--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't know whether God talks to him or…" description: "\"I don't know whether God talks to him or whether he's trying to undo what his father did. But he believes in the mission. The body bags aren't going to..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f20/seymour-hersh-9648_bags_i-don-t-know-whether-god-talks-to-him-or_968174.jpg" --- # I don't know whether God talks to him or whether he's… ![“I don't know whether God talks to him or whether he's trying to undo what his father did. But he believes in the mission. The body bags aren't going to deter him. Public dissent isn't going to deter him. He's going to go ahead. And that's more frightening.” quote by Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f20/seymour-hersh-9648_bags_i-don-t-know-whether-god-talks-to-him-or_968174.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f20/seymour-hersh-9648_bags_i-don-t-know-whether-god-talks-to-him-or_968174.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f20/seymour-hersh-9648_bags_i-don-t-know-whether-god-talks-to-him-or_968174.jpg) > “I don't know whether God talks to him or whether he's trying to undo what his father did. But he believes in the mission. The body bags aren't going to deter him. Public dissent isn't going to deter him. He's going to go ahead. And that's more frightening.” [Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He doubts the divine guidance of a man, yet the man persists despite threats, making his resolve more terrifying. **In simple terms:** Uncertainty about divine influence, but persistence is frightening. Key Takeaway Question the motives behind relentless pursuit. Themes power determination faith danger Mood critical tense Type political philosophical When to use this quote - military operations - whistleblowing - political activism Key Concepts mission psychology obedience Questions to Reflect On - What drives someone to ignore personal risk? - How does belief affect moral choices? A Different Perspective Risk of glorifying dangerous conviction. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) [Dissent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dissent/) [Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father/) [Frightening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frightening/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Missions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/missions/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) ## Related quotes > [If George W. Bush had gone into Iraq for cynical reasons, we could cut our losses now. What's frightening is that he did it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-hersh/if-george-w-bush-had-gone-into-iraq-for-cynical-reasons-we-could-cut/) [Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/) > [We talk to God--that is prayer; God talks to us--that is inspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-emilie-cady/we-talk-to-god-that-is-prayer-god-talks-to-us-that-is-inspiration/) [H. Emilie Cady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-emilie-cady/) > [If you tell people you talk to God, they'll think you're religious, but if you say God talks to you, it's ten to one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fulghum/if-you-tell-people-you-talk-to-god-they-ll-think-you-re-religious-but/) [Robert Fulghum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fulghum/) > [You talk to God, you're religious. God talks to you, you're psychotic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-egan/you-talk-to-god-you-re-religious-god-talks-to-you-you-re-psychotic/) Doris Egan > [When we talk to god, it's prayer. When god talks to us, it's schizophrenia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-tomlin/when-we-talk-to-god-it-s-prayer-when-god-talks-to-us-it-s/) [Lily Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-tomlin/) > [“there is a vast difference between talking about God and listening to a God who talks to you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-bevere/there-is-a-vast-difference-between-talking-about-god-and-listening-to/) [Lisa Bevere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-bevere/) > [ When He \[God\] talks of their losing their selves, He means only abandoning the clamour of self-will; once they have done that, He really… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-he-god-talks-of-their-losing-their-selves-he-means-only/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Prayer is communication. Communication involves dialoguing and listening. You talk, God listens. Then God talks and you listen. I think many people, like me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-r-davis/prayer-is-communication-communication-involves-dialoguing-and/) [Lynn R. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-r-davis/) > [“We talk to God—that is prayer; God talks to us—that is inspiration. We go apart to get still, that new life, new inspiration, new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-emilie-cady/we-talk-to-god-that-is-prayer-god-talks-to-us-that-is-inspiration-we/) [H. Emilie Cady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-emilie-cady/) > [When God talks to humans he doesn't want humans to hear his voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gao-xingjian/when-god-talks-to-humans-he-doesn-t-want-humans-to-hear-his-voice/) [Gao Xingjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gao-xingjian/) > [God talks incessantly. But, as it turns out, mankind is deaf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-williams-jr/god-talks-incessantly-but-as-it-turns-out-mankind-is-deaf/) [Don Williams Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-williams-jr/) > [When we talk to God, we're praying. When God talks to us, we're schizophrenic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-wagner/when-we-talk-to-god-we-re-praying-when-god-talks-to-us-we-re/) [Jane Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-wagner/) > [“If a man wants to be always in God’s company, he must pray regularly and read spiritual books regularly. When we pray, we talk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isidore-of-seville/if-a-man-wants-to-be-always-in-god-s-company-he-must-pray-regularly/) [Isidore of Seville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isidore-of-seville/) > [God never talks. But the devil keeps advertising, Father. The devil does a lot of commercials.