--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was never encouraged to believe…" description: "\"I was never encouraged to believe anything. I was brought up in a profoundly agnostic or pantheistic community.\" — Moby" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfb/moby-549_agnostic_i-was-never-encouraged-to-believe-anythi_3032019.png" --- # I was never encouraged to believe anything. I was brought… ![“I was never encouraged to believe anything. I was brought up in a profoundly agnostic or pantheistic community.” quote by Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfb/moby-549_agnostic_i-was-never-encouraged-to-believe-anythi_3032019.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfb/moby-549_agnostic_i-was-never-encouraged-to-believe-anythi_3032019.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfb/moby-549_agnostic_i-was-never-encouraged-to-believe-anythi_3032019.png) > “I was never encouraged to believe anything. I was brought up in a profoundly agnostic or pantheistic community.” [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He grew up in a non‑religious environment, shaping his worldview. **In simple terms:** Raised agnostic/pantheistic. Key Takeaway Acknowledge how upbringing shapes belief. Themes religion upbringing identity agnosticism Mood reflective analytical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - education - family discussions - self‑reflection Key Concepts philosophy cultural studies personal development Questions to Reflect On - How does your upbringing affect your beliefs? - Can you separate culture from faith? A Different Perspective Beliefs may evolve over time. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Agnostic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agnostic/) [Catholic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/catholic/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) ## Related quotes > [Pantheistic doctrine contains all of deism and pantheism except their arbitrary negations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/pantheistic-doctrine-contains-all-of-deism-and-pantheism-except-their/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“For my purposes, the differences among animistic, pantheistic, and monotheistic religions can be ascribed to differences in the content of beliefs in the supernatural,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-atran/for-my-purposes-the-differences-among-animistic-pantheistic-and/) [Scott Atran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-atran/) > [“Robert Gooding-Williams says that his soul is envisioned as “an omnipresent, pantheistic deity” (Zarathustra’s Dionysian Modernism, 295). In fact, Zarathustra’s description of his soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-k-seung/robert-gooding-williams-says-that-his-soul-is-envisioned-as-an/) T.K. Seung > [I believe the divine is part of the world, not in a pantheistic way but by way of the movement of the Spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-garrett/i-believe-the-divine-is-part-of-the-world-not-in-a-pantheistic-way/) [Peter Garrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-garrett/) > [“The metaphorical or pantheistic God of the physicists is light years away from the interventionist, miracle-wreaking, thought-reading, sin-punishing, prayer-answering God of the Bible, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/the-metaphorical-or-pantheistic-god-of-the-physicists-is-light-years/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [“In a world of finite gods (often supported by one pantheistic deity), cyclical views of history, sub-biblical understandings of sin, multiplied idolatry, dualism that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson-2/in-a-world-of-finite-gods-often-supported-by-one-pantheistic-deity/) [D.A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson-2/) > [When I was growing up I was an atheist, then an agnostic, and then I had a good eight or ten years of being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/when-i-was-growing-up-i-was-an-atheist-then-an-agnostic-and-then-i/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [In theory I am an agnostic, but pending the appearance of rational evidence, I must be classed, practically and provisionally, as an atheist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-p-lovecraft/in-theory-i-am-an-agnostic-but-pending-the-appearance-of-rational/) [H. P. Lovecraft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-p-lovecraft/) > [I know of no wars started by anyone to impose lack of religion on someone else. We have lethal Sunni v Shia, Catholic against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-hoggart/i-know-of-no-wars-started-by-anyone-to-impose-lack-of-religion-on/) [Simon Hoggart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-hoggart/) > [The fashion just now is a Roman Catholic frame of mind with an Agnostic conscience; you get the mediaeval picturesqueness of the one with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-fashion-just-now-is-a-roman-catholic-frame-of-mind-with-an/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Now I'm a Catholic agnostic by the way. Yet those myths still live within me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-alexis/now-i-m-a-catholic-agnostic-by-the-way-yet-those-myths-still-live/) [Andre Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-alexis/) > [Even when I was saying I was Agnostic and trying to figure out my thoughts, I felt God was allowing me to do that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfre-woodard/even-when-i-was-saying-i-was-agnostic-and-trying-to-figure-out-my/) [Alfre Woodard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfre-woodard/) > [I'm actually, for the most part, a complete agnostic politically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-witten/i-m-actually-for-the-most-part-a-complete-agnostic-politically/) [Edward Witten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-witten/) > [The prayer of the agnostic: "O God, if there is a God, save my soul if I have a soul."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-renan/the-prayer-of-the-agnostic-o-god-if-there-is-a-god-save-my-soul-if-i/) [Ernest Renan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-renan/) > [“She herself vacillated when it came to belief. She did not particularly believe in God. Or, rather, she didn't believe in a particular God.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allegra-goodman/she-herself-vacillated-when-it-came-to-belief-she-did-not/) [Allegra Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allegra-goodman/) ## More by Moby > [If Nirvana had remained a small, underground punk rock band, Kurt Cobain would still be alive. And he'd probably be living in Seattle, getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/if-nirvana-had-remained-a-small-underground-punk-rock-band-kurt/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [A great song is a great song, whether it's on vinyl or CD or cassette or reel to reel or mp3. Then again, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/a-great-song-is-a-great-song-whether-it-s-on-vinyl-or-cd-or-cassette/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [When I dj at big venues I try to play tracks that I would want to hear if I were e'd up in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/when-i-dj-at-big-venues-i-try-to-play-tracks-that-i-would-want-to/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [The good thing about not being drop-dead gorgeous is that as time passes, I don't have much to worry about. I have friends who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/the-good-thing-about-not-being-drop-dead-gorgeous-is-that-as-time/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [When you look at the