There seem to be only two kinds of people: Those who think that metaphors are facts, and those who know that they are not facts. Those who know they are not facts are what we call "atheists, " and those who think they are facts are "religious." Which group really gets the message? Joseph Campbell
About This Quote

The quote suggests that there are some people who can’t tell the difference between a metaphor and a fact. These people, the speaker suggests, are full of themselves. They think that they know everything, and that they know it all because they have a great understanding of human nature. In my opinion, it is quite obvious that there are many different ways to interpret this quote.

It could be interpreted as a statement about the differences between those who believe in God and those who do not—but I see no reason to make such an assumption. On the surface, the quote seems to indicate that those who believe in God are far more likely to believe in the existence of truth than those who do not—but again, I see no reason for this interpretation. The question is: Which group really gets the message? Those who see metaphors as facts or those who know they are not facts?

Source: Thou Art That: Transforming Religious Metaphor

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