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-peter-blatty/god-never-talks-but-the-devil-keeps-advertising-father-the-devil-does/) [William Peter Blatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-peter-blatty/) > [In our prayers, we talk to God, in our Bible study, God talks to us, and we had better let God do most of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-l-moody/in-our-prayers-we-talk-to-god-in-our-bible-study-god-talks-to-us-and/) [Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/) ## More by Seymour Hersh > [I can't fudge what I write. But I can certainly fudge what I say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-hersh/i-can-t-fudge-what-i-write-but-i-can-certainly-fudge-what-i-say/) [Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/) > [If Bush had gone into Iraq for cynical reasons, we could cut our losses now. What's frightening is that he did it for ideological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-hersh/if-bush-had-gone-into-iraq-for-cynical-reasons-we-could-cut-our/) [Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/) > [At a meeting in her office in the late summer of 2002, months before the war in Iraq, prisoner abuse at Guantanamo is discussed.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-hersh/at-a-meeting-in-her-office-in-the-late-summer-of-2002-months-before/) [Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/) > [Using words to make other people less big made me feel bigger, though the psychological dimension to that... well, I don't want to explore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-hersh/using-words-to-make-other-people-less-big-made-me-feel-bigger-though/) [Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/) > [I didn't know I was gonna be a writer when I started out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-hersh/i-didn-t-know-i-was-gonna-be-a-writer-when-i-started-out/) [Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/) > [We'd be better off if the whole purpose of the adventure in Iraq was, say, to protect Israel or to protect the flow of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-hersh/we-d-be-better-off-if-the-whole-purpose-of-the-adventure-in-iraq-was/) [Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/) > [The idea of photographing an Arab man naked and having him simulate homosexual activity, and having an American GI woman in the photographs, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-hersh/the-idea-of-photographing-an-arab-man-naked-and-having-him-simulate/) [Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/) > [There's been a lot of talk about how bad the reporting was, particularly with the George W. Bush Administration after 9/11. The general assumption,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-hersh/there-s-been-a-lot-of-talk-about-how-bad-the-reporting-was/) [Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/) > [Grab whom you must. Do what you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-hersh/grab-whom-you-must-do-what-you-want/) [Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/) > [If George W. Bush had gone into Iraq for cynical reasons, we could cut our losses now. What's frightening is that he did it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-hersh/if-george-w-bush-had-gone-into-iraq-for-cynical-reasons-we-could-cut/) [Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/) > [I don't think I've ever met a public official that didn't think he was doing the right thing. I can't think of one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-hersh/i-don-t-think-i-ve-ever-met-a-public-official-that-didn-t-think-he/) [Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/) > [How can you have a security guarantee? The Europeans can give their security guarantees to Iran all they want in return for their stopping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-hersh/how-can-you-have-a-security-guarantee-the-europeans-can-give-their/) [Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/) > [I don't know Condoleezza Rice personally. I'm sure she's a nice lady, and I'm sure she plays the piano well. But she was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-hersh/i-don-t-know-condoleezza-rice-personally-i-m-sure-she-s-a-nice-lady/) [Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/) > [And then, of course, Bush won reelection, with everything out there, all of our complaints, all of the issues, all of the troubles with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-hersh/and-then-of-course-bush-won-reelection-with-everything-out-there-all/) [Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/) > [The day after 9/11, we should have gone to Russia. We did the one thing that George Kennan warned us never to do -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-hersh/the-day-after-9-11-we-should-have-gone-to-russia-we-did-the-one-thing/) [Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/) [Explore all 71 Seymour Hersh quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/) ## More Bags quotes > [Why couldn't Jesus command us to obsess over everything, to try to control and manipulate people, to try not to breathe at all, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/why-couldn-t-jesus-command-us-to-obsess-over-everything-to-try-to/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [I love Christopher Bailey and Burberry, Mulberry for bags, and Hudson for jeans. I like a little bit of designer with a bit of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cara-delevingne/i-love-christopher-bailey-and-burberry-mulberry-for-bags-and-hudson/) [Cara Delevingne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cara-delevingne/) > ['Constitutional' is just a real pip of a word. Positively rolls off the tongue. In fact, it's downright fun to say. 