--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In becoming the universe God abdicated…" description: "\"“In becoming the universe God abdicated. He destroyed himself as God. He turned what he had been, his true self, into nullity and thereby forfeited the..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/809/simon-raven-35235_god-is-dead_in-becoming-the-universe-god-abdicated-h_2162613.png" --- # In becoming the universe God abdicated. He destroyed… ![“In becoming the universe God abdicated. He destroyed himself as God. He turned what he had been, his true self, into nullity and thereby forfeited the Godlike qualities which pertained to him. The universe which he has become is also his grave. He has no control in it or over it. God, as God, is…” quote by Simon Raven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/809/simon-raven-35235_god-is-dead_in-becoming-the-universe-god-abdicated-h_2162613.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/809/simon-raven-35235_god-is-dead_in-becoming-the-universe-god-abdicated-h_2162613.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/809/simon-raven-35235_god-is-dead_in-becoming-the-universe-god-abdicated-h_2162613.png) > ““In becoming the universe God abdicated. He destroyed himself as God. He turned what he had been, his true self, into nullity and thereby forfeited the Godlike qualities which pertained to him. The universe which he has become is also his grave. He has no control in it or over it. God, as God, is dead.”” [Simon Raven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-raven/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage suggests that by becoming the universe, God loses divine attributes and becomes powerless, equating existence with death. **In simple terms:** God becomes the universe, loses power, becomes dead. Key Takeaway Consider the limits of power and the cost of self‑annihilation. Themes power existence nihilism divinity transformation Mood contemplative somber philosophical Type theological existential literary When to use this quote - personal sacrifice - spiritual crisis - philosophical debate - creative writing Key Concepts metaphysics theology existentialism Questions to Reflect On - What does it mean to lose identity in becoming something larger? - Is power inherently tied to divinity? A Different Perspective Assumes a specific theological view not universally accepted. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [God is dead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-is-dead/) [Pandeism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pandeism/) ## Related quotes > [“We in the West regard the universe as a creation of God; like an invention or a product. After he created the universe, God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-sharpe/we-in-the-west-regard-the-universe-as-a-creation-of-god-like-an/) Warren Sharpe > [Just thinking about that, if that were to really happen, if an alien were to come down and really abduct you, how terrifying and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-peters/just-thinking-about-that-if-that-were-to-really-happen-if-an-alien/) [Evan Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-peters/) > [God created dinosaurs. God destroyed dinosaurs. God created Man. Man destroyed God. Man created dinosaurs. Dinosaurs eat man...Woman inherits the earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/god-created-dinosaurs-god-destroyed-dinosaurs-god-created-man-man/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [God split himself into a myriad parts that he might have friends. This may not be true, but it sounds good, and is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/god-split-himself-into-a-myriad-parts-that-he-might-have-friends-this/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“My religious beliefs also defied convention, leaning towards agnosticism and pandeism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-tennyson/my-religious-beliefs-also-defied-convention-leaning-towards/) [Alfred Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-tennyson/) > [And you have been forever, and will be forever, and all the worrisome smashings of your foot on innocent cupboard doors it was only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/and-you-have-been-forever-and-will-be-forever-and-all-the-worrisome/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“This one god could be of the deistic or pantheistic sort. Deism might be superior in explaining why God has seemingly left us to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raphael-lataster/this-one-god-could-be-of-the-deistic-or-pantheistic-sort-deism-might/) Raphael Lataster > [“A God who knew the answer to that question would indeed know everything and have everything. For that reason he would be unmotivated to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/a-god-who-knew-the-answer-to-that-question-would-indeed-know/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [“God did not create the world, He became the world. God became the world to realize himself, in material form, to realize an eternal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-waton/god-did-not-create-the-world-he-became-the-world-god-became-the-world/) Harry Waton > [“Pandeism, or Pantheism of the Red race.