--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When we were alive, they told us that…" description: "\"“When we were alive, they told us that when we died we'd go to heaven. And they said that heaven was a place of joy and glory and we would spend eterni..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ef/philip-pullman-525_business_when-we-were-alive-they-told-us-that-whe_2931783.png" --- # When we were alive, they told us that when we died we'd go… ![“When we were alive, they told us that when we died we'd go to heaven. And they said that heaven was a place of joy and glory and we would spend eternity in the company of saints and angels praising the Almighty, in a state of bliss. That's what they said. And that's what led some of us to give our…” quote by Philip Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ef/philip-pullman-525_business_when-we-were-alive-they-told-us-that-whe_2931783.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ef/philip-pullman-525_business_when-we-were-alive-they-told-us-that-whe_2931783.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ef/philip-pullman-525_business_when-we-were-alive-they-told-us-that-whe_2931783.png) > ““When we were alive, they told us that when we died we'd go to heaven. And they said that heaven was a place of joy and glory and we would spend eternity in the company of saints and angels praising the Almighty, in a state of bliss. That's what they said. And that's what led some of us to give our lives, and others to spend years in solitary prayer, while all the joy of life was going to waste around us, and we never knew.”” [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. Critiques religious promises of heaven as a distraction from living fully **In simple terms:** Heaven promises can mislead people from real life Key Takeaway Question reality over promised afterlife Themes faith skepticism existentialism Mood skeptical reflective melancholic Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - personal reflection - philosophical debate - literary analysis Key Concepts theology human experience Questions to Reflect On - How does belief shape your life choices? - What alternatives to afterlife promises exist? A Different Perspective May alienate believers ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [End Year](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end-year/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Heaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heaven/) [Joy of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy-of-life/) ## Related quotes > [“When we were alive, they told us that when we died we'd go to heaven. And they said that heaven was a place of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-pullman/when-we-were-alive-they-told-us-that-when-we-died-we-d-go-to-heaven-2/) [Philip Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-pullman/) > [“You have been to hell, Ketut?" He smiled. Of course he's been there. What's it like in hell?" 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