---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What a strange creature man is! He does…"
description: "\"“What a strange creature man is! He does not believe in God, but he does believe that if the bridge of is nose itches he is surely going to die;”\" — Ni..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0da/nikolai-gogol-2690_believe-in-god_what-a-strange-creature-man-is-he-does-n_54398.jpg"
---

#  What a strange creature man is! He does not believe in…

![“What a strange creature man is! He does not believe in God, but he does believe that if the bridge of is nose itches he is surely going to die;” quote by Nikolai Gogol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0da/nikolai-gogol-2690_believe-in-god_what-a-strange-creature-man-is-he-does-n_54398.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0da/nikolai-gogol-2690_believe-in-god_what-a-strange-creature-man-is-he-does-n_54398.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0da/nikolai-gogol-2690_believe-in-god_what-a-strange-creature-man-is-he-does-n_54398.jpg)

> ““What a strange creature man is! He does not believe in God, but he does believe that if the bridge of is nose itches he is surely going to die;””

[Nikolai Gogol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolai-gogol/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The quote satirically highlights humanity's paradoxical faith in superstitions while rejecting traditional religion, exposing irrational anxieties about mortality.

**In simple terms:** Humanity clings to absurd fears despite disbelief in God.

Key Takeaway

Blind superstition persists without religious belief.

Themes

irrationality faith mortality paradox human nature skepticism

Mood

ironic critical skeptical

Type

satirical philosophical cultural

When to use this quote

- contemplating death
- facing illness
- discussing belief systems
- examining cultural myths
- personal crisis

Key Concepts

superstition existential anxiety cognitive bias

Practical Applications

- philosophical essays
- psychology research

Questions to Reflect On

- Why do people cling to irrational beliefs?
- How does this reflect modern anxieties?

A Different Perspective

Some argue that scientific understanding reduces such superstitions, but fear often overrides rationality.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Believe in god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe-in-god/)

## Related quotes

> [What a strange creature man is that he fouls his own nest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/what-a-strange-creature-man-is-that-he-fouls-his-own-nest/)

[Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/)

> [“Love is a strange creature that no man can understand”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-c-miller/love-is-a-strange-creature-that-no-man-can-understand/)

[Lisa C. Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-c-miller/)

> [“I shake my head and rub the bridge of my nose. "There's a whole lot more at stake here than just my happiness, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kara-swanson/i-shake-my-head-and-rub-the-bridge-of-my-nose-there-s-a-whole-lot/)

[Kara Swanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kara-swanson/)

> [“I close my eyes, rub my thumb against the bridge of my nose to ward off the headache. Well, Rome wasn't built in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/i-close-my-eyes-rub-my-thumb-against-the-bridge-of-my-nose-to-ward/)

[Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/)

> [What a curious creature is man; with what a variety of powers and faculties is he endued; yet how easily is he disturbed and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-boswell/what-a-curious-creature-is-man-with-what-a-variety-of-powers-and/)

[James Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-boswell/)

> [What a pathetic creature is man! His senses are awakened by the hope for the very thing whose consummation puts him to sleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-grillparzer/what-a-pathetic-creature-is-man-his-senses-are-awakened-by-the-hope/)

[Franz Grillparzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-grillparzer/)

> [“… So Cu Chulainn asked and he asked, and at length he learned that the best teacher of the arts of war was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliet-marillier/so-cu-chulainn-asked-and-he-asked-and-at-length-he-learned-that-the/)

[Juliet Marillier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliet-marillier/)

> [“But I know what it’s like when everyone seems to look at you as if you’re a strange creature impossible to understand, so much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emory-r-frie/but-i-know-what-it-s-like-when-everyone-seems-to-look-at-you-as-if/)

[Emory R. Frie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emory-r-frie/)

> [“What a strange creature is a laughing fool, As if a man were created to no use But only to show his teeth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-webster/what-a-strange-creature-is-a-laughing-fool-as-if-a-man-were-created/)

[John Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-webster/)

> [“What I read told me that the Mankindman was a strange creature which stand on to legs. It seems to be a man from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmad-amani/what-i-read-told-me-that-the-mankindman-was-a-strange-creature-which/)

Ahmad Amani

> [So this piece of dirt waits four and a half billion years and evolves and changes, and now a strange creature stands here with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/so-this-piece-of-dirt-waits-four-and-a-half-billion-years-and-evolves/)

[Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/)

