--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The core symbols we use for God represent…" description: "\"“The core symbols we use for God represent what we take to be the highest good…These symbols or images shape our worldview, our ethical system, and our..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ab/sue-monk-kidd-404_god-represent_the-core-symbols-we-use-for-god-represen_695324.png" --- # The core symbols we use for God represent what we take to… ![“The core symbols we use for God represent what we take to be the highest good…These symbols or images shape our worldview, our ethical system, and our social practice--how we relate to one another. For instance, [Elizabeth A.] Johnson suggests that if a religion speaks about God as warrior, using…” quote by Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ab/sue-monk-kidd-404_god-represent_the-core-symbols-we-use-for-god-represen_695324.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ab/sue-monk-kidd-404_god-represent_the-core-symbols-we-use-for-god-represen_695324.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ab/sue-monk-kidd-404_god-represent_the-core-symbols-we-use-for-god-represen_695324.png) > ““The core symbols we use for God represent what we take to be the highest good…These symbols or images shape our worldview, our ethical system, and our social practice--how we relate to one another. For instance, \[Elizabeth A.\] Johnson suggests that if a religion speaks about God as warrior, using militaristic language such as how "he crushes his enemies" and summoning people to become soldiers in God's army, then the people tend to become militaristic and aggressive. Likewise, if the key symbol of God is that of a male king (without any balancing feminine imagery), we become a culture that values and enthrones men and masculinity.”” [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Symbols used to describe the divine shape moral values, social norms, and gender dynamics in a culture. **In simple terms:** Divine imagery influences how we think and act toward each other. Key Takeaway Examine and broaden the symbols you use for the sacred. Themes religion gender power language culture Mood reflective critical thoughtful Type analytical philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - interfaith dialogue - education curricula - media representation - community rituals - policy making Key Concepts symbolic representation theology social construction Questions to Reflect On - How do your religious symbols affect gender equality? - What alternative images could foster inclusivity? A Different Perspective Overly simplistic or exclusive symbols can marginalize groups and limit spiritual depth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [God Male](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-male-1071464/) [God Represent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-represent-327622/) [Good Symbols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-symbols-5515741/) [Symbol God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/symbol-god-2333459/) [Symbols Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/symbols-use-758023/) ## Related quotes > [If nothing that can be seen can either be God or represent Him to us as He is, then to find God we must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/if-nothing-that-can-be-seen-can-either-be-god-or-represent-him-to-us/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [God made everything else but man "after its kind"' - that is, according to the purpose and destiny he envisaged for it. But he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinclair-b-ferguson/god-made-everything-else-but-man-after-its-kind-that-is-according-to/) [Sinclair B. Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinclair-b-ferguson/) > [One thing faith always did for me is it gave me perspective that, yeah, I was to maximize my gift and talents in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-warner/one-thing-faith-always-did-for-me-is-it-gave-me-perspective-that-yeah/) [Kurt Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-warner/) > [“All language is a set of symbols whose use among its speakers assumes a share past”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/all-language-is-a-set-of-symbols-whose-use-among-its-speakers-assumes/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [“Why covet a knowledge of new facts? 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It is not by chance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-shaking-of-the-foundations-paul-tillich/there-is-a-great-wisdom-in-our-language-it-is-the-embodiment-of/) [The Shaking of the Foundations Paul Tillich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-shaking-of-the-foundations-paul-tillich/) > [“The whole universe is but a huge Symbol of god".”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/the-whole-universe-is-but-a-huge-symbol-of-god/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [“Our mandala is indeed an 'eye,' the structure of which symbolizes the centre of order in the unconscious. The eye is a hollow sphere,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-g-jung/our-mandala-is-indeed-an-eye-the-structure-of-which-symbolizes-the/) [C.G. Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-g-jung/) > [God is not a symbol of goodness; goodness is a symbol of God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/god-is-not-a-symbol-of-goodness-goodness-is-a-symbol-of-god/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [ \[This\] is very important to remember when reading or writing or talking or whatever: You are never, ever choosing whether to use symbols. You… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/this-is-very-important-to-remember-when-reading-or-writing-or-talking/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [The universe is but one vast Symbol of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/the-universe-is-but-one-vast-symbol-of-god/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [“Mary Daly so provocatively noted the incipient nature of this danger when she exclaimed: “If God is male, then the male is God.”7”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-m-burge/mary-daly-so-provocatively-noted-the-incipient-nature-of-this-danger/) [Gary M. Burge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-m-burge/) > [Is the god the source, or is the god a human manner of conceiving of the force and energy that supports the world? In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/is-the-god-the-source-or-is-the-god-a-human-manner-of-conceiving-of/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [We are all souls, and what I have learnt so far is that while God is male, the souls created by Him are female,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kailash-kher/we-are-all-souls-and-what-i-have-learnt-so-far-is-that-while-god-is/) [Kailash Kher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kailash-kher/) > [Except during my childhood, when I was probably influenced by Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel depiction of God with a flowing white beard, I have never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/except-during-my-childhood-when-i-was-probably-influenced-by/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) ## More by Sue Monk Kidd > [“But benevolent patriarchy is still patriarchy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/but-benevolent-patriarchy-is-still-patriarchy/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [“It's part of our overall Body Negation Program.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/it-s-part-of-our-overall-body-negation-program/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [“That was the thing mauma and I loved, our time with the quilts.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/that-was-the-thing-mauma-and-i-loved-our-time-with-the-quilts/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [In recent years my understanding of God had evolved into increasingly remote abstractions. 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But he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinclair-b-ferguson/god-made-everything-else-but-man-after-its-kind-that-is-according-to/) [Sinclair B. Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinclair-b-ferguson/) [Browse all 4 God Represent quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-represent-327622/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The core symbols we use for God represent what we take to be the highest good…These symbols or images shape our worldview, our ethical system, and our social practice--how we relate to one another. For instance, [Elizabeth A.] Johnson suggests that if a religion speaks about God as warrior, using militaristic language such as how \"he crushes his enemies\" and summoning people to become soldiers in God's army, then the people tend to become militaristic and aggressive. 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