--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When people argue for the existence of a…" description: "\"“When people argue for the existence of a supernatural God who is somewhere else and reaches in on occasion to do a miracle or two, they're skipping ov..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a4/rob-bell-1025_god_when-people-argue-for-the-existence-of-a_2180308.png" --- # When people argue for the existence of a supernatural God… ![“When people argue for the existence of a supernatural God who is somewhere else and reaches in on occasion to do a miracle or two, they're skipping over the very world that surrounds us and courses through our veins and lights up the sky right here, right now.” quote by Rob Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a4/rob-bell-1025_god_when-people-argue-for-the-existence-of-a_2180308.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a4/rob-bell-1025_god_when-people-argue-for-the-existence-of-a_2180308.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a4/rob-bell-1025_god_when-people-argue-for-the-existence-of-a_2180308.png) > ““When people argue for the existence of a supernatural God who is somewhere else and reaches in on occasion to do a miracle or two, they're skipping over the very world that surrounds us and courses through our veins and lights up the sky right here, right now.”” [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. The quote challenges belief in a distant, interventionist deity by urging focus on the tangible, present world and its inherent wonder. **In simple terms:** Focus on the here‑and‑now rather than distant miracles. Key Takeaway Appreciate everyday marvels. Themes spirituality nature mindfulness Mood contemplative inspired Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal reflection - environmental appreciation - scientific inquiry Key Concepts theism materialism existentialism Questions to Reflect On - How does recognizing the sacred in everyday life change your values? - What evidence of wonder do you see around you? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Existence Supernatural](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence-supernatural-4147122/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [God Reaches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-reaches-1979106/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Miracle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miracle/) [Miracles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miracles/) [Right now](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-now/) [Somewhere else](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/somewhere-else/) [Supernatural](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/supernatural/) [Supernatural God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/supernatural-god-2065495/) ## Related quotes > [God has you in the palm of His hand. He knows every need, every struggle & every desire. He has it all figured out...He's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-has-you-in-the-palm-of-his-hand-he-knows-every-need-every/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There is nothing impossible in the existence of the supernatural: its existence seems to me decidedly probable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-santayana/there-is-nothing-impossible-in-the-existence-of-the-supernatural-its/) [George Santayana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-santayana/) > [“Every argument for God and every attribute ascribed to Him rests on a false metaphysical premise. None can survive for a moment on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-peikoff/every-argument-for-god-and-every-attribute-ascribed-to-him-rests-on-a/) [Leonard Peikoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-peikoff/) > [For most cosmologists, a supernatural God is an unnecessary hypothesis. For most Americans, He is an unassailable fact. The American belief machine apparently has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-sloan/for-most-cosmologists-a-supernatural-god-is-an-unnecessary-hypothesis/) [Gary Sloan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-sloan/) > [Just as a child accepts explanations given them beyond their present understanding, we must be willing to abandon all natural logic or the demand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-w-griffin/just-as-a-child-accepts-explanations-given-them-beyond-their-present/) [Kenneth W Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-w-griffin/) > [The cross, as poignant as it is, is understandable from a human perspective: an innocent man was murdered by crooked politicians and religious leaders.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cymbala/the-cross-as-poignant-as-it-is-is-understandable-from-a-human/) [Jim Cymbala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cymbala/) > [“Do I have YOUR permission to be a Supernatural God? If I want to open heaven, and in a moment in time, touch the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-anderson/do-i-have-your-permission-to-be-a-supernatural-god-if-i-want-to-open/) [Jim Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-anderson/) > [“There is no fact, no detail of our life too sordid for God's intervention. God has seen murder. God has seen rape. God has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-cameron/there-is-no-fact-no-detail-of-our-life-too-sordid-for-god-s/) [Julia Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-cameron/) > [Just when you think it's over, God reaches down and says,Grab my hand, let me take over!! God is always on time!