--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't expect Christians to see God as a…" description: "\"I don't expect Christians to see God as a metaphor, but that's what he is. Perhaps it might be clearer to call him a character in fiction, and a very i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9c/philip-pullman-525_affection_i-don-t-expect-christians-to-see-god-as_409165.png" --- # I don't expect Christians to see God as a metaphor, but… ![“I don't expect Christians to see God as a metaphor, but that's what he is. Perhaps it might be clearer to call him a character in fiction, and a very interesting one too: one of the greatest and most complex villains of all - savage, petty, boastful and jealous, and yet capable of moments of…” quote by Philip Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9c/philip-pullman-525_affection_i-don-t-expect-christians-to-see-god-as_409165.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9c/philip-pullman-525_affection_i-don-t-expect-christians-to-see-god-as_409165.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9c/philip-pullman-525_affection_i-don-t-expect-christians-to-see-god-as_409165.png) > “I don't expect Christians to see God as a metaphor, but that's what he is. Perhaps it might be clearer to call him a character in fiction, and a very interesting one too: one of the greatest and most complex villains of all - savage, petty, boastful and jealous, and yet capable of moments of tenderness and extremes of arbitrary affection - for David, for example. But he's not real, any more than Hamlet or Mr Pickwick are real. They are real in the context of their stories, but you won't find them in the phone book.” [Philip Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-pullman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author treats God as a fictional character, emphasizing his narrative role and moral complexity rather than literal existence. **In simple terms:** God is a story character, not a real being. Key Takeaway Consider religious ideas as narrative tools. Themes theology literature myth morality character analysis Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - discussions about religion - literary criticism - philosophical debate - personal belief systems Key Concepts fictional deity narrative function complex villain Questions to Reflect On - How does viewing God as a character affect your spirituality? - What value do metaphors hold in religious belief? A Different Perspective Treating divine concepts as metaphor may ignore personal faith experiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Affection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affection/) [Arbitrary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arbitrary/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Capable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capable/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Christians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christians/) [Christians God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christians-god-344054/) [Example](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/example/) [Extremes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extremes/) [Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/) [God Metaphor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-metaphor-1148759/) [Interesting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interesting/) [Jealous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jealous/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Metaphor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/metaphor/) [Might](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/might/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Phones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phones/) [Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real/) [Savages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/savages/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Tenderness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tenderness/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Very interesting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/very-interesting/) [Villain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/villain/) ## Related quotes > [The Christian's God does not merely consist of a God who is the Author of mathematical truths and the order of the elements. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/the-christian-s-god-does-not-merely-consist-of-a-god-who-is-the/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [There's always a source of life and energy. That source puts thing in order. It gives us the ability to love and be loved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-matobo/there-s-always-a-source-of-life-and-energy-that-source-puts-thing-in/) [Frank Matobo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-matobo/) > [“God so big that He is the God of multiple Universes, not just one little earth. Why is it so darn hard for Christians…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-k-craig/god-so-big-that-he-is-the-god-of-multiple-universes-not-just-one/) [Steven K Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-k-craig/) > [When I think of an atheist I think of a person full of grief and depression, in a dark room. 