--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: \"God is a spirit.\" But that does not make…" description: "\"\"God is a spirit.\" But that does not make him an immaterial being —a being that has no properties in common with matter. The expression \"an immaterial ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f6/orson-pratt-16868_hydrogen_god-is-a-spirit-but-that-does-not-make-h_2719916.jpg" --- # "God is a spirit." But that does not make him an… ![“"God is a spirit." But that does not make him an immaterial being —a being that has no properties in common with matter. The expression "an immaterial being," is a contradiction in terms. Immateriality is only another name for nothing. It is the negative of all existence. A "spirit" is as much…” quote by Orson Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f6/orson-pratt-16868_hydrogen_god-is-a-spirit-but-that-does-not-make-h_2719916.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f6/orson-pratt-16868_hydrogen_god-is-a-spirit-but-that-does-not-make-h_2719916.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f6/orson-pratt-16868_hydrogen_god-is-a-spirit-but-that-does-not-make-h_2719916.jpg) > “"God is a spirit." But that does not make him an immaterial being —a being that has no properties in common with matter. The expression "an immaterial being," is a contradiction in terms. Immateriality is only another name for nothing. It is the negative of all existence. A "spirit" is as much matter as oxygen or hydrogen.” [Orson Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-pratt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A spirit is material like oxygen; calling it immaterial is contradictory, as immateriality means nothing. **In simple terms:** Spirits have material properties. Key Takeaway Recognize the physical aspects of spiritual concepts. Themes theology philosophy materialism Mood thought‑provoking analytical Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - academic debate - faith discussions - philosophical inquiry - education Key Concepts ontology religious doctrine Questions to Reflect On - What does “material” mean in this context? - How does this view affect faith? A Different Perspective May conflict with traditional religious views. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Hydrogen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hydrogen/) [Oxygen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oxygen/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) ## Related quotes > [God is a spirit. A spirit is as much matter as oxygen or hydrogen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-pratt/god-is-a-spirit-a-spirit-is-as-much-matter-as-oxygen-or-hydrogen/) [Orson Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-pratt/) > [Almost without exception, blue refers to the domain of abstraction and immateriality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wassily-kandinsky/almost-without-exception-blue-refers-to-the-domain-of-abstraction-and/) [Wassily Kandinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wassily-kandinsky/) > [Science ignores the spiritual realm because it is not amenable to scientific analysis. As importantly, the predictive success of Newtonian theory, emphasizing the primacy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-lipton/science-ignores-the-spiritual-realm-because-it-is-not-amenable-to/) [Bruce Lipton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-lipton/) > [Man, your head is haunted; you have wheels in your head! You imagine great things, and depict to yourself a whole world of gods…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-stirner/man-your-head-is-haunted-you-have-wheels-in-your-head-you-imagine/) [Max Stirner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-stirner/) > [The radical tension between good and evil, as man sees it and feels it, does not have the last word about the meaning of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-thurman/the-radical-tension-between-good-and-evil-as-man-sees-it-and-feels-it/) [Howard Thurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-thurman/) > [Freedom is when you really get your own powers which are within you. In your central nervous system and in your conscious mind, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nirmala-srivastava/freedom-is-when-you-really-get-your-own-powers-which-are-within-you/) [Nirmala Srivastava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nirmala-srivastava/) > [In the void is virtue, and no evil. Wisdom has existence, principle has existence, the Way has existence, spirit is nothingness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miyamoto-musashi/in-the-void-is-virtue-and-no-evil-wisdom-has-existence-principle-has/) [Miyamoto Musashi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miyamoto-musashi/) > [“As God is Spirit, not bound by space or time, but in His infinite perfection always and everywhere the same, so His worship would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-murray/as-god-is-spirit-not-bound-by-space-or-time-but-in-his-infinite/) [Andrew Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-murray/) > [ “God in Christ above me, God in the Spirit within me. \[. . .\] ‘And even as it taught you, ye abide in Him.’… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-murray/god-in-christ-above-me-god-in-the-spirit-within-me-and-even-as-it/) [Andrew Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-murray/) > [“The moment we trust in Jesus, God’s Spirit acts like an electric current touching the filament of our spirit, and we’re able to fulfill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-perkins/the-moment-we-trust-in-jesus-god-s-spirit-acts-like-an-electric/) Bill Perkins > [I didn't become a Christian until many years later, when I moved to the South Side of Chicago after college. It happened not because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-didn-t-become-a-christian-until-many-years-later-when-i-moved-to/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ATTRIBUTES OF GOD Because God is spirit...I will seek intimate fellowship with Him. Because God is all-powerful...He can help me with anything. Because God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-william-r-bright/attributes-of-god-because-god-is-spirit-i-will-seek-intimate/) Dr William R Bright > [God is a spirit. Jesus was led up of the Spirit to be tempted of the Devil; and it is also true that spirits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bradlaugh/god-is-a-spirit-jesus-was-led-up-of-the-spirit-to-be-tempted-of-the/) [Charles Bradlaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bradlaugh/) > [Jesus Christ rose up from the tomb. Well, he's the son of God, and now he's like God's spirit at this point. Why would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/jesus-christ-rose-up-from-the-tomb-well-he-s-the-son-of-god-and-now/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [“The Spirit inspired the Word and therefore He goes where the Word goes. The more of God's Word you know and love, the more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/the-spirit-inspired-the-word-and-therefore-he-goes-where-the-word/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) ## More by Orson Pratt > [If God had sufficient wisdom and power to construct such a beautiful world as this, then we must admit that his wisdom and power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-pratt/if-god-had-sufficient-wisdom-and-power-to-construct-such-a-beautiful/) [Orson Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-pratt/) > [On the 1st day of December, 1830, I was confirmed, and in accordance with the word of the Lord I was ordained an Elder…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-pratt/on-the-1st-day-of-december-1830-i-was-confirmed-and-in-accordance/) [Orson Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-pratt/) > [It was seldom that I attended any religious meetings, as my parents had not much faith in and were never so unfortunate as to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-pratt/it-was-seldom-that-i-attended-any-religious-meetings-as-my-parents/) [Orson Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-pratt/) > [I was ordained one of the standing High Council in Zion, under the hands of President Joseph Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-pratt/i-was-ordained-one-of-the-standing-high-council-in-zion-under-the/) [Orson Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-pratt/) > [The kingdom of God is an order of government established by divine authority. It is the only legal government that can exist in any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-pratt/the-kingdom-of-god-is-an-order-of-government-established-by-divine/) [Orson Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-pratt/) > [If a person trains his mind to walk in the spirit, and brings his whole mind to bear upon its operations, and upon the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-pratt/if-a-person-trains-his-mind-to-walk-in-the-spirit-and-brings-his/) [Orson Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-pratt/) > [If, after a rigid examination, it be found an imposition, it should be extensively published to the world as such; the evidences and arguments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-pratt/if-after-a-rigid-examination-it-be-found-an-imposition-it-should-be/) [Orson Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-pratt/) > [Do not suffer any man to baptize or minister unto you, unless God has spoken unto him by the voice of his servants, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-pratt/do-not-suffer-any-man-to-baptize-or-minister-unto-you-unless-god-has/) [Orson Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-pratt/) > [At various times during the last four thousand years God has asserted his rights and endeavoured to establish his own authority, his own laws,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-pratt/at-various-times-during-the-last-four-thousand-years-god-has-asserted/) [Orson Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-pratt/) > [It is a grievous sin in the sight of God for any man to presume to baptize, unless God has authorized him by new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-pratt/it-is-a-grievous-sin-in-the-sight-of-god-for-any-man-to-presume-to/) [Orson Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-pratt/) > [If we should take a million of worlds like this and number their particles, we should find that there are more Gods than there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-pratt/if-we-should-take-a-million-of-worlds-like-this-and-number-their/) [Orson Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-pratt/) > [The Godhead consists of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Father is a material being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-pratt/the-godhead-consists-of-the-father-the-son-and-the-holy-spirit-the/) [Orson Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-pratt/) > [All the modern christian churches have no more authority to preach, baptize, or administer any other ordinance of the gospel than the idolatrous Hindoos…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-pratt/all-the-modern-christian-churches-have-no-more-authority-to-preach/) [Orson Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-pratt/) > [This law of monogamy, or the monogamic system, laid the foundation for prostitution and the evils and diseases of the most revolting nature and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-pratt/this-law-of-monogamy-or-the-monogamic-system-laid-the-foundation-for/) [Orson Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-pratt/) > [The greatest desire of my heart was for the Lord to manifest His will concerning me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-pratt/the-greatest-desire-of-my-heart-was-for-the-lord-to-manifest-his-will/) [Orson Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-pratt/) [Explore all 38 Orson Pratt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-pratt/) ## More Hydrogen quotes > [The pace of science forces the pace of technique. 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