--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I cannot imagine God is up there…" description: "\"“I cannot imagine God is up there following some rulebook (or cookbook) that maps out all that must or should happen.”\" — Steven L Peck" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/779/steven-l-peck-2-55449_mormonism_i-cannot-imagine-god-is-up-there-followi_1654930.jpg" --- # I cannot imagine God is up there following some rulebook… ![“I cannot imagine God is up there following some rulebook (or cookbook) that maps out all that must or should happen.” quote by Steven L Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/779/steven-l-peck-2-55449_mormonism_i-cannot-imagine-god-is-up-there-followi_1654930.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/779/steven-l-peck-2-55449_mormonism_i-cannot-imagine-god-is-up-there-followi_1654930.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/779/steven-l-peck-2-55449_mormonism_i-cannot-imagine-god-is-up-there-followi_1654930.jpg) > ““I cannot imagine God is up there following some rulebook (or cookbook) that maps out all that must or should happen.”” [Steven L Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-l-peck-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Divine action cannot be confined to a fixed set of rules; the universe is too complex for a simple cookbook. **In simple terms:** God isn’t bound by a rulebook. Key Takeaway Embrace mystery in faith. Themes theology complexity uncertainty Mood contemplative hopeful Type theological inspirational When to use this quote - personal prayer - scientific inquiry - ethical decision‑making - creative writing Key Concepts process theology panentheism Questions to Reflect On - How do you reconcile faith with uncertainty? - What role does mystery play in your belief? A Different Perspective Some find comfort in structured doctrines. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Following Rulebook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/following-rulebook-694046/) [God Following](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-following-694045/) [Imagine God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagine-god/) [Maps Happen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/maps-happen-694048/) [Mormonism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mormonism/) [Nature-of-god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-god-2/) [Rulebook Cookbook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rulebook-cookbook-694047/) ## Related quotes > [“It should be our firm and inflexible resolution in such a case that it shall be no parting, but that we will follow them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/it-should-be-our-firm-and-inflexible-resolution-in-such-a-case-that/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [I've had people say to me, 'Look at the sky, the fields, the ocean, the beautiful sunset. Isn't that proof positive of God?' Following…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-romano/i-ve-had-people-say-to-me-look-at-the-sky-the-fields-the-ocean-the/) [Ray Romano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-romano/) > [Maybe God's goal wasn't for me to raise a good rule-following child. Instead, His goal was for me to raise a God-following adult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysa-terkeurst/maybe-god-s-goal-wasn-t-for-me-to-raise-a-good-rule-following-child/) [Lysa TerKeurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysa-terkeurst/) > [“What if the eternities are open? What if there is no set eternity to which we are heading? No teleology, as Bergson argued, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-l-peck-2/what-if-the-eternities-are-open-what-if-there-is-no-set-eternity-to/) [Steven L Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-l-peck-2/) > [“Our fellowship is with God when we have mutual fellowship with one another”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/our-fellowship-is-with-god-when-we-have-mutual-fellowship-with-one/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [ “...Teachings are given to different men under different circumstances and in different times... \[but\] ...the Lord is the same yesterday, today and forever. If… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-heimerdinger/teachings-are-given-to-different-men-under-different-circumstances/) [Chris Heimerdinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-heimerdinger/) > [“God uses His people as instruments for breakthrough”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/god-uses-his-people-as-instruments-for-breakthrough/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [“The purpose of life is fulfilling the essence of your creation”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/the-purpose-of-life-is-fulfilling-the-essence-of-your-creation/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [“God structures his authority based on how he operates internally—that is, how each member of the trinity sees and interacts with each other. God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-a-ashbaucher/god-structures-his-authority-based-on-how-he-operates-internally-that/) [Reid A. Ashbaucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-a-ashbaucher/) > [“Employment is a vicious cycle”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/employment-is-a-vicious-cycle/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [“Life is more than survival”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/life-is-more-than-survival/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [“Life is about pursuing the essence of creation”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/life-is-about-pursuing-the-essence-of-creation/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [“You cannot fellowship with God when you disqualify another person from fellowshipping with you”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/you-cannot-fellowship-with-god-when-you-disqualify-another-person/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [“Attitude is a state of mind that results in an action taken or an emotion displayed. Attitude, in the end, is a motivator or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-a-ashbaucher/attitude-is-a-state-of-mind-that-results-in-an-action-taken-or-an/) [Reid A. Ashbaucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-a-ashbaucher/) > [“You cannot receive God when you block people from your life”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/you-cannot-receive-god-when-you-block-people-from-your-life/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) ## More by Steven L Peck > [“What if the eternities are open? What if there is no set eternity to which we are heading? No teleology, as Bergson argued, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-l-peck-2/what-if-the-eternities-are-open-what-if-there-is-no-set-eternity-to/) [Steven L Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-l-peck-2/) > [“When there is only one thing, what can be added or subtracted? If there are no circles, can pi find an ideal existence? What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-l-peck-2/when-there-is-only-one-thing-what-can-be-added-or-subtracted-if-there/) [Steven L Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-l-peck-2/) > [“Freedom, if it emerges like magic from consciousness (like the conjuring of consciousness itself!) seems best recognized in the choices made for love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-l-peck-2/freedom-if-it-emerges-like-magic-from-consciousness-like-the/) [Steven L Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-l-peck-2/) > [“We boast about our individuality and hold up our independence like a plucked bird bragging that now without the weight of all those feathers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-l-peck-2/we-boast-about-our-individuality-and-hold-up-our-independence-like-a/) [Steven L Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-l-peck-2/) > [ “To me, wherever \[God\] are, they are. I just know them through encounters. Claiming that I have to know about them before I know… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-l-peck-2/to-me-wherever-god-are-they-are-i-just-know-them-through-encounters/) [Steven L Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-l-peck-2/) [Explore all 6 Steven L Peck quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-l-peck-2/) ## More Mormonism quotes > [Mormonism is not simply a commitment to a theology or a church practice, but a social-cultural order.