--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It wasn’t that I did not believe in…" description: "\"“It wasn’t that I did not believe in ghosts; it was that I believed in them in the same noncommittal way that I believed in giant squids or lucky coins..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/457/william-ritter-13116_jackaby_it-wasn-t-that-i-did-not-believe-in-ghos_1129628.jpg" --- # It wasn’t that I did not believe in ghosts; it was that I… ![“It wasn’t that I did not believe in ghosts; it was that I believed in them in the same noncommittal way that I believed in giant squids or lucky coins or Belgium. They were things that probably existed, but I had never given any occasion to really care one way or another.” quote by William Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/457/william-ritter-13116_jackaby_it-wasn-t-that-i-did-not-believe-in-ghos_1129628.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/457/william-ritter-13116_jackaby_it-wasn-t-that-i-did-not-believe-in-ghos_1129628.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/457/william-ritter-13116_jackaby_it-wasn-t-that-i-did-not-believe-in-ghos_1129628.jpg) > ““It wasn’t that I did not believe in ghosts; it was that I believed in them in the same noncommittal way that I believed in giant squids or lucky coins or Belgium. They were things that probably existed, but I had never given any occasion to really care one way or another.”” [William Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ritter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Belief in uncertain phenomena is casual and noncommittal, like believing in myths without commitment. **In simple terms:** Casual belief in unknown things. Key Takeaway Stay open but critical about unproven ideas. Themes belief uncertainty myth Mood contemplative skeptical Type philosophical inquisitive When to use this quote - personal anecdotes - paranormal discussions - scientific debates - cultural folklore Key Concepts skepticism open-mindedness Questions to Reflect On - Do you prefer certainty or curiosity? - How does casual belief affect decision making? A Different Perspective Such noncommittal belief can hinder decisive action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ghost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ghost/) [Ghosts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ghosts/) [Jackaby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jackaby/) ## Related quotes > [“It wasn’t that I did not believe in ghosts; it was that I believed in them in the same noncommittal way that I believed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ritter/it-wasn-t-that-i-did-not-believe-in-ghosts-it-was-that-i-believed-in/) [William Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ritter/) > [“I read the first few," said Jackaby. "I've instructed my duck to just file the rest directly under P. I left it to him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ritter/i-read-the-first-few-said-jackaby-i-ve-instructed-my-duck-to-just/) [William Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ritter/) > [“To the attention of the New Fiddleham Police Department: You've got my middle-C, and I would like it back. ... Please return Jackaby's tuning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ritter/to-the-attention-of-the-new-fiddleham-police-department-you-ve-got-my/) [William Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ritter/) > [“So she’s just a mad woman?” Jackaby hesitated, and when he spoke, his answer had a soft earnestness to it. “Hatun sees a different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ritter/so-she-s-just-a-mad-woman-jackaby-hesitated-and-when-he-spoke-his/) [William Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ritter/) > [“Monsters are easy, Miss Rook. They're monsters. But a monster in a suit? That's basically just a wicked man, and a wicked man is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ritter/monsters-are-easy-miss-rook-they-re-monsters-but-a-monster-in-a-suit/) [William Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ritter/) > [“I don’t exactly believe in all this… this… this occult business. I don’t believe in house spirits, or goblins, or Santa Claus!” “Well, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ritter/i-don-t-exactly-believe-in-all-this-this-this-occult-business-i-don-t/) [William Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ritter/) > [“A young woman across the dock pulled her winter coat tightly around herself and ducked her chin down as the crowd of sailors passed.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ritter/a-young-woman-across-the-dock-pulled-her-winter-coat-tightly-around/) [William Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ritter/) > [“That will suffice," Jackaby grumbled loudly from behind me. "Yes, yes. You are young and your love is a hot biscuit and other abysmally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ritter/that-will-suffice-jackaby-grumbled-loudly-from-behind-me-yes-yes-you/) [William Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ritter/) > [“Wood nymphs,” said Jackaby. “Not a real cheery lot, them,” observed Hudson. “In retrospect, a library is a rather somber locale for their kind.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ritter/wood-nymphs-said-jackaby-not-a-real-cheery-lot-them-observed-hudson/) [William Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ritter/) > [“I never found a book that did not have at least a little magic in it”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ritter/i-never-found-a-book-that-did-not-have-at-least-a-little-magic-in-it/) [William Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ritter/) > [“... I don't believe in ghosts - not the scary white sheet, boogie-woogie type of ghost anyway. And yet ... I don't disbelieve either.