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That is the definition of faith―acceptance of that which we imagine to be true, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/every-faith-in-the-world-is-based-on-fabrication-that-is-the-2/) [Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/) > [The problem sincere Christians have with God often comes down to a wrong understanding of what this life is meant to provide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-crabb/the-problem-sincere-christians-have-with-god-often-comes-down-to-a/) [Larry Crabb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-crabb/) > [Let us not mock God with metaphor, Analogy, sidestepping, transcendence; Making of the event a parable, a sign painted in the Faded credulity of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/let-us-not-mock-god-with-metaphor-analogy-sidestepping-transcendence/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [God is ready to give more quickly, and to give more than you ask; yea, he offers his treasures if we only take them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/god-is-ready-to-give-more-quickly-and-to-give-more-than-you-ask-yea/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [“From The Ghost Wars- on the concept of the Torah as ancient science fiction. “Take the story of the fall of the tower of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cole-j-davis/from-the-ghost-wars-on-the-concept-of-the-torah-as-ancient-science/) [Cole J. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cole-j-davis/) > [Some unifying principles bind all Christians: that God became a man and died for our sins, and that without that sacrifice, all of us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/some-unifying-principles-bind-all-christians-that-god-became-a-man/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [Physicists use 'God' as a metaphor more often than other scientists-- especially in popular writing, but in the technical literature as well. Of course,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taner-edis/physicists-use-god-as-a-metaphor-more-often-than-other-scientists/) [Taner Edis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taner-edis/) > [Think of what you are, you Christians. You are God's children; you are joint heirs with Christ. The 'many mansions' are for you; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/think-of-what-you-are-you-christians-you-are-god-s-children-you-are/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [Christians are God's delivery people, through whom he does his giving to a needy world. We are conduits of God's grace to others. Our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-alcorn/christians-are-god-s-delivery-people-through-whom-he-does-his-giving/) [Randy Alcorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-alcorn/) > [The God of Christians is a God of love and comfort, a God who fills the soul and heart of those whom he possesses,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/the-god-of-christians-is-a-god-of-love-and-comfort-a-god-who-fills/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) ## More by Philip Pullman > [The state of mind which I put myself when I tell a story is one in which superstition flourishes very easily. And I welcome…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-pullman/the-state-of-mind-which-i-put-myself-when-i-tell-a-story-is-one-in/) [Philip Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-pullman/) > [Religion grants its adherents malign, intoxicating and morally corrosive sensations. Destroying intellectual freedom is always evil, but only religion makes doing evil feel quite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-pullman/religion-grants-its-adherents-malign-intoxicating-and-morally/) [Philip Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-pullman/) > [We don't need lists of rights and wrongs, tables of do's and don'ts: we need books, time, and silence. Thou shalt not is soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-pullman/we-don-t-need-lists-of-rights-and-wrongs-tables-of-do-s-and-don-ts-we/) [Philip Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-pullman/) > [I have stolen ideas from every book I have ever read.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-pullman/i-have-stolen-ideas-from-every-book-i-have-ever-read/) [Philip Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-pullman/) > [All the stories of the Bible that I know came to me first from my grandfather's lips... He would see stories in everything. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-pullman/all-the-stories-of-the-bible-that-i-know-came-to-me-first-from-my/) [Philip Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-pullman/) > [What I do say is that I can write verse, and that the writing of verse in strict form is the best possible training…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-pullman/what-i-do-say-is-that-i-can-write-verse-and-that-the-writing-of-verse/) [Philip Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-pullman/) > [Writing is tyranny ... but reading is democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-pullman/writing-is-tyranny-but-reading-is-democracy/) [Philip Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-pullman/) > [“Middlemarch is a novel that is diminished by being put on the screen. It can't help but be, because so much of what we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-pullman/middlemarch-is-a-novel-that-is-diminished-by-being-put-on-the-screen/) [Philip Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-pullman/) > [I have maintained a passionate interest in education, which leads me occasionally to make foolish and ill-considered remarks alleging that not everything is well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-pullman/i-have-maintained-a-passionate-interest-in-education-which-leads-me/) [Philip Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-pullman/) > [And think what worrying does: has anyone ever added a single hour to the length of his life by worrying about it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-pullman/and-think-what-worrying-does-has-anyone-ever-added-a-single-hour-to/) [Philip Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-pullman/) > [“The question authors get asked more than any other is "Where do you get your ideas from?" And we all find a way of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-pullman/the-question-authors-get-asked-more-than-any-other-is-where-do-you/) [Philip Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-pullman/) > [“We are all subject to the fates. But we must all act as if we are not,” said the witch, “or die of despair.