---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Apparently, God doesn’t want us to know…"
description: "\"“Apparently, God doesn’t want us to know why “bad things happen to good people” because He doesn’t tell us.”\" — Randy Newman"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/573/randy-newman-8029_apparently_apparently-god-doesn-t-want-us-to-know-w_1963822.png"
---

#  Apparently, God doesn’t want us to know why “bad things…

![“Apparently, God doesn’t want us to know why “bad things happen to good people” because He doesn’t tell us.” quote by Randy Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/573/randy-newman-8029_apparently_apparently-god-doesn-t-want-us-to-know-w_1963822.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/573/randy-newman-8029_apparently_apparently-god-doesn-t-want-us-to-know-w_1963822.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/573/randy-newman-8029_apparently_apparently-god-doesn-t-want-us-to-know-w_1963822.png)

> ““Apparently, God doesn’t want us to know why “bad things happen to good people” because He doesn’t tell us.””

[Randy Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-newman/)

## 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 questions why suffering be good people lacks explanation, suggesting divine mystery.

**In simple terms:** Why do bad things happen to good people?

Key Takeaway

Accept mystery, seek meaning.

Themes

faith suffering theodicy

Mood

thoughtful questioning

Type

philosophical spiritual

When to use this quote

- theological discussion
- personal crisis
- counseling
- artistic expression

Key Concepts

divine mystery human suffering

Questions to Reflect On

- What can we do to help others in pain?
- How does belief shape your response to injustice?

A Different Perspective

Simplistic view may ignore human agency in alleviating suffering.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Bad things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-things/) [Good people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-people/) [Things happen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-happen/) [Things Happen To Good People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-happen-to-good-people/)

## Related quotes

> [In the final analysis, the questions of why bad things happen to good people transmutes itself into some very different questions, no longer asking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/in-the-final-analysis-the-questions-of-why-bad-things-happen-to-good/)

[Pierre Teilhard de Chardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/)

> [“When I asked the Reb, Why do bad things happen to good people?, he gave none of the standard answers. He quietly said, “No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/when-i-asked-the-reb-why-do-bad-things-happen-to-good-people-he-gave/)

[Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/)

> [“Positivity can be a negative," I tell her, "if it's used to diminish events that should be cause for concern. Saying 'bad things happen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-devin/positivity-can-be-a-negative-i-tell-her-if-it-s-used-to-diminish/)

[Jane Devin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-devin/)

> [Why bad things happen to good people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-s-kushner/why-bad-things-happen-to-good-people/)

[Harold S. Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-s-kushner/)

> [Sometimes bad things happen to good people. We don't know the meaning of all things, but we know God loves His children! And because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bytheway/sometimes-bad-things-happen-to-good-people-we-don-t-know-the-meaning/)

[John Bytheway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bytheway/)

> [“You cannot trade the courage needed to live every moment for immunity from life's sorrows. We may say we know this but ours is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oriah-mountain-dreamer/you-cannot-trade-the-courage-needed-to-live-every-moment-for-immunity/)

[Oriah Mountain Dreamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oriah-mountain-dreamer/)

> [Bad things happen to good people all the time. It sucks. It's not fair but then much of life isn't fair. It's how you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-banks/bad-things-happen-to-good-people-all-the-time-it-sucks-it-s-not-fair/)

[Maya Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-banks/)

> [“That's what's so striking about the title of Kushner's book: When Bad Things Happen to Good People. How is that fair? Well, the answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/that-s-what-s-so-striking-about-the-title-of-kushner-s-book-when-bad/)

[Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/)

> [“I spend a lot of time thinking now. Perhaps too much time. But I’ve decided that cancer is not the worst thing that could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marissa-farrar/i-spend-a-lot-of-time-thinking-now-perhaps-too-much-time-but-i-ve/)

Marissa Farrar

> [“I wanted to say something to make her pain go away and make everything better. But, I realized that there was no answer. Bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mackenzie-herbert/i-wanted-to-say-something-to-make-her-pain-go-away-and-make/)

[Mackenzie Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mackenzie-herbert/)

> [I don't believe there's a reason for everything, and having faith doesn't mean I'm blind. I believe people make poor choices. I believe bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammara-webber/i-don-t-believe-there-s-a-reason-for-everything-and-having-faith/)

