--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Our idea of God tells us more about…" description: "\"Our idea of God tells us more about ourselves than about Him.\" — Thomas Merton" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/630/thomas-merton-231_god_our-idea-of-god-tells-us-more-about-ours_875432.jpg" --- # Our idea of God tells us more about ourselves than about… ![“Our idea of God tells us more about ourselves than about Him.” quote by Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/630/thomas-merton-231_god_our-idea-of-god-tells-us-more-about-ours_875432.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/630/thomas-merton-231_god_our-idea-of-god-tells-us-more-about-ours_875432.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/630/thomas-merton-231_god_our-idea-of-god-tells-us-more-about-ours_875432.jpg) > “Our idea of God tells us more about ourselves than about Him.” [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Our concept of deity reflects our own traits, biases, and needs more than any external reality. **In simple terms:** We project ourselves onto God. Key Takeaway Examine personal assumptions about divinity. Themes self reflection spirituality Mood contemplative inquisitive Type philosophical theological When to use this quote - personal belief - theology - psychology - interfaith dialogue Key Concepts projection anthropomorphism Questions to Reflect On - What personal traits shape your view of God? - Can you separate self‑image from divine concept? A Different Perspective It may overlook objective evidence of a higher power. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) ## Related quotes > [“So much depends on our idea of God! Yet no idea of Him, however pure and perfect, is adequate to express Him as He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/so-much-depends-on-our-idea-of-god-yet-no-idea-of-him-however-pure/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [Only if God tells me to come back. No other way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fedor-emelianenko/only-if-god-tells-me-to-come-back-no-other-way/) [Fedor Emelianenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fedor-emelianenko/) > [“Just do the next thing God tells you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-e-phillips/just-do-the-next-thing-god-tells-you/) Michael E. Phillips > [God tells me that I need to provide for my family, discipline and teach my children, and love my wife as Christ loves the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/god-tells-me-that-i-need-to-provide-for-my-family-discipline-and/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) > [I just know whenever I fall off His path, things get really hard. So I just stick with what God tells me to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-wurzelbacher/i-just-know-whenever-i-fall-off-his-path-things-get-really-hard-so-i/) [Joe Wurzelbacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-wurzelbacher/) > [The idea which tyrants find most useful is the idea of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stendhal/the-idea-which-tyrants-find-most-useful-is-the-idea-of-god/) [Stendhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stendhal/) > [“In times of despair, it’s best to ignore our feelings and simply do what God tells us to do, leaving the consequences with Him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-w-wiersbe/in-times-of-despair-it-s-best-to-ignore-our-feelings-and-simply-do/) [Warren W. Wiersbe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-w-wiersbe/) > [“I think about something I once heard on the radio. About Abraham and Isaac." "I was afraid you'd say something like that." "You asked."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-kazinski/i-think-about-something-i-once-heard-on-the-radio-about-abraham-and/) [A.J. Kazinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-kazinski/) > [Religion is not the belief there is a god. Religion is the belief god tells you what to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/religion-is-not-the-belief-there-is-a-god-religion-is-the-belief-god/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“the reason God tells us not to judge is that we do not know the raw material that other people are struggling with.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-a-markos/the-reason-god-tells-us-not-to-judge-is-that-we-do-not-know-the-raw/) [Louis A. Markos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-a-markos/) > [The world tells us to seek success, power and money; God tells us to seek humility, service and love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/the-world-tells-us-to-seek-success-power-and-money-god-tells-us-to/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [God tells us not to judge one another, no matter what anyone's sexual preferences are or if they're black, brown or purple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/god-tells-us-not-to-judge-one-another-no-matter-what-anyone-s-sexual/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) > [I have tried at every point to seek God's wisdom on the decisions I made, and I made it my business to speak up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-helms/i-have-tried-at-every-point-to-seek-god-s-wisdom-on-the-decisions-i/) [Jesse Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-helms/) > [God tells me to cover myself, to hide my beauty and to tell the world that I’m not here to please men with my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmin-mogahed/god-tells-me-to-cover-myself-to-hide-my-beauty-and-to-tell-the-world/) [Yasmin Mogahed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmin-mogahed/) > [“God never tells me to get over something and just get past it. Never. Instead, He asks me to trust Him with every circumstance.10”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-s-lynch/god-never-tells-me-to-get-over-something-and-just-get-past-it-never/) [John S. Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-s-lynch/) ## More by Thomas Merton > [“Let no one hope to find in contemplation an escape from conflict, from anguish or from doubt. On the contrary, the deep, inexpressible certitude…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/let-no-one-hope-to-find-in-contemplation-an-escape-from-conflict-from/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [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/) > [It is almost impossible to overestimate the value of true humility and its power in the spiritual life. For the beginning of humility is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/it-is-almost-impossible-to-overestimate-the-value-of-true-humility/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [We are not perfectly free until we live in pure hope. For when our hope is pure, it no longer trusts exclusively in human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/we-are-not-perfectly-free-until-we-live-in-pure-hope-for-when-our/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [The desire to kill is like the desire to attack another with an ingot of red -hot iron: I have to pick up the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/the-desire-to-kill-is-like-the-desire-to-attack-another-with-an-ingot/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [To enter into the realm of contemplation one must in a certain sense die: but this death is in fact the entrance to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/to-enter-into-the-realm-of-contemplation-one-must-in-a-certain-sense/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [The mission of Christian humility in social life is not merely to edify, but to keep