--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If we cannot find our way to a time when…" description: "\"If we cannot find our way to a time when most of us are willing to admit that, at the very least, we are not sure whether or not God wrote some of our ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78d/sam-harris-457_armageddon_if-we-cannot-find-our-way-to-a-time-when_2416003.jpg" --- # If we cannot find our way to a time when most of us are… ![“If we cannot find our way to a time when most of us are willing to admit that, at the very least, we are not sure whether or not God wrote some of our books, then we need only count the days to Armageddon-because God has given us far many more reasons to kill one another than to turn the other…” quote by Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78d/sam-harris-457_armageddon_if-we-cannot-find-our-way-to-a-time-when_2416003.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78d/sam-harris-457_armageddon_if-we-cannot-find-our-way-to-a-time-when_2416003.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78d/sam-harris-457_armageddon_if-we-cannot-find-our-way-to-a-time-when_2416003.jpg) > “If we cannot find our way to a time when most of us are willing to admit that, at the very least, we are not sure whether or not God wrote some of our books, then we need only count the days to Armageddon-because God has given us far many more reasons to kill one another than to turn the other cheek.” [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humanity’s moral contradictions fuel conflict more than divine fear, suggesting we must confront our own capacity for violence. **In simple terms:** People cause more harm themselves than fearing God. Key Takeaway Recognize and curb our own violent impulses. Themes morality conflict religion human nature Mood critical thought‑provoking Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - political discourse - interfaith dialogue - personal ethics - media commentary Key Concepts ethical relativism self‑reflection violence Questions to Reflect On - What personal biases drive your judgments about others? - How can we promote empathy over aggression? A Different Perspective Religious belief can also inspire compassion, not just violence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Armageddon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/armageddon/) [Atheist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheist/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Turn the other cheek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turn-the-other-cheek/) ## Related quotes > [“We don't know the Devil's side of the story, because God wrote all the books.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-a-konrath/we-don-t-know-the-devil-s-side-of-the-story-because-god-wrote-all-the/) [J.A. Konrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-a-konrath/) > [When I was very little, say five or six, I became aware of the fact that people wrote books. Before that, I thought that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/when-i-was-very-little-say-five-or-six-i-became-aware-of-the-fact/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [When I was very little, say five or six, I became aware of the fact that people wrote books. Before that, I thought that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/when-i-was-very-little-say-five-or-six-i-became-aware-of-the-fact-2/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [Who created The world does not know. this earth distorted his statements are presented as if God wrote it all down in front of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/who-created-the-world-does-not-know-this-earth-distorted-his/) Mak\_786 > [I believe God wrote the Word in your essence. That's the genius of my Father. You are born knowing right from wrong. You don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-griffin/i-believe-god-wrote-the-word-in-your-essence-that-s-the-genius-of-my/) [Eddie Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-griffin/) > [GOD never wrote a sad ending.He always write a happy endings.If at this point you're not happy,it means it's not yet the end.Don't loose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeramae-panabia/god-never-wrote-a-sad-ending-he-always-write-a-happy-endings-if-at/) [Jeramae Panabia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeramae-panabia/) > [God wrote His loveliest poem on the day He made the first silver poplar tree, And set it high upon a pale-gold hill For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-noll-crowell/god-wrote-his-loveliest-poem-on-the-day-he-made-the-first-silver/) [Grace Noll Crowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-noll-crowell/) > [Wouldst thou shut up the avenues of ill, Pay every debt as if God wrote the bill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/wouldst-thou-shut-up-the-avenues-of-ill-pay-every-debt-as-if-god/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“Did he really believe God wrote stories that were open to one explanation only? A story that knew but one explanation could hardly be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaim-potok/did-he-really-believe-god-wrote-stories-that-were-open-to-one/) [Chaim Potok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaim-potok/) > [It's a wonderful destiny! God made no mistakes when God wrote the beautiful, unfolding pattern of delight as You!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-beckwith/it-s-a-wonderful-destiny-god-made-no-mistakes-when-god-wrote-the/) [Michael Beckwith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-beckwith/) > [But the law of God came from heaven indeed. God wrote it with his finger, it is the fountain of all wisdom, and therefore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-jewel/but-the-law-of-god-came-from-heaven-indeed-god-wrote-it-with-his/) [John Jewel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-jewel/) > [“God, Himself, wrote the 10 into stone with his own finger. He told the epic of mankind, our origins and our future, in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-de-marigny/god-himself-wrote-the-10-into-stone-with-his-own-finger-he-told-the/) [Gerard de Marigny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-de-marigny/) > [All those writers who write about their own childhood! Gentle God, if I wrote about mine you wouldn't sit in the same room with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/all-those-writers-who-write-about-their-own-childhood-gentle-god-if-i/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [“Her pulse in my palm across her elegant throat is the loveliest melody God ever wrote.