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/just-when-you-think-it-s-over-god-reaches-down-and-says-grab-my-hand/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [The Law of God reaches into every area of life, and it brings about incredible blessing and incredible freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-terry/the-law-of-god-reaches-into-every-area-of-life-and-it-brings-about/) [Randall Terry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-terry/) > [The grace of God reaches to the furthest extent to those who are prepared to acknowledge their need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-begg/the-grace-of-god-reaches-to-the-furthest-extent-to-those-who-are/) [Alistair Begg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alistair-begg/) > [The wonders of nature call to you. The promises and prophecies of Scripture speak to you. God himself reaches out to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/the-wonders-of-nature-call-to-you-the-promises-and-prophecies-of/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [“The story is not about the singular virtues of the one being called. The story is about a risk-taking, bold sort of God who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/the-story-is-not-about-the-singular-virtues-of-the-one-being-called/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [Prayer means that the total you is praying. Your whole being reaches out to God, and God reaches down to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-stanley-jones/prayer-means-that-the-total-you-is-praying-your-whole-being-reaches/) [E. Stanley Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-stanley-jones/) > [What kind of wonderful God is this who reaches down into the lives of people, picks them up, grants them faith, and changes them!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-begg/what-kind-of-wonderful-god-is-this-who-reaches-down-into-the-lives-of/) [Alistair Begg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alistair-begg/) ## 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 God quotes > [I don't drink much anymore, but when I traveled with Frank Sinatra, God rest his soul, I used to drink like I could do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-rickles/i-don-t-drink-much-anymore-but-when-i-traveled-with-frank-sinatra-god/) [Don Rickles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-rickles/) > [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. He hates it so much that He was willing to take on human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/god-hates-hell-he-hates-the-idea-of-people-going-there-he-hates-it-so/) [Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/) > [“am not suggesting that successes in academics, athletics, or vocation somehow stand outside God’s good plan. Learning and play are joys that God himself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-paul-jones/am-not-suggesting-that-successes-in-academics-athletics-or-vocation/) [Timothy Paul Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-paul-jones/) > [I pray that wherever we are and whatever duties we have in the priesthood of God, we will be united in the cause to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/i-pray-that-wherever-we-are-and-whatever-duties-we-have-in-the/) [Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [God's love never fail :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-s-love-never-fail/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Here's the reality. The image of a white Jesus has been used to justify enslavement, conquest, colonialism, the genocide of indigenous peoples. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/here-s-the-reality-the-image-of-a-white-jesus-has-been-used-to/) [Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/) > [The faster you go, the shorter you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-faster-you-go-the-shorter-you-are/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [A lot of people have been saying 'The 100' reminds them of 'Lord Of The Flies,' 'Lost' and 'Battlestar Galactica,' and all of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-avgeropoulos/a-lot-of-people-have-been-saying-the-100-reminds-them-of-lord-of-the/) [Marie Avgeropoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-avgeropoulos/) > [As we are coming to the end of the year, I want you to forget about the past, the failure, the negative thoughts or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-we-are-coming-to-the-end-of-the-year-i-want-you-to-forget-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I wonder: when a Jehovah's Witness dies and goes to Heaven, does God hide behind the door and pretend He's not home?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-celio/i-wonder-when-a-jehovah-s-witness-dies-and-goes-to-heaven-does-god/) [Brian Celio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-celio/) > [What would God have me do with my life?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/what-would-god-have-me-do-with-my-life/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [God always gets the glory when Jesus comes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louie-giglio/god-always-gets-the-glory-when-jesus-comes/) [Louie Giglio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louie-giglio/) > [“Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/do-all-the-good-you-can-by-all-the-means-you-can-in-all-the-ways-you/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [You are a God Act like one!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-leary/you-are-a-god-act-like-one/) [Timothy Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-leary/) [Browse all 37,707 God quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“When people argue for the existence of a supernatural God who is somewhere else and reaches in on occasion to do a miracle or two, they're skipping over the very world that surrounds us and courses through our veins and lights up the sky right here, right now.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rob Bell" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/when-people-argue-for-the-existence-of-a-supernatural-god-who-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "God" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/when-people-argue-for-the-existence-of-a-supernatural-god-who-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a4/rob-bell-1025_god_when-people-argue-for-the-existence-of-a_2180308.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a4/rob-bell-1025_god_when-people-argue-for-the-existence-of-a_2180308.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a4/rob-bell-1025_god_when-people-argue-for-the-existence-of-a_2180308.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When people argue for the existence of a supernatural God who is somewhere else and reaches in on occasion…” — 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": "“When people argue for the existence...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/when-people-argue-for-the-existence-of-a-supernatural-god-who-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/when-people-argue-for-the-existence-of-a-supernatural-god-who-is/#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 } } ] } ```