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-vaughan-hyde-kenealy/pandeism-or-pantheism-of-the-red-race/) Edward Vaughan Hyde Kenealy > [“I think I’d know it if we were part of an omnipotent being,” I said. “Would you? Your skin cells are not aware that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/i-think-i-d-know-it-if-we-were-part-of-an-omnipotent-being-i-said/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [“Pandeism: This is the belief that God created the universe, is now one with it, and so, is no longer a separate conscious entity.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-dawe/pandeism-this-is-the-belief-that-god-created-the-universe-is-now-one/) Alan Dawe > [God turned to speak to me (Don't anybody laugh); God found I wasn't there At least not over half.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/god-turned-to-speak-to-me-don-t-anybody-laugh-god-found-i-wasn-t/) [Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/) > [“I swear you're sitting there looking like God's turned his back on you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-grace-walker/i-swear-you-re-sitting-there-looking-like-god-s-turned-his-back-on-you/) [Clara Grace Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-grace-walker/) > [“God, the devil, and Orafoura were walking along a river one day when they came across three naked women splashing in the water. God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/god-the-devil-and-orafoura-were-walking-along-a-river-one-day-when/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) ## More by Simon Raven > [I loved the Army as an institution and loathed every single thing it required me to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-raven/i-loved-the-army-as-an-institution-and-loathed-every-single-thing-it/) [Simon Raven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-raven/) > [Scholarship was one thing, drudgery another. I very soon concluded that nothing would induce me to read, let alone make notes on, hundreds and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-raven/scholarship-was-one-thing-drudgery-another-i-very-soon-concluded-that/) [Simon Raven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-raven/) > [I wanted to look at the upper-middle-class scene since the war, and in particular my generation's part in it. We had spent our early…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-raven/i-wanted-to-look-at-the-upper-middle-class-scene-since-the-war-and-in/) [Simon Raven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-raven/) > [And so, at the age of thirty, I had successively disgraced myself with three fine institutions, each of which had made me free of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-raven/and-so-at-the-age-of-thirty-i-had-successively-disgraced-myself-with/) [Simon Raven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-raven/) > [How can I go on with this? Please God, let me win a football pool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-raven/how-can-i-go-on-with-this-please-god-let-me-win-a-football-pool/) [Simon Raven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-raven/) > [Nobody minded what you did in bed or what you said about God, a very civilized attitude in 1948.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-raven/nobody-minded-what-you-did-in-bed-or-what-you-said-about-god-a-very/) [Simon Raven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-raven/) > [Gentlemen can now only behave as such, or be tolerated as such, in circumstances that are manifestly contrived or unreal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-raven/gentlemen-can-now-only-behave-as-such-or-be-tolerated-as-such-in/) [Simon Raven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-raven/) > [... life is short and the world is wide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-raven/life-is-short-and-the-world-is-wide/) [Simon Raven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-raven/) > [Art for art's sake, money for God's sake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-raven/art-for-art-s-sake-money-for-god-s-sake/) [Simon Raven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-raven/) > [Since life is short and the world is wide, the sooner you start exploring it, the better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-raven/since-life-is-short-and-the-world-is-wide-the-sooner-you-start/) [Simon Raven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-raven/) > [“Dusk is the time when men whisper of matters about which they remain silent in the full light of the sun.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-raven/dusk-is-the-time-when-men-whisper-of-matters-about-which-they-remain/) [Simon Raven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-raven/) > [Christ asked for everything he got.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-raven/christ-asked-for-everything-he-got/) [Simon Raven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-raven/) [Explore all 13 Simon Raven quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-raven/) ## More God is dead quotes > [“God is dead! Only the IT department can help you now.