consequences of climate change, at rainforest deforestation, at antibiotic resistance, these are not necessarily political issues, but rather issues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/when-you-look-at-the-consequences-of-climate-change-at-rainforest/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [What I love about making albums in the 21st century is that so few people buy albums! I can make an album without any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/what-i-love-about-making-albums-in-the-21st-century-is-that-so-few/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [Factory-farm lobbyists are so powerful and so well funded and they do everything in their power to hide the truth about farming. They keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/factory-farm-lobbyists-are-so-powerful-and-so-well-funded-and-they-do/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [What makes me feel old is having no hair on the top of my head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/what-makes-me-feel-old-is-having-no-hair-on-the-top-of-my-head/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [Up until I started working with him, I had thought that music was a nice thing that I enjoyed and liked making, but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/up-until-i-started-working-with-him-i-had-thought-that-music-was-a/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [I'm obsessed with politics, and I talk about it any chance I can get. I have strong opinions about how the world should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/i-m-obsessed-with-politics-and-i-talk-about-it-any-chance-i-can-get-i/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [As I wake its kaleidoscopic mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/as-i-wake-its-kaleidoscopic-mind/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [Even love is goin' 'round. You can't ignore what is goin' 'round](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/even-love-is-goin-round-you-can-t-ignore-what-is-goin-round/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [“I had an epiphany a few years ago when I was out at a celebrity party and it suddenly dawned on me that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/i-had-an-epiphany-a-few-years-ago-when-i-was-out-at-a-celebrity-party/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [I see 'Ahab's Wife' as offering an alternative vision to](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/i-see-ahab-s-wife-as-offering-an-alternative-vision-to/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [I think that, for a lot of us, the closer we get to showing people who we really are, that's where we feel the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/i-think-that-for-a-lot-of-us-the-closer-we-get-to-showing-people-who/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) [Explore all 483 Moby quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) ## More Agnostic quotes > [“She herself vacillated when it came to belief. She did not particularly believe in God. Or, rather, she didn't believe in a particular God.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allegra-goodman/she-herself-vacillated-when-it-came-to-belief-she-did-not/) [Allegra Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allegra-goodman/) > [The prayer of the agnostic: "O God, if there is a God, save my soul if I have a soul."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-renan/the-prayer-of-the-agnostic-o-god-if-there-is-a-god-save-my-soul-if-i/) [Ernest Renan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-renan/) > [I'm actually, for the most part, a complete agnostic politically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-witten/i-m-actually-for-the-most-part-a-complete-agnostic-politically/) [Edward Witten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-witten/) > [Even when I was saying I was Agnostic and trying to figure out my thoughts, I felt God was allowing me to do that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfre-woodard/even-when-i-was-saying-i-was-agnostic-and-trying-to-figure-out-my/) [Alfre Woodard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfre-woodard/) > [There is, in fact, nothing about religious opinions that entitles them to any more respect than other opinions get. On the contrary, they tend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/there-is-in-fact-nothing-about-religious-opinions-that-entitles-them/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [“Some people are so stiff and inhumane as the dogma's they believe in”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/some-people-are-so-stiff-and-inhumane-as-the-dogma-s-they-believe-in/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [“An atheist is someone who is disappointed in his search of god. He is a man who strongly needed god but couldn't find him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/an-atheist-is-someone-who-is-disappointed-in-his-search-of-god-he-is/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [If a humanist or an atheist or an agnostic says, "We'll bake you a pie," we can go right into the kitchen and bake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madalyn-murray-o-hair/if-a-humanist-or-an-atheist-or-an-agnostic-says-we-ll-bake-you-a-pie/) [Madalyn Murray O'Hair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madalyn-murray-o-hair/) > [I'm agnostic because I went through the usual process of parents insisting you go to church, and yet they didn't. So there's me, sitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ridley-scott/i-m-agnostic-because-i-went-through-the-usual-process-of-parents/) [Ridley Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ridley-scott/) > [Intellect, at its best, can make you agnostic. Being theist or atheist is still a matter of choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raheel-farooq/intellect-at-its-best-can-make-you-agnostic-being-theist-or-atheist/) [Raheel Farooq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raheel-farooq/) > [To be agnostic is to be open-minded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-be-agnostic-is-to-be-open-minded/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [All Gaza's temples are torn down and burned and the city is cleansed of every belief but the Christian faith. The most stubborn opponents,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsay-macmullen/all-gaza-s-temples-are-torn-down-and-burned-and-the-city-is-cleansed/) [Ramsay MacMullen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsay-macmullen/) > [I'm still agnostic. But in the words of Elton Richards, I'm now a reverant agnostic. Which isn't an oxymoron, I swear. I now believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-still-agnostic-but-in-the-words-of-elton-richards-i-m-now-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I'm agnostic. By definition, I'm unsure of what to believe in, but I'm also borderline-capable of believing in anything and everything, or nothing at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-lola/i-m-agnostic-by-definition-i-m-unsure-of-what-to-believe-in-but-i-m/) [Lauren Lola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-lola/) > [“The Agnostic is one who asserts 'what no one denies' that there are limits to the sphere of human intelligence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-stephen/the-agnostic-is-one-who-asserts-what-no-one-denies-that-there-are/) [Leslie Stephen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-stephen/) [Browse all 492 Agnostic quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agnostic/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was never encouraged to believe anything. 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