Best existence & evil Quotes | Short & Famous Sayings

“How do you live with evil? Art is traditionally - certainly with my secular background - the answer, but art is very self-referential, whereas religion claims to go beyond the bounds of human existence.”

Humans Art Self Evil Answers Existence Art Is Claims Bounds Backgrounds Secular Human Existence

Author:Yann Martel

“Ist es an und fu? r sich absurd, das Nichtsein fu? r einUbel zu ? halten; da jedes Ubel wie jedes Gut das Dasein zur Voraussetzung hat, ja sogar das Bewusstsein. It is in and by itself absurd to regard non-existence as an evil; for every evil, like every good, presupposes existence, indeed even consciousness.”

Evil Existence Consciousness Regard Very Good Absurd Guts Hats Absurdity Non Existence

Author:Arthur Schopenhauer

“The potentiality of perfection outweighs actual contradictions... Existence in itself is here to prove that it cannot be an evil.”

Evil Existence Prove Perfection Contradiction

Book:SĀDHANĀ - The Realisation of life

Source: SĀDHANĀ - The Realisation of life

“Modern man lives isolated in his artificial environment, not because the artificial is evil as such, but because of his lack of comprehension of the forces which make it work- of the principles which relate his gadgets to the forces of nature, to the universal order. It is not central heating which makes his existence 'unnatural,' but his refusal to take an interest in the principles behind it. By being entirely dependent on science, yet closing his mind to it, he leads the life of an urban barbarian.”

Source: The Act of Creation

“Not only is suicide a sin, it is the sin. It is the ultimate and absolute evil, the refusal to take an interest in existence; the refusal to take the oath of loyalty to life. The man who kills a man, kills a man. The man who kills himself, kills all men. As far as he is concerned he wipes out the world.”

Men World Evil Interest Sin Existence He Man Concerned Ultimate Absolutes Suicide Loyalty Wipe Refusal Oath

Book:The Essential Gilbert K. Chesterton

Source: The Essential Gilbert K. Chesterton

“Every human being has a fascinating existence, with a big cast of good and evil characters in each. And almost always, somewhere along the way, magic.”

Way Humans Character Bigs Evil Human Beings Existence Magic Casts Good And Evil Fascinating Evil Characters

Book:The Girl on the Cliff: A Novel

Source: The Girl on the Cliff: A Novel

“In a word, the Holy Scripture is the highest and best of books, abounding in comfort under all afflictions and trials. It teaches us to see, to feel, to grasp, and to comprehend faith, hope, and charity, far otherwise than mere human reason can; and while evil oppresses us, it teaches how these virtues throw light upon the darkness, and how, after this poor, miserable existence of ours on earth, there is another and an eternal life.”

Source: The Table Talk Or Familiar Discourse of Martin Luther

“The so-called evils are evils only in relation to a certain thing, and that which is evil in relation to a certain existing thing, either includes the non-existence of that thing or the non-existence of some of its good conditions.”

Certain Evil Existence Conditions Relation Non Existence

Book:The Guide for the Perplexed

Source: The Guide for the Perplexed

“Even the existence of this corporeal element, low as it in reality is, because it is the source of death and all evils, is likewise good for the permanence of the Universe and the continuation of the order of things, so that one thing departs and the other succeeds.”

Reality Order Universe Evil Existence One Thing Source Succeed Elements Lows Permanence Continuation

Book:The Guide for the Perplexed

Source: The Guide for the Perplexed

“One ideological claim is that private property is theft, that the natural product of the existence of property is evil, and that private ownership therefore should not exist... What those who feel this way don't realize is that property is a notion that has to do with control - that property is a system for the disposal of power. The absence of property almost always means the concentration of power in the state.”

“...perhaps there is some element of good even in the simple act of living, so long as the evils of existence do not preponderate too heavily.”

Long Evil Simple Existence Elements

Book:The Politics of Aristotle

Source: The Politics of Aristotle

“For, owners of their deeds (karma) are the beings, heirs of their deeds; their deeds are the womb from which they sprang; with their deeds they are bound up; their deeds are their refuge. Whatever deeds they do-good or evil-of such they will be the heirs. And wherever the beings spring into existence, there their deeds will ripen; and wherever their deeds ripen, there they will earn the fruits of those deeds, be it in this life, or be it in the next life, or be it in any other future life.”

