---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He said his prayers just in case his…"
description: "\"“He said his prayers just in case his parents had been wrong about God all those years.”\" — Sherman Alexie"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/913/sherman-alexie-444_parenting_he-said-his-prayers-just-in-case-his-par_2154010.png"
---

#  He said his prayers just in case his parents had been…

![“He said his prayers just in case his parents had been wrong about God all those years.” quote by Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/913/sherman-alexie-444_parenting_he-said-his-prayers-just-in-case-his-par_2154010.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/913/sherman-alexie-444_parenting_he-said-his-prayers-just-in-case-his-par_2154010.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/913/sherman-alexie-444_parenting_he-said-his-prayers-just-in-case-his-par_2154010.png)

> ““He said his prayers just in case his parents had been wrong about God all those years.””

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A child doubts religious teachings when faced with contradictory evidence, reflecting uncertainty about faith inherited from parents.

**In simple terms:** Questioning faith when parents' beliefs seem flawed.

Key Takeaway

Examine your own inherited beliefs.

Themes

faith doubt family identity

Mood

conflicted reflective

Type

philosophical personal cultural

When to use this quote

- personal crisis
- religious questioning
- intergenerational conflict

Key Concepts

existentialism skepticism cognitive dissonance

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you reconcile inherited beliefs with personal experience?
- What role does family play in shaping your spirituality?

A Different Perspective

Faith may be deeply rooted in culture, making doubt socially challenging.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer/)

## Related quotes

> [“When a child is subjected to verbal attacks, she sees it not as something being done to her but as something she has caused…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-forward/when-a-child-is-subjected-to-verbal-attacks-she-sees-it-not-as/)

[Susan Forward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-forward/)

> [Just because a child does the littlest thing wrong you want to shout after them. Lord, its just one miner thing but when the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/just-because-a-child-does-the-littlest-thing-wrong-you-want-to-shout/)

[Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/)

> [Children, a lot of times, can't make their parents wrong because they have to live with them, because they have to love them. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lana-parrilla/children-a-lot-of-times-can-t-make-their-parents-wrong-because-they/)

[Lana Parrilla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lana-parrilla/)

> [I'm not saying that parents are always wrong or kids are always right~ I'm just saying that everyone has the right to take decisions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shabana-adam/i-m-not-saying-that-parents-are-always-wrong-or-kids-are-always-right/)

Shabana Adam

> [“That boy made me realize, for a while at least, that my parents were wrong, and I didn't have to be like them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-x-burros/that-boy-made-me-realize-for-a-while-at-least-that-my-parents-were/)

[J.X. Burros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-x-burros/)

> [Thanks Darling for the beautiful flowers and all the prayers. Now can you just get my puppy past security?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-taylor/thanks-darling-for-the-beautiful-flowers-and-all-the-prayers-now-can/)

[Elizabeth Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-taylor/)

> [I hope everybody can find a little flame. Me, I say my prayers, then just light myself on fire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/counting-crows/i-hope-everybody-can-find-a-little-flame-me-i-say-my-prayers-then/)

[Counting Crows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/counting-crows/)

> [“I believe our prayers do more than just petition the Father. I’ve become convinced that in some situations they actually release cumulative amounts of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dutch-sheets/i-believe-our-prayers-do-more-than-just-petition-the-father-i-ve/)

[Dutch Sheets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dutch-sheets/)

> [My prayers are just an outpouring of gratitude for the assurance of that most completely desired Will of God, which will seem all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-philippine-duchesne/my-prayers-are-just-an-outpouring-of-gratitude-for-the-assurance-of/)

[Rose Philippine Duchesne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-philippine-duchesne/)

> [Will you say your prayers just to be honest with yourself?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/silverstein/will-you-say-your-prayers-just-to-be-honest-with-yourself/)

[Silverstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/silverstein/)

> [“every night i say prayers for him just so he knows that when my day ends and i'm ready to dream he will always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-bernhard/every-night-i-say-prayers-for-him-just-so-he-knows-that-when-my-day/)

