The 'working poor,' as they are approvingly termed, are in fact the major philanthropists of our society.
Barbara EhrenreichRead
The religions that fascinate me and, you know, could possibly tempt me are not the ones that involve faith or belief. They're the ones that offer you the opportunity to know the spirit or deity.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes a preference for experiential knowledge of the divine over mere belief.
Barbara Ehrenreich expresses her fascination with religions that prioritize personal experience and understanding of the divine spirit rather than those based solely on faith or belief systems. She implies that the opportunity to truly know a deity or spiritual essence is more compelling and meaningful than adherence to doctrines or traditional beliefs.
Themes
ReligionFaithKnowledgeSpiritualityExperience
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about spirituality, you might use this quote to illustrate why personal experience in religion can be more valuable than dogma.
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I would never call myself a cancer survivor because I think it devalues those who do not survive. There's this whole mythology that people bravely battle their cancer and then they become survivors. Well, the ones who don't survive may be just as brave, you know, just as courageous, wonderful people.
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