---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Even if there is a God, how do you know…"
description: "\"Even if there is a God, how do you know that his moral judgments are the correct ones? Seems to me Abraham should have said, 'God, that's just not righ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fe/steven-weinberg-3159_do-you-know_even-if-there-is-a-god-how-do-you-know-t_1884497.png"
---

#  Even if there is a God, how do you know that his moral…

![“Even if there is a God, how do you know that his moral judgments are the correct ones? Seems to me Abraham should have said, 'God, that's just not right.'” quote by Steven Weinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fe/steven-weinberg-3159_do-you-know_even-if-there-is-a-god-how-do-you-know-t_1884497.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fe/steven-weinberg-3159_do-you-know_even-if-there-is-a-god-how-do-you-know-t_1884497.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fe/steven-weinberg-3159_do-you-know_even-if-there-is-a-god-how-do-you-know-t_1884497.png)

> “Even if there is a God, how do you know that his moral judgments are the correct ones? Seems to me Abraham should have said, 'God, that's just not right.'”

[Steven Weinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weinberg/)

## About This Quote

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

Questioning divine morality challenges the basis for ethical authority if God exists.

**In simple terms:** Divine morality is uncertain.

Key Takeaway

Seek rational ethics.

Themes

theology ethics philosophy

Mood

inquisitive critical

Type

philosophical debate

When to use this quote

- religious debate
- personal belief
- legal systems
- education

Key Concepts

moral epistemology skepticism

Questions to Reflect On

- How do we determine moral rightness?
- Can secular ethics replace divine commands?

A Different Perspective

Religious belief may provide comfort despite uncertainty.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Abraham Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abraham-said-2364308/) [Do you know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/do-you-know/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [How](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/how/) [Know Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-moral-1027732/) [Moral Judgments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral-judgments-355590/) [Ones Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ones-abraham-2683743/) [Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right/) [Said God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said-god/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/)

## Related quotes

> [Abraham," he said. "I'm pleased to see you alive, old friend." "And I to see you dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-grahame-smith/abraham-he-said-i-m-pleased-to-see-you-alive-old-friend-and-i-to-see/)

[Seth Grahame-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-grahame-smith/)

> [“When we weigh up the balance sheet of our lives, it's always easy to see the costs. People we've hurt, mistakes we've made. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/django-wexler/when-we-weigh-up-the-balance-sheet-of-our-lives-it-s-always-easy-to/)

[Django Wexler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/django-wexler/)

> [“Learn to distinguish the difference between errors of knowledge and breaches of morality. An error of knowledge is not a moral flaw, provided you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/learn-to-distinguish-the-difference-between-errors-of-knowledge-and-2/)

[Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/)

> [I know only that what is moral is what you feel good after and what is immoral is what you feel bad after.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/i-know-only-that-what-is-moral-is-what-you-feel-good-after-and-what/)

[Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/)

> [Under the discipline of unity, knowledge and morality come together. No longer can we have that paltry 'objective' knowledge so prized by the academic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/under-the-discipline-of-unity-knowledge-and-morality-come-together-no/)

[Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/)

> [“It took a couple of months before we were both convinced there were no rules about sexual activities in Hell and our spouses were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-l-peck/it-took-a-couple-of-months-before-we-were-both-convinced-there-were/)

[Steven L. Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-l-peck/)

> [People want to know if I have a moral standpoint that they should be picking up on, and the truth is, I don't. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reitman/people-want-to-know-if-i-have-a-moral-standpoint-that-they-should-be/)

[Jason Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reitman/)

> [“So far, about morals, I know only that what is moral is what you feel good after and what is immoral is what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/so-far-about-morals-i-know-only-that-what-is-moral-is-what-you-feel/)

[Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/)

> [“Are guilt and regret not messages from inside of us, letting us know that our moral compasses have been recalibrated and are pointing in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhian-j-martin/are-guilt-and-regret-not-messages-from-inside-of-us-letting-us-know/)

[Rhian J. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhian-j-martin/)

> [I don't know how we will ever have the moral authority to deal with social welfare if we can't deal with corporate welfare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeb-hensarling/i-don-t-know-how-we-will-ever-have-the-moral-authority-to-deal-with/)

[Jeb Hensarling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeb-hensarling/)

> [“if she wants to go on with her ideology, let her go, let her be responsible for her decisions. But when she fails let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arun-prabhu-aradhya/if-she-wants-to-go-on-with-her-ideology-let-her-go-let-her-be/)