[Sandra Bernhard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-bernhard/)

> [God does answer prayers, you just have to be willing to listen and accept the answers given.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-does-answer-prayers-you-just-have-to-be-willing-to-listen-and/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [It's not that God doesn't answer prayers, it's just sometimes we ignore the answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/it-s-not-that-god-doesn-t-answer-prayers-it-s-just-sometimes-we/)

[Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/)

> [“When I was sure she was asleep, I got up and went into Mother's room and pulled her yellow nightie out from the bottom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-kagen/when-i-was-sure-she-was-asleep-i-got-up-and-went-into-mother-s-room/)

[Lesley Kagen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-kagen/)

> [I've always said prayers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-brown/i-ve-always-said-prayers/)

[Ian Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-brown/)

## More by Sherman Alexie

> [“He says the earth is an oval marble that nobody can win. He says the sky is not blue and the grass is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/he-says-the-earth-is-an-oval-marble-that-nobody-can-win-he-says-the/)

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

> [“Now, in the old days, Indians used to be forgiving of any kind of eccentricity. In fact, weird people were often celebrated. Epileptics were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/now-in-the-old-days-indians-used-to-be-forgiving-of-any-kind-of/)

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

> [Since Jesus was human then he most assuredly farted and burped. And if God did create us in God's image then God must fart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/since-jesus-was-human-then-he-most-assuredly-farted-and-burped-and-if/)

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

> [“A century ago she might have been beautiful, her face reflected in the river instead of a mirror. But all the years have changed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/a-century-ago-she-might-have-been-beautiful-her-face-reflected-in-the/)

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

> [“In all those stories, I could fly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/in-all-those-stories-i-could-fly/)

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

> [I don't think there's a whole lot of class literature at all. I think most of that has become racially based, and people don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-whole-lot-of-class-literature-at-all-i-think/)

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

> [She wanted to be buried in a coffin filled with used paperbacks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/she-wanted-to-be-buried-in-a-coffin-filled-with-used-paperbacks/)

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

> [“Is there really a difference between that killing and this killing? Does God approve of some killing and not other killing? If I kill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/is-there-really-a-difference-between-that-killing-and-this-killing/)

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

> [“Son, things have never been like how you think they used to be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/son-things-have-never-been-like-how-you-think-they-used-to-be/)

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

> [My parents banned nothing, though the Christian fundamentalists in my tribe held book-and-record burnings every now and again. So, yes, fundamentalist assholes can also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/my-parents-banned-nothing-though-the-christian-fundamentalists-in-my/)

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

> [“Or maybe I could have anesthetized myself with homework and extra credit and binge-reading.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/or-maybe-i-could-have-anesthetized-myself-with-homework-and-extra/)

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

> [“Dear wife, I'm sorry that I am mysteriously incapable of folding clean laundry, but I iron, oh, I iron. Sweetheart, I'll make your white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/dear-wife-i-m-sorry-that-i-am-mysteriously-incapable-of-folding-clean/)

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

> [“Gordy,” I said. “I need to talk to you." "I don't have time," he said. "Mr. Orcutt and I have to debug some PCs.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/gordy-i-said-i-need-to-talk-to-you-i-don-t-have-time-he-said-mr/)

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

> [“The United States wants all of us to forget the crimes it committed against the indigenous. The United States wants us to forget. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/the-united-states-wants-all-of-us-to-forget-the-crimes-it-committed/)

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

> [I think that white women are more apt to read laterally. So I think there's some strong identification for women, and their political and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/i-think-that-white-women-are-more-apt-to-read-laterally-so-i-think/)

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

[Explore all 546 Sherman Alexie quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

## More Parenting quotes

> [My mother says I didn't open my eyes for eight days after I was born, but when I did, the first thing I saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-taylor/my-mother-says-i-didn-t-open-my-eyes-for-eight-days-after-i-was-born/)

