--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Religion has nothing to do with God. It's…" description: "\"Religion has nothing to do with God. It's a fundamental attitude of human beings, who ask about the origins of life and what happens after death. For m..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cd/umberto-eco-313_after-death_religion-has-nothing-to-do-with-god-it-s_1736330.jpg" --- # Religion has nothing to do with God. It's a fundamental… ![“Religion has nothing to do with God. It's a fundamental attitude of human beings, who ask about the origins of life and what happens after death. For many, the answer is a personal god. In my opinion, it's religion that produces God, not the other way round.” quote by Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cd/umberto-eco-313_after-death_religion-has-nothing-to-do-with-god-it-s_1736330.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cd/umberto-eco-313_after-death_religion-has-nothing-to-do-with-god-it-s_1736330.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cd/umberto-eco-313_after-death_religion-has-nothing-to-do-with-god-it-s_1736330.jpg) > “Religion has nothing to do with God. It's a fundamental attitude of human beings, who ask about the origins of life and what happens after death. For many, the answer is a personal god. In my opinion, it's religion that produces God, not the other way round.” [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Religion is a human construct that creates the concept of God, not the reverse. **In simple terms:** Religion creates God, not vice versa. Key Takeaway Recognize belief systems as human‑made. Themes religion philosophy human nature existential inquiry Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical critical When to use this quote - cultural studies - personal belief - academic debate Key Concepts constructivism theology anthropology Questions to Reflect On - How does this view affect personal faith? - Can religion exist without a deity concept? A Different Perspective May overlook spiritual experiences beyond constructs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [After death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/after-death/) [Attitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attitude/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Human beings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-beings/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) ## Related quotes > [...religion either produces the very best people or the very worst.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/religion-either-produces-the-very-best-people-or-the-very-worst/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [The idea of a personal God is an anthropological concept which I am unable to take seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-idea-of-a-personal-god-is-an-anthropological-concept-which-i-am/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I cannot conceive of a personal God who would directly influence the actions of individuals, or would directly sit in judgment on creatures of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/i-cannot-conceive-of-a-personal-god-who-would-directly-influence-the-2/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I have repeatedly said that in my opinion the idea of a personal God is a childlike one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/i-have-repeatedly-said-that-in-my-opinion-the-idea-of-a-personal-god/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [In their struggle for the ethical good, teachers of religion must have the stature to give up the doctrine of a personal god.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/in-their-struggle-for-the-ethical-good-teachers-of-religion-must-have/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I do not believe in a personal God and I have never denied this but have expressed it clearly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/i-do-not-believe-in-a-personal-god-and-i-have-never-denied-this-but/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I have never seen the slightest scientific proof of the religious ideas of heaven and hell, of future life for individuals, or of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/i-have-never-seen-the-slightest-scientific-proof-of-the-religious-2/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [For a prayer oriented religion the concept of a personal God is needed - to relate to. For meditation-oriented religions God is a useless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/for-a-prayer-oriented-religion-the-concept-of-a-personal-god-is/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [It seems to me that the idea of a personal God is an anthropological concept which I cannot take seriously. I also cannot imagine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/it-seems-to-me-that-the-idea-of-a-personal-god-is-an-anthropological/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Man would indeeded be in a poor way if he had to be restrained by fear of punishment and hope of reward after death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/man-would-indeeded-be-in-a-poor-way-if-he-had-to-be-restrained-by/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [“The greatest stumbling point of the church is in the department of doctrine. No one can agree on the same thing. There are thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-houge/the-greatest-stumbling-point-of-the-church-is-in-the-department-of-2/) [Adam Houge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-houge/) > [A baby is God's opinion that the world should go on](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/a-baby-is-god-s-opinion-that-the-world-should-go-on/) [Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) > [A baby is God's opinion that life should go on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/a-baby-is-god-s-opinion-that-life-should-go-on/) [Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) > [I heard Cher say, 'I answer to two people: Myself and God.' I say, 'I only answer to me. I'm not sure I appreciate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-lampanelli/i-heard-cher-say-i-answer-to-two-people-myself-and-god-i-say-i-only/) [Lisa Lampanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-lampanelli/) > [If their name isn't GOD, their opinion doesn't matter and their approval isn't needed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/if-their-name-isn-t-god-their-opinion-doesn-t-matter-and-their/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) ## More by Umberto Eco > [I think that at a certain age, say fifteen or sixteen, poetry is like masturbation. But later in life good poets burn their early…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/i-think-that-at-a-certain-age-say-fifteen-or-sixteen-poetry-is-like/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [Followers of the occult believe in only what they already know, and in those things that confirm what they have already learned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/followers-of-the-occult-believe-in-only-what-they-already-know-and-in/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [“This has nothing to do with realism (even if it explains also realism). A completely real world can be constructed, in which asses fly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/this-has-nothing-to-do-with-realism-even-if-it-explains-also-realism/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [“…there’s nothing in this world that demands more caution than the truth. To tell the truth is like leeching one’s own heart...