--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Some people think the theists get off…" description: "\"“Some people think the theists get off easy by offering eternal life, but in my experience it is awfully difficult to reconcile the death of a child wi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/594/tony-campolo-2506_death_some-people-think-the-theists-get-off-ea_1684178.png" --- # Some people think the theists get off easy by offering… ![“Some people think the theists get off easy by offering eternal life, but in my experience it is awfully difficult to reconcile the death of a child with the idea of a loving God. As a Christian, I knew what to say, but I don’t think my words made much of a difference. What mattered most was just…” quote by Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/594/tony-campolo-2506_death_some-people-think-the-theists-get-off-ea_1684178.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/594/tony-campolo-2506_death_some-people-think-the-theists-get-off-ea_1684178.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/594/tony-campolo-2506_death_some-people-think-the-theists-get-off-ea_1684178.png) > ““Some people think the theists get off easy by offering eternal life, but in my experience it is awfully difficult to reconcile the death of a child with the idea of a loving God. As a Christian, I knew what to say, but I don’t think my words made much of a difference. What mattered most was just being there and sharing the hurt.”” [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker struggles with reconciling a child's death with belief in a loving God, noting that presence and shared grief matter more than words. **In simple terms:** Grief challenges faith; presence matters Key Takeaway Be present and share pain in suffering Themes faith grief theodicy Mood somber empathetic Type reflective comforting When to use this quote - loss of a child - supporting grieving families Key Concepts Compassion empathy spiritual doubt Questions to Reflect On - How can we support grieving believers? - What role does presence play in spiritual comfort? A Different Perspective Faith alone may not answer deep pain ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Eternal life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eternal-life/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Loving god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loving-god/) [Theists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theists/) ## Related quotes > [“Do not all theists insist that there can be no morality, no justice, honesty or fidelity without the belief in a Divine Power? Based…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/do-not-all-theists-insist-that-there-can-be-no-morality-no-justice/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Theists only ever believe what they want to believe. If a bearded face appears in the wood grain or in a cloud formation, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-fowler/theists-only-ever-believe-what-they-want-to-believe-if-a-bearded-face/) [Steve Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-fowler/) > [Have not all theists painted their Deity as the god of love and goodness? Yet after thousands of years of such preachments the gods…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/have-not-all-theists-painted-their-deity-as-the-god-of-love-and-2/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Theists and atheists are equally religious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kedar-joshi/theists-and-atheists-are-equally-religious/) [Kedar Joshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kedar-joshi/) > [Have not all theists painted their Deity as the god of love and goodness? Yet after thousands of years of such preachments the gods…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/have-not-all-theists-painted-their-deity-as-the-god-of-love-and/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [I do not believe in God. It seems to me that theists of all kinds have very largely failed to make their concept of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-ayer/i-do-not-believe-in-god-it-seems-to-me-that-theists-of-all-kinds-have/) [A.J. Ayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-ayer/) > [Open theists affirm the same openness of the future that religious believers assume when they pray and almost all humans assume when they act.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-clayton/open-theists-affirm-the-same-openness-of-the-future-that-religious/) Philip Clayton > [“Consciously or unconsciously, most theists see in gods and devils, heaven and hell, reward and punishment, a whip to lash the people into obedience,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/consciously-or-unconsciously-most-theists-see-in-gods-and-devils/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Most theists are deists most of the time, in practice if not in theory. They practice the absence of God instead of the presence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/most-theists-are-deists-most-of-the-time-in-practice-if-not-in-theory/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [“High heels are a short (theist) woman's (subconscious) way of telling God to go to hell … in public.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/high-heels-are-a-short-theist-woman-s-subconscious-way-of-telling-god/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“The Bible does not speak to all issues (for example, where did AIDS come from?), and science says little about doctrine (for example, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-klusendorf/the-bible-does-not-speak-to-all-issues-for-example-where-did-aids/) [Scott Klusendorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-klusendorf/) > [I suspect that here theists and atheists would agree: Human beings have within them the ability to choose evil or good. We wake up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-hamilton/i-suspect-that-here-theists-and-atheists-would-agree-human-beings/) [Adam Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-hamilton/) > [There's no such thing as spirits or ghosts, no devils, gods or monsters; but always beware that theists exist and they cause all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-fowler/there-s-no-such-thing-as-spirits-or-ghosts-no-devils-gods-or-monsters/) [Steve Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-fowler/) > [Some theists, observing that all 'effects' need a cause, assert that God is a cause but not an effect. But no one has ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-barker/some-theists-observing-that-all-effects-need-a-cause-assert-that-god/) [Dan Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-barker/) > [Theists give several 'proofs' of the existence of God. These are really just arguments, because if there were convincing proof just one would suffice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-conche/theists-give-several-proofs-of-the-existence-of-god-these-are-really/) Marcel Conche ## More by Tony Campolo > [To prevent discussion of any other explanations of human origins is hardly what I would expect from open-minded educators.