[Elizabeth Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-taylor/)

> [Of all the people who have affected my life and influenced the choices I've made, none has been more important than my father. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-atlas/of-all-the-people-who-have-affected-my-life-and-influenced-the/)

[Teddy Atlas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-atlas/)

> [“William didn't look like he'd be difficult about anything - he was thin and sandy-haired and already wore eyeglasses like his father. Most of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-c-wrede/william-didn-t-look-like-he-d-be-difficult-about-anything-he-was-thin/)

[Patricia C. Wrede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-c-wrede/)

> [I know for my wife and I, we always loved the idea of being young parents. It is an incredibly inspiring and challenging job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hanson/i-know-for-my-wife-and-i-we-always-loved-the-idea-of-being-young/)

[Taylor Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hanson/)

> [“Conception is the beginning of human life. From the time that an ovum is fertilized a new life begins that is neither that of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declaration-on-procured-abortion-congregation-for-the-doctrine-of-the-faith-1974/conception-is-the-beginning-of-human-life-from-the-time-that-an-ovum/)

Declaration on Procured Abortion Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith 1974

> [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“As members of the Church, there are things you cannot do. For one, you cannot take a Las Vegas-style vacation. I do not know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-grant-bangerter/as-members-of-the-church-there-are-things-you-cannot-do-for-one-you/)

[William Grant Bangerter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-grant-bangerter/)

> [“That’s all! Now either leave us alone or join us as a father rather than a receiver of sacrifices. You have the choice of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-simmons/that-s-all-now-either-leave-us-alone-or-join-us-as-a-father-rather/)

[Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/)

> [(knitting while on a motorcycle) "For several years she knitted in secret (my father would not approve; she was to concentrate on motorcycling and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-zimmermann/knitting-while-on-a-motorcycle-for-several-years-she-knitted-in/)

[Elizabeth Zimmermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-zimmermann/)

> [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. So as a child, when we were going to visit relatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/my-embarrassing-confession-is-that-my-father-is-a-camelot-the-musical/)

[Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/)

> [My parents were not musical, and they were not effervescent people; everything was very quiet. The music that I played was loud; it used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mclean/my-parents-were-not-musical-and-they-were-not-effervescent-people/)

[Don McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mclean/)

> [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/)

[Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/)

> [“Yes, the issue was courage. It always had been, even as a kid. Things scared him. He couldn't help it. Noise scared him, dark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-brien/yes-the-issue-was-courage-it-always-had-been-even-as-a-kid-things/)

[Tim O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-brien/)

> [“My father called twice and left a voicemail—who does that?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-erickson/my-father-called-twice-and-left-a-voicemail-who-does-that/)

[Megan Erickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-erickson/)

> [My father longed for a better life for us, and when I was nine he got a job as a heart surgeon in Belfast.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-melua/my-father-longed-for-a-better-life-for-us-and-when-i-was-nine-he-got/)

[Katie Melua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-melua/)

[Browse all 55,672 Parenting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“He said his prayers just in case his parents had been wrong about God all those years.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Sherman Alexie"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/he-said-his-prayers-just-in-case-his-parents-had-been-wrong-about-god/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Parenting"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/he-said-his-prayers-just-in-case-his-parents-had-been-wrong-about-god/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/913/sherman-alexie-444_parenting_he-said-his-prayers-just-in-case-his-par_2154010.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/913/sherman-alexie-444_parenting_he-said-his-prayers-just-in-case-his-par_2154010.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/913/sherman-alexie-444_parenting_he-said-his-prayers-just-in-case-his-par_2154010.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“He said his prayers just in case his parents had been wrong about God all those years.” — Sherman Alexie",
                "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": "Sherman Alexie",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“He said his prayers just in...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/he-said-his-prayers-just-in-case-his-parents-had-been-wrong-about-god/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/he-said-his-prayers-just-in-case-his-parents-had-been-wrong-about-god/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
