--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To know God better is only to realize how…" description: "\"To know God better is only to realize how impossible it is that we should ever know him at all. I know not which is more childish to deny him, or defin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3f/samuel-butler-823_deny_to-know-god-better-is-only-to-realize-ho_2736999.jpg" --- # To know God better is only to realize how impossible it is… ![“To know God better is only to realize how impossible it is that we should ever know him at all. I know not which is more childish to deny him, or define him.” quote by Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3f/samuel-butler-823_deny_to-know-god-better-is-only-to-realize-ho_2736999.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3f/samuel-butler-823_deny_to-know-god-better-is-only-to-realize-ho_2736999.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3f/samuel-butler-823_deny_to-know-god-better-is-only-to-realize-ho_2736999.jpg) > “To know God better is only to realize how impossible it is that we should ever know him at all. I know not which is more childish to deny him, or define him.” [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Understanding God is limited; the paradox of seeking knowledge of the divine reveals human humility and the mystery of faith. **In simple terms:** Knowing God is impossible, leading to humility. Key Takeaway Accept mystery, stay humble. Themes faith philosophy humility existence paradox Mood contemplative skeptical Type philosophical spiritual When to use this quote - personal prayer - philosophical debate - religious study Key Concepts theology epistemology spiritual doubt Questions to Reflect On - What does uncertainty teach you about belief? - Can humility coexist with conviction? A Different Perspective May alienate believers seeking certainty. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Deny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deny/) [God Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-better/) [Impossible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impossible/) [Impossible Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impossible-know-292620/) [Know God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-god/) [Realize Impossible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realize-impossible-1628229/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) ## Related quotes > [“It’s impossible to know what sin is if we don’t know what God says.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacquelle-crowe/it-s-impossible-to-know-what-sin-is-if-we-don-t-know-what-god-says/) [Jacquelle Crowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacquelle-crowe/) > [It's very liberating when you finally realize it's impossible to make everyone like you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mayer/it-s-very-liberating-when-you-finally-realize-it-s-impossible-to-make/) [John Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mayer/) > [“Once, I thought I knew Cal’s heart, but now I realize that is impossible. No heart can ever be truly understood. Not even your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-aveyard/once-i-thought-i-knew-cal-s-heart-but-now-i-realize-that-is/) [Victoria Aveyard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-aveyard/) > [One day my heart and soul will realize the impossible improbability my mind already knows..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/one-day-my-heart-and-soul-will-realize-the-impossible-improbability/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [One seeks to know the self better in order to know God better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-gaustad/one-seeks-to-know-the-self-better-in-order-to-know-god-better/) [Edwin Gaustad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-gaustad/) > [It's impossible to know who Donald might have been under different circumstances and with different parents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-l-trump/it-s-impossible-to-know-who-donald-might-have-been-under-different/) [Mary L. Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-l-trump/) > [“How can we claim to know God but deny Him in our action?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/how-can-we-claim-to-know-god-but-deny-him-in-our-action/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [It is impossible to know what people will like. No market research, formulas will help, it's best to stop guessing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajkumar-hirani/it-is-impossible-to-know-what-people-will-like-no-market-research/) [Rajkumar Hirani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajkumar-hirani/) > [“There are times when I think it's impossible to know another soul. I don't know, maybe we're lucky that way. 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Even wanting to help, rescue is impossible. I know of no condition more painful than that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clamp/even-knowing-all-being-forbidden-to-tell-even-wanting-to-help-rescue/) [CLAMP](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clamp/) ## More by Samuel Butler > [Is life worth living? This is a question for an embryo not for a man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/is-life-worth-living-this-is-a-question-for-an-embryo-not-for-a-man/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [I am the enfant terrible of literature and science. If I cannot, and I know I cannot, get the literary and scientific bigwigs to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/i-am-the-enfant-terrible-of-literature-and-science-if-i-cannot-and-i/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [If you follow reason far enough it always leads to conclusions that are contrary to reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/if-you-follow-reason-far-enough-it-always-leads-to-conclusions-that/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [All animals, except man, know that the principal business of life is to enjoy it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/all-animals-except-man-know-that-the-principal-business-of-life-is-to/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [The advantage of doing one's praising for oneself is that one can lay it on so thick and exactly in the right places.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/the-advantage-of-doing-one-s-praising-for-oneself-is-that-one-can-lay/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [Spare the rod and spoil the child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/spare-the-rod-and-spoil-the-child/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [Opinions have vested interests just as men have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/opinions-have-vested-interests-just-as-men-have/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [“we must judge men not so much by what they, as by what they make us feel that they have it in them to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/we-must-judge-men-not-so-much-by-what-they-as-by-what-they-make-us/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [If I die prematurely I shall be saved from being bored to death at my own success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/if-i-die-prematurely-i-shall-be-saved-from-being-bored-to-death-at-my/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [Vaccination is the medical sacrament corresponding to baptism. Whether it is or is not more efficacious I do not know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/vaccination-is-the-medical-sacrament-corresponding-to-baptism-whether/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [“Having, then, once introduced an element of inconsistency into his system, he was far too consistent not to be inconsistent consistently, and he lapsed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/having-then-once-introduced-an-element-of-inconsistency-into-his/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [Brigands demand your money or your life; women require both.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/brigands-demand-your-money-or-your-life-women-require-both/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [A man who lets himself be bored is even more contemptible than the bore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/a-man-who-lets-himself-be-bored-is-even-more-contemptible-than-the/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [It is not sufficiently considered in the hour of exultation, that all human excellence is comparative; that no man performs much but in proportion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/it-is-not-sufficiently-considered-in-the-hour-of-exultation-that-all/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [“The oldest books are still only just out to those who have not read them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/the-oldest-books-are-still-only-just-out-to-those-who-have-not-read/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) [Explore all 355 Samuel Butler quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) ## More Deny quotes > [A lot of indigenous cultures are deeply involved in working with ancestor spirits, elemental spirits, and demons. 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My heart and soul are filled with you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelly-thacker/i-ve-tried-to-deny-it-even-to-myself-my-heart-and-soul-are-filled/) [Shelly Thacker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelly-thacker/) > [“Just because you deny facts and science doesn't mean they aren't true”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-corn/just-because-you-deny-facts-and-science-doesn-t-mean-they-aren-t-true/) [Johnny Corn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-corn/) > [I do not believe that defending traditional marriage between one man and one woman excludes anybody or usurps anybody's civil rights and denies anybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-autry/i-do-not-believe-that-defending-traditional-marriage-between-one-man/) [Alan Autry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-autry/) > [Peace in the struggle to find peace.. comfort on the way to comfort. 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