--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The gods - if they existed - detested…" description: "\"“The gods - if they existed - detested happiness.”\" — Michael J Sullivan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/470/michael-j-sullivan-2-75042_happiness_the-gods-if-they-existed-detested-happin_2078211.jpg" --- # The gods - if they existed - detested happiness. ![“The gods - if they existed - detested happiness.” quote by Michael J Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/470/michael-j-sullivan-2-75042_happiness_the-gods-if-they-existed-detested-happin_2078211.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/470/michael-j-sullivan-2-75042_happiness_the-gods-if-they-existed-detested-happin_2078211.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/470/michael-j-sullivan-2-75042_happiness_the-gods-if-they-existed-detested-happin_2078211.jpg) > ““The gods - if they existed - detested happiness.”” [Michael J Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-sullivan-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. It suggests that divine beings, if they exist, would oppose human joy. **In simple terms:** Gods would hate happiness. Key Takeaway Question the source of happiness. Themes philosophy theology existence Mood skeptical thoughtful Type critical philosophical When to use this quote - personal reflection - spiritual contemplation - literary analysis Key Concepts divine opposition human joy Questions to Reflect On - What does this imply about the nature of divinity? - Can happiness be a rebellion? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Detested](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/detested-286595/) [Detested Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/detested-happiness-4046027/) [Existed Detested](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existed-detested-4046028/) [Gods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gods/) [Gods Existed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gods-existed-3802810/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) ## Related quotes > [“For seven thousand years the people of Djelibeybi had believed in their gods. Now their gods existed. 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Friendship is far more human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-smedley/i-have-always-detested-the-belief-that-sex-is-the-chief-bond-between/) [Agnes Smedley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-smedley/) > [“For the thousandth time, Faith wondered why this appealed to her. She detested letting men walk all over her, letting them think they were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cari-silverwood/for-the-thousandth-time-faith-wondered-why-this-appealed-to-her-she/) [Cari Silverwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cari-silverwood/) > [“she hated and detested Nicholas with all the narrowness of mind and littleness of purpose worthy a descendant of the house of Squeers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/she-hated-and-detested-nicholas-with-all-the-narrowness-of-mind-and/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [I remember how much - when I was a small boy I was taken to see a version of 'Peter Pan.' I detested it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-sendak/i-remember-how-much-when-i-was-a-small-boy-i-was-taken-to-see-a/) [Maurice Sendak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-sendak/) > [A man’s got to keep up appearances. I’ll be universally detested if everyone realizes how perfect you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-quinn/a-man-s-got-to-keep-up-appearances-i-ll-be-universally-detested-if/) [Julia Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-quinn/) > [I have always detested any departure from reality, an attitude which I relate to my mother's poor mental health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-piaget/i-have-always-detested-any-departure-from-reality-an-attitude-which-i/) [Jean Piaget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-piaget/) > [I detested you, at the moment of my death... My soul cannot move beyond that... As long as you live, I cannot rest! -Kikyo…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumiko-takahashi/i-detested-you-at-the-moment-of-my-death-my-soul-cannot-move-beyond/) [Rumiko Takahashi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumiko-takahashi/) > [Politicians are so detested. And the main cause is not policy; it's the fact that there is no trust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zac-goldsmith/politicians-are-so-detested-and-the-main-cause-is-not-policy-it-s-the/) [Zac Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zac-goldsmith/) > [Superiority is always detested.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/superiority-is-always-detested/) [Baltasar Gracian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) > [“For more than half a century they belonged to one another. She detested the same characteristics in him that last day as she had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fredrik-backman/for-more-than-half-a-century-they-belonged-to-one-another-she/) [Fredrik Backman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fredrik-backman/) > [ My father would never have come to visit, he detested Eva's \[Braun\] choice in a man and the fact \[Adolf\] Hitler had set her… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretl-braun/my-father-would-never-have-come-to-visit-he-detested-eva-s-braun/) [Gretl Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretl-braun/) ## More by Michael J Sullivan > [“I warn you, I've been challenged before. That's how it all started, you know? Hoyte tried to kill me the same way. In case…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-sullivan-2/i-warn-you-i-ve-been-challenged-before-that-s-how-it-all-started-you/) [Michael J Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-sullivan-2/) > [“We've talked about this before, Royce," Arcadius yelled at him. "You aren't to hurt the students." "You said don't kill," Royce replied. "If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-sullivan-2/we-ve-talked-about-this-before-royce-arcadius-yelled-at-him-you-aren/) [Michael J Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-sullivan-2/) [Explore all 3 Michael J Sullivan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-sullivan-2/) ## More Gods quotes > [“Is that what they teach you at the convent? That the gods demand the hearts from our bodies?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-lafevers/is-that-what-they-teach-you-at-the-convent-that-the-gods-demand-the/) [Robin LaFevers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-lafevers/) > [What Gods do you believe in? 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Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [Ancient societies had anthropomorphic gods: a huge pantheon expanding into centuries of dynastic drama; fathers and sons, martyred heroes, star-crossed lovers, the deaths of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hiddleston/ancient-societies-had-anthropomorphic-gods-a-huge-pantheon-expanding/) [Tom Hiddleston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hiddleston/) > [It is convenient that there be gods, and, as it is convenient, let us believe there are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/it-is-convenient-that-there-be-gods-and-as-it-is-convenient-let-us/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [Astrology reveals the will of the gods.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juvenal/astrology-reveals-the-will-of-the-gods/) [Juvenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juvenal/) [Browse all 1,461 Gods quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gods/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The gods - if they existed - detested happiness.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michael J Sullivan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-sullivan-2/the-gods-if-they-existed-detested-happiness/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Gods" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-sullivan-2/the-gods-if-they-existed-detested-happiness/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/470/michael-j-sullivan-2-75042_happiness_the-gods-if-they-existed-detested-happin_2078211.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/470/michael-j-sullivan-2-75042_happiness_the-gods-if-they-existed-detested-happin_2078211.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/470/michael-j-sullivan-2-75042_happiness_the-gods-if-they-existed-detested-happin_2078211.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The gods - if they existed - detested happiness.” — Michael J Sullivan", "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": "Michael J Sullivan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-sullivan-2/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The gods - if they existed...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-sullivan-2/the-gods-if-they-existed-detested-happiness/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-sullivan-2/the-gods-if-they-existed-detested-happiness/#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 } } ] } ```