QuoteProject
The question of souls is old—we demand our bodies, now. We are tired of promises, god is deaf, and his church is our worst enemy.
Voltairine De Cleyre
ShareWTF𝕏

Interpretation

What this quote means

The quote reflects a demand for present reality over abstract beliefs and highlights disillusionment with religious institutions.

Voltairine De Cleyre's quote emphasizes a deep-seated frustration with spiritual promises and the perceived failures of religious systems to address the immediate concerns of human beings. It suggests a desire for tangible experiences and realities over the pursuit of metaphysical or spiritual assurances that have proved to be unfulfilling, and it critiques the institutional church as an impediment rather than a source of support.

Themes

SoulsBodiesPromisesDisillusionmentReligionCritique

In practice

Example use cases

This quote can be used in a debate about the role of religion in modern society.

More from Voltairine De Cleyre

Speak, speak, speak, & remember that whenever anyone's liberty to speak is denied, your liberty is denied also, & your place is where the attack is.
Voltairine De CleyreRead
Anarchism, to me, means not only the denial of authority, not only a new economy, but a revision of the principles of morality. It means the development of the individual as well as the assertion of the individual. It means self-responsibility, and not leader worship.
Voltairine De CleyreRead
Make no laws whatever concerning speech, and speech will be free; so soon as you make a declaration on paper that speech shall be free, you will have a hundred lawyers proving that "freedom does not mean abuse, nor liberty license," and they will define freedom out of existence.
Voltairine De CleyreRead
I think it can be shown that the law makes ten criminals where it restrains one.
Voltairine De CleyreRead
Is it not enough that 'things are cruel and blind'? Must we also be cruel and blind?
Voltairine De CleyreRead
Government is as unreal, as intangible, as unapproachable as God. Try it, if you don't believe it. Seek through the legislative halls of America and find, if you can, the Government. In the end you will be doomed to confer with the agent, as before.
Voltairine De CleyreRead

Similar quotes

The seeker's silence is the loudest form of prayer.
Swami VivekanandaRead
The only place where poverty should be is in museums.
Muhammad YunusRead
In truth the Church is too unique to prove herself unique. For most popular and easy proof is by parallel; and here there is no parallel.
Gilbert K. ChestertonRead
It is well known that in war, the first casualty is truth - that during any war truth is forsaken for propaganda.
Harry BrowneRead
It is our policy to steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world.
George WashingtonRead
In racing, there is no question who is best - the first one to cross the finish line wins first prize. But with wine, even if you make the best wine in the world, someone isn't going to like it, because it isn't their style. Judging wine is very subjective.
Mario AndrettiRead

A little wisdom, now and then

Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.