--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm a pretty solid Christian. But even as…" description: "\"I'm a pretty solid Christian. But even as an altar boy, I was always asking the bigger questions--you know: if God is, in fact, good, what is all this ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/daf/tim-allen-4974_altars_i-m-a-pretty-solid-christian-but-even-as_1148513.jpg" --- # I'm a pretty solid Christian. But even as an altar boy, I… ![“I'm a pretty solid Christian. But even as an altar boy, I was always asking the bigger questions--you know: if God is, in fact, good, what is all this death I see? And if God is gentle, what is all this suffering I see? I've found some of the answers in Eastern religion. It explained my…” quote by Tim Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/daf/tim-allen-4974_altars_i-m-a-pretty-solid-christian-but-even-as_1148513.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/daf/tim-allen-4974_altars_i-m-a-pretty-solid-christian-but-even-as_1148513.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/daf/tim-allen-4974_altars_i-m-a-pretty-solid-christian-but-even-as_1148513.jpg) > “I'm a pretty solid Christian. But even as an altar boy, I was always asking the bigger questions--you know: if God is, in fact, good, what is all this death I see? And if God is gentle, what is all this suffering I see? I've found some of the answers in Eastern religion. It explained my Christianity to me. Good and evil are the same thing. You can't have one without the other. It's the balance, it's the temperance of things.” [Tim Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-allen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Good and evil are interdependent; suffering and death are part of a balanced universe, a concept found in Eastern thought. **In simple terms:** Good and evil coexist; balance explains suffering. Key Takeaway Seek harmony and accept duality. Themes religion philosophy balance Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - personal faith reflection - interfaith dialogue - mental health coping - ethical decision making Key Concepts dualism theodicy Eastern spirituality Questions to Reflect On - How does balance affect moral choices? - Can suffering be reconciled with a benevolent deity? A Different Perspective May simplify complex theological issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Altars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/altars/) [Answers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answers/) [Asking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asking/) [Balance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balance/) [Bigger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigger/) [Boys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boys/) [Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Christianity Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity-good-450240/) [Eastern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eastern/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Explained Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/explained-christianity-3235057/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Found](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/found/) [Gentle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gentle/) [Good and evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-and-evil/) [Good evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-evil/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [Temperance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/temperance/) ## Related quotes > [Believe it or not, Christianity is not about good people getting better. 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It comes not as a task for us to fulfill, a mission for us to accomplish,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/but-the-heart-of-christianity-is-good-news-it-comes-not-as-a-task-for/) [Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/) > [The highfalutin aims of democracy, whether real or imaginary, are always assumed to be identical with its achievements. This, of course, is sheer hallucination.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/the-highfalutin-aims-of-democracy-whether-real-or-imaginary-are/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [Christianity might be a good thing if anyone ever tried it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/christianity-might-be-a-good-thing-if-anyone-ever-tried-it/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [“My friend David Zahl, a theologian, often says, “Christianity is not about good people getting better. It is about real people coping with their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-andrew-doyle/my-friend-david-zahl-a-theologian-often-says-christianity-is-not/) [C Andrew Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-andrew-doyle/) > [“Remember!--It is Christianity to do good always--even to those who do evil to us. It is Christianity to love our neighbours as ourself, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/remember-it-is-christianity-to-do-good-always-even-to-those-who-do/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“Christianity may be good and Satanism evil. Under the Constitution, however, both are neutral. This is an important, but difficult, concept for many law…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/christianity-may-be-good-and-satanism-evil-under-the-constitution/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Christianity is not about good people getting better. If anything, it is good news for bad people coping with their failure to be good.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/christianity-is-not-about-good-people-getting-better-if-anything-it/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) > [I have ended as a Reform Rabbi, grateful to Christianity for so many good things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-blue/i-have-ended-as-a-reform-rabbi-grateful-to-christianity-for-so-many/) [Lionel Blue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-blue/) > [In fact, I thought that Christianity was very a good and a very valuable thing for us. But after a while, I began to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/in-fact-i-thought-that-christianity-was-very-a-good-and-a-very/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [Ask God for temp'rance. That's th' appliance only Which your disease requires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/ask-god-for-temp-rance-that-s-th-appliance-only-which-your-disease/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) ## More by Tim Allen > [My mom said the only reason men are alive is for lawn care and vehicle maintenance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-allen/my-mom-said-the-only-reason-men-are-alive-is-for-lawn-care-and/) [Tim Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-allen/) > [Sometimes you get the sense that the Creator is getting to that point of "Yeah, we might have to reboot."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-allen/sometimes-you-get-the-sense-that-the-creator-is-getting-to-that-point/) [Tim Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-allen/) > [If it ain't broke, you can probably still fix it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-allen/if-it-ain-t-broke-you-can-probably-still-fix-it/) [Tim Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-allen/) > [My wife loves cars, but the difference is she doesn't have 20 years of understanding the background of them. 