--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Being a pastor for 20 years I realized…" description: "\"Being a pastor for 20 years I realized that the labels, agnostic, atheist, believer, everybody's human and everybody wants to know what kind of univers..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d21/rob-bell-1025_agnostic_being-a-pastor-for-20-years-i-realized-t_2017274.png" --- # Being a pastor for 20 years I realized that the labels… ![“Being a pastor for 20 years I realized that the labels, agnostic, atheist, believer, everybody's human and everybody wants to know what kind of universe we're living in, and everybody's living according to a story.” quote by Rob Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d21/rob-bell-1025_agnostic_being-a-pastor-for-20-years-i-realized-t_2017274.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d21/rob-bell-1025_agnostic_being-a-pastor-for-20-years-i-realized-t_2017274.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d21/rob-bell-1025_agnostic_being-a-pastor-for-20-years-i-realized-t_2017274.png) > “Being a pastor for 20 years I realized that the labels, agnostic, atheist, believer, everybody's human and everybody wants to know what kind of universe we're living in, and everybody's living according to a story.” [Rob Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People of all beliefs seek meaning, living by personal narratives about the universe. **In simple terms:** Everyone lives by a story. Key Takeaway Explore and respect diverse worldviews. Themes spirituality humanity storytelling Mood contemplative hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - interfaith dialogue - education - personal growth Key Concepts narrative identity existential meaning Questions to Reflect On - What story shapes your worldview? - How can differing narratives coexist peacefully? A Different Perspective Stories can conflict, causing division. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Agnostic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agnostic/) [Agnostic Atheist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agnostic-atheist-502929/) [Atheist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheist/) [Atheist Believer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheist-believer-2165066/) [Believer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believer/) [Believer Everybody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believer-everybody-1546010/) [Human Everybody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-everybody-957351/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [I realized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-realized/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Labels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/labels/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Pastor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pastor/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Universe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universe/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [“My priority is not to be called an atheist or believer, but to be human.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/my-priority-is-not-to-be-called-an-atheist-or-believer-but-to-be-human/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“My priority is not to be called an atheist or believer, but to be human. My priority is not to peddle any school of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/my-priority-is-not-to-be-called-an-atheist-or-believer-but-to-be/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [If a person is intelligent, then of course he is either an agnostic or an atheist. Just as he is a physical coward. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fowles/if-a-person-is-intelligent-then-of-course-he-is-either-an-agnostic-or/) [John Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fowles/) > [In my hometown, a lot of my friends are very religious and we somehow have found common ground, even though they know that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bridget-everett/in-my-hometown-a-lot-of-my-friends-are-very-religious-and-we-somehow/) [Bridget Everett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bridget-everett/) > [When I approached God at that time, I hardly had a living faith in Him. The agnostic was in me, the atheist was in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-aurobindo/when-i-approached-god-at-that-time-i-hardly-had-a-living-faith-in-him/) [Sri Aurobindo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-aurobindo/) > [I am not agnostic. I am atheist. I don’t think there is no God; I know there’s no God. I know there’s no God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-carolla/i-am-not-agnostic-i-am-atheist-i-don-t-think-there-is-no-god-i-know/) [Adam Carolla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-carolla/) > [For me, it doesn't really matter whether you are a believer, an agnostic or an atheist. For me, what does count is the fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-malfatti/for-me-it-doesn-t-really-matter-whether-you-are-a-believer-an/) [Jean-Paul Malfatti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-malfatti/) > [Religious faith in the case of the Hindus has never been allowed to run counter to scientific laws, moreover the former is never made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romain-rolland/religious-faith-in-the-case-of-the-hindus-has-never-been-allowed-to/) [Romain Rolland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romain-rolland/) > [I am not agnostic. I am atheist. I dont think there is no God; I know theres no God. I know theres no God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-carolla/i-am-not-agnostic-i-am-atheist-i-dont-think-there-is-no-god-i-know/) [Adam Carolla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-carolla/) > [“I've always thought an agnostic is an atheist without the courage of his convictions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/i-ve-always-thought-an-agnostic-is-an-atheist-without-the-courage-of/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [I'm a linear thinking agnostic, but not an atheist folks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-peart/i-m-a-linear-thinking-agnostic-but-not-an-atheist-folks/) [Neil Peart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-peart/) > [“...properly a theory about knowledge, not about religion. A theist and a Christian may be an agnostic; an atheist may not be an agnostic.