--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: [They say] \"We do not know how this is…" description: "\"[They say] \"We do not know how this is, but we know that God can do it.\" You poor fools! God can make a cow out of a tree, but has He ever done so? The..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de0/william-of-conches-59004_can-do_they-say-we-do-not-know-how-this-is-but_566469.jpg" --- # \[They say\] "We do not know how this is, but we know that… ![“[They say] "We do not know how this is, but we know that God can do it." You poor fools! God can make a cow out of a tree, but has He ever done so? Therefore show some reason why a thing is so, or cease to hold that it is so.” quote by William of Conches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de0/william-of-conches-59004_can-do_they-say-we-do-not-know-how-this-is-but_566469.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de0/william-of-conches-59004_can-do_they-say-we-do-not-know-how-this-is-but_566469.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de0/william-of-conches-59004_can-do_they-say-we-do-not-know-how-this-is-but_566469.jpg) > “\[They say\] "We do not know how this is, but we know that God can do it." You poor fools! God can make a cow out of a tree, but has He ever done so? Therefore show some reason why a thing is so, or cease to hold that it is so.” [William of Conches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-of-conches/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Blind faith without evidence is irrational; one should demand logical justification for claims. **In simple terms:** Don’t accept statements without proof; seek reason. Key Takeaway Demand evidence before believing. Themes skepticism reason faith Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type philosophical critical When to use this quote - Scientific inquiry - religious debate - education curricula Key Concepts Epistemology logic theology Questions to Reflect On - What role does faith play when reason falls short? - How can we respect differing epistemic standards? A Different Perspective Reason alone may not satisfy all belief systems. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fool/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Tree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tree/) ## Related quotes > [“God can make a cow out of a tree, but has He ever done so? Therefore show some reason why a thing is so,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-of-conches/god-can-make-a-cow-out-of-a-tree-but-has-he-ever-done-so-therefore/) [William of Conches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-of-conches/) > [We must always remember that God is Love. "A fool indeed is he who, living on the banks of the Ganga, seeks to dig…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/we-must-always-remember-that-god-is-love-a-fool-indeed-is-he-who/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [If you want a cow to be not just a cow but a milk machine, you can do a very good job at that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vandana-shiva/if-you-want-a-cow-to-be-not-just-a-cow-but-a-milk-machine-you-can-do/) [Vandana Shiva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vandana-shiva/) > [During the shooting of 'Manthan,' I lived in the hut, learnt to make cow dung cakes and milk a buffalo. I would carry the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naseeruddin-shah/during-the-shooting-of-manthan-i-lived-in-the-hut-learnt-to-make-cow/) [Naseeruddin Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naseeruddin-shah/) > [“Never climb the tree with the reason of plucking a fruit; only to get there and pick a leaf. Let everything you get there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/never-climb-the-tree-with-the-reason-of-plucking-a-fruit-only-to-get/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [If a painting of a tree was only the exact representation of the original, so that it looked just like the tree, there would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-coolidge/if-a-painting-of-a-tree-was-only-the-exact-representation-of-the/) [Calvin Coolidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-coolidge/) > [If I were a tree, I would have no reason to love a human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/if-i-were-a-tree-i-would-have-no-reason-to-love-a-human/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“One tree isn’t more important than the entire forest, Joe. You taught me that. Remember? Political pruning. (Syd) Yeah, but every forest is always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/one-tree-isn-t-more-important-than-the-entire-forest-joe-you-taught/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [“And what does God ask of you?” “To fly without wings. To do what seems impossible. To cling to our loves through the rapids…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-storace/and-what-does-god-ask-of-you-to-fly-without-wings-to-do-what-seems/) [Patricia Storace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-storace/) > [What matters supremely, therefore, is not, in the last analysis, the fact that I know God, but the larger fact which underlies it -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/what-matters-supremely-therefore-is-not-in-the-last-analysis-the-fact/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [“As you trust Me more and more, you are able to receive Me and My blessings abundantly. Be still, and know that I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-young/as-you-trust-me-more-and-more-you-are-able-to-receive-me-and-my/) [Sarah Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-young/) > [“These are the times when we aficionados of the gas stove know we are on the side of God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-powell/these-are-the-times-when-we-aficionados-of-the-gas-stove-know-we-are/) [Julie Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-powell/) > [We should bathe our spirits in the deep, pure feeling that stirs within us when we gaze on the glories of His creation. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/we-should-bathe-our-spirits-in-the-deep-pure-feeling-that-stirs/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [“We must, however, urge it as a matter of the highest import, to cease from self-action and self-exertion, that God himself may act alone:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madame-guyon/we-must-however-urge-it-as-a-matter-of-the-highest-import-to-cease/) [Madame Guyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madame-guyon/) > [“You never know why God has you move the way He does. You should just listen when He tells you to.