[Tammara Webber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammara-webber/)

> [“Why do bad things happen to good people? To balance out the good things that happen to bad people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/why-do-bad-things-happen-to-good-people-to-balance-out-the-good/)

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

> [“The Battle of Good and Evil Polytheism gave birth not merely to monotheist religions, but also to dualistic ones. Dualistic religions espouse the existence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/the-battle-of-good-and-evil-polytheism-gave-birth-not-merely-to/)

[Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/)

> [Bad things happen to good people, expect the unexpected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/bad-things-happen-to-good-people-expect-the-unexpected/)

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

> [“Why do bad things happen to good people?' 'Because it makes a good story.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-kaufman/why-do-bad-things-happen-to-good-people-because-it-makes-a-good-story/)

[Andrew Kaufman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-kaufman/)

## More by Randy Newman

> [I think in most cases, unless you're writing about a character who is garrulous, you say what you've got to say and then get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-newman/i-think-in-most-cases-unless-you-re-writing-about-a-character-who-is/)

[Randy Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-newman/)

> [Thank God for the potholes on memory lane.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-newman/thank-god-for-the-potholes-on-memory-lane/)

[Randy Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-newman/)

> [The best of my songs are more than just a joke. There's something else going on - a character, or it's not just a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-newman/the-best-of-my-songs-are-more-than-just-a-joke-there-s-something-else/)

[Randy Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-newman/)

> [Cleveland, city of light! City of magic!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-newman/cleveland-city-of-light-city-of-magic/)

[Randy Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-newman/)

> [If getting on the radio was a major motivation, I'd be one of the worst writers of all time. I admire people who do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-newman/if-getting-on-the-radio-was-a-major-motivation-i-d-be-one-of-the/)

[Randy Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-newman/)

> [I sit here in this chair, I pour myself some whiskey, and watch my troubles vanish into the air.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-newman/i-sit-here-in-this-chair-i-pour-myself-some-whiskey-and-watch-my/)

[Randy Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-newman/)

> [I seen her with the milkman, riding down the street. When you're through with my baby, milkman, send her home to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-newman/i-seen-her-with-the-milkman-riding-down-the-street-when-you-re/)

[Randy Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-newman/)

> [If I were to die tomorrow, I think they'd say Newman 56, composer of the hit song, Short People. Jumped off a mountain today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-newman/if-i-were-to-die-tomorrow-i-think-they-d-say-newman-56-composer-of/)

[Randy Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-newman/)

> [I like science - geography, meteorology, cosmology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-newman/i-like-science-geography-meteorology-cosmology/)

[Randy Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-newman/)

> [It takes a whole lot of medicine for me to pretend I am somebody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-newman/it-takes-a-whole-lot-of-medicine-for-me-to-pretend-i-am-somebody-else/)

[Randy Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-newman/)

> [I've written a song for Prince. I never showed it to Prince, but just to see if I could do it. At the time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-newman/i-ve-written-a-song-for-prince-i-never-showed-it-to-prince-but-just/)

[Randy Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-newman/)

> [Some fools in the desert with nothing to do...invented me, and they invented you. And other fools keep it all going and growing. Everybody,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-newman/some-fools-in-the-desert-with-nothing-to-do-invented-me-and-they/)

[Randy Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-newman/)

> [If we'd had another carefree 70's, I'd have been dead. It was a little too carefree, you know? I don't know how carefree they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-newman/if-we-d-had-another-carefree-70-s-i-d-have-been-dead-it-was-a-little/)

[Randy Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-newman/)

> [“Yes, Baby...I've been drinkin'...I shouldn't come by I know...but I found myself in trouble, darlin'...and I have no place else to go. Honey I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-newman/yes-baby-i-ve-been-drinkin-i-shouldn-t-come-by-i-know-but-i-found/)

[Randy Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-newman/)

> [I like the idea of taking a true classic written by a true genius and essentially destroying it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-newman/i-like-the-idea-of-taking-a-true-classic-written-by-a-true-genius-and/)

[Randy Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-newman/)

[Explore all 85 Randy Newman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-newman/)

## More Apparently quotes

> [Like funny men, skilled diners are apparently perceived to have an evolutionary advantage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-goodyear/like-funny-men-skilled-diners-are-apparently-perceived-to-have-an/)

