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Desmond Tutu

Desmond Tutu Quotes

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Famous Desmond Tutu Quotes

“Africans believe in something that is difficult to render in English. We call it ubuntu, botho. It means the essence of being human. You know when it is there and when it is absent. It speaks about humaneness, gentleness, hospitality, putting yourself out on behalf of others, being vulnerable. It embraces compassion and toughness. It recognizes that my humanity is bound up in yours, for we can only be human together.”

KnowsBelieveHumansMeanTogetherHumanitySpeakDifficultCompassionEssenceEmbraceBoundsVulnerableBeing HumanBehalfGentlenessHospitalityAbsentToughnessUbuntu
Book:The words of Desmond Tutu
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“There is no peace in Southern Africa. There is no peace because there is no justice. There can be no real peace and security until there be first justice enjoyed by all the inhabitants of that beautiful land. The Bible knows nothing about peace without justice, for that would be crying "peace, peace, where there is no peace". God's Shalom, peace, involves inevitably righteousness, justice, wholeness, fullness of life, participation in decision-making, goodness, laughter, joy, compassion, sharing and reconciliation.”

KnowsFirstsRealWould BeBeautifulJoyJusticeDecisionCompassionLandSecurityCryGoodnessLaughterSouthEnjoyedInevitableDecision MakingRighteousnessSouth AfricaParticipationReconciliationFullnessPeace And SecurityShalomFullness Of LifeWholesomenessBeautiful Land
Author:Desmond Tutu
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“If we could but recognize our common humanity, that we do belong together, that our destinies are bound up in one another's, that we can be free only together, that we can be human only together, then a glorious world would come into being where all of us lived harmoniously together as members of one family, the human family.”

IfsWorldHumansTogetherHumanityCommunityCommonDestinyMembersBoundsOnenessGloriousOur DestinyHuman FamilyCommon Humanity
Author:Desmond Tutu
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“The heart of the Christian Gospel is precisely that God is the all holy One; the all powerful One is also the One full of mercy and compassion. He is not a neutral God inhabiting some inaccessible Mount Olympus. He is a God who cares about His children and cares enormously for the weak, the poor, the naked, the downtrodden, the despised. He takes their side not because they are good, since many of them are demonstrably not so. He takes their side because He is that kind of God, and they have no one else to champion them.”

HeartKindChildrenCareChristianSidesPoorPowerfulCompassionChristianityHolyWeakMercyNakedChampionWho CaresDespisedInaccessibleDowntroddenOlympusMercy And Compassion
Book:The words of Desmond Tutu
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“Children learn about the nature of the world from their family. They learn about power and about justice, about peace and about compassion within the family. Whether we oppress or liberate our children in our relationships with them will determine whether they grow up to oppress and be oppressed or to liberate and be liberated.”

WorldChildrenGrowsJusticeCompassionGrowing UpOur ChildrenDetermineOur RelationshipOppressedLiberated
Book:God Has A Dream: A Vision of Hope for Our Times
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“Have you seen a symphony orchestra? There is a person at the back carrying a triangle. Now and again the conductor will point to him or her and that person will play "ting." That might seem so insignificant, but in the conception of the composer something irreplaceable would be lost to the total beauty of the symphony if that "ting" did not happen.”

IfsPersonsPlaySeemsMightHappensWould BeLostCommunityConceptionComposerInsignificantOrchestraSymphonyConductorTrianglesIrreplaceableSymphony Orchestras
Author:Desmond Tutu
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“I have heard and seen many examples of the cruelty that we are able to visit on one another during my time. . . I have also seen incredible forgiveness and compassion. Yes, each of us has the capacity for great evil. But for every act of evil there are a dozen acts of goodness in our world that go unnoticed. It is only because we believe that people should be good that we despair when they are not. Indeed, if people condoned the evil, we would be justified in losing hope. But most of the world does not. We know that we are meant for better.”

PeopleIfsKnowsWorldShouldBelieveDoeWould BeAbleEvilCompassionHeardExampleDespairGoodnessLosingCapacityIncrediblesBe GoodCrueltyMy TimeOur WorldDozenJustifiedUnnoticedLosing HopeActs Of Evil
Author:Desmond Tutu
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