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-tayleur/i-don-t-believe-in-ghosts-not-the-scary-white-sheet-boogie-woogie/) [Karen Tayleur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-tayleur/) > [I don't believe in ghosts or paranormal activity, but one time I think I saw - I might have seen - no, I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-blum/i-don-t-believe-in-ghosts-or-paranormal-activity-but-one-time-i-think/) [Jason Blum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-blum/) > [I am not scared of ghosts. I don't believe in ghosts or in the supernatural.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/urmila-matondkar/i-am-not-scared-of-ghosts-i-don-t-believe-in-ghosts-or-in-the/) [Urmila Matondkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/urmila-matondkar/) > [I can read the Tarot cards and believe in ghosts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-roberts/i-can-read-the-tarot-cards-and-believe-in-ghosts/) [Mark Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-roberts/) > [Do I believe in ghosts?...I am prepared to consider evidence and accept it if it satisfies me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-r-james/do-i-believe-in-ghosts-i-am-prepared-to-consider-evidence-and-accept/) [M. R. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-r-james/) ## More by William Ritter > [“Failure is not the opposite of success—it’s a part of it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ritter/failure-is-not-the-opposite-of-success-it-s-a-part-of-it/) [William Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ritter/) > [“It looked like precisely the sort of place where a living body might go if it wanted to become a dead one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ritter/it-looked-like-precisely-the-sort-of-place-where-a-living-body-might/) [William Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ritter/) > [“It wasn’t that I did not believe in ghosts; it was that I believed in them in the same noncommittal way that I believed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ritter/it-wasn-t-that-i-did-not-believe-in-ghosts-it-was-that-i-believed-in/) [William Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ritter/) > [“The real powers at play never take center stage. Don't follow the marionette, follow the strings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ritter/the-real-powers-at-play-never-take-center-stage-don-t-follow-the/) [William Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ritter/) > [“I never found a book that did not have at least a little magic in it”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ritter/i-never-found-a-book-that-did-not-have-at-least-a-little-magic-in-it/) [William Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ritter/) > [“He might not have both oars in the water, but his course is sound.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ritter/he-might-not-have-both-oars-in-the-water-but-his-course-is-sound/) [William Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ritter/) > [“The most frightening monsters are monsters’ mothers. Just ask Beowulf.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ritter/the-most-frightening-monsters-are-monsters-mothers-just-ask-beowulf/) [William Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ritter/) > [“Hell of a sight. She let out a scream and just fell to pieces. Can't say I blame her. Like I said, this sort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ritter/hell-of-a-sight-she-let-out-a-scream-and-just-fell-to-pieces-can-t/) [William Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ritter/) > [“The man had no portraits or photographs, but he had slowly surrounded himself with mementos of a fantastic past. Each little item, by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ritter/the-man-had-no-portraits-or-photographs-but-he-had-slowly-surrounded/) [William Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ritter/) > [“Those things aren't magical." "Of course they're magical! Argh! You infuriating man! If a unicorn came and sat in the corner of your office…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ritter/those-things-aren-t-magical-of-course-they-re-magical-argh-you/) [William Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ritter/) > [“Wood nymphs,” said Jackaby. “Not a real cheery lot, them,” observed Hudson. “In retrospect, a library is a rather somber locale for their kind.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ritter/wood-nymphs-said-jackaby-not-a-real-cheery-lot-them-observed-hudson/) [William Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ritter/) > [“Do you really think he'll still help you if you murder me?" I said, horrified. Pavel snorted. "Do you really think he'll let the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ritter/do-you-really-think-he-ll-still-help-you-if-you-murder-me-i-said/) [William Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ritter/) > [“The only paths you can’t travel are the ones you block yourself—so don’t let the fear of failure stop you from trying in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ritter/the-only-paths-you-can-t-travel-are-the-ones-you-block-yourself-so/) [William Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ritter/) > [“I don’t need to understand someone to respect them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ritter/i-don-t-need-to-understand-someone-to-respect-them/) [William Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ritter/) > [“That will suffice," Jackaby grumbled loudly from behind me. "Yes, yes. You are young and your love is a hot biscuit and other abysmally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ritter/that-will-suffice-jackaby-grumbled-loudly-from-behind-me-yes-yes-you/) [William Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ritter/) [Explore all 51 William Ritter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ritter/) ## More Ghost quotes > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [“When you feel terribly angry, you're possessed by anger ghost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/when-you-feel-terribly-angry-you-re-possessed-by-anger-ghost/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [I was overcome by the Holy Ghost one time, but in a Baptist way. I was six or seven, and I was saved. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-ditto/i-was-overcome-by-the-holy-ghost-one-time-but-in-a-baptist-way-i-was/) [Beth Ditto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-ditto/) > [Nice is a city of ghosts and specters, but I hope not to become one of them right away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-modiano/nice-is-a-city-of-ghosts-and-specters-but-i-hope-not-to-become-one-of/) [Patrick Modiano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-modiano/) > [“Who is this ghost ordered into music?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuko-shiraishi/who-is-this-ghost-ordered-into-music/) Kazuko Shiraishi > [The ghost story movie that scared me the most was The Changeling with George C. Scott. I think that's sometimes overlooked, but it's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-ghost-story-movie-that-scared-me-the-most-was-the-changeling-with/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Maybe I could be friends with a ghost. I wouldn’t be able to kill him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-harrison/maybe-i-could-be-friends-with-a-ghost-i-wouldn-t-be-able-to-kill-him/) [Kim Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-harrison/) > [I love ghost stories, I love to read them, and I love the idea of being haunted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/micah-perks/i-love-ghost-stories-i-love-to-read-them-and-i-love-the-idea-of-being/) [Micah Perks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/micah-perks/) > [The Holy Ghost is the greatest guarantor of inward peace in our unstable world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-e-faust/the-holy-ghost-is-the-greatest-guarantor-of-inward-peace-in-our/) [James E. Faust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-e-faust/) > [I saw the gooseflesh on my skin. I did not know what made it. I was not cold. Had a ghost passed over? No,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/i-saw-the-gooseflesh-on-my-skin-i-did-not-know-what-made-it-i-was-not/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [She knows not loves that kissed her She knows not where. Art thou the ghost, my sister, White sister there, Am I the ghost,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-charles-swinburne/she-knows-not-loves-that-kissed-her-she-knows-not-where-art-thou-the/) [Algernon Charles Swinburne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-charles-swinburne/) > [Pity the planet, all joy gone from this sweet volcanic cone; peace to our children when they fall in small war on the heel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-lowell/pity-the-planet-all-joy-gone-from-this-sweet-volcanic-cone-peace-to/) [Robert Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-lowell/) > [What the Church needs to-day is not more machinery or better, not new organizations or more and novel methods, but men whom the Holy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-the-church-needs-to-day-is-not-more-machinery-or-better-not-new/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Do I believe in ghosts?...I am prepared to consider evidence and accept it if it satisfies me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-r-james/do-i-believe-in-ghosts-i-am-prepared-to-consider-evidence-and-accept/) [M. R. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-r-james/) > [Just live that life. It doesn't matter whether it is life or hell, life of the hungry ghost, life of the animal, it's okay;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taizan-maezumi/just-live-that-life-it-doesn-t-matter-whether-it-is-life-or-hell-life/) [Taizan Maezumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taizan-maezumi/) [Browse all 2,175 Ghost quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ghost/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It wasn’t that I did not believe in ghosts; it was that I believed in them in the same noncommittal way that I believed in giant squids or lucky coins or Belgium. They were things that probably existed, but I had never given any occasion to really care one way or another.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Ritter" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ritter/it-wasn-t-that-i-did-not-believe-in-ghosts-it-was-that-i-believed-in-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ghost" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ritter/it-wasn-t-that-i-did-not-believe-in-ghosts-it-was-that-i-believed-in-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/457/william-ritter-13116_jackaby_it-wasn-t-that-i-did-not-believe-in-ghos_1129628.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/457/william-ritter-13116_jackaby_it-wasn-t-that-i-did-not-believe-in-ghos_1129628.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/457/william-ritter-13116_jackaby_it-wasn-t-that-i-did-not-believe-in-ghos_1129628.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It wasn’t that I did not believe in ghosts; it was that I believed in them in the same noncommittal way that…” — William Ritter", "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": "William Ritter", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ritter/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“It wasn’t that I did not...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ritter/it-wasn-t-that-i-did-not-believe-in-ghosts-it-was-that-i-believed-in-2/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ritter/it-wasn-t-that-i-did-not-believe-in-ghosts-it-was-that-i-believed-in-2/#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 } } ] } ```