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/there-s-nothing-in-this-world-that-demands-more-caution-than-the/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [The book is like the spoon, scissors, the hammer, the wheel. Once invented, it cannot be improved. You cannot make a spoon that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/the-book-is-like-the-spoon-scissors-the-hammer-the-wheel-once/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [“No algorithm exists for the metaphor, nor can a metaphor be produced by means of a computer’s precise instructions, no matter what the volume…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/no-algorithm-exists-for-the-metaphor-nor-can-a-metaphor-be-produced/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [With all of its defects, the global market makes war less likely, even between the USA and China.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/with-all-of-its-defects-the-global-market-makes-war-less-likely-even/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [The Fundamental Principle that governs - or ought to govern -human affairs if we wish to avoid misunderstandings, conflicts, or pointless utopias, is negotiation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/the-fundamental-principle-that-governs-or-ought-to-govern-human/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [Any fact becomes important when it's connected to another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/any-fact-becomes-important-when-it-s-connected-to-another/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [American coffee can be a pale solution served at a temperature of 100 degrees centigrade in plastic thermos cups, usually obligatory in railroad stations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/american-coffee-can-be-a-pale-solution-served-at-a-temperature-of-100/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [Listening doesn't mean trying to understand. Anything, however trifling, may be of use one day. What matters is to know something that others don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/listening-doesn-t-mean-trying-to-understand-anything-however-trifling/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [They say that a cat, if it falls from a window and hits its nose, can lose its sense of smell and then, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/they-say-that-a-cat-if-it-falls-from-a-window-and-hits-its-nose-can/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [There are magic moments, involving great physical fatigue and intense motor excitement, that produce visions of people known in the past. As I learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/there-are-magic-moments-involving-great-physical-fatigue-and-intense/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [All poets write bad poetry. Bad poets publish them, good poets burn them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/all-poets-write-bad-poetry-bad-poets-publish-them-good-poets-burn-them/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [There are four kinds of people in this world: cretins, fools, morons, and lunatics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/there-are-four-kinds-of-people-in-this-world-cretins-fools-morons-and/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) [Explore all 600 Umberto Eco quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) ## More After death quotes > [The world of imagination is the world of eternity. It is the divine bosom into which we shall all go after death of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/the-world-of-imagination-is-the-world-of-eternity-it-is-the-divine/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [After death there is nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/after-death-there-is-nothing/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [For days after death hair and fingernails continue to grow, but phone calls taper off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-carson/for-days-after-death-hair-and-fingernails-continue-to-grow-but-phone/) [Johnny Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-carson/) > [ Now they \[the Powers\] have started the aggression, and the extinction of our nation is imminent. If we just fold our arms and yield… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/empress-dowager-cixi/now-they-the-powers-have-started-the-aggression-and-the-extinction-of/) Empress Dowager Cixi > [You're a religious man, ... You believe in God and life after death. I also believe. When we come to the other world and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-wiesenthal/you-re-a-religious-man-you-believe-in-god-and-life-after-death-i-also/) [Simon Wiesenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-wiesenthal/) > [And after death something new begins, over which all the powers of the world of death can have no more control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/and-after-death-something-new-begins-over-which-all-the-powers-of-the/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [If the Soul sees, after death , what passes on this earth , and watches over the welfare of those it loves, then must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-pike/if-the-soul-sees-after-death-what-passes-on-this-earth-and-watches/) [Albert Pike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-pike/) > [When we see the many grave-stones which have fallen in, which have been defaced by the footsteps of the congregation, which lie buried under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/when-we-see-the-many-grave-stones-which-have-fallen-in-which-have/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [It is for all men that come into the world once to die; and after death the judgment! And since death is a debt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rumbold/it-is-for-all-men-that-come-into-the-world-once-to-die-and-after/) [Richard Rumbold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rumbold/) > [What we should be after death, we have to attain in life, i.e. holiness and bliss. Here on earth the Kingdom of God begins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paracelsus/what-we-should-be-after-death-we-have-to-attain-in-life-i-e-holiness/) [Paracelsus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paracelsus/) > [(After death.) So few people who come across, possess awareness of any kind. All they bring along with them are worthless values. All they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-matheson/after-death-so-few-people-who-come-across-possess-awareness-of-any/) [Richard Matheson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-matheson/) > [I think I have fairly heard and fairly weighed the evidence on both sides, and I remain an utter disbeliever in almost all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-russel-wallace/i-think-i-have-fairly-heard-and-fairly-weighed-the-evidence-on-both/) [Alfred Russel Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-russel-wallace/) > [I want people to emphasize life before death as opposed to life after death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayaan-hirsi-ali/i-want-people-to-emphasize-life-before-death-as-opposed-to-life-after/) [Ayaan Hirsi Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayaan-hirsi-ali/) > [I thought of the priest who'd told me that many religions hold that it is easier to be closely connected to people we love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/i-thought-of-the-priest-who-d-told-me-that-many-religions-hold-that/) [Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/) > [“And a soul would run by a living being, touch them softly on the shoulder or cheek, and continue on its way to heaven.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-sebold/and-a-soul-would-run-by-a-living-being-touch-them-softly-on-the/) [Alice Sebold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-sebold/) [Browse all 303 After death quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/after-death/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Religion has nothing to do with God. 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