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-diedrich/her-pulse-in-my-palm-across-her-elegant-throat-is-the-loveliest/) [Kirk Diedrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-diedrich/) > [“God, too, I wrote, wishes we’d come to Him. But we humans prefer our silly playthings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shulem-deen/god-too-i-wrote-wishes-we-d-come-to-him-but-we-humans-prefer-our/) [Shulem Deen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shulem-deen/) ## More by Sam Harris > [“Moderates in every faith are obliged to loosely interpret (or simply ignore) much of their canons in the interests of living in the modern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/moderates-in-every-faith-are-obliged-to-loosely-interpret-or-simply/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [There is no question but that nominally religious scientists like Francis Collins and Kenneth R. Miller are doing lasting harm to our discourse by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/there-is-no-question-but-that-nominally-religious-scientists-like/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [We have Christians against Muslims against Jews, and no matter how liberal your theology, merely identifying yourself as a Christian or a Jew lends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/we-have-christians-against-muslims-against-jews-and-no-matter-how/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [“Your principal concern appears to be that the Creator of the universe will take offense at something people do while naked. This prudery of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/your-principal-concern-appears-to-be-that-the-creator-of-the-universe/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [“As manuals for contemplative understanding, the Bible and the Koran are worse than useless. Whatever wisdom can be found in their pages is never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/as-manuals-for-contemplative-understanding-the-bible-and-the-koran/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [About 120 million of us place the big bang 2,500 years after the Babylonians and Sumerians learned to brew beer. If our polls are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/about-120-million-of-us-place-the-big-bang-2-500-years-after-the/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [“If your golf instructor were to insist that you shave your head, sleep no more than four hours each night, renounce sex, and subsist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/if-your-golf-instructor-were-to-insist-that-you-shave-your-head-sleep/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [The fact that one can lose one's sense of self in an ocean of tranquility does not mean that one's consciousness is immaterial or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/the-fact-that-one-can-lose-one-s-sense-of-self-in-an-ocean-of/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [The second commandment is "Thou shall not construct any graven images." Is this really the pinnacle of what we can achieve morally? The second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/the-second-commandment-is-thou-shall-not-construct-any-graven-images/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [“But the reality of consciousness appears irreducible. Only consciousness can know itself—and directly, through first-person experience.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/but-the-reality-of-consciousness-appears-irreducible-only/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [“Whether or not one likes Huntington's formulation, one thing is clear: the evil that has finally reached our shores is not merely the evil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/whether-or-not-one-likes-huntington-s-formulation-one-thing-is-clear/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [The problem is that religion tends to give people bad reasons to be good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/the-problem-is-that-religion-tends-to-give-people-bad-reasons-to-be/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [Muslim moderates, wherever they are, must be given every tool necessary to win a war of ideas with their co-religionists. Otherwise, we will have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/muslim-moderates-wherever-they-are-must-be-given-every-tool-necessary/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [The idea that any one of our religions represents the infallible word of the One True God requires an encyclopedic ignorance of history, mythology,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/the-idea-that-any-one-of-our-religions-represents-the-infallible-word/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [“What could possibly cause billions of human beings to reconsider their religious beliefs? And yet, it is obvious that an utter revolution in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/what-could-possibly-cause-billions-of-human-beings-to-reconsider/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) [Explore all 543 Sam Harris quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) ## More Armageddon quotes > [“Gregory writes of Armageddon as if the Devil is getting off on using him literally to write that iniquitous beast into existence, into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-k-kuykendall/gregory-writes-of-armageddon-as-if-the-devil-is-getting-off-on-using/) [A.K. Kuykendall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-k-kuykendall/) > [When Paris Hilton can top the bestsellers' lists, we are one more Connect Four move closer to Armageddon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-taylor/when-paris-hilton-can-top-the-bestsellers-lists-we-are-one-more/) [Corey Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-taylor/) > [“Oh, one more thing,' Thor calls out. 