[Arun Prabhu- aradhya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arun-prabhu-aradhya/)

> [“Oh, it's simple pragmatism, Dad. It's called the real world. If we refused to do business with the morally questionable, the deal volume would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-simonson/oh-it-s-simple-pragmatism-dad-it-s-called-the-real-world-if-we/)

[Helen Simonson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-simonson/)

> [It is always incorrect to assume you can know what someone's moral convictions are based on their philosophical theories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-fish/it-is-always-incorrect-to-assume-you-can-know-what-someone-s-moral/)

[Stanley Fish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-fish/)

> [I know there is a moral to this story, but I don't know what it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-krauss/i-know-there-is-a-moral-to-this-story-but-i-don-t-know-what-it-is/)

[Nicole Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-krauss/)

> [About morals, I know only that what is moral is what you feel good after and what is immoral is what you feel bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/about-morals-i-know-only-that-what-is-moral-is-what-you-feel-good/)

[Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/)

## More by Steven Weinberg

> [On balance the moral influence of religion has been awful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weinberg/on-balance-the-moral-influence-of-religion-has-been-awful/)

[Steven Weinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weinberg/)

> [“The apparent strengths of the forces in any field theory depend on two kinds of numerical parameter: the masses (if any) of the particles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weinberg/the-apparent-strengths-of-the-forces-in-any-field-theory-depend-on/)

[Steven Weinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weinberg/)

> [“Many people do simply awful things out of sincere religious belief, not using religion as a cover the way that Saddam Hussein may have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weinberg/many-people-do-simply-awful-things-out-of-sincere-religious-belief/)

[Steven Weinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weinberg/)

> [This is often the way it is in physics - our mistake is not that we take our theories too seriously, but that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weinberg/this-is-often-the-way-it-is-in-physics-our-mistake-is-not-that-we/)

[Steven Weinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weinberg/)

> [With or without religion, you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weinberg/with-or-without-religion-you-would-have-good-people-doing-good-things/)

[Steven Weinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weinberg/)

> [I would say it's a lot easier to develop a decoy system than to develop the intercontinental ballistic missile itself. I would think that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weinberg/i-would-say-it-s-a-lot-easier-to-develop-a-decoy-system-than-to/)

[Steven Weinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weinberg/)

> [Rational argument can be defeated by refusing to argue rationally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weinberg/rational-argument-can-be-defeated-by-refusing-to-argue-rationally/)

[Steven Weinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weinberg/)

> [The universe is an enormous direct product of representations of symmetry groups.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weinberg/the-universe-is-an-enormous-direct-product-of-representations-of/)

[Steven Weinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weinberg/)

> [Its a consequence of the experience of science. As you learn more and more about the universe, you find you can understand more and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weinberg/its-a-consequence-of-the-experience-of-science-as-you-learn-more-and/)

[Steven Weinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weinberg/)

> [Our job in physics is to see things simply, to understand a great many complicated phenomena in a unified way, in terms of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weinberg/our-job-in-physics-is-to-see-things-simply-to-understand-a-great-many/)

[Steven Weinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weinberg/)

> [“Plato and the neo-Platonists taught that the beauty we see in nature is a reflection of the beauty of the ultimate, the nous. For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weinberg/plato-and-the-neo-platonists-taught-that-the-beauty-we-see-in-nature/)

[Steven Weinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weinberg/)

> [An expert is a person who avoids the small errors while sweeping on to the grand fallacy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weinberg/an-expert-is-a-person-who-avoids-the-small-errors-while-sweeping-on/)

[Steven Weinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weinberg/)

> [If (the antiproton) had not been discovered, the foundations of physics really would have crumbled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weinberg/if-the-antiproton-had-not-been-discovered-the-foundations-of-physics/)

[Steven Weinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weinberg/)

> [Even though I knew pretty early that I was going to be a scientist, it wasn't the science that interested me in science fiction;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weinberg/even-though-i-knew-pretty-early-that-i-was-going-to-be-a-scientist-it/)

[Steven Weinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weinberg/)

> [If history is any guide at all, it seems to me to suggest that there is a final theory. In this century we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weinberg/if-history-is-any-guide-at-all-it-seems-to-me-to-suggest-that-there/)

[Steven Weinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weinberg/)

[Explore all 137 Steven Weinberg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weinberg/)

## More Do you know quotes

> [Do you know what it is sir? Do you know what the Dance Dance Revolution is? It's not an actual revolution, so you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-peters/do-you-know-what-it-is-sir-do-you-know-what-the-dance-dance/)