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They can be married, not married, have a job, not have a job, be married with children, unmarried with children.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-allen/women-now-have-choices-they-can-be-married-not-married-have-a-job-not/) [Tim Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-allen/) > [Speeding is like drugs. It makes everything come at you fast, and when you go back to normal driving, safe driving, prudent driving, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-allen/speeding-is-like-drugs-it-makes-everything-come-at-you-fast-and-when/) [Tim Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-allen/) > [While awaiting sentencing, I decided to give stand-up comedy a shot. The judge had suggested I get my act together, and I took him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-allen/while-awaiting-sentencing-i-decided-to-give-stand-up-comedy-a-shot/) [Tim Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-allen/) > [To get a man's attention, just stand in front of the TV and don't move. He'll talk to you. I promise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-allen/to-get-a-man-s-attention-just-stand-in-front-of-the-tv-and-don-t-move/) [Tim Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-allen/) > [They say you only go around once, but with a muscle car you can go around two or three times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-allen/they-say-you-only-go-around-once-but-with-a-muscle-car-you-can-go/) [Tim Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-allen/) > [My dad's death reminds me of earthquakes - things that shake your foundation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-allen/my-dad-s-death-reminds-me-of-earthquakes-things-that-shake-your/) [Tim Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-allen/) > [It's true; I have a skill and it's... it has not related to acting, it's not related to auditions, it's not related to studios,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-allen/it-s-true-i-have-a-skill-and-it-s-it-has-not-related-to-acting-it-s/) [Tim Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-allen/) > [I blend memories. I blend them into one that's funny. I exaggerate to clarify.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-allen/i-blend-memories-i-blend-them-into-one-that-s-funny-i-exaggerate-to/) [Tim Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-allen/) > [When I went to jail, reality hit so hard that it took my breath away, took my stance away, took my strength away. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-allen/when-i-went-to-jail-reality-hit-so-hard-that-it-took-my-breath-away/) [Tim Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-allen/) [Explore all 104 Tim Allen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-allen/) ## More Altars quotes > [There are different kinds of fire; there is false fire. No one knows this better than we do, but we are not such fools…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-booth/there-are-different-kinds-of-fire-there-is-false-fire-no-one-knows/) [William Booth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-booth/) > [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [he cult of productivity has its place, but worshipping at its altar daily robs us of the very capacity for joy and wonder that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-popova/he-cult-of-productivity-has-its-place-but-worshipping-at-its-altar/) [Maria Popova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-popova/) > [This is the sacrifice: the endless possibility that is offered up on the altar of the form...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-buber/this-is-the-sacrifice-the-endless-possibility-that-is-offered-up-on/) [Martin Buber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-buber/) > [When a buddha is painted, not only a clay altar or lump of earth is used, but the thirty-two marks, a blade of grass,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dogen/when-a-buddha-is-painted-not-only-a-clay-altar-or-lump-of-earth-is/) [Dogen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dogen/) > [Go not to the temple to put flowers upon the feet of God, first fill your own house with the fragrance of love. Go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/go-not-to-the-temple-to-put-flowers-upon-the-feet-of-god-first-fill/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [And in any preaching you do, admonish the people concerning repentance, and that nobody can be saved except he who receives the most holy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-of-assisi/and-in-any-preaching-you-do-admonish-the-people-concerning-repentance/) [Francis of Assisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-of-assisi/) > [Yes, thou art ever present, power divine; not circumscribed by time, nor fixed by space, confined to altars, nor to temples bound. In wealth,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-more/yes-thou-art-ever-present-power-divine-not-circumscribed-by-time-nor/) [Hannah More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-more/) > [The revolting details of childbirth had been hidden from me with such care that I was as surprised as I was horrified, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-curchod/the-revolting-details-of-childbirth-had-been-hidden-from-me-with-such/) [Suzanne Curchod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-curchod/) > [Heroism, self-denial, and magnanimity, in all instances where they do not spring from a principle of religion, are but splendid altars on which we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/heroism-self-denial-and-magnanimity-in-all-instances-where-they-do/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [It is by far the most elegant worship, hardly excepting the Greek mythology. What with incense, pictures, statues, altars, shrines, relics, and the real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-byron/it-is-by-far-the-most-elegant-worship-hardly-excepting-the-greek/) [Lord Byron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-byron/) > [For me it's really tough because you have to go to that place where you really, really don't want to go to or revisit.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morris-chestnut/for-me-it-s-really-tough-because-you-have-to-go-to-that-place-where/) [Morris Chestnut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morris-chestnut/) > [For piety lies not in being often seen turning a veiled head to stones, nor in approaching every altar, nor in lying prostratebefore the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucretius/for-piety-lies-not-in-being-often-seen-turning-a-veiled-head-to/) [Lucretius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucretius/) > [It is when we are in misery that we revere the gods; the prosperous seldom approach the altar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/silius-italicus/it-is-when-we-are-in-misery-that-we-revere-the-gods-the-prosperous/) [Silius Italicus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/silius-italicus/) > [Pope Gelasius in his ninth letter (chap. 26) to the bishops of Lucania condemned the evil practice which had been introduced of women serving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xiv/pope-gelasius-in-his-ninth-letter-chap-26-to-the-bishops-of-lucania/) [Pope Benedict XIV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xiv/) [Browse all 329 Altars quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/altars/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm a pretty solid Christian. 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