--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There are churches all across the States…" description: "\"“There are churches all across the States, though,\" said Shadow. \"In every town. Sometimes on every block. And about as significant, in this context, a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41e/neil-gaiman-29_people-feel_there-are-churches-all-across-the-states_2953579.jpg" --- # There are churches all across the States, though," said… ![“There are churches all across the States, though," said Shadow. "In every town. Sometimes on every block. And about as significant, in this context, as dentists' offices. No, in the USA, people still get the call, or some of them, and they feel themselves being called to from the transcendent…” quote by Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41e/neil-gaiman-29_people-feel_there-are-churches-all-across-the-states_2953579.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41e/neil-gaiman-29_people-feel_there-are-churches-all-across-the-states_2953579.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41e/neil-gaiman-29_people-feel_there-are-churches-all-across-the-states_2953579.jpg) > ““There are churches all across the States, though," said Shadow. "In every town. Sometimes on every block. And about as significant, in this context, as dentists' offices. No, in the USA, people still get the call, or some of them, and they feel themselves being called to from the transcendent void, and they respond to it by building a model out of beer bottles of somewhere they've never visited, or by erecting a gigantic bat-house in some part of the country that bats have traditionally declined to visit. Roadside attractions: people feel themselves being pulled to places where, in other parts of the world, they would recognize that part of themselves that is truly transcendent, and buy a hot dog and walk around, feeling satisfied on a level they cannot truly describe, and profoundly dissatisfied on a level beneath that.”” [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People seek meaning in quirky places, turning ordinary sites into personal sacred spaces to feel a sense of transcendence. **In simple terms:** People find spiritual meaning in odd, everyday places. Key Takeaway Embrace curiosity and create personal rituals. Themes spirituality culture place identity community Mood reflective nostalgic Type observational philosophical When to use this quote - roadside attractions - personal pilgrimages - community gatherings - creative expression Key Concepts transcendence ritual symbolism Questions to Reflect On - What ordinary place feels sacred to you? - How do personal rituals shape your identity? A Different Perspective Not everyone experiences or values such personal symbolism. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [“It's perfectly simple," said Wednesday. "In other countries, over the years, people recognized the places of power. 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We don't need a call; we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-elliot/our-young-men-are-going-into-the-professional-fields-because-they-don/) [Jim Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-elliot/) > [Only do what you feel called in your heart to do, and then give all of yourself to the task.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/only-do-what-you-feel-called-in-your-heart-to-do-and-then-give-all-of/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [You can't force people to feel in a certain way, and the sooner you understand that,the better. I feel everything has its way of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidharth-malhotra/you-can-t-force-people-to-feel-in-a-certain-way-and-the-sooner-you/) [Sidharth Malhotra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidharth-malhotra/) ## More by Neil Gaiman > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Like all sentient beings, Fat Charlie had a weirdness quotient. For some days the needle had been over in the red, occasionally banging jerkily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/like-all-sentient-beings-fat-charlie-had-a-weirdness-quotient-for/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Shadow crawled across the floor to the yellow foam-rubber pad and climbed onto it, pulling the thin blanket over himself, and closed his eyes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/shadow-crawled-across-the-floor-to-the-yellow-foam-rubber-pad-and/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [ “\[T\]hey could not help being amused every time another little human believed itself the center of its world, as each of us does.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/t-hey-could-not-help-being-amused-every-time-another-little-human/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [So many things to see, people to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/so-many-things-to-see-people-to-do/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead.’ – Ben Franklin,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/three-may-keep-a-secret-if-two-of-them-are-dead-ben-franklin/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [You need more than a beginning if you're going to start a book. If all you have is a beginning, then once you've written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-need-more-than-a-beginning-if-you-re-going-to-start-a-book-if-all/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [You can tell the date of an old science fiction novel by every word on the page. Nothing dates harder and faster and more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-can-tell-the-date-of-an-old-science-fiction-novel-by-every-word/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“The quickest way is sometimes the longest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/the-quickest-way-is-sometimes-the-longest/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“They were spells, spelled with words to make worlds, waiting for me, in the pages of books.