[Russell Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-peters/)

> [If the watchdog doesn't bark, how do you know there's a burglar in the basement? And the press is supposed to be a watchdog.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-moyers/if-the-watchdog-doesn-t-bark-how-do-you-know-there-s-a-burglar-in-the/)

[Bill Moyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-moyers/)

> [I’m 59 and people call me middle aged. How many 118 year old men do you know?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-cryer/i-m-59-and-people-call-me-middle-aged-how-many-118-year-old-men-do/)

[Barry Cryer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-cryer/)

> [Here's the point - and Jonah Goldberg reminds us of this. He wrote a blog post that was titled "The MacGuffinization of American Politics."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/here-s-the-point-and-jonah-goldberg-reminds-us-of-this-he-wrote-a/)

[Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/)

> [When you read comic material and people aren't laughing how do you know they're listening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/when-you-read-comic-material-and-people-aren-t-laughing-how-do-you/)

[David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/)

> [I got pulled over by a cop, and he said, 'do you know the speed limit here is 55 miles per hour?'. So I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/i-got-pulled-over-by-a-cop-and-he-said-do-you-know-the-speed-limit/)

[Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/)

> [I don't get the regular AIDS test anymore. I get the roundabout AIDS test. I ask my friend Brian, "Do you know anybody who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-don-t-get-the-regular-aids-test-anymore-i-get-the-roundabout-aids/)

[Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/)

> [Do you know at this very moment you are surrounded by eternity? And do you know that you can use that eternity if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-castaneda/do-you-know-at-this-very-moment-you-are-surrounded-by-eternity-and-do/)

[Carlos Castaneda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-castaneda/)

> [Do you know, a horrible thing has happened to me. I have begun to doubt Tennyson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-manley-hopkins/do-you-know-a-horrible-thing-has-happened-to-me-i-have-begun-to-doubt/)

[Gerard Manley Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-manley-hopkins/)

> [Do you know what elegance is? It is not only what you're wearing. It is how you wear it. who you are inside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolina-herrera/do-you-know-what-elegance-is-it-is-not-only-what-you-re-wearing-it-is/)

[Carolina Herrera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolina-herrera/)

> [O, Youth: Do you know that yours is not the first generation to yearn for a life full of beauty and freedom?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/o-youth-do-you-know-that-yours-is-not-the-first-generation-to-yearn/)

[Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/)

> [Do you know that all great spurts in...progress came just after some unorthodox ideas or exotic impressions had penetrated into a closed system?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatol-rapoport/do-you-know-that-all-great-spurts-in-progress-came-just-after-some/)

[Anatol Rapoport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatol-rapoport/)

> [Do you know when people really become spiritual? It is when they become the slaves of God and are branded with His sign, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/do-you-know-when-people-really-become-spiritual-it-is-when-they/)

[Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/)

> [Do you know what social justice is? Do you know what social reform is? I didn't either, but reform and social justice are what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/silvio-santos/do-you-know-what-social-justice-is-do-you-know-what-social-reform-is/)

[Silvio Santos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/silvio-santos/)

> [Do you know that my very first experience as a composer was a 'Concerto for Accordion?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-schnittke/do-you-know-that-my-very-first-experience-as-a-composer-was-a/)

[Alfred Schnittke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-schnittke/)

[Browse all 675 Do you know quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/do-you-know/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Even if there is a God, how do you know that his moral judgments are the correct ones? Seems to me Abraham should have said, 'God, that's just not right.'",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Steven Weinberg"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weinberg/even-if-there-is-a-god-how-do-you-know-that-his-moral-judgments-are/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Do you know"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weinberg/even-if-there-is-a-god-how-do-you-know-that-his-moral-judgments-are/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fe/steven-weinberg-3159_do-you-know_even-if-there-is-a-god-how-do-you-know-t_1884497.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fe/steven-weinberg-3159_do-you-know_even-if-there-is-a-god-how-do-you-know-t_1884497.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fe/steven-weinberg-3159_do-you-know_even-if-there-is-a-god-how-do-you-know-t_1884497.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Even if there is a God, how do you know that his moral judgments are the correct ones? Seems to me Abraham…” — Steven Weinberg",
                "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 Weinberg",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weinberg/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Even if there is a God,...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weinberg/even-if-there-is-a-god-how-do-you-know-that-his-moral-judgments-are/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weinberg/even-if-there-is-a-god-how-do-you-know-that-his-moral-judgments-are/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
