---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What God lacks is convictions- stability…"
description: "\"What God lacks is convictions- stability of character. He ought to be a Presbyterian or a Catholic or something- not try to be everything.\" — Mark Twain"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a4/mark-twain-22_catholic_what-god-lacks-is-convictions-stability_234712.png"
---

#  What God lacks is convictions- stability of character. He…

![“What God lacks is convictions- stability of character. He ought to be a Presbyterian or a Catholic or something- not try to be everything.” quote by Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a4/mark-twain-22_catholic_what-god-lacks-is-convictions-stability_234712.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a4/mark-twain-22_catholic_what-god-lacks-is-convictions-stability_234712.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a4/mark-twain-22_catholic_what-god-lacks-is-convictions-stability_234712.png)

> “What God lacks is convictions- stability of character. He ought to be a Presbyterian or a Catholic or something- not try to be everything.”

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Divine attempts to embody all beliefs lack consistency; a singular, stable character is preferable.

**In simple terms:** God trying to be everything loses stability.

Key Takeaway

Embrace focused belief systems.

Themes

faith identity consistency

Mood

reflective critical

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- religious practice
- interfaith dialogue
- personal values

Key Concepts

theology philosophy pluralism

Questions to Reflect On

- What defines a stable belief for you?
- Can multiple traditions coexist peacefully?

A Different Perspective

Overemphasis on singularity may exclude diverse perspectives.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Catholic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/catholic/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Character Ought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character-ought-2367355/) [Conviction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conviction/) [Convictions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/convictions/) [Convictions Stability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/convictions-stability-2367356/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [God Lacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-lacks-847253/) [Lacks Convictions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lacks-convictions-2367354/) [Stability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stability/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/)

## Related quotes

> [Nothing short of self-respect and that justice which is essential to a national character ought to involve us in war; for sure I am,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/nothing-short-of-self-respect-and-that-justice-which-is-essential-to-2/)

[George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/)

> [Man, having an ideal before him of that which he ought to be, and is not, and acting as though he possessed the character…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-batchelder-greene/man-having-an-ideal-before-him-of-that-which-he-ought-to-be-and-is/)

[William Batchelder Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-batchelder-greene/)

> [Nothing short of self-respect and that justice which is essential to a national character ought to involve us in war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/nothing-short-of-self-respect-and-that-justice-which-is-essential-to/)

[George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/)

> [The formation of one's character ought to be everyone's chief aim.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/the-formation-of-one-s-character-ought-to-be-everyone-s-chief-aim/)

[Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/)

> [“Let nothing disturb you, Let nothing frighten you, All things are passing away: God never changes. Patience obtains all things. Whoever has God lacks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santa-teresa-de-jes-s/let-nothing-disturb-you-let-nothing-frighten-you-all-things-are-2/)

[Santa Teresa de Jesús](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santa-teresa-de-jes-s/)

> [“The man or woman who realizes God has everything and lacks nothing: having this, “they desire nothing else, and cannot be shaken by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-dwaipayana-vyasa/the-man-or-woman-who-realizes-god-has-everything-and-lacks-nothing/)

[Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-dwaipayana-vyasa/)

> [“Let Nothing Upset You Let nothing upset you; Let nothing frighten you. Everything is changing; God alone is changeless. Patience attains the goal. Who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eknath-easwaran/let-nothing-upset-you-let-nothing-upset-you-let-nothing-frighten-you/)

[Eknath Easwaran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eknath-easwaran/)

> [Whoever has God lacks nothing. God alone suffices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/whoever-has-god-lacks-nothing-god-alone-suffices/)

[Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/)

> [“Spontaneously, without any theological training, I, a child, grasped the incompatibility of God and shit and thus came to question the basic thesis of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/spontaneously-without-any-theological-training-i-a-child-grasped-the/)

[Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/)

> [Even god lacks of good people in heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/even-god-lacks-of-good-people-in-heaven/)

[Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/)

