--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If she did , she might have to question…" description: "\"“If she did , she might have to question God Himself , and anybody who does that , no matter how religious they are , is going to have to deal with one..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/903/m-j-mott-100823_love_if-she-did-she-might-have-to-question-go_1717720.jpg" --- # If she did , she might have to question God Himself , and… ![“If she did , she might have to question God Himself , and anybody who does that , no matter how religious they are , is going to have to deal with one of three possible choices . That the so - called God of love and kindness and charity and morality and above all justice , is a bastard who likes…” quote by M.J. Mott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/903/m-j-mott-100823_love_if-she-did-she-might-have-to-question-go_1717720.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/903/m-j-mott-100823_love_if-she-did-she-might-have-to-question-go_1717720.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/903/m-j-mott-100823_love_if-she-did-she-might-have-to-question-go_1717720.jpg) > ““If she did , she might have to question God Himself , and anybody who does that , no matter how religious they are , is going to have to deal with one of three possible choices . That the so - called God of love and kindness and charity and morality and above all justice , is a bastard who likes tormenting and punishing the beings He Himself created , or that He doesn’t care , or that there is no God . Mott, M. J.. Jonah and the Whale (Kindle Locations 1922-1925). Deeply Shallow Publications. Kindle Edition.”” [M.J. Mott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-j-mott/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author questions God's nature, presenting three possibilities: benevolent, indifferent, or nonexistent. **In simple terms:** God may be kind, uncaring, or absent. Key Takeaway Reflect on personal beliefs about divinity. Themes theology philosophy existential faith questioning Mood philosophical theological Type Jonah:0 Love:0 Love and kindness:0 Question God:0 Called God:0 Jonah Whale:0 Matter Religious:0 When to use this quote - personal reflection - debate - spiritual counseling Key Concepts Divine nature moral philosophy Questions to Reflect On - thoughtful - serious A Different Perspective Is one view more credible?;How does this affect moral behavior? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Called God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/called-god/) [Jonah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jonah/) [Jonah Whale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jonah-whale-1308738/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love and kindness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-and-kindness/) [Matter Religious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter-religious-1308739/) [Question God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/question-god/) ## Related quotes > [“No. I reckon Man has created God in his own image. And it’s a really ugly one. Mott, M. J.. Jonah and the Whale…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-j-mott/no-i-reckon-man-has-created-god-in-his-own-image-and-it-s-a-really/) [M.J. Mott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-j-mott/) > [Like Jonah, the whale had swallowed me; unlike him, I believed I would spend eternity inside the belly of the beast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-kerrey/like-jonah-the-whale-had-swallowed-me-unlike-him-i-believed-i-would/) [Bob Kerrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-kerrey/) > [Time after time, on matters great and small, we are still standing on the sidelines, mutely accepting what is decided elsewhere instead of raising…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winnie-ewing/time-after-time-on-matters-great-and-small-we-are-still-standing-on/) [Winnie Ewing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winnie-ewing/) > [To me, these biblical stories are just so many fish stories, and I'm not specifically referring to Jonah and the whale. I need indisputable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-c-fields/to-me-these-biblical-stories-are-just-so-many-fish-stories-and-i-m/) [W. C. Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-c-fields/) > [It doesn't matter if you're religious or not. Does anything make you feel more uncomfortable than some stranger going, I'd like to talk to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-gaffigan/it-doesn-t-matter-if-you-re-religious-or-not-does-anything-make-you/) [Jim Gaffigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-gaffigan/) > [“In the great spiritual traditions of the world, attachments are seen as any concerns that usurp our desire for love, anything that becomes more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-g-may/in-the-great-spiritual-traditions-of-the-world-attachments-are-seen/) [Gerald G. May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-g-may/) > [Art is viable when it finds elements in the surrounding environment. Our ancestors drew their subject matter from the religious attitudes which weighed on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-boccioni/art-is-viable-when-it-finds-elements-in-the-surrounding-environment/) [Umberto Boccioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-boccioni/) > [“All crosses had their tops cut and became T's. There was also a thing called God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/all-crosses-had-their-tops-cut-and-became-t-s-there-was-also-a-thing/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [“I had retained little of what is generally called religion, except for a visceral conviction that our lives are controlled by some universal mechanism…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cox/i-had-retained-little-of-what-is-generally-called-religion-except-for/) [Michael Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cox/) > [“Go to the place called barren, Stand in the place called empty. And you will find God there.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-sauro/go-to-the-place-called-barren-stand-in-the-place-called-empty-and-you/) [Joan Sauro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-sauro/) > [Called or not, God is always there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/called-or-not-god-is-always-there/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) > [I would want to change my name to Sachin Tendulkar if I could do it. He has tons of records; I am not even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virender-sehwag/i-would-want-to-change-my-name-to-sachin-tendulkar-if-i-could-do-it/) [Virender Sehwag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virender-sehwag/) > [If I had not actually got into this work and been called of God, I would back out. But I cannot back out: I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-smith-jr/if-i-had-not-actually-got-into-this-work-and-been-called-of-god-i/) [Joseph Smith, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-smith-jr/) > [I have met people who have called me the god of hockey, but in my head, I know who I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandeep-singh/i-have-met-people-who-have-called-me-the-god-of-hockey-but-in-my-head/) [Sandeep Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandeep-singh/) > [The entire hierarchy of angels can best be described as an endlessly vast sphere