--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: His grandfather was scathing about…" description: "\"“His grandfather was scathing about \"speculative faith,\" which is the kind you get from worrying about the possibility that God exists and may be cross..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d62/nick-harkaway-4221_faith_his-grandfather-was-scathing-about-specu_1521309.png" --- # His grandfather was scathing about "speculative faith,"… ![“His grandfather was scathing about "speculative faith," which is the kind you get from worrying about the possibility that God exists and may be cross with you. Daniel Spork observed that God, if there is one, is well aware of the interior dialogue, and most likely unimpressed by it. Much better…” quote by Nick Harkaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d62/nick-harkaway-4221_faith_his-grandfather-was-scathing-about-specu_1521309.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d62/nick-harkaway-4221_faith_his-grandfather-was-scathing-about-specu_1521309.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d62/nick-harkaway-4221_faith_his-grandfather-was-scathing-about-specu_1521309.png) > ““His grandfather was scathing about "speculative faith," which is the kind you get from worrying about the possibility that God exists and may be cross with you. Daniel Spork observed that God, if there is one, is well aware of the interior dialogue, and most likely unimpressed by it. Much better, he said, to get on with being the man you are, and hope like buggery that God thinks you did as well as could be expected. Hence all the lessons and strictures concealed in everyday objects. \_Learn the shape of the world, know the mind of God.\_”” [Nick Harkaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-harkaway/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Speculative faith is idle worry; instead, live authentically and trust that divine understanding aligns with genuine effort. **In simple terms:** Live authentically and trust divine insight. Key Takeaway Act authentically and trust the process. Themes authenticity faith self‑knowledge Mood thoughtful introspective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal growth - creative work - mindfulness practice Key Concepts existentialism spirituality psychology Questions to Reflect On - How does daily life reveal deeper truths? - What does “knowing the mind of God” mean to you? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on speculation can distract from meaningful action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [God exists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-exists/) ## Related quotes > [Love is no ingredient in a merely speculative faith, but it is the life and soul of a practical faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/love-is-no-ingredient-in-a-merely-speculative-faith-but-it-is-the/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [“Having been shown the possibility that God exists, the atheist has chosen not to accept it. They have no proof or even evidence of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-n-roe/having-been-shown-the-possibility-that-god-exists-the-atheist-has/) [Lewis N. Roe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-n-roe/) > [“I believe there’s a strong possibility that God exists. But I also believe there’s an equally strong possibility that God is a concept humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clinton-kelly/i-believe-there-s-a-strong-possibility-that-god-exists-but-i-also/) [Clinton Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clinton-kelly/) > [“Some people react to suffering by denying the very possibility of God's existence”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ots/some-people-react-to-suffering-by-denying-the-very-possibility-of-god/) Michael Ots > [One possibility is: God is nothing but the power of the universe to organize itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-smolin/one-possibility-is-god-is-nothing-but-the-power-of-the-universe-to/) [Lee Smolin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-smolin/) > [Like an hourglass with a certain number of grains of sand within it, God has appointed your life to last only a certain number…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-madrid/like-an-hourglass-with-a-certain-number-of-grains-of-sand-within-it/) [Patrick Madrid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-madrid/) > [If we think that this life is all there is to life, then there is no interpretation of our problems, our pain, not even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/if-we-think-that-this-life-is-all-there-is-to-life-then-there-is-no/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [“All I'm saying is that you shouldn't rule out the possibility that God has a hand in all our lives--yours, mine, your aunt's and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-radcliffe/all-i-m-saying-is-that-you-shouldn-t-rule-out-the-possibility-that/) Tina Radcliffe > [I'm not religious, and I'm not a Christian, but I do reserve the right to believe in the possibility of a god.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/i-m-not-religious-and-i-m-not-a-christian-but-i-do-reserve-the-right/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [You have to consider the possibility that God does not like you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-pitt/you-have-to-consider-the-possibility-that-god-does-not-like-you/) [Brad Pitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-pitt/) > [The impossibility of man is the possibility of God and the impossibility of animals is the possibility of man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-junior-appiu/the-impossibility-of-man-is-the-possibility-of-god-and-the/) [George Junior Appiu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-junior-appiu/) > [ I would challenge the statement that my scientific instincts are any less rigorous than \[Richard Dawkins\]. The difference is that my presumption of the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/i-would-challenge-the-statement-that-my-scientific-instincts-are-any/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [To most theistic believers, human life can have no meaning in a universe without God. Quite sincerely, and with understandable yearning for a meaning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-j-stenger/to-most-theistic-believers-human-life-can-have-no-meaning-in-a/) [Victor J. Stenger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-j-stenger/) > [“Leaders constantly bring the most important things to light: current reality and future possibility, what God says about it and what we need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-mancini/leaders-constantly-bring-the-most-important-things-to-light-current/) [Will Mancini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-mancini/) > [“Being saved by discipleship is not a human possibility, but for God all things are possible.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-combs/being-saved-by-discipleship-is-not-a-human-possibility-but-for-god/) Rodney Combs ## More by Nick Harkaway > [“We were deluged together in the raw, unbalanced Stuff of the universe. Inevitable consequence: My own little reification. I was made flesh, and in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-harkaway/we-were-deluged-together-in-the-raw-unbalanced-stuff-of-the-universe/) [Nick Harkaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-harkaway/) > [“Her eyes are very bright. She loves senses, loves the world. He finds that…admirable, and a bit daunting. I am a mole. I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-harkaway/her-eyes-are-very-bright-she-loves-senses-loves-the-world-he-finds/) [Nick Harkaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-harkaway/) > [“An ugly calm lay over the streets like the anticipation of a beating.