--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The only question that matters with…" description: "\"The only question that matters with regard to a religion and its mythology is “What do these stories mean?\" — Reza Aslan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be6/reza-aslan-2665_matter_the-only-question-that-matters-with-rega_3105374.png" --- # The only question that matters with regard to a religion… ![“The only question that matters with regard to a religion and its mythology is “What do these stories mean?” quote by Reza Aslan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be6/reza-aslan-2665_matter_the-only-question-that-matters-with-rega_3105374.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be6/reza-aslan-2665_matter_the-only-question-that-matters-with-rega_3105374.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be6/reza-aslan-2665_matter_the-only-question-that-matters-with-rega_3105374.png) > “The only question that matters with regard to a religion and its mythology is “What do these stories mean?” [Reza Aslan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reza-aslan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The essential purpose of religious stories is to convey deeper meaning, not literal facts. **In simple terms:** Religious myths aim to teach lessons. Key Takeaway Seek underlying messages in myths. Themes religion mythology meaning interpretation Mood reflective inquisitive thoughtful Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - personal belief - cultural study - education - interfaith dialogue Key Concepts symbolism allegory Questions to Reflect On - What moral does this story illustrate? - How does symbolism shape belief? A Different Perspective Focusing only on literal truth can miss valuable insights. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Mythology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mythology/) [Mythology Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mythology-stories-2119456/) [Regard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regard/) [Regard Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regard-religion-967064/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religion Mythology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion-mythology-3880041/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Stories Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories-mean-2413382/) ## Related quotes > [Every religion, every mythology is true in this sense: It is true as metaphorical of the human and cosmic mystery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/every-religion-every-mythology-is-true-in-this-sense-it-is-true-as/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [When men take pleasure in feeling their minds elevated with strong drink, and so indulge their appetite as to disorder their understandings, neglect their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-woolman/when-men-take-pleasure-in-feeling-their-minds-elevated-with-strong/) [John Woolman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-woolman/) > [Religion is a huge part of our consciousness. I grew up in the Bible Belt, so it's our mythology. Those are the stories we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-ervin-beam/religion-is-a-huge-part-of-our-consciousness-i-grew-up-in-the-bible/) [Samuel Ervin Beam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-ervin-beam/) > [“Every culture has its version. It's universal. One of the things that is most fascinating about studying mythology is how so many of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-j-rose/every-culture-has-its-version-it-s-universal-one-of-the-things-that/) [M.J. Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-j-rose/) > [What I'm passionate about is telling stories which mean something to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-forster/what-i-m-passionate-about-is-telling-stories-which-mean-something-to/) [Marc Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-forster/) > [“You do have to listen to the stories, for stories always mean something. The question that worries me is: WHAT exactly do they mean?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cressida-cowell/you-do-have-to-listen-to-the-stories-for-stories-always-mean/) [Cressida Cowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cressida-cowell/) > [“Ha-ha!' the fox laughed. '\*Just\* stories, you say, as if stories mean nothing? Stories are the stuff that sticks the world together. Stories are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-alexander-london/ha-ha-the-fox-laughed-just-stories-you-say-as-if-stories-mean-nothing/) [C. Alexander London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-alexander-london/) > [I like those kinds of songs that have details that you remember and that have stories that mean something and that open up into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-isbell/i-like-those-kinds-of-songs-that-have-details-that-you-remember-and/) [Jason Isbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-isbell/) > [Each day has a story to - deserves to be told, because we are made of stories. I mean, scientists say that human beings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduardo-galeano/each-day-has-a-story-to-deserves-to-be-told-because-we-are-made-of/) [Eduardo Galeano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduardo-galeano/) > [In regard to religion, mutual toleration in the different professions thereof is what all good and candid minds in all ages have ever practiced,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-adams/in-regard-to-religion-mutual-toleration-in-the-different-professions/) [Samuel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-adams/) > [You must remember that we persecute nobody for religion. We regard religion as an error and fight it with education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-kalinin/you-must-remember-that-we-persecute-nobody-for-religion-we-regard/) [Mikhail Kalinin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-kalinin/) > [Where Church and State are habitually associated, it is natural that minds, even of a high order, should unconsciously come to regard religion as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/where-church-and-state-are-habitually-associated-it-is-natural-that/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [I'm an atheist. I suppose you can call me a sort of libertarian anarchist. I regard religion with fear and suspicion. It's not enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-thompson/i-m-an-atheist-i-suppose-you-can-call-me-a-sort-of-libertarian/) [Emma Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-thompson/) > [If a religion does not teach love, respect, and regard for others, it cannot be the religion of humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-muktananda/if-a-religion-does-not-teach-love-respect-and-regard-for-others-it/) [Swami Muktananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-muktananda/) > [There's no reason to bring religion into it. I think we ought to have as great a regard for religion as we can, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-o-casey/there-s-no-reason-to-bring-religion-into-it-i-think-we-ought-to-have/) [Sean O'Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-o-casey/) ## More by Reza Aslan > [“Despite two millennia of Christian apologetics, the fact is that belief in a dying and rising messiah simply did not exist in Judaism. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reza-aslan/despite-two-millennia-of-christian-apologetics-the-fact-is-that/) [Reza Aslan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reza-aslan/) > [Should I act violently in defense of my religion, absolutely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reza-aslan/should-i-act-violently-in-defense-of-my-religion-absolutely/) [Reza Aslan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reza-aslan/) > [Religion doesn't make people bigots. People are bigots and they use religion to justify their ideology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reza-aslan/religion-doesn-t-make-people-bigots-people-are-bigots-and-they-use/) [Reza Aslan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reza-aslan/) > [“Scattered across the Roman Empire, it was only natural for the gospel writers to distance themselves from the Jewish independence movement by erasing, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reza-aslan/scattered-across-the-roman-empire-it-was-only-natural-for-the-gospel/) [Reza Aslan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reza-aslan/) > [“There is a term for this phenomenon—politicomorphism, or “the divinization of earthly politics”—and it is, to this day, one of the central features of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reza-aslan/there-is-a-term-for-this-phenomenon-politicomorphism-or-the/) [Reza Aslan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reza-aslan/) > [Obama has been the single worst president in modern American history in dealing with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reza-aslan/obama-has-been-the-single-worst-president-in-modern-american-history/) [Reza Aslan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reza-aslan/) > [There's no question that homophobia is rampant among the world's 1.5 billion Muslims - but that doesn't negate the fact that there are huge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reza-aslan/there-s-no-question-that-homophobia-is-rampant-among-the-world-s-1-5/) [Reza Aslan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reza-aslan/) > [Well, to be clear, I am a scholar of religions with four degrees, including one in the New Testament and fluency in Biblical Greek…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reza-aslan/well-to-be-clear-i-am-a-scholar-of-religions-with-four-degrees/) [Reza Aslan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reza-aslan/) > [“There would be no more record of who was rich and who was poor. Everyone in this new and divinely inspired world order would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reza-aslan/there-would-be-no-more-record-of-who-was-rich-and-who-was-poor/) [Reza Aslan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reza-aslan/) > [My biography of Jesus is probably the first popular biography that does not use the New Testament as its primary source material.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reza-aslan/my-biography-of-jesus-is-probably-the-first-popular-biography-that/) [Reza Aslan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reza-aslan/) > [The Islamic Reformation is already here. We are all living in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reza-aslan/the-islamic-reformation-is-already-here-we-are-all-living-in-it/) [Reza Aslan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reza-aslan/) > [“Pilate, as the histories reveal, was not one for trials. In his ten years as governor of Jerusalem, he had sent thousands upon thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reza-aslan/pilate-as-the-histories-reveal-was-not-one-for-trials-in-his-ten/) [Reza Aslan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reza-aslan/) > [Is it possible that Jesus, unlike 98 percent of his fellow Jews, was literate and educated? Yes, it's possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reza-aslan/is-it-possible-that-jesus-unlike-98-percent-of-his-fellow-jews-was/) [Reza Aslan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reza-aslan/) > [“The choice between James’s vision of a Jewish religion anchored in the Law of Moses and derived from a Jewish nationalist who fought against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reza-aslan/the-choice-between-james-s-vision-of-a-jewish-religion-anchored-in/) [Reza Aslan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reza-aslan/) > [“Paul's portrayal of Jesus as Christ may sound familiar to contemporary Christians—it has since become the standard doctrine of the church—but it would have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reza-aslan/paul-s-portrayal-of-jesus-as-christ-may-sound-familiar-to/) [Reza Aslan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reza-aslan/) [Explore all 154 Reza Aslan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reza-aslan/) ## More Matter quotes > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [It is said that history turns on small hinges. A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [My only close-to-game-plan is to follow good writing. If the writing is in TV or if it's in theater or in film, that's it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-driver/my-only-close-to-game-plan-is-to-follow-good-writing-if-the-writing/) [Adam Driver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-driver/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [No matter what I do I'll always be stuck on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-stalin/no-matter-what-i-do-i-ll-always-be-stuck-on-you/) [J Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-stalin/) > [You need to remind people that you vote, you matter, and that they can't succeed without your help.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-need-to-remind-people-that-you-vote-you-matter-and-that-they-can/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I happen to think it's the politics that makes you electable, but the reason for that is politicians sometimes talk about electability as if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/i-happen-to-think-it-s-the-politics-that-makes-you-electable-but-the/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [We released 400,000 classified documents, the most extraordinary history of a war to ever have been released in our civilization. Those documents cover 109,000…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-assange/we-released-400-000-classified-documents-the-most-extraordinary/) [Julian Assange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-assange/) > [I think everyone will agree that it doesn't matter how we get to an international tournament. We are going to do whatever it takes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcginn/i-think-everyone-will-agree-that-it-doesn-t-matter-how-we-get-to-an/) [John McGinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcginn/) > [“Which people take the time to care for their souls, these days? I reckon not many. But...hear this: I think that maybe in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-fletcher/which-people-take-the-time-to-care-for-their-souls-these-days-i/) [Susan Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-fletcher/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [The work, the work, the work. This is what the business is all about. This is the fun, the glory, the pleasure. It's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-dusenberry/the-work-the-work-the-work-this-is-what-the-business-is-all-about/) [Phil Dusenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-dusenberry/) [Browse all 23,868 Matter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The only question that matters with regard to a religion and its mythology is “What do these stories mean?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Reza Aslan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reza-aslan/the-only-question-that-matters-with-regard-to-a-religion-and-its/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Matter" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reza-aslan/the-only-question-that-matters-with-regard-to-a-religion-and-its/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be6/reza-aslan-2665_matter_the-only-question-that-matters-with-rega_3105374.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be6/reza-aslan-2665_matter_the-only-question-that-matters-with-rega_3105374.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be6/reza-aslan-2665_matter_the-only-question-that-matters-with-rega_3105374.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The only question that matters with regard to a religion and its mythology is “What do these stories mean?” — Reza Aslan", "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": "Reza Aslan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reza-aslan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The only question that matters with...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reza-aslan/the-only-question-that-matters-with-regard-to-a-religion-and-its/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reza-aslan/the-only-question-that-matters-with-regard-to-a-religion-and-its/#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 } } ] } ```