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-m-mcmurrin/mormonism-is-not-simply-a-commitment-to-a-theology-or-a-church/) [Sterling M. McMurrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-m-mcmurrin/) > [Now, there's parts about Mormonism that I love and appreciate. And as far as things that I was embarrassed about, I just don't feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-reynolds/now-there-s-parts-about-mormonism-that-i-love-and-appreciate-and-as/) [Dan Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-reynolds/) > [There is a heavy emphasis in Mormonism on initiative, on responsibility, on a work ethic, and on education. If you take those elements together…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/there-is-a-heavy-emphasis-in-mormonism-on-initiative-on/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [“Johnson evidently did not want it said that they had murdered the people for their property, but the leaders could not stand to let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juanita-brooks/johnson-evidently-did-not-want-it-said-that-they-had-murdered-the/) [Juanita Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juanita-brooks/) > [One of the grand fundamental principles of Mormonism is to receive truth, let it come from whence it may.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-smith-jr/one-of-the-grand-fundamental-principles-of-mormonism-is-to-receive/) [Joseph Smith, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-smith-jr/) > [“In 2010, the Priesthood quorums and Relief Society used the same manual (Gospel Principles)… Most lessons consist of a few pages of exposition on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-bowman/in-2010-the-priesthood-quorums-and-relief-society-used-the-same/) [Matthew Bowman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-bowman/) > [Friendship is the grand fundamental principle of Mormonism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-smith-jr/friendship-is-the-grand-fundamental-principle-of-mormonism/) [Joseph Smith, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-smith-jr/) > [Sometimes people have said that Islam, in its own calendar, is still only in the Middle Ages. It's still in the fifteenth century or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/sometimes-people-have-said-that-islam-in-its-own-calendar-is-still/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [Philosophy does provide me a structure and a way of thinking. Religion - like the religion I grew up with, Mormonism - also provides…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-evenson/philosophy-does-provide-me-a-structure-and-a-way-of-thinking-religion/) [Brian Evenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-evenson/) > [ “...Both Elizabeth \[Smart\] and Ruby \[Jessop\] were fourteen when they were kidnapped, raped and "kept captive by polygamous fanatics." The main difference in the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-krakauer/both-elizabeth-smart-and-ruby-jessop-were-fourteen-when-they-were/) [Jon Krakauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-krakauer/) > [“We should gather all the good and true principles in the world and treasure them up, or we shall not come out true Mormons.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-smith/we-should-gather-all-the-good-and-true-principles-in-the-world-and/) [Joseph Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-smith/) > [Mormonism truly was a part of my every decision since the day I was born. It taught me to serve others and to feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-reynolds/mormonism-truly-was-a-part-of-my-every-decision-since-the-day-i-was/) [Dan Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-reynolds/) > [ “It was not until the spring of 1859 \[two years later\] that the children \[the survivors of the murdered emigrant train\] were officially turned… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juanita-brooks/it-was-not-until-the-spring-of-1859-two-years-later-that-the-children/) [Juanita Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juanita-brooks/) > [But you don't need to worry. The Lord will never let his mouthpiece lead the people astray.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-g-romney/but-you-don-t-need-to-worry-the-lord-will-never-let-his-mouthpiece/) [Marion G. Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-g-romney/) > ['Mormonism' has made me all I am; and the grace, the power, and the wisdom of God will make me all that I ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigham-young/mormonism-has-made-me-all-i-am-and-the-grace-the-power-and-the-wisdom/) [Brigham Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigham-young/) [Browse all 114 Mormonism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mormonism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I cannot imagine God is up there following some rulebook (or cookbook) that maps out all that must or should happen.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Steven L Peck" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-l-peck-2/i-cannot-imagine-god-is-up-there-following-some-rulebook-or-cookbook/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Mormonism" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-l-peck-2/i-cannot-imagine-god-is-up-there-following-some-rulebook-or-cookbook/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/779/steven-l-peck-2-55449_mormonism_i-cannot-imagine-god-is-up-there-followi_1654930.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/779/steven-l-peck-2-55449_mormonism_i-cannot-imagine-god-is-up-there-followi_1654930.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/779/steven-l-peck-2-55449_mormonism_i-cannot-imagine-god-is-up-there-followi_1654930.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I cannot imagine God is up there following some rulebook (or cookbook) that maps out all that must or should…” — Steven L Peck", "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": "Steven L Peck", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-l-peck-2/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I cannot imagine God is up...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-l-peck-2/i-cannot-imagine-god-is-up-there-following-some-rulebook-or-cookbook/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-l-peck-2/i-cannot-imagine-god-is-up-there-following-some-rulebook-or-cookbook/#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 } } ] } ```