> [“Let nothing upset you; Let nothing frighten you. Everything is changing; God alone is changeless. Patience attains the goal. Who has God lacks nothing;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eknath-easwaran/let-nothing-upset-you-let-nothing-frighten-you-everything-is-changing/)

[Eknath Easwaran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eknath-easwaran/)

> [“When I was small and would leaf through the Old Testament retold for children and illustrated in engravings by Gustave Dore, I saw the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/when-i-was-small-and-would-leaf-through-the-old-testament-retold-for/)

[Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/)

> [In religion and politics, people's belief's and convictions are in almost every case gotten at second hand, and without examination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/in-religion-and-politics-people-s-belief-s-and-convictions-are-in/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [In religion and politics, people's beliefs and convictions are in almost every case gotten at second-hand, and without examination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/in-religion-and-politics-people-s-beliefs-and-convictions-are-in/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [“In religion and politics people's beliefs and convictions are in almost every case gotten at second-hand, and without examination, from authorities.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/in-religion-and-politics-people-s-beliefs-and-convictions-are-in-4/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

## More by Mark Twain

> [Sing like no one's listening, love like you've never been hurt, dance like nobody's watching, and live like its heaven on earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/sing-like-no-one-s-listening-love-like-you-ve-never-been-hurt-dance/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [If you had made the acquiring of ignorance the study of your life, you could not have graduated with higher honor than you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/if-you-had-made-the-acquiring-of-ignorance-the-study-of-your-life-you/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [“The Creator sat upon the throne, thinking. Behind him stretched the illimitable continent of heaven, steeped in a glory of light and color; before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/the-creator-sat-upon-the-throne-thinking-behind-him-stretched-the/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [It's easy to quit smoking. I've done it hundreds of times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/it-s-easy-to-quit-smoking-i-ve-done-it-hundreds-of-times/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [“It is never wrong to do the right thing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/it-is-never-wrong-to-do-the-right-thing/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [A man accustomed to American food and American domestic cookery would not starve to death suddenly in Europe, but I think he would gradually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/a-man-accustomed-to-american-food-and-american-domestic-cookery-would/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [There is nothing training can't cannot do. Nothing is above its reach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/there-is-nothing-training-can-t-cannot-do-nothing-is-above-its-reach/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [I never write Metropolis for seven cents because I can get the same price for city. I never write policeman because I can get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/i-never-write-metropolis-for-seven-cents-because-i-can-get-the-same/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [The higher animals get their teeth without pain or inconvenience. Man gets his through months and months of cruel torture; he will never get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/the-higher-animals-get-their-teeth-without-pain-or-inconvenience-man/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [“As far as I can see, Italy, for fifteen hundred years, has turned all her energies, all her finances, and all her industry to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/as-far-as-i-can-see-italy-for-fifteen-hundred-years-has-turned-all/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [Begin with the determination to succeed and the work is half done already.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/begin-with-the-determination-to-succeed-and-the-work-is-half-done/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [Many public-school children seem to know only two dates—1492 and 4th of July; and as a rule they don't know what happened on either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/many-public-school-children-seem-to-know-only-two-dates-1492-and-4th/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [If we could imagine such a man, that is a man who could invent the fly and send him out on his mission and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/if-we-could-imagine-such-a-man-that-is-a-man-who-could-invent-the-fly/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [You perceive, now, that these things are all impossible except in a dream. You perceive that they are pure and puerile insanities, the silly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/you-perceive-now-that-these-things-are-all-impossible-except-in-a/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [Lord save us all from a hope tree that has lost the faculty of putting out blossoms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/lord-save-us-all-from-a-hope-tree-that-has-lost-the-faculty-of/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

[Explore all 3,277 Mark Twain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

## More Catholic quotes

> [I am a practicing Catholic, but my lineage is Jewish, so if someone asks me if I'm Jewish, I say yes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neve-campbell/i-am-a-practicing-catholic-but-my-lineage-is-jewish-so-if-someone/)

[Neve Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neve-campbell/)

> [I'm Catholic and I can't commit suicide, but I plan to drink myself to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/i-m-catholic-and-i-can-t-commit-suicide-but-i-plan-to-drink-myself-to/)

[Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/)

> [ The young man \[Turgot\] destined for an ecclesiastical career was placed within walls carefully designed to keep out all currents of new thought; his… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-dickson-white/the-young-man-turgot-destined-for-an-ecclesiastical-career-was-placed/)

[Andrew Dickson White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-dickson-white/)

> [Like many other scientists who hold the Catholic faith, I see the Creator's plan and purpose fulfilled in our universe. I see a planet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-r-miller/like-many-other-scientists-who-hold-the-catholic-faith-i-see-the/)

[Kenneth R. Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-r-miller/)

> [I'm the daughter of a Kenyan Catholic father and a Mauritian Hindu mother, and I have a Jewish husband who was born in South…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suella-braverman/i-m-the-daughter-of-a-kenyan-catholic-father-and-a-mauritian-hindu/)

[Suella Braverman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suella-braverman/)

> [The reason I went to an all-boys Catholic school was because they had the best football team. We won the state championship my junior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theo-rossi/the-reason-i-went-to-an-all-boys-catholic-school-was-because-they-had/)

[Theo Rossi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theo-rossi/)

> [I grew up with a religious background.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-caruso/i-grew-up-with-a-religious-background/)

[Alex Caruso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-caruso/)

> [ Girded with faith and the performance of good works, let us follow in his \[Jesus\] paths by the guidance of the Gospel. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benedict-of-nursia/girded-with-faith-and-the-performance-of-good-works-let-us-follow-in/)

[Benedict of Nursia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benedict-of-nursia/)

> [“Even at the tender age of twelve, when I knelt in front of the bishop for my confirmation, I had the sneaking suspicion that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-edwards/even-at-the-tender-age-of-twelve-when-i-knelt-in-front-of-the-bishop/)

[Megan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-edwards/)

> [Pray, Hope, and Don't Worry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pio-of-pietrelcina/pray-hope-and-don-t-worry/)

[Pio of Pietrelcina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pio-of-pietrelcina/)

> [My grandmother was a minister as well, which was not that common in the 1930s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-firth/my-grandmother-was-a-minister-as-well-which-was-not-that-common-in/)

[Colin Firth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-firth/)

> [My grandmother made sure that I went to church every Sunday. And she'd come over and pick us boys up, and we would go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/my-grandmother-made-sure-that-i-went-to-church-every-sunday-and-she-d/)

[John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/)

> [I think being raised within a Mexican Catholic family made magical realism a very natural part of who I am as a person and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-olivas/i-think-being-raised-within-a-mexican-catholic-family-made-magical/)

[Daniel Olivas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-olivas/)

> [I am surprised that anyone can profess to be an atheist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-comfort/i-am-surprised-that-anyone-can-profess-to-be-an-atheist/)

[Ray Comfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-comfort/)

> [You can never completely get it - being a Christian - but I think I really got it when my first son was born…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-teixeira/you-can-never-completely-get-it-being-a-christian-but-i-think-i/)

[Mark Teixeira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-teixeira/)

[Browse all 4,027 Catholic quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/catholic/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "What God lacks is convictions- stability of character. He ought to be a Presbyterian or a Catholic or something- not try to be everything.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Mark Twain"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/what-god-lacks-is-convictions-stability-of-character-he-ought-to-be-a/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Catholic"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/what-god-lacks-is-convictions-stability-of-character-he-ought-to-be-a/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a4/mark-twain-22_catholic_what-god-lacks-is-convictions-stability_234712.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a4/mark-twain-22_catholic_what-god-lacks-is-convictions-stability_234712.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a4/mark-twain-22_catholic_what-god-lacks-is-convictions-stability_234712.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“What God lacks is convictions- stability of character. He ought to be a Presbyterian or a Catholic or…” — Mark Twain",
                "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": "Mark Twain",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "What God lacks is convictions- stability...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/what-god-lacks-is-convictions-stability-of-character-he-ought-to-be-a/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/what-god-lacks-is-convictions-stability-of-character-he-ought-to-be-a/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