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacinta-howard/you-never-know-why-god-has-you-move-the-way-he-does-you-should-just/) [Jacinta Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacinta-howard/) ## More by William of Conches > [“God can make a cow out of a tree, but has He ever done so? Therefore show some reason why a thing is so,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-of-conches/god-can-make-a-cow-out-of-a-tree-but-has-he-ever-done-so-therefore/) [William of Conches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-of-conches/) > [No corporeal substance can be so subtle and swift as this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-of-conches/no-corporeal-substance-can-be-so-subtle-and-swift-as-this/) [William of Conches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-of-conches/) > [Rejoicing not in the many but in the probity of the few, we toil for truth alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-of-conches/rejoicing-not-in-the-many-but-in-the-probity-of-the-few-we-toil-for/) [William of Conches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-of-conches/) > [Because they know not the forces of nature, and in order that they may have comrades in their ignorance, they suffer not that others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-of-conches/because-they-know-not-the-forces-of-nature-and-in-order-that-they-may/) [William of Conches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-of-conches/) [Explore all 5 William of Conches quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-of-conches/) ## More Can do quotes > [Changes before your eyes, things you can do and things you can't. My attitude is always let it keep rolling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-malick/changes-before-your-eyes-things-you-can-do-and-things-you-can-t-my/) [Terrence Malick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-malick/) > [The happy medium is television. And if you find a good suitor, you can do it for years. With movies, you roll the dice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-campbell/the-happy-medium-is-television-and-if-you-find-a-good-suitor-you-can/) [Bruce Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-campbell/) > [If I had a million dollars, I just wouldn't just completely set back. I'd have to get out there and show my face to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muddy-waters/if-i-had-a-million-dollars-i-just-wouldn-t-just-completely-set-back-i/) [Muddy Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muddy-waters/) > [Anybody can be Prince Charming one day a year, with the dinner and the flowers and all that. But you know what impresses me?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-howard/anybody-can-be-prince-charming-one-day-a-year-with-the-dinner-and-the/) [Ryan Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-howard/) > [And if the mind thinks with a believing attitude one can do amazing things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/and-if-the-mind-thinks-with-a-believing-attitude-one-can-do-amazing/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [The amount of things you can do with a kettlebell is unsurpassed by any other training equipment - dumbbells, resistance machines, free weights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laird-hamilton/the-amount-of-things-you-can-do-with-a-kettlebell-is-unsurpassed-by/) [Laird Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laird-hamilton/) > [It's nice when you've done enough movies that you can do your own anthology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lithgow/it-s-nice-when-you-ve-done-enough-movies-that-you-can-do-your-own/) [John Lithgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lithgow/) > [If people don't have their own vision, all they can do is 'sign-up' for someone else's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-senge/if-people-don-t-have-their-own-vision-all-they-can-do-is-sign-up-for/) [Peter Senge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-senge/) > [The one thing that flies in the face of all human history and experience, is that the government can do a superior job than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/the-one-thing-that-flies-in-the-face-of-all-human-history-and/) [James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/) > [...what I can do is offer myself, wholehearted and present, to walk with the people I love through the fear and the mess. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/what-i-can-do-is-offer-myself-wholehearted-and-present-to-walk-with/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [Whether that's speaking up in your job or asking for a promotion or saying, 'I think I can do that.' Using your voice in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-shriver/whether-that-s-speaking-up-in-your-job-or-asking-for-a-promotion-or/) [Maria Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-shriver/) > [The average ordinary citizen can do a lot of different things when it comes to the climate crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-bender/the-average-ordinary-citizen-can-do-a-lot-of-different-things-when-it/) [Lawrence Bender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-bender/) > [A professional is a man who can do his job when he doesn't feel like it. An amateur is a man who can't do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-agate/a-professional-is-a-man-who-can-do-his-job-when-he-doesn-t-feel-like/) [James Agate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-agate/) > [The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, as it pleases him, for he can do all things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/the-lord-gives-and-the-lord-takes-away-as-it-pleases-him-for-he-can/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [I'm not an educated man. I only know what I'm told, and I'm not told that much; I have no frame of reference for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/i-m-not-an-educated-man-i-only-know-what-i-m-told-and-i-m-not-told/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) Browse all 5,673 Can do quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "[They say] \"We do not know how this is, but we know that God can do it.\" You poor fools! 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