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-pullman/we-are-all-subject-to-the-fates-but-we-must-all-act-as-if-we-are-not/) [Philip Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-pullman/) > [Lonely? I don't know. They tell me this is cold. I don't know what cold is, because I don't freeze. So I don't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-pullman/lonely-i-don-t-know-they-tell-me-this-is-cold-i-don-t-know-what-cold/) [Philip Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-pullman/) > [Just finished 'Secrecy' - truly enthralling both as a love story and as a tale of suspense - but much more than both.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-pullman/just-finished-secrecy-truly-enthralling-both-as-a-love-story-and-as-a/) [Philip Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-pullman/) > [“As Auden is believed to have said, no poem saved a single Jew from the gas chambers. Never mind. Write the poems anyway. Play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-pullman/as-auden-is-believed-to-have-said-no-poem-saved-a-single-jew-from-the/) [Philip Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-pullman/) [Explore all 479 Philip Pullman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-pullman/) ## More Affection quotes > [My team and I have reunited two elements that coexist with diffiulty: respect and affection, because when they love you they don't respect you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakira/my-team-and-i-have-reunited-two-elements-that-coexist-with-diffiulty/) [Shakira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakira/) > [Needs cause motivation. Deep-rooted desires for esteem, affection, belonging, achievement, self-actualization, power, and control motivate us to push for what we want and need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorii-myers/needs-cause-motivation-deep-rooted-desires-for-esteem-affection/) [Lorii Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorii-myers/) > [“It is to build a house with affection, even as if your beloved were to dwell in that house.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/it-is-to-build-a-house-with-affection-even-as-if-your-beloved-were-to/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [I, measuring his affections by my own, Which then most sought where most might not be found, Being one too many by my weary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-measuring-his-affections-by-my-own-which-then-most-sought-where/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [There are a number of qualities which are important for mental peace, but from the little experience I have, I believe that one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/there-are-a-number-of-qualities-which-are-important-for-mental-peace/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [A lost love. Deny it who will, ridicule it, treat it as mere imagination and sentiment, the thing is and will be; and women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinah-maria-murlock-craik/a-lost-love-deny-it-who-will-ridicule-it-treat-it-as-mere-imagination/) [Dinah Maria Murlock Craik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dinah-maria-murlock-craik/) > [Affection! Affection is false.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-i/affection-affection-is-false/) [Elizabeth I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-i/) > [We are a spectacular, splendid manifestation of life. We have language. . . . We have affection. We have genes for usefulness, and usefulness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/we-are-a-spectacular-splendid-manifestation-of-life-we-have-language/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) > [Listen, I have a great affection and respect for Joe Biden. I think he's been a great vice president. He's taken on a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-axelrod/listen-i-have-a-great-affection-and-respect-for-joe-biden-i-think-he/) [David Axelrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-axelrod/) > [The still affection of the heart Became an outward breathing type, That into stillness past again, And left a want unknown before; Although the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/the-still-affection-of-the-heart-became-an-outward-breathing-type/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [I am persuaded that there is no affection of the human heart more exquisitely pure, than that which is felt by a grateful son…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-more/i-am-persuaded-that-there-is-no-affection-of-the-human-heart-more/) [Hannah More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-more/) > [If you live in a material universe where acquiring things is very important to you, then family is an absolute deterrent to maintaining that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-taylor-gatto/if-you-live-in-a-material-universe-where-acquiring-things-is-very/) [John Taylor Gatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-taylor-gatto/) > [Our sweetest experiences of affection are meant to be suggestions of that realm which is the home of the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/our-sweetest-experiences-of-affection-are-meant-to-be-suggestions-of/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [“Georgia O’Keeffe moved to rural New Mexico, from which she would sign her letters to the people she loved, “from the faraway nearby.” It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-solnit/georgia-o-keeffe-moved-to-rural-new-mexico-from-which-she-would-sign/) [Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) [Browse all 2,465 Affection quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affection/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I don't expect Christians to see God as a metaphor, but that's what he is. 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