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/to-prevent-discussion-of-any-other-explanations-of-human-origins-is/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [Christianity isn't the only group that has fundamentalists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/christianity-isn-t-the-only-group-that-has-fundamentalists/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [In our post-Freudian world, it is no longer a goal to become people of character who live out a God-ordained ideal of selfhood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/in-our-post-freudian-world-it-is-no-longer-a-goal-to-become-people-of/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [If a guy is intimidated by a woman in leadership, he has real problems with his own concepts of masculinity. That's a harsh statement,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/if-a-guy-is-intimidated-by-a-woman-in-leadership-he-has-real-problems/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [But I think it's up to a local congregation to determine whether or not a marriage should be blessed of God. And it shouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/but-i-think-it-s-up-to-a-local-congregation-to-determine-whether-or/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [Certain things happened in the early church. Women who had never had any freedom suddenly have the ability to stand up and speak and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/certain-things-happened-in-the-early-church-women-who-had-never-had/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [A strong case can be made for religious leaders to speak out on political issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/a-strong-case-can-be-made-for-religious-leaders-to-speak-out-on/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [It has taken countless hours of prayer, study, conversation and emotional turmoil to bring me to the place where I am finally ready to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/it-has-taken-countless-hours-of-prayer-study-conversation-and/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [Grandchildren are God's reward for not killing your kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/grandchildren-are-god-s-reward-for-not-killing-your-kids/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [One of the most startling discoveries of my life was the realization that the Jesus that I love, the Jesus who died for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/one-of-the-most-startling-discoveries-of-my-life-was-the-realization/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [Young Evangelicals, especially, are breaking ranks with older Evangelicals (over 40) and are more and more leaning towards voting Democratic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/young-evangelicals-especially-are-breaking-ranks-with-older/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [“I have three things I'd like to say today. First, while you were sleeping last night, 30,000 kids died of starvation or diseases related…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/i-have-three-things-i-d-like-to-say-today-first-while-you-were/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [While I can see how the government has, at times, wasted taxpayers' money, and I can admit that too often its programs are ineffective,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/while-i-can-see-how-the-government-has-at-times-wasted-taxpayers/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [We ought to get out of the judging business. We should leave it up to God to determine who belongs in one arena or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/we-ought-to-get-out-of-the-judging-business-we-should-leave-it-up-to/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [I contend that Bush would be a lot more moderate if there weren't some fundamentalists breathing down his neck every time he wants to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/i-contend-that-bush-would-be-a-lot-more-moderate-if-there-weren-t/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) [Explore all 163 Tony Campolo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) ## More Death quotes > [“He wondered how it was fair that your dying should depend so much on when you were born.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/he-wondered-how-it-was-fair-that-your-dying-should-depend-so-much-on/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [I do not want to live at the cost of the life even of a snake. I should let him bite me to death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-want-to-live-at-the-cost-of-the-life-even-of-a-snake-i/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“It was beautiful. He thought he had never seen anything so beautiful in all his life; that, having seen it, he could die content,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/it-was-beautiful-he-thought-he-had-never-seen-anything-so-beautiful/) [Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/) > [Retirement? You're talking about death, right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-altman/retirement-you-re-talking-about-death-right/) [Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/) > [With multiplayer, permanent death, and an ever-changing world to explore and conquer, 'A Valley Without Wind' might be the place you're looking for if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-manuel/with-multiplayer-permanent-death-and-an-ever-changing-world-to/) [Rob Manuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-manuel/) > [“What did you see?” she asked gently. His brow furrowed, as if he could not understand the question. Then his eyes turned to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-anthony-torino/what-did-you-see-she-asked-gently-his-brow-furrowed-as-if-he-could/) J. Anthony Torino > [Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/those-whose-life-is-long-still-strive-for-gain-and-for-all-mortals/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [“I practice Dying--every night-- But have not learned to, still-- Though Talented--by Mortal bones-- For such a common Skill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-powers/i-practice-dying-every-night-but-have-not-learned-to-still-though/) Alan W. Powers > [“You must understand the pain and grief of losing someone is nothing more than a function of survival.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-cooper/you-must-understand-the-pain-and-grief-of-losing-someone-is-nothing/) [Steven Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-cooper/) > [I am not a depressive person at all, but I reflect a lot on my life, and life in general, from the perspective of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-am-not-a-depressive-person-at-all-but-i-reflect-a-lot-on-my-life/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [“Death is a reality that calls the rest of life and all of our assorted strivings into sharp relief.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/death-is-a-reality-that-calls-the-rest-of-life-and-all-of-our/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [I love life. I love life to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuelle-riva/i-love-life-i-love-life-to-death/) [Emmanuelle Riva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-riva/) > [I think when you’re dying you start looking for important things in the corners. You can’t let anything that seems even semi-important pass, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-crutcher/i-think-when-you-re-dying-you-start-looking-for-important-things-in/) [Chris Crutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-crutcher/) [Browse all 39,127 Death quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Some people think the theists get off easy by offering eternal life, but in my experience it is awfully difficult to reconcile the death of a child with the idea of a loving God. As a Christian, I knew what to say, but I don’t think my words made much of a difference. What mattered most was just being there and sharing the hurt.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tony Campolo" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/some-people-think-the-theists-get-off-easy-by-offering-eternal-life/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Death" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/some-people-think-the-theists-get-off-easy-by-offering-eternal-life/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/594/tony-campolo-2506_death_some-people-think-the-theists-get-off-ea_1684178.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/594/tony-campolo-2506_death_some-people-think-the-theists-get-off-ea_1684178.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/594/tony-campolo-2506_death_some-people-think-the-theists-get-off-ea_1684178.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Some people think the theists get off easy by offering eternal life, but in my experience it is awfully…” — Tony Campolo", "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": "Tony Campolo", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Some people think the theists get...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/some-people-think-the-theists-get-off-easy-by-offering-eternal-life/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/some-people-think-the-theists-get-off-easy-by-offering-eternal-life/#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 } } ] } ```