Home / Quotes / Quote by Jerry Spinelli

Quote by Jerry Spinelli

“I understood. I suffered. But whose sake was I suffering for? I kept thinking of Señor Saguaro's question: Whose affection do you value more, hers or the others'?”

Book:Stargirl

Work

Stargirl

This novel follows the journey of a young girl named Stargirl, whose unconventional lifestyle and free-spirited nature challenge the norms of her conservative community. The story delves into the complexities of fitting in, the power of friendship, and the courage it takes to be true to oneself. more

Author

Jerry Spinelli

Jerry Spinelli is a renowned American children's literature writer, born on February 1, 1941. His works are known for their humor, depth, and imaginative storytelling, enjoying great popularity among readers. His representative works include 'Stargirl' and 'Maniac Magee'. more

“Man's inhumanity to man will continue as long as man loves God more than he loves his fellow man. The love of God means wasted love. 'For God and Country' means a divided allegiance—a 50 per cent patriot. The most abused word in the language of man is the word 'God.' The reason for this is that it is subject to so much abuse. There is no other word in the human language that is as meaningless and incapable of explanation as is the word 'God.' It is the beginning and end of nothing. It is the Alpha and Omega of Ignorance. It has as many meanings as there are minds. And as each person has an opinion of what the word God ought to mean, it is a word without premise, without foundation, and without substance. It is without validity. It is all things to all people, and is as meaningless as it is indefinable. It is the most dangerous in the hands of the unscrupulous, and is the joker that trumps the ace. It is the poisoned word that has paralyzed the brain of man. 'The fear of the Lord' is not the beginning of wisdom; on the contrary, it has made man a groveling slave; it has made raving lunatics of those who have attempted to interpret what God 'is' and what is supposed to be our 'duty' to God. It has made man prostitute the most precious things of life—it has made him sacrifice wife, and child, and home. 'In the name of God' means in the name of nothing—it has caused man to be a wastrel with the precious elixir of life, because there is no God.”