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-smegger-p-79-in-maryjanice-davidson-s-i-super-girl-i/god-is-dead-only-the-it-department-can-help-you-now/) Edward Smegger p. 79 in MaryJanice Davidson's i Super Girl i > [“So instead of providing another intellectual answer that would be ignored, David cut right to the heart. He said, “You’re raising all of these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-turek/so-instead-of-providing-another-intellectual-answer-that-would-be/) [Frank Turek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-turek/) > [One of the awful things about writing when you are a Christian is that for you the ultimate reality is the Incarnation, the present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flannery-o-connor/one-of-the-awful-things-about-writing-when-you-are-a-christian-is/) [Flannery O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flannery-o-connor/) > [“God is dead," said Maneck. "That's what a German philosopher wrote." She was shocked. "Trust the Germans to say such things," she frowned. "And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohinton-mistry/god-is-dead-said-maneck-that-s-what-a-german-philosopher-wrote-she/) [Rohinton Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohinton-mistry/) > [“Morning” “God is dead.” “Coffee?” “Fuck you.” “Again?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-hodkin/morning-god-is-dead-coffee-fuck-you-again/) [Michelle Hodkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-hodkin/) > [“But what is the philosophy of this generation? Not God is dead, that point was passed long ago. Perhaps it should be stated Death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-bellow/but-what-is-the-philosophy-of-this-generation-not-god-is-dead-that/) [Saul Bellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-bellow/) > [“Hell is only the Cringe Eternal and the Place of our Self's Undoing. When Nietzsche proclaimed "God is Dead!" he forgot to add that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-morrison/hell-is-only-the-cringe-eternal-and-the-place-of-our-self-s-undoing/) [Grant Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-morrison/) > [God is dead, and there is an actor playing his part](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-charnin/god-is-dead-and-there-is-an-actor-playing-his-part/) Martin Charnin > [God is dead!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-rard-de-nerval/god-is-dead/) [Gerard De Nerval](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-rard-de-nerval/) > [“So God is dead, at least as a swearword, but hate and feces keep going strong. Le roi est mort, vive le fucking roi.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/so-god-is-dead-at-least-as-a-swearword-but-hate-and-feces-keep-going/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [PROCTOR, his mind wild, breathless: I say--I say--God is dead!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-miller/proctor-his-mind-wild-breathless-i-say-i-say-god-is-dead/) [Arthur Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-miller/) > [“Gods too decompose. God is dead. God remains dead. We have killed him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/gods-too-decompose-god-is-dead-god-remains-dead-we-have-killed-him/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [God is dead. Let us not understand by this that he does not exist or even that he no longer exists. He is dead.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/god-is-dead-let-us-not-understand-by-this-that-he-does-not-exist-or/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [God is dead, God remains dead, and we have killed him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/god-is-dead-god-remains-dead-and-we-have-killed-him/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Men to whom God is dead worship one another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-crews/men-to-whom-god-is-dead-worship-one-another/) [Harry Crews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-crews/) [Browse all 92 God is dead quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-is-dead/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“In becoming the universe God abdicated. He destroyed himself as God. He turned what he had been, his true self, into nullity and thereby forfeited the Godlike qualities which pertained to him. The universe which he has become is also his grave. He has no control in it or over it. God, as God, is dead.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Simon Raven" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-raven/in-becoming-the-universe-god-abdicated-he-destroyed-himself-as-god-he/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "God is dead" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-raven/in-becoming-the-universe-god-abdicated-he-destroyed-himself-as-god-he/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/809/simon-raven-35235_god-is-dead_in-becoming-the-universe-god-abdicated-h_2162613.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/809/simon-raven-35235_god-is-dead_in-becoming-the-universe-god-abdicated-h_2162613.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/809/simon-raven-35235_god-is-dead_in-becoming-the-universe-god-abdicated-h_2162613.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In becoming the universe God abdicated. He destroyed himself as God. He turned what he had been, his true…” — Simon Raven", "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": "Simon Raven", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-raven/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“In becoming the universe God abdicated....", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-raven/in-becoming-the-universe-god-abdicated-he-destroyed-himself-as-god-he/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-raven/in-becoming-the-universe-god-abdicated-he-destroyed-himself-as-god-he/#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 } } ] } ```