God talks to us we're schizophrenic?” quote by Lily Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a70/lily-tomlin-3278_god_why-is-it-that-when-we-talk-to-god-we-re_3209421.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a70/lily-tomlin-3278_god_why-is-it-that-when-we-talk-to-god-we-re_3209421.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a70/lily-tomlin-3278_god_why-is-it-that-when-we-talk-to-god-we-re_3209421.png) > “Why is it that when we talk to God we're said to be praying but when God talks to us we're schizophrenic?” [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. He points out the double standard that prayer is accepted but hearing God is labeled mental illness, questioning societal definitions of sanity **In simple terms:** Society labels divine communication as madness while accepting prayer Key Takeaway Challenge assumptions about spiritual experiences Themes faith mental health social norms Mood ironic provocative Type humorous philosophical When to use this quote - discussing religion - mental health advocacy - critical thinking Key Concepts double standard perception spirituality Questions to Reflect On - How do cultural norms shape what is considered sane? - What would change if divine communication were normalized? A Different Perspective Some may view spiritual experiences as genuine, not pathological ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Praying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/praying/) [Praying God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/praying-god/) [Schizophrenic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/schizophrenic/) [Talk To God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talk-to-god/) ## Related quotes > [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/) > [When we talk to God, it's praying. We God talks to us, it's Schizophrenia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-tomlin/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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [“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/) > [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/) > [If the dead talk to you, you are a spiritualist; if God talks to you, you are a schizophrenic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-szasz/if-the-dead-talk-to-you-you-are-a-spiritualist-if-god-talks-to-you/) [Thomas Szasz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-szasz/) > [“It's true what they say, you know: if you talk to God, you're religious; but if you hear from God, yor're schizophrenic.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-downs/it-s-true-what-they-say-you-know-if-you-talk-to-god-you-re-religious/) Tim Downs > [“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/) > [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. 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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 God quotes > [I don't drink much anymore, but when I traveled with Frank Sinatra, God rest his soul, I used to drink like I could do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-rickles/i-don-t-drink-much-anymore-but-when-i-traveled-with-frank-sinatra-god/) [Don Rickles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-rickles/) > [“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/) > [“am not suggesting that successes in academics, athletics, or vocation somehow stand outside God’s good plan. Learning and play are joys that God himself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-paul-jones/am-not-suggesting-that-successes-in-academics-athletics-or-vocation/) [Timothy Paul Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-paul-jones/) > [I pray that wherever we are and whatever duties we have in the priesthood of God, we will be united in the cause to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/i-pray-that-wherever-we-are-and-whatever-duties-we-have-in-the/) [Henry B. 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