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-harkaway/an-ugly-calm-lay-over-the-streets-like-the-anticipation-of-a-beating/) [Nick Harkaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-harkaway/) > [If we one day cease to exist, what will be remarkable is that we were ever here at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-harkaway/if-we-one-day-cease-to-exist-what-will-be-remarkable-is-that-we-were/) [Nick Harkaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-harkaway/) > [“Crotch biting menace:I have my mouth in close proximity to your genitals.Oh thou man who talks to my mistress over coffee.Do not irk or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-harkaway/crotch-biting-menace-i-have-my-mouth-in-close-proximity-to-your/) [Nick Harkaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-harkaway/) > [“I can show him how to be the right kind of stupid.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-harkaway/i-can-show-him-how-to-be-the-right-kind-of-stupid/) [Nick Harkaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-harkaway/) > [“She has to admit privately that she may be mad. Although if so, it is a merciless, clear-sighted sort of madness and not at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-harkaway/she-has-to-admit-privately-that-she-may-be-mad-although-if-so-it-is-a/) [Nick Harkaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-harkaway/) > [“Dressing, I chose the second shirt, the one softened in the mouth of a trained and perfumed albino hippopotamus and made entirely of pigeon's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-harkaway/dressing-i-chose-the-second-shirt-the-one-softened-in-the-mouth-of-a/) [Nick Harkaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-harkaway/) > [No. The moral of the story in so far as it has one is that cannibals can study logic, and that if you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-harkaway/no-the-moral-of-the-story-in-so-far-as-it-has-one-is-that-cannibals/) [Nick Harkaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-harkaway/) > [“Kershaw had long ago realised, apparently, that dealing with Brits was tricky. You had to listen to what a Brit was saying -- which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-harkaway/kershaw-had-long-ago-realised-apparently-that-dealing-with-brits-was/) [Nick Harkaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-harkaway/) > [“Then he explained in a whisper that the plan was composed entirely of awesome. It was made and designed by the House of Awesome,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-harkaway/then-he-explained-in-a-whisper-that-the-plan-was-composed-entirely-of/) [nick harkaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-harkaway/) > [“Yes. Edie Banister has gone postal. A very British sort of postal which does not involve shouting, but rather a sudden and total reverse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-harkaway/yes-edie-banister-has-gone-postal-a-very-british-sort-of-postal-which/) [Nick Harkaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-harkaway/) > [Nowhere have I ever heard of Satan taking the form of an avuncular hippie. No doubt he could. It just seems inefficient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-harkaway/nowhere-have-i-ever-heard-of-satan-taking-the-form-of-an-avuncular/) [Nick Harkaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-harkaway/) > [I have wrangles with Facebook, entered fictitious trips because I can't get the map to get off my page, don't want people to know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-harkaway/i-have-wrangles-with-facebook-entered-fictitious-trips-because-i-can/) [Nick Harkaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-harkaway/) > [Piracy is robbery with violence, often segueing into murder, rape and kidnapping. It is one of the most frightening crimes in the world. Using…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-harkaway/piracy-is-robbery-with-violence-often-segueing-into-murder-rape-and/) [Nick Harkaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-harkaway/) [Explore all 114 Nick Harkaway quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-harkaway/) ## More Faith quotes > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Eternal Trinity... mystery deep as the sea, You could give me no greater gift than the gift of Yourself. For You are a fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-catherine-of-siena/eternal-trinity-mystery-deep-as-the-sea-you-could-give-me-no-greater/) [St. Catherine of Siena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-catherine-of-siena/) > [Keep the faith, and keep going strong!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doreen-virtue/keep-the-faith-and-keep-going-strong/) [Doreen Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doreen-virtue/) > [It’s so important to create in your own voice, to hold onto what makes you unique, and have faith in your vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/it-s-so-important-to-create-in-your-own-voice-to-hold-onto-what-makes/) [John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/) > [Faith gives you a certain structure and meaning to your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riffat-hassan/faith-gives-you-a-certain-structure-and-meaning-to-your-life/) Riffat Hassan > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [“No man is prejudiced in favour of a thing, knowing it to be wrong. He is attached to it on the belief of its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/no-man-is-prejudiced-in-favour-of-a-thing-knowing-it-to-be-wrong-he/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [Holiness sincerity, and faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/holiness-sincerity-and-faith/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [“The only limitations for your life are the limiting beliefs in your mind. —Matt Morris”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-morris-1/the-only-limitations-for-your-life-are-the-limiting-beliefs-in-your/) Matt Morris (1 > [“Just because your faith is shaken doesn’t mean the faith is shaken. The eternal truths of the Kingdom aren’t altered or affected by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-arthur/just-because-your-faith-is-shaken-doesn-t-mean-the-faith-is-shaken/) [Sarah Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-arthur/) > [Grit, determination, the right amount of crazy, self belief - everything it takes to be a champion. I have that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-poirier/grit-determination-the-right-amount-of-crazy-self-belief-everything/) [Dustin Poirier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-poirier/) > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [Once you pull the trigger, you've got to throw balls aggressively and with conviction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/once-you-pull-the-trigger-you-ve-got-to-throw-balls-aggressively-and/) [Alex Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-smith/) [Browse all 37,796 Faith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“His grandfather was scathing about \"speculative faith,\" which is the kind you get from worrying about the possibility that God exists and may be cross with you. Daniel Spork observed that God, if there is one, is well aware of the interior dialogue, and most likely unimpressed by it. 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