'If I know my prophecy, and I do, you beautiful ladies had best start looking for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-keidl/oh-one-more-thing-thor-calls-out-if-i-know-my-prophecy-and-i-do-you/) [Daniel Keidl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-keidl/) > [“You are one of the unfortunate ones whose body decays rapidly in the face of radiation poisoning. You hang your head over the toilet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-lauer/you-are-one-of-the-unfortunate-ones-whose-body-decays-rapidly-in-the/) [A.J. Lauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-lauer/) > [Armageddon is not around the corner. This is only what the people of violence want us to believe. The complexity and diversity of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-palin/armageddon-is-not-around-the-corner-this-is-only-what-the-people-of/) [Michael Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-palin/) > [“But that's how it goes; you think you're on top of the world, and suddenly they spring Armageddon on you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/but-that-s-how-it-goes-you-think-you-re-on-top-of-the-world-and/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Deciding to spit in the eye of every homely matron who ever warned her children not to stare into the sun directly, you crank…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-keidl/deciding-to-spit-in-the-eye-of-every-homely-matron-who-ever-warned/) [Daniel Keidl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-keidl/) > [It boils down to this: we should have done with humbug, and let war be war, and not a game ... If there were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/it-boils-down-to-this-we-should-have-done-with-humbug-and-let-war-be/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [I have no belief in The Bible or religion, but I think Armageddon was a lucky guess. I honestly think it's going to happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-michael/i-have-no-belief-in-the-bible-or-religion-but-i-think-armageddon-was/) [George Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-michael/) > [“The front edge of the shockwave impacts the earth and you’re both shoved to your backs against the crumbling asphalt of the parking lot,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-keidl/the-front-edge-of-the-shockwave-impacts-the-earth-and-you-re-both/) [Daniel Keidl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-keidl/) > [No where else in Christianity does the terrible or heroic name of Armageddon play such role as in America. Not even in the Revelation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-rgen-moltmann/no-where-else-in-christianity-does-the-terrible-or-heroic-name-of/) [Jürgen Moltmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-rgen-moltmann/) > [We will have to wait a little longer to see if Armageddon has arrived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/we-will-have-to-wait-a-little-longer-to-see-if-armageddon-has-arrived/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [Also, we will make promise. So long as The Blood endures, I shall know that your good is mine: ye shall feel that my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/also-we-will-make-promise-so-long-as-the-blood-endures-i-shall-know/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Call me a flaming radical burning for attention, but my real intention is to spark a discussion of how we can peacefully transform our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-change/call-me-a-flaming-radical-burning-for-attention-but-my-real-intention/) Kathy Change > [If having scientists warning us about the end of the world isn't bad enough, religious folks are getting in on the act as well.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-having-scientists-warning-us-about-the-end-of-the-world-isn-t-bad/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 153 Armageddon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/armageddon/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If we cannot find our way to a time when most of us are willing to admit that, at the very least, we are not sure whether or not God wrote some of our books, then we need only count the days to Armageddon-because God has given us far many more reasons to kill one another than to turn the other cheek.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sam Harris" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/if-we-cannot-find-our-way-to-a-time-when-most-of-us-are-willing-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Armageddon" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/if-we-cannot-find-our-way-to-a-time-when-most-of-us-are-willing-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78d/sam-harris-457_armageddon_if-we-cannot-find-our-way-to-a-time-when_2416003.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78d/sam-harris-457_armageddon_if-we-cannot-find-our-way-to-a-time-when_2416003.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78d/sam-harris-457_armageddon_if-we-cannot-find-our-way-to-a-time-when_2416003.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If we cannot find our way to a time when most of us are willing to admit that, at the very least, we are not…” — Sam Harris", "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": "Sam Harris", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If we cannot find our way...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/if-we-cannot-find-our-way-to-a-time-when-most-of-us-are-willing-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/if-we-cannot-find-our-way-to-a-time-when-most-of-us-are-willing-to/#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 } } ] } ```