> [Repugnant is a creature who would squander the ability To lift an eye to heaven, conscious of his fleeting time here](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/repugnant-is-a-creature-who-would-squander-the-ability-to-lift-an-eye/)

[Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/)

> [“What came to mind was a dinosaur. A tiny velociraptor, no bigger than her thumb. Relatively small, bur surprisingly ferocious. When the hasty drawing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marissa-meyer/what-came-to-mind-was-a-dinosaur-a-tiny-velociraptor-no-bigger-than/)

[Marissa Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marissa-meyer/)

> [“If they can worship a weird creature, which is even not existed; why I must not worship a beautiful one who is already here.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/if-they-can-worship-a-weird-creature-which-is-even-not-existed-why-i/)

[M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/)

> [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/)

[Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/)

## More by Nikolai Gogol

> [it's not my job to preach a sermon. Art is anyhow a homily. My job is to speak in living images, not in arguments.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolai-gogol/it-s-not-my-job-to-preach-a-sermon-art-is-anyhow-a-homily-my-job-is/)

[Nikolai Gogol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolai-gogol/)

> [“Our century is so shallow, its desires scattered so widely, our knowledge so encyclopedic, that we are absolutely unable to focus our designs on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolai-gogol/our-century-is-so-shallow-its-desires-scattered-so-widely-our/)

[Nikolai Gogol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolai-gogol/)

> [I ask everyone in Russia to pray for me, beginning with the bishops, whose whole life is a single prayer. I ask prayers also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolai-gogol/i-ask-everyone-in-russia-to-pray-for-me-beginning-with-the-bishops/)

[Nikolai Gogol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolai-gogol/)

> [Go along, go along quickly, and set all you have on the table for us. We don't want doughnuts, honey buns, poppy cakes, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolai-gogol/go-along-go-along-quickly-and-set-all-you-have-on-the-table-for-us-we/)

[Nikolai Gogol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolai-gogol/)

> [Like all of us sinners, General Betrishchev was endowed with many virtues and many defects. Both the one and the other were scattered through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolai-gogol/like-all-of-us-sinners-general-betrishchev-was-endowed-with-many/)

[Nikolai Gogol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolai-gogol/)

> [“It seemed that both had lately had a touch of that pain under the waistband which comes of a sedentary life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolai-gogol/it-seemed-that-both-had-lately-had-a-touch-of-that-pain-under-the/)

[Nikolai Gogol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolai-gogol/)

> [...how much savage coarseness is concealed in refined, cultivated manners...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolai-gogol/how-much-savage-coarseness-is-concealed-in-refined-cultivated-manners/)

[Nikolai Gogol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolai-gogol/)

> [Russia! Russia... Everything in you is open, desolate and level; your squat towns barely protrude in the midst of the plains like dots, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolai-gogol/russia-russia-everything-in-you-is-open-desolate-and-level-your-squat/)

[Nikolai Gogol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolai-gogol/)

> [We have the marvelous gift of making everything insignificant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolai-gogol/we-have-the-marvelous-gift-of-making-everything-insignificant/)

[Nikolai Gogol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolai-gogol/)

> [“The fair-haired man was one of those people in whose character there is at first sight a certain obstinacy. Before you can open your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolai-gogol/the-fair-haired-man-was-one-of-those-people-in-whose-character-there/)

[Nikolai Gogol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolai-gogol/)

> [“Well, so that's the prosecutor! He lived and lived, and then died! And they will say in the papers that he died to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolai-gogol/well-so-that-s-the-prosecutor-he-lived-and-lived-and-then-died-and/)

[Nikolai Gogol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolai-gogol/)

> [For public opinion does not admit that lofty rapturous laughter is worthy to stand beside lofty lyrical emotion and that there isall the difference…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolai-gogol/for-public-opinion-does-not-admit-that-lofty-rapturous-laughter-is/)

[Nikolai Gogol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolai-gogol/)

> [“in his mind, nothing could be more delightful than to live in solitude, and enjoy the spectacle of nature, and sometimes read some book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolai-gogol/in-his-mind-nothing-could-be-more-delightful-than-to-live-in-solitude/)

[Nikolai Gogol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolai-gogol/)

> [It is no use to blame the looking glass if your face is awry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolai-gogol/it-is-no-use-to-blame-the-looking-glass-if-your-face-is-awry/)

[Nikolai Gogol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolai-gogol/)

> [I shall laugh my bitter laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolai-gogol/i-shall-laugh-my-bitter-laugh/)