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-flint/properly-a-theory-about-knowledge-not-about-religion-a-theist-and-a/) [Robert Flint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-flint/) > [I'm a firm believer when everybody in the community gets excited, it's a positive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-glazer/i-m-a-firm-believer-when-everybody-in-the-community-gets-excited-it-s/) [Joel Glazer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-glazer/) > [Everybody is a True Believer. Everybody has a little nugget they're convinced of that is the opposite of the nugget on the other side.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-haddam/everybody-is-a-true-believer-everybody-has-a-little-nugget-they-re/) [Jane Haddam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-haddam/) > [I am not an atheist or a believer or even a satanist. What am I? I am just me with all my bads and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-malfatti/i-am-not-an-atheist-or-a-believer-or-even-a-satanist-what-am-i-i-am/) [Jean-Paul Malfatti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-malfatti/) ## More by Rob Bell > [If the gospel isn't good news for everybody, then it isn't good news for anybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/if-the-gospel-isn-t-good-news-for-everybody-then-it-isn-t-good-news/) [Rob Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bell/) > [Why blame the dark for being dark? It is far more helpful to ask why the light isn’t as bright as it could be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/why-blame-the-dark-for-being-dark-it-is-far-more-helpful-to-ask-why/) [Rob Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bell/) > [“This story... blasts to pieces our biases and labels with a declaration that God is on everyone's side, extending grace and compassion to everyone,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/this-story-blasts-to-pieces-our-biases-and-labels-with-a-declaration/) [Rob Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bell/) > [One truth is that suffering raises profound questions with the universe. The other truth is that grace, gift and generosity also raise profound questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/one-truth-is-that-suffering-raises-profound-questions-with-the/) [Rob Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bell/) > [For Jesus, heaven and hell were present realities. Ways of living we can enter into here and now. He talked very little of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/for-jesus-heaven-and-hell-were-present-realities-ways-of-living-we/) [Rob Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bell/) > [Love is what God is, love is why Jesus came, and love is why he continues to come, year after year to person after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/love-is-what-god-is-love-is-why-jesus-came-and-love-is-why-he/) [Rob Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bell/) > [I believe that God is love. I believe that Jesus came to show us this love, to give us this love, to teach us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/i-believe-that-god-is-love-i-believe-that-jesus-came-to-show-us-this/) [Rob Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bell/) > [If the gospel isn't good news for everybody, then it isn't good news for anybody. And this is because the most powerful things happen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/if-the-gospel-isn-t-good-news-for-everybody-then-it-isn-t-good-news-2/) [Rob Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bell/) > [“I don’t read the Bible like a flat line. I don’t see all of the passages in the Bible sitting equally side by side…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/i-don-t-read-the-bible-like-a-flat-line-i-don-t-see-all-of-the/) [Rob Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bell/) > [To elevate abstract doctrines and dogmas over living, breathing, embodied experiences of God's love and grace, then, is going the wrong direction. It's taking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/to-elevate-abstract-doctrines-and-dogmas-over-living-breathing/) [Rob Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bell/) > [The modern world has created airports and hospitals and put 10,000 songs in our pocket. It has built gleaming buildings and computers and advances…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/the-modern-world-has-created-airports-and-hospitals-and-put-10-000/) [Rob Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bell/) > [God is bigger than the Christian faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/god-is-bigger-than-the-christian-faith/) [Rob Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bell/) > [What you believe about the future shapes, informs, and determines how you live now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/what-you-believe-about-the-future-shapes-informs-and-determines-how/) [Rob Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bell/) > [The life you want begins by embracing the life you have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/the-life-you-want-begins-by-embracing-the-life-you-have/) [Rob Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bell/) > [It takes quite a spine to turn the other cheek. It takes phenomenal fortitude to love your enemy. It takes firm resolve to pray…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/it-takes-quite-a-spine-to-turn-the-other-cheek-it-takes-phenomenal/) [Rob Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bell/) [Explore all 305 Rob Bell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bell/) ## More Agnostic quotes > [“She herself vacillated when it came to belief. She did not particularly believe in God. Or, rather, she didn't believe in a particular God.