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/they-were-spells-spelled-with-words-to-make-worlds-waiting-for-me-in/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [Finish what you're writing. Whatever you have to do to finish it, finish it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/finish-what-you-re-writing-whatever-you-have-to-do-to-finish-it/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [What do stars do? They shine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/what-do-stars-do-they-shine/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“What," asked Mr Croup, "do you want?" "What," asked the Marquis de Carabas, a little more rhetorically, "does anyone want?" "Dead things," suggested Mr…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/what-asked-mr-croup-do-you-want-what-asked-the-marquis-de-carabas-a/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [You get on with your own life. Lettie gave it to you. You just have to grow up and try and be worth it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-get-on-with-your-own-life-lettie-gave-it-to-you-you-just-have-to/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Eyes will not see you. Minds will not hold you. Where you are is nothing and nobody”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/eyes-will-not-see-you-minds-will-not-hold-you-where-you-are-is/) [neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) [Explore all 2,526 Neil Gaiman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) ## More People Feel quotes > [You can't force people to feel in a certain way, and the sooner you understand that,the better. I feel everything has its way of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidharth-malhotra/you-can-t-force-people-to-feel-in-a-certain-way-and-the-sooner-you/) [Sidharth Malhotra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidharth-malhotra/) > [I don't know how people feel,that's the beauty of TV, is they can see us, but we can't see them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/i-don-t-know-how-people-feel-that-s-the-beauty-of-tv-is-they-can-see/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [“People feel sorry for your pain, and pain just is. It doesn’t only happen when you’re worthy of it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-butler/people-feel-sorry-for-your-pain-and-pain-just-is-it-doesn-t-only/) [Erin Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-butler/) > [I'm not asking people to feel sorry for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-abramoff/i-m-not-asking-people-to-feel-sorry-for-me/) [Jack Abramoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-abramoff/) > [It's been my experience," he continued, "that when you're with the right people, you feel more like yourself than ever. There's a happiness, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-chandler/it-s-been-my-experience-he-continued-that-when-you-re-with-the-right/) [Elizabeth Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-chandler/) > [Well I think that what we're seeing now is that the people feel like they, the people in Congress don't have their consent to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-ingraham/well-i-think-that-what-we-re-seeing-now-is-that-the-people-feel-like/) [Laura Ingraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-ingraham/) > [People who cannot feel punish those who do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/may-sarton/people-who-cannot-feel-punish-those-who-do/) [May Sarton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/may-sarton/) > [I wouldn't say it's a done deal yet, by any means. I think there are a lot of people who feel like their lives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/i-wouldn-t-say-it-s-a-done-deal-yet-by-any-means-i-think-there-are-a/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [“Grief is lonely, no matter how many other people feel it. They are different, each one, because we’ve lost different people, different versions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-mcinerny-purmort/grief-is-lonely-no-matter-how-many-other-people-feel-it-they-are/) [Nora McInerny Purmort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-mcinerny-purmort/) > [When people feel like they are being spoken directly to, I do feel like... they'll do things like turn out in an off-year, mid-year…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandria-ocasio-cortez/when-people-feel-like-they-are-being-spoken-directly-to-i-do-feel/) [Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandria-ocasio-cortez/) > [I have an instinct to want to be part of a group of people. I feel safe there. That's why I was in school…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-linney/i-have-an-instinct-to-want-to-be-part-of-a-group-of-people-i-feel/) [Laura Linney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-linney/) > [You're going to figure it out, as you go. 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Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-v-gordon/) > [I want to express the feelings that everyone has felt at least once in music so i think people will feel/understand my song.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-want-to-express-the-feelings-that-everyone-has-felt-at-least-once/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [Sometimes my faith becomes more sensitive to how people feel, as opposed to what needs to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-luke/sometimes-my-faith-becomes-more-sensitive-to-how-people-feel-as/) [Derek Luke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-luke/) Browse all 900 People Feel quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“There are churches all across the States, though,\" said Shadow. \"In every town. Sometimes on every block. And about as significant, in this context, as dentists' offices. 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