[Nikolai Gogol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolai-gogol/)

[Explore all 125 Nikolai Gogol quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolai-gogol/)

## More Believe in god quotes

> [“The events of the world can have no separate life from the world. And yet the world itself can have no temporal view of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/the-events-of-the-world-can-have-no-separate-life-from-the-world-and/)

[Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/)

> [“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/)

> [I believe in God, because he is the only thing that kept me going. He's my best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-hahn/i-believe-in-god-because-he-is-the-only-thing-that-kept-me-going-he-s/)

[Jessica Hahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-hahn/)

> [When I was in my teens I had a series of intensely religious experiences. They deepened my sense of God as the creator of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-linzey/when-i-was-in-my-teens-i-had-a-series-of-intensely-religious/)

[Andrew Linzey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-linzey/)

> [He who believes in God is not careful for the morrow, but labors joyfully and with a great heart. "For He giveth His beloved,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/he-who-believes-in-god-is-not-careful-for-the-morrow-but-labors/)

[Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/)

> [In life, we don't know why things happen. I believe God is not responsible for the bad things that happen to you. Sometimes I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buck-brannaman/in-life-we-don-t-know-why-things-happen-i-believe-god-is-not/)

[Buck Brannaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buck-brannaman/)

> [I don't believe in angels and I have trouble with the whole God thing. I don't want to say I don't believe in God,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-connolly/i-don-t-believe-in-angels-and-i-have-trouble-with-the-whole-god-thing/)

[Billy Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-connolly/)

> [“if I asked people whether they believed in life, they’d never understand what I meant. It’s a bad question. It can mean so much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-i-asked-people-whether-they-believed-in-life-they-d-never/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“If you believe in GOD you should never fear death. If human fears death then hill be easily enslaved.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadair-desmar/if-you-believe-in-god-you-should-never-fear-death-if-human-fears/)

[Nadair Desmar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadair-desmar/)

> [I have never come to know God, to see God, to believe in God through doing science. He's not the conclusion of some sort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-coyne/i-have-never-come-to-know-god-to-see-god-to-believe-in-god-through/)

[George Coyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-coyne/)

> [“Most witches don’t believe in gods. They know that the gods exist, of course. They even deal with them occasionally. But they don’t believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/most-witches-don-t-believe-in-gods-they-know-that-the-gods-exist-of/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [I believe God has called His people to be a light in darkness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherri-shepherd/i-believe-god-has-called-his-people-to-be-a-light-in-darkness/)

[Sherri Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherri-shepherd/)

> [“She stood and tried hard not to believe in God. It seemed mean and petty to have more belief in God when things were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-galsworthy/she-stood-and-tried-hard-not-to-believe-in-god-it-seemed-mean-and/)

[John Galsworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-galsworthy/)

> [People often ask me if I believe in God, and I kinda have to, because I'm still here. I had not planned on living…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-walsh/people-often-ask-me-if-i-believe-in-god-and-i-kinda-have-to-because-i/)

[Joe Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-walsh/)

> [“Because of A Prayer for Owen Meany, many of my readers assume I am “religious.” I go to church only occasionally—like a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/because-of-a-prayer-for-owen-meany-many-of-my-readers-assume-i-am/)

[John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/)

[Browse all 1,413 Believe in god quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe-in-god/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“What a strange creature man is! He does not believe in God, but he does believe that if the bridge of is nose itches he is surely going to die;”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Nikolai Gogol"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolai-gogol/what-a-strange-creature-man-is-he-does-not-believe-in-god-but-he-does/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Believe in god"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolai-gogol/what-a-strange-creature-man-is-he-does-not-believe-in-god-but-he-does/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0da/nikolai-gogol-2690_believe-in-god_what-a-strange-creature-man-is-he-does-n_54398.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0da/nikolai-gogol-2690_believe-in-god_what-a-strange-creature-man-is-he-does-n_54398.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0da/nikolai-gogol-2690_believe-in-god_what-a-strange-creature-man-is-he-does-n_54398.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“What a strange creature man is! He does not believe in God, but he does believe that if the bridge of is…” — Nikolai Gogol",
                "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": "Nikolai Gogol",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolai-gogol/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“What a strange creature man is!...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolai-gogol/what-a-strange-creature-man-is-he-does-not-believe-in-god-but-he-does/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolai-gogol/what-a-strange-creature-man-is-he-does-not-believe-in-god-but-he-does/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
