The Atheism Tapes (2004)
Context: Many people do simply awful things out of sincere religious belief, not using religion as a cover the way that Saddam Hussein may have done, but really because they believe that this is what God wants them to do, going all the way back to Abraham being willing to sacrifice Isaac because God told him to do that. Putting God ahead of humanity is a terrible thing.
Source: Drei Frauen: Ein Gedicht für drei Stimmen
Sir Vince Cable: Governments assume public are 'pretty bigoted' https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-43941383, BBC News, 29 April 2018
2018
“A terrible thing has happened to me: I believe I am finding God.”
Quote of Gleizes, 1918; as cited by Daniel Robbins, in Albert Gleizes 1881 – 1953, A Retrospective Exhibition, published by The Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, New York, 1964 - in collaboration with Musée National d'Art Moderne, Paris & Museum am Ostwall, Dortmund
remark to his wife Juliette Roche during the winter of 1918 at the Gleizes' rented house in Pelham, New York
1910s
“God, or somebody, what is it with terrible things? If you made this world why not a better one?”
Adverbs (2006), Barely
2011, Tucson Memorial Address (January 2011)
Context: Scripture tells us that there is evil in the world, and that terrible things happen for reasons that defy human understanding. In the words of Job, "when I looked for light, then came darkness." Bad things happen, and we must guard against simple explanations in the aftermath.
“I put being a mother ahead of being a politician.”
Profile: Diane Abbott https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10276583 BBC News (5 January 2012)
2010s, 2012
General sources
Context: The thing we must do intensely is be human together. People are more important than things. We must get together. The best thing humans can have going for them is each other. We have each other. We must reject everything which humiliates us. Humans are not objects of consumption. We must develop an absolute priority of humans ahead of profit — any humans ahead of any profit. Then we will survive. … Together.
"Introduction" to New World or No World (1970)<!-- an anthology of environmental writing -->