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allegra-goodman/she-herself-vacillated-when-it-came-to-belief-she-did-not/) [Allegra Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allegra-goodman/) > [The prayer of the agnostic: "O God, if there is a God, save my soul if I have a soul."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-renan/the-prayer-of-the-agnostic-o-god-if-there-is-a-god-save-my-soul-if-i/) [Ernest Renan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-renan/) > [I'm actually, for the most part, a complete agnostic politically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-witten/i-m-actually-for-the-most-part-a-complete-agnostic-politically/) [Edward Witten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-witten/) > [Even when I was saying I was Agnostic and trying to figure out my thoughts, I felt God was allowing me to do that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfre-woodard/even-when-i-was-saying-i-was-agnostic-and-trying-to-figure-out-my/) [Alfre Woodard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfre-woodard/) > [There is, in fact, nothing about religious opinions that entitles them to any more respect than other opinions get. On the contrary, they tend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/there-is-in-fact-nothing-about-religious-opinions-that-entitles-them/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [“Some people are so stiff and inhumane as the dogma's they believe in”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/some-people-are-so-stiff-and-inhumane-as-the-dogma-s-they-believe-in/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [“An atheist is someone who is disappointed in his search of god. He is a man who strongly needed god but couldn't find him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/an-atheist-is-someone-who-is-disappointed-in-his-search-of-god-he-is/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [If a humanist or an atheist or an agnostic says, "We'll bake you a pie," we can go right into the kitchen and bake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madalyn-murray-o-hair/if-a-humanist-or-an-atheist-or-an-agnostic-says-we-ll-bake-you-a-pie/) [Madalyn Murray O'Hair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madalyn-murray-o-hair/) > [I'm agnostic because I went through the usual process of parents insisting you go to church, and yet they didn't. So there's me, sitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ridley-scott/i-m-agnostic-because-i-went-through-the-usual-process-of-parents/) [Ridley Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ridley-scott/) > [Intellect, at its best, can make you agnostic. Being theist or atheist is still a matter of choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raheel-farooq/intellect-at-its-best-can-make-you-agnostic-being-theist-or-atheist/) [Raheel Farooq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raheel-farooq/) > [To be agnostic is to be open-minded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-be-agnostic-is-to-be-open-minded/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [All Gaza's temples are torn down and burned and the city is cleansed of every belief but the Christian faith. The most stubborn opponents,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsay-macmullen/all-gaza-s-temples-are-torn-down-and-burned-and-the-city-is-cleansed/) [Ramsay MacMullen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsay-macmullen/) > [I'm still agnostic. But in the words of Elton Richards, I'm now a reverant agnostic. Which isn't an oxymoron, I swear. I now believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-still-agnostic-but-in-the-words-of-elton-richards-i-m-now-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I'm agnostic. By definition, I'm unsure of what to believe in, but I'm also borderline-capable of believing in anything and everything, or nothing at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-lola/i-m-agnostic-by-definition-i-m-unsure-of-what-to-believe-in-but-i-m/) [Lauren Lola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-lola/) > [“The Agnostic is one who asserts 'what no one denies' that there are limits to the sphere of human intelligence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-stephen/the-agnostic-is-one-who-asserts-what-no-one-denies-that-there-are/) [Leslie Stephen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-stephen/) [Browse all 492 Agnostic quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agnostic/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Being a pastor for 20 years I realized that the labels, agnostic, atheist, believer, everybody's human and everybody wants to know what kind of universe we're living in, and everybody's living according to a story.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rob Bell" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/being-a-pastor-for-20-years-i-realized-that-the-labels-agnostic/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Agnostic" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/being-a-pastor-for-20-years-i-realized-that-the-labels-agnostic/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d21/rob-bell-1025_agnostic_being-a-pastor-for-20-years-i-realized-t_2017274.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d21/rob-bell-1025_agnostic_being-a-pastor-for-20-years-i-realized-t_2017274.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d21/rob-bell-1025_agnostic_being-a-pastor-for-20-years-i-realized-t_2017274.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Being a pastor for 20 years I realized that the labels, agnostic, atheist, believer, everybody's human and…” — Rob Bell", "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": "Rob Bell", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bell/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Being a pastor for 20 years...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/being-a-pastor-for-20-years-i-realized-that-the-labels-agnostic/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/being-a-pastor-for-20-years-i-realized-that-the-labels-agnostic/#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 } } ] } ```