minds open to many alternatives. The rigidity of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/the-mission-of-christian-humility-in-social-life-is-not-merely-to/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [Peace cannot be built on exclusivism, absolutism, and intolerance. But neither can it be built on vague liberal slogans and pious programs gestated in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/peace-cannot-be-built-on-exclusivism-absolutism-and-intolerance-but/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [Things that are good are good, and if one is responding to that goodness one is in contact with a truth from which one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/things-that-are-good-are-good-and-if-one-is-responding-to-that/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [Love winter when the plant says nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/love-winter-when-the-plant-says-nothing/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [The logic of worldly success rests on a fallacy: the strange error that our perfection depends on the thoughts and opinions and applause of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/the-logic-of-worldly-success-rests-on-a-fallacy-the-strange-error/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [“The wisdom of the flesh is a judgement that the ordinary ends of our natural appetites are the goods to which the whole of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/the-wisdom-of-the-flesh-is-a-judgement-that-the-ordinary-ends-of-our/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [I will no longer wound myself with the thoughts and questions that have surrounded me like thorns: that is a penance You do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/i-will-no-longer-wound-myself-with-the-thoughts-and-questions-that/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [If you write for God you will reach many men and bring them joy. If you write for men--you may make some money and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/if-you-write-for-god-you-will-reach-many-men-and-bring-them-joy-if/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [“Contemplation means rest, suspension of activity, withdrawal into the mysterious interior solitude in which the soul is absorbed in the immense and fruitful silence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/contemplation-means-rest-suspension-of-activity-withdrawal-into-the/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) [Explore all 851 Thomas Merton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) ## More God quotes > [I don't drink much anymore, but when I traveled with Frank Sinatra, God rest his soul, I used to drink like I could do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-rickles/i-don-t-drink-much-anymore-but-when-i-traveled-with-frank-sinatra-god/) [Don Rickles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-rickles/) > [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. He hates it so much that He was willing to take on human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/god-hates-hell-he-hates-the-idea-of-people-going-there-he-hates-it-so/) [Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/) > [“am not suggesting that successes in academics, athletics, or vocation somehow stand outside God’s good plan. Learning and play are joys that God himself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-paul-jones/am-not-suggesting-that-successes-in-academics-athletics-or-vocation/) [Timothy Paul Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-paul-jones/) > [I pray that wherever we are and whatever duties we have in the priesthood of God, we will be united in the cause to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/i-pray-that-wherever-we-are-and-whatever-duties-we-have-in-the/) [Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [God's love never fail :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-s-love-never-fail/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Here's the reality. The image of a white Jesus has been used to justify enslavement, conquest, colonialism, the genocide of indigenous peoples. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/here-s-the-reality-the-image-of-a-white-jesus-has-been-used-to/) [Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/) > [The faster you go, the shorter you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-faster-you-go-the-shorter-you-are/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [A lot of people have been saying 'The 100' reminds them of 'Lord Of The Flies,' 'Lost' and 'Battlestar Galactica,' and all of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-avgeropoulos/a-lot-of-people-have-been-saying-the-100-reminds-them-of-lord-of-the/) [Marie Avgeropoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-avgeropoulos/) > [As we are coming to the end of the year, I want you to forget about the past, the failure, the negative thoughts or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-we-are-coming-to-the-end-of-the-year-i-want-you-to-forget-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I wonder: when a Jehovah's Witness dies and goes to Heaven, does God hide behind the door and pretend He's not home?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-celio/i-wonder-when-a-jehovah-s-witness-dies-and-goes-to-heaven-does-god/) [Brian Celio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-celio/) > [What would God have me do with my life?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/what-would-god-have-me-do-with-my-life/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [God always gets the glory when Jesus comes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louie-giglio/god-always-gets-the-glory-when-jesus-comes/) [Louie Giglio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louie-giglio/) > [“Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/do-all-the-good-you-can-by-all-the-means-you-can-in-all-the-ways-you/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [You are a God Act like one!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-leary/you-are-a-god-act-like-one/) [Timothy Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-leary/) [Browse all 37,707 God quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Our idea of God tells us more about ourselves than about Him.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas Merton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/our-idea-of-god-tells-us-more-about-ourselves-than-about-him/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "God" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/our-idea-of-god-tells-us-more-about-ourselves-than-about-him/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/630/thomas-merton-231_god_our-idea-of-god-tells-us-more-about-ours_875432.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/630/thomas-merton-231_god_our-idea-of-god-tells-us-more-about-ours_875432.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/630/thomas-merton-231_god_our-idea-of-god-tells-us-more-about-ours_875432.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Our idea of God tells us more about ourselves than about Him.” — Thomas Merton", "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": "Thomas Merton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Our idea of God tells us...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/our-idea-of-god-tells-us-more-about-ourselves-than-about-him/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/our-idea-of-god-tells-us-more-about-ourselves-than-about-him/#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 } } ] } ```