of beings, who surround an unknowable centre-point, which is called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-godwin/the-entire-hierarchy-of-angels-can-best-be-described-as-an-endlessly/) [Malcolm Godwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-godwin/) ## More by M.J. Mott > [“No. I reckon Man has created God in his own image. And it’s a really ugly one. Mott, M. J.. Jonah and the Whale…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-j-mott/no-i-reckon-man-has-created-god-in-his-own-image-and-it-s-a-really/) [M.J. Mott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-j-mott/) [Explore all 2 M.J. Mott quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-j-mott/) ## More Jonah quotes > [Jonah Lehrer is one of the most talented explainers of science that we’ve got. What a pleasure it is to follow his investigation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-foer/jonah-lehrer-is-one-of-the-most-talented-explainers-of-science-that/) [Joshua Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-foer/) > [“(Because Jonah’s real story is the one never told: never was he as stupendously happy as during those three days and three nights of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-ne-cixous/because-jonah-s-real-story-is-the-one-never-told-never-was-he-as/) [Hélène Cixous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-ne-cixous/) > [Here's the point - and Jonah Goldberg reminds us of this. He wrote a blog post that was titled "The MacGuffinization of American Politics."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/here-s-the-point-and-jonah-goldberg-reminds-us-of-this-he-wrote-a/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Just a reminder, if you tell anyone about what happened with Jonah last night, I'll destroy all of my writing and never play music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/just-a-reminder-if-you-tell-anyone-about-what-happened-with-jonah/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [Lord, make me less like Jonah and more like Jesus. Save me from being the kind of person who cares more about my comfort,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-s-smith/lord-make-me-less-like-jonah-and-more-like-jesus-save-me-from-being/) [Colin S. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-s-smith/) > [Any real Bob Dylan fan would sleep with Jonah Lehrer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/any-real-bob-dylan-fan-would-sleep-with-jonah-lehrer/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [We make a mistake forsaking England and moving out into the periphery of life. After all, Taormina, Ceylon, Africa, America -- as far as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-h-lawrence/we-make-a-mistake-forsaking-england-and-moving-out-into-the-periphery/) [D. H. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-h-lawrence/) > [There are a lot of really funny guys who are very natural in what they do: Jonah Hill, Michael Cera, Seth Rogen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-ferrell/there-are-a-lot-of-really-funny-guys-who-are-very-natural-in-what/) [Will Ferrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-ferrell/) > [“When you fall in love, when Love really does its worst, it gives you no cause. It swallows you whole. It allows no refusals.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/candice-raquel-lee/when-you-fall-in-love-when-love-really-does-its-worst-it-gives-you-no/) [Candice Raquel Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/candice-raquel-lee/) > [“Jonah, however, set out in the opposite direction in order to get away from the Lord. He went to Joppa, where he found a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tata-velasquez/jonah-however-set-out-in-the-opposite-direction-in-order-to-get-away/) [Tata Velasquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tata-velasquez/) > [Jonah Griggs. Not just a name but a state of mind I never want to revisit, although I do keep him at the back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/jonah-griggs-not-just-a-name-but-a-state-of-mind-i-never-want-to/) [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) > [“The Bible frequently uses symmetries and inversions. By such comparisons (parallels and contrasts) the unique aspects of reality begin to emerge. Comparing two objects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ben-zehabe/the-bible-frequently-uses-symmetries-and-inversions-by-such/) [Michael Ben Zehabe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ben-zehabe/) > [His father's made us paint half this town and if we stick around any longer he'll make us paint the rest of it." -Jonah…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/his-father-s-made-us-paint-half-this-town-and-if-we-stick-around-any/) [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) > [“The world has a lot to offer. There’s a lot to explore. I like to take advantage of that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-neill/the-world-has-a-lot-to-offer-there-s-a-lot-to-explore-i-like-to-take/) [Chloe Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-neill/) > [“Wealth is not a sign of dignity, dear Jonah. Only those who put faith above wealth are worthy of this honour. Abandon wealth and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-shel/wealth-is-not-a-sign-of-dignity-dear-jonah-only-those-who-put-faith/) [Viktor Shel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-shel/) [Browse all 172 Jonah quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jonah/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If she did , she might have to question God Himself , and anybody who does that , no matter how religious they are , is going to have to deal with one of three possible choices . That the so - called God of love and kindness and charity and morality and above all justice , is a bastard who likes tormenting and punishing the beings He Himself created , or that He doesn’t care , or that there is no God . Mott, M. J.. Jonah and the Whale (Kindle Locations 1922-1925). Deeply Shallow Publications. Kindle Edition.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "M.J. Mott" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-j-mott/if-she-did-she-might-have-to-question-god-himself-and-anybody-who/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Jonah" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-j-mott/if-she-did-she-might-have-to-question-god-himself-and-anybody-who/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/903/m-j-mott-100823_love_if-she-did-she-might-have-to-question-go_1717720.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/903/m-j-mott-100823_love_if-she-did-she-might-have-to-question-go_1717720.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/903/m-j-mott-100823_love_if-she-did-she-might-have-to-question-go_1717720.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If she did , she might have to question God Himself , and anybody who does that , no matter how religious…” — M.J. Mott", "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": "M.J. Mott", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-j-mott/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“If she did , she might...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-j-mott/if-she-did-she-might-have-to-question-god-himself-and-anybody-who/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-j-mott/if-she-did-she-might-have-to-question-god-himself-and-anybody-who/#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 } } ] } ```