--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A long time ago I learned that an atheist…" description: "\"“A long time ago I learned that an atheist and a believer trying to have a discussion about God and religion is like shooting the breeze and having it ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec1/t-k-decker-76198_atheism_a-long-time-ago-i-learned-that-an-atheis_2265400.jpg" --- # A long time ago I learned that an atheist and a believer… ![“A long time ago I learned that an atheist and a believer trying to have a discussion about God and religion is like shooting the breeze and having it shoot back.” quote by T.K. Decker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec1/t-k-decker-76198_atheism_a-long-time-ago-i-learned-that-an-atheis_2265400.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec1/t-k-decker-76198_atheism_a-long-time-ago-i-learned-that-an-atheis_2265400.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec1/t-k-decker-76198_atheism_a-long-time-ago-i-learned-that-an-atheis_2265400.jpg) > ““A long time ago I learned that an atheist and a believer trying to have a discussion about God and religion is like shooting the breeze and having it shoot back.”” [T.K. Decker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-k-decker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Debating God between an atheist and a believer often feels circular and unproductive. **In simple terms:** God discussions can be endless loops. Key Takeaway Accept limits of such debates. Themes religion dialogue logic Mood frustrated reflective Type observational philosophical When to use this quote - interfaith panels - online forums - friendship - family gatherings Key Concepts skepticism faith communication Questions to Reflect On - Can dialogue ever change deep beliefs? - What alternative topics foster mutual respect? A Different Perspective May not resolve core differences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheism/) [Atheist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheist/) [Atheist Believer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheist-believer-2165066/) [Believer Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believer-trying-2532022/) [Discussion God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discussion-god-1219805/) [Learned Atheist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learned-atheist-5228860/) [Long time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-time/) [Long time ago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-time-ago/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religion-and-philoshophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion-and-philoshophy/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [If God had have wanted discussion Then God would have said 'Let's discuss it'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-charnin/if-god-had-have-wanted-discussion-then-god-would-have-said-let-s/) [Martin Charnin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-charnin/) > [“There’s been some discussion as to why God created the world. Let me clear it up. He made the world because that’s what he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeet-thayil/there-s-been-some-discussion-as-to-why-god-created-the-world-let-me/) [Jeet Thayil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeet-thayil/) > [I'm a firm believer in trying to make something that might not be considered fun by a lot of people fun. And hopefully, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gunnar-peterson/i-m-a-firm-believer-in-trying-to-make-something-that-might-not-be/) [Gunnar Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gunnar-peterson/) > [I am a strong believer in the ability of human beings to change for the better. I am a strong believer in trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/i-am-a-strong-believer-in-the-ability-of-human-beings-to-change-for/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) > [I'm not a big believer in trying to jam stuff down somebody's throat: 'You're going to do it my way.' I'd rather show by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/i-m-not-a-big-believer-in-trying-to-jam-stuff-down-somebody-s-throat/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I am a believer in trying to treat people properly and trying to respond and making sure that I find the time to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/i-am-a-believer-in-trying-to-treat-people-properly-and-trying-to/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [There is presumably a calendar date a moment when the onus of proof passed from the atheist to the believer, when, quite suddenly, secretly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/there-is-presumably-a-calendar-date-a-moment-when-the-onus-of-proof/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [Being a pastor for 20 years I realized that the labels, agnostic, atheist, believer, everybody's human and everybody wants to know what kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/being-a-pastor-for-20-years-i-realized-that-the-labels-agnostic/) [Rob Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bell/) > [Many an atheist is a believer without knowing it juast as many a believer is an atheist without knowing it. You can sincerely believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/many-an-atheist-is-a-believer-without-knowing-it-juast-as-many-a/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [“My priority is not to be called an atheist or believer, but to be human. My priority is not to peddle any school of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/my-priority-is-not-to-be-called-an-atheist-or-believer-but-to-be/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [I am not an atheist or a believer or even a satanist. What am I? I am just me with all my bads and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-malfatti/i-am-not-an-atheist-or-a-believer-or-even-a-satanist-what-am-i-i-am/) [Jean-Paul Malfatti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-malfatti/) > [“My priority is not to be called an atheist or believer, but to be human.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/my-priority-is-not-to-be-called-an-atheist-or-believer-but-to-be-human/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“Maybe it’s us who are the psychosis of some massive, all-knowing globule of nebulous space junk.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-k-decker/maybe-it-s-us-who-are-the-psychosis-of-some-massive-all-knowing/) [T.K. Decker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-k-decker/) > [“Once you let them establish their ideology in you, they will drive you crazy”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/once-you-let-them-establish-their-ideology-in-you-they-will-drive-you/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [“Because we live in a fallen world, we suffer. But those of us who know Jesus are never alone in the suffering, that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-turner-lee/because-we-live-in-a-fallen-world-we-suffer-but-those-of-us-who-know/) [Melissa Turner Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-turner-lee/) ## More by T.K. Decker > [“Maybe it’s us who are the psychosis of some massive, all-knowing globule of nebulous space junk.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-k-decker/maybe-it-s-us-who-are-the-psychosis-of-some-massive-all-knowing/) [T.K. Decker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-k-decker/) > [“Atheists are spiritual slackers, right? We are the stoners of the cosmos. We think we’re all over-intelligent, free-thinking, free-spirited, uber-cool, hippy-dippy, science-minded, leaning-to-the-left, hedonistic,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-k-decker/atheists-are-spiritual-slackers-right-we-are-the-stoners-of-the/) [T.K. Decker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-k-decker/) [Explore all 3 T.K. Decker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-k-decker/) ## More Atheism quotes > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. 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Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [The inner defenses are unconscious. They consist of a kind of magic aura which the mind builds around cherished belief. Arguments which penetrate into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-inner-defenses-are-unconscious-they-consist-of-a-kind-of-magic/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [God speaks through me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/god-speaks-through-me/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [A knowledge of the existence of something we cannot penetrate, of the manifestations of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty - it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/a-knowledge-of-the-existence-of-something-we-cannot-penetrate-of-the/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [You cannot ... transmute some incoherent mixture of words into sense merely by introducing the three-letter word "God" to be its grammatical subject.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-flew/you-cannot-transmute-some-incoherent-mixture-of-words-into-sense/) [Antony Flew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-flew/) > [Many humanists have argued that happiness involves a combination of hedonism and creative moral development; that an exuberant life fuses excellence and enjoyment, meaning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kurtz/many-humanists-have-argued-that-happiness-involves-a-combination-of/) [Paul Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kurtz/) > [If, with all the time at my disposal, with all the wealth of the resources of this vast universe, to do with as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/if-with-all-the-time-at-my-disposal-with-all-the-wealth-of-the/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [Do you think that was kind? Do you think it was godlike? What would you think of a physician, if a woman came to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-h-gardener/do-you-think-that-was-kind-do-you-think-it-was-godlike-what-would-you/) [Helen H. Gardener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-h-gardener/) > [Science can destroy religion by ignoring it as well as by disproving its tenets. No one ever demonstrated, so far as I am aware,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/science-can-destroy-religion-by-ignoring-it-as-well-as-by-disproving/) [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) > [Honest investigation is utterly impossible within the pale of any church, for the reason, that if you think the church is right you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/honest-investigation-is-utterly-impossible-within-the-pale-of-any/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) [Browse all 4,769 Atheism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“A long time ago I learned that an atheist and a believer trying to have a discussion about God and religion is like shooting the breeze and having it shoot back.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "T.K. 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