[Dana Goodyear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-goodyear/)

> [Some pundits have proposed that the aliens have come here to breed with us. Apparently, too much bike riding or something similar has rendered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/some-pundits-have-proposed-that-the-aliens-have-come-here-to-breed/)

[Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/)

> [I'm not in the movie business anymore, and hardly any 70 year olds are. I always ask the producers: 'Are there no 70-year old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-dennehy/i-m-not-in-the-movie-business-anymore-and-hardly-any-70-year-olds-are/)

[Brian Dennehy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-dennehy/)

> [James Cain was saddled with being called the father of hardboiled fiction. Apparently, he didn't like this saddle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-callahan/james-cain-was-saddled-with-being-called-the-father-of-hardboiled/)

[Bill Callahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-callahan/)

> [I see myself as life-sized, certainly not a supersized personality, and apparently after 30 years of television, that's what the audience thinks of me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-pauley/i-see-myself-as-life-sized-certainly-not-a-supersized-personality-and/)

[Jane Pauley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-pauley/)

> [“Love is insanity, apparently.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-ann-haydu/love-is-insanity-apparently/)

[Corey Ann Haydu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-ann-haydu/)

> [Apparently texting someone all the time = dating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/apparently-texting-someone-all-the-time-dating/)

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

> [After about a month of living on my own, I began to feel it. I bought some plants. I remember I named one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristy-swanson/after-about-a-month-of-living-on-my-own-i-began-to-feel-it-i-bought/)

[Kristy Swanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristy-swanson/)

> [Been there... done that... then been there several more times... because apparently I never learn...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/been-there-done-that-then-been-there-several-more-times-because/)

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

> [Apparently nobody really read it, it was a cheap movie, it fit their schedule in terms of things so fine, let the guy make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-levinson/apparently-nobody-really-read-it-it-was-a-cheap-movie-it-fit-their/)

[Barry Levinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-levinson/)

> [My eyes are green, and in one of them there is a splash of brown - apparently it is not a colour, but a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-wakeman/my-eyes-are-green-and-in-one-of-them-there-is-a-splash-of-brown/)

[Rick Wakeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-wakeman/)

> [Apparently, they believe they're gods.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-novick/apparently-they-believe-they-re-gods/)

Steve Novick

> [There will always be ladies who lunch. Always. And apparently they live a long time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-stritch/there-will-always-be-ladies-who-lunch-always-and-apparently-they-live/)

[Elaine Stritch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-stritch/)

> [I could draw up a list of about 30 artists who I apparently sound like. From Lady Gaga, to Katy Perry to Lana Del…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-and-the-diamonds/i-could-draw-up-a-list-of-about-30-artists-who-i-apparently-sound/)

[Marina and the Diamonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-and-the-diamonds/)

> [The human brain has evolved the capacity to impose a narrative, complete with chronology and cause-and-effect logic, on whatever it encounters, no matter how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-marantz-henig/the-human-brain-has-evolved-the-capacity-to-impose-a-narrative/)

[Robin Marantz Henig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-marantz-henig/)

Browse all 173 Apparently quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Apparently, God doesn’t want us to know why “bad things happen to good people” because He doesn’t tell us.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Randy Newman"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-newman/apparently-god-doesn-t-want-us-to-know-why-bad-things-happen-to-good/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Apparently"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-newman/apparently-god-doesn-t-want-us-to-know-why-bad-things-happen-to-good/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/573/randy-newman-8029_apparently_apparently-god-doesn-t-want-us-to-know-w_1963822.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/573/randy-newman-8029_apparently_apparently-god-doesn-t-want-us-to-know-w_1963822.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/573/randy-newman-8029_apparently_apparently-god-doesn-t-want-us-to-know-w_1963822.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Apparently, God doesn’t want us to know why “bad things happen to good people” because He doesn’t tell us.” — Randy Newman",
                "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": "Randy Newman",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-newman/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Apparently, God doesn’t want us to...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-newman/apparently-god-doesn-t-want-us-to-know-why-bad-things-happen-to-good/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-newman/apparently-god-doesn-t-want-us-to-know-why-bad-things-happen-to-good/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
