--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The overwhelming majority of people…" description: "\"The overwhelming majority of people, including Christians, are materialists. They do not believe in the power of spirit. They believe only in mat..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cc/nikolai-berdyaev-11501_believe_the-overwhelming-majority-of-people-incl_284017.png" --- # The overwhelming majority of people, including Christians… ![“The overwhelming majority of people, including Christians, are materialists. They do not believe in the power of spirit. They believe only in material power.” quote by Nikolai Berdyaev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cc/nikolai-berdyaev-11501_believe_the-overwhelming-majority-of-people-incl_284017.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cc/nikolai-berdyaev-11501_believe_the-overwhelming-majority-of-people-incl_284017.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cc/nikolai-berdyaev-11501_believe_the-overwhelming-majority-of-people-incl_284017.png) > “The overwhelming majority of people, including Christians, are materialists. They do not believe in the power of spirit. They believe only in material power.” [Nikolai Berdyaev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolai-berdyaev/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Many people, including Christians, prioritize material power over spiritual belief, overlooking the deeper aspects of existence. **In simple terms:** People often focus on material things and ignore spiritual depth. Key Takeaway Cultivate awareness of spiritual values beyond material concerns. Themes materialism spirituality faith human nature Mood contemplative hopeful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - daily decision making - community building - personal meditation - educational curricula Key Concepts existentialism ethical reflection Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance material needs with spiritual growth? - What practices nurture your inner life? A Different Perspective Spiritual pursuits can be seen as impractical in a profit‑driven society. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Christians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christians/) [Materialists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/materialists/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) ## Related quotes > [In the US, we consider our foreign policy as something rooted in the protection of American ideals of democracy and human development. 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We have to dig it out and show…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-e-olson/today-we-cannot-assume-people-even-all-christians-understand-the/) [Roger E. Olson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-e-olson/) > [Christians, of all people, should not be destroyers. We should treat nature with an overwhelming respect. We may cut down a tree to build…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-schaeffer/christians-of-all-people-should-not-be-destroyers-we-should-treat/) [Francis Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-schaeffer/) > [I am positive I have a soul; nor can all the books with which materialists have pestered the world ever convince me to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-sterne/i-am-positive-i-have-a-soul-nor-can-all-the-books-with-which/) [Laurence Sterne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-sterne/) > [In no other field of scientific endeavor do otherwise intelligent people feel free to make public claims based on prejudice and ignorance. Yet in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-sheldrake/in-no-other-field-of-scientific-endeavor-do-otherwise-intelligent/) [Rupert Sheldrake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-sheldrake/) > [Philosophers have argued for centuries about how many angels can dance on the head of a pin, but materialists have known all along that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/philosophers-have-argued-for-centuries-about-how-many-angels-can/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Chârvâkas, a very ancient sect in India, were rank materialists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/ch-rv-kas-a-very-ancient-sect-in-india-were-rank-materialists/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Man stands in materialism; you and I are materialists. Our talking about God and Spirit is good; but it is simply the vogue in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/man-stands-in-materialism-you-and-i-are-materialists-our-talking/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [That intense faith in another world, that intense hatred for this world, that intense power of renunciation, that intense faith in God, that intense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/that-intense-faith-in-another-world-that-intense-hatred-for-this/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Materialists' is a kind of Victorian romance, because it's about the marriage market, the way that they always are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-song/materialists-is-a-kind-of-victorian-romance-because-it-s-about-the/) [Celine Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-song/) > [“Those who maintain that mind is the reality and matter an evil dream are called "idealists"—a word which has a different meaning in philosophy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/those-who-maintain-that-mind-is-the-reality-and-matter-an-evil-dream/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Neither idealists nor materialists are right; we must take both idea and expression.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/neither-idealists-nor-materialists-are-right-we-must-take-both-idea/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Over-consumption is a cancer eating away at our spiritual vitals. It distances us from the great masses of broken bleeding humanity. It converts us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/over-consumption-is-a-cancer-eating-away-at-our-spiritual-vitals-it/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) ## More by Nikolai Berdyaev > [God is a reality of spirit He cannot be conceived as an object, not even as the very highest object. God is not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolai-berdyaev/god-is-a-reality-of-spirit-he-cannot-be-conceived-as-an-object-not/) [Nikolai Berdyaev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolai-berdyaev/) > [Our attitude towards evil must be freed from hatred, and has itself need to be enlightened in character...Satan rejoices when he succeeds in inspiring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolai-berdyaev/our-attitude-towards-evil-must-be-freed-from-hatred-and-has-itself/) [Nikolai Berdyaev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolai-berdyaev/) > [Creativity is the mystery of freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolai-berdyaev/creativity-is-the-mystery-of-freedom/) [Nikolai Berdyaev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolai-berdyaev/) > [The question of bread for myself is a material question; but the question of bread for my neighbour, for everybody, is a spiritual and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolai-berdyaev/the-question-of-bread-for-myself-is-a-material-question-but-the/) [Nikolai Berdyaev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolai-berdyaev/) > [The physical union of the sexes ... only intensifies man's sense of solitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolai-berdyaev/the-physical-union-of-the-sexes-only-intensifies-man-s-sense-of/) [Nikolai Berdyaev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolai-berdyaev/) > [Creativity is something which proceeds from within, out of immeasurable and inexplicable depths, not from without, not from the world's necessity. 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Pure undistorted truth burns up the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolai-berdyaev/there-is-a-tragic-clash-between-truth-and-the-world-pure-undistorted/) [Nikolai Berdyaev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolai-berdyaev/) > [Ethics occupies a central place in philosophy because it is concerned with sin, with the origin of good and evil and with moral valuations.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolai-berdyaev/ethics-occupies-a-central-place-in-philosophy-because-it-is-concerned/) [Nikolai Berdyaev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolai-berdyaev/) > [In creativity the way will be found for subject to pass into object, the identity of subject with object will be restored. All the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolai-berdyaev/in-creativity-the-way-will-be-found-for-subject-to-pass-into-object/) [Nikolai Berdyaev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolai-berdyaev/) > [Freedom is the power to create out of nothing, the power of the spirit to create out of itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolai-berdyaev/freedom-is-the-power-to-create-out-of-nothing-the-power-of-the-spirit/) [Nikolai Berdyaev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolai-berdyaev/) > [I never remain passive in the process of reading: while I read I am engaged in a constant creative activity, which leads me to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolai-berdyaev/i-never-remain-passive-in-the-process-of-reading-while-i-read-i-am/) [Nikolai Berdyaev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolai-berdyaev/) > [The creation of the world is not only a process which moves from God to humanity. God demands newness from humanity; God awaits the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolai-berdyaev/the-creation-of-the-world-is-not-only-a-process-which-moves-from-god/) [Nikolai Berdyaev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolai-berdyaev/) > [Creativity is the supreme mystery of life, the mystery of the appearance of something new, hitherto unknown, derived from nothing, proceeding from nothing, born…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolai-berdyaev/creativity-is-the-supreme-mystery-of-life-the-mystery-of-the/) [Nikolai Berdyaev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolai-berdyaev/) [Explore all 57 Nikolai Berdyaev quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolai-berdyaev/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. 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He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. 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