'Con-stit-too-shun-al.' It's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/constitutional-is-just-a-real-pip-of-a-word-positively-rolls-off-the/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [I don't really buy expensive clothes. I love good bags!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-siriano/i-don-t-really-buy-expensive-clothes-i-love-good-bags/) [Christian Siriano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-siriano/) > [I have a dress fitting to get to at three.' (Simon) 'Cool,' said Kyle, slinging his messenger bag over his shoulder and heading for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-have-a-dress-fitting-to-get-to-at-three-simon-cool-said-kyle/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Never bet with anyone you meet on the first tee who has a deep suntan, a 1-iron in his bag, and squinty eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-marr/never-bet-with-anyone-you-meet-on-the-first-tee-who-has-a-deep-suntan/) Dave Marr > [If you go out on the Appalachian Trail, you have to bring so much more equipment - a tent, sleeping bag - but if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bryson/if-you-go-out-on-the-appalachian-trail-you-have-to-bring-so-much-more/) [Bill Bryson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bryson/) > [Politics is not bean bags. It's serious, tough stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/politics-is-not-bean-bags-it-s-serious-tough-stuff/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [I like bags that are easy to wear and are pretty to look at. But I don't like them when they have no space…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-dellal/i-like-bags-that-are-easy-to-wear-and-are-pretty-to-look-at-but-i-don/) [Alice Dellal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-dellal/) > [I drive a Prius. I always turn my faucets off. I never use plastic bottles anymore. I use glass bottles. I bring my own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brooke-d-orsay/i-drive-a-prius-i-always-turn-my-faucets-off-i-never-use-plastic/) Brooke D'Orsay > [Then there are some minor points that strike me as suggestive - for instance, the position of Mrs. Hubbard's sponge bag, the name of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/then-there-are-some-minor-points-that-strike-me-as-suggestive-for/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [It was a mind-blowing experience, it really was-absolutely an awesome thing. . . . As I got to the top I released a bag…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-was-a-mind-blowing-experience-it-really-was-absolutely-an-awesome/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You know the best thing about aeroplanes? Apart from the peanuts in little silver bags, I mean. It's looking out of the windows at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-know-the-best-thing-about-aeroplanes-apart-from-the-peanuts-in/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [I'm not the Hollywood type. I'm not going to pack up my bags and let me move to Hollywood and stuff like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-henry/i-m-not-the-hollywood-type-i-m-not-going-to-pack-up-my-bags-and-let/) [Dwight Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-henry/) > [Everyone knows I drink a lot of Diet Coke, so...I drink chocolate milk after races as my recovery drink, and you won't ever find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-armstrong/everyone-knows-i-drink-a-lot-of-diet-coke-so-i-drink-chocolate-milk/) [Kristin Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-armstrong/) Browse all 1,147 Bags quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I don't know whether God talks to him or whether he's trying to undo what his father did. But he believes in the mission. The body bags aren't going to deter him. Public dissent isn't going to deter him. He's going to go ahead. And that's more frightening.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Seymour Hersh" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-hersh/i-don-t-know-whether-god-talks-to-him-or-whether-he-s-trying-to-undo/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bags" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-hersh/i-don-t-know-whether-god-talks-to-him-or-whether-he-s-trying-to-undo/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f20/seymour-hersh-9648_bags_i-don-t-know-whether-god-talks-to-him-or_968174.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f20/seymour-hersh-9648_bags_i-don-t-know-whether-god-talks-to-him-or_968174.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f20/seymour-hersh-9648_bags_i-don-t-know-whether-god-talks-to-him-or_968174.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I don't know whether God talks to him or whether he's trying to undo what his father did. But he believes in…” — Seymour Hersh", "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": "Seymour Hersh", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I don't know whether God talks...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-hersh/i-don-t-know-whether-god-talks-to-him-or-whether-he-s-trying-to-undo/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-hersh/i-don-t-know-whether-god-talks-to-him-or-whether-he-s-trying-to-undo/#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 } } ] } ```