Evil Next Existence Spring Fruit Bounds Deeds Karma This Life Owners Refuge Womb Heirs Future Life Next Life

Author:Gautama Buddha

“Surely if living creatures saw the results of all their evil deeds, they would turn away from them in disgust. But selfhood blinds them, and they cling to their obnoxious desires. They crave pleasure for themselves and they cause pain to others; when death destroys their individuality, they find no peace; their thirst for existence abides and their selfhood reappears in new births. Thus they continue to move in the coil and can find no escape from the hell of their own making.”

Ifs Pain Moving Desire Turns Evil Causes Pleasure Results Existence Hell Saws Birth Creatures Individuality Deeds Karma Disgusting Thirst Crave Living Creatures Obnoxious

Author:Gautama Buddha

“To organize work in such a manner that it becomes meaningless, boring, stultifying, or nerve-racking for the worker would be little short of criminal; it would indicate a greater concern with goods than with people, an evil lack of compassion and a soul-destroying degree of attachment to the most primitive side of this worldly existence.”

Source: SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL

“This is part of the involuntary bargain we make with the world just by being alive. We get to experiences the splendor of nature, the beauty of art, the balm of love and the sheer joy of existence, always with the knowledge that illness, injury, natural disaster, or pure evil can end it in an instant for ourselves or someone we love.”

World Art Ends Joy Evil Natural Existence Alive Pure Illness Disaster Instant Injury Sheer Bargains Splendor Involuntary Natural Disaster Sheer Joy Pure Evil

Author:Jeff Greenfield

“All evil, in fact the very existence of evil, is inexplicable until we refer to the paternity of God. It hangs a huge blot in the universe until the orb of divine love rises behind it. In that apposition we detect its meaning. It appears to us but a finite shadow as it passes across the disk of infinite light.”

Facts Light Universe Evil Behinds Existence Divine Huge Shadow Infinite Finite Divine Love Inexplicable Disk Orbs

Author:Edwin Hubbel Chapin

“The Islamophobia phobes, (ph) the writers and the editors and the talking heads who deny an existence of evil while blaming those who speak up. There no difference - different than the apologists for communism. As communism killed millions, they, they denied it.”

Different Evil Speak Differences Existence Talking Millions Blame Deny Communism Editors Denied Islamophobia Talking Heads

Author:Greg Gutfeld

“The existence of very pious feelings, in conjunction with intolerance, cruelty, and selfish policy, has never ceased to surprise and perplex those who have viewed it calmly from a distance. ... It is impossible to exaggerate the evil work theology has done in the world. What destruction of the beautiful monuments of past ages, what waste of life, what disturbance of domestic and social happiness, what perverted feelings, what blighted hearts, have always marked its baneful progress!”

“Clearly, one primary purpose of our existence upon the earth is to obtain a body of flesh and bones. We have also been given the gift of agency. In a thousand ways we are privileged to choose for ourselves. Here we learn from the hard taskmaster of experience. We discern between good and evil. We differentiate as to the bitter and the sweet. We discover that there are consequences attached to our actions.”

Way Hard Body Action Earth Purpose Evil Given Existence Sweet Thousand Consequence Bones Flesh Bitter Primaries Agency Good And Evil Privileged Our Actions Differentiate

Author:Thomas S. Monson

“It is not easy to explain why God permits evil; but it is impossible for an atheist to explain the existence of goodness. How could a spiritless, soul-less, cross-less, Godless universe become the center of faith, purity, sacrifice, and martyrdom? How can decency be the decent thing if there is no God? Since God is love, why should we be surprised that want of it should end in pain, hate, broken hearts, and war?”

“There are neither good nor evil, only the existence and action.”

Action Evil Existence

Author:Irving Stone

“This is the crux of the moral pessimists: if they really wanted to promote their neighbor's redemption, then they would have to resolve themselves to spoiling existence for him, and thus to being his misfortune; out of pity, they would have to--become evil!”

Ifs Wanted Evil Existence Moral Morality Neighbor Pity Redemption Good And Evil Resolve Misfortunes Pessimist Crux

Author:Friedrich Nietzsche

“To deny the possibility, nay, the actual existence of witchcraft and sorcery, is at once flatly to contradict the revealed word of God in various passages both of the Old and New Testament, and the thing itself is a Truth to which every nation in the world hath, in its turn, borne testimony, by either example seemingly well attested or by prohibitory laws, which at least suppose the possibility of a commerce with evil spirits.”

Source: Commentaries on the Laws of England - Of Public Wrongs

“There is always a certain glamour about the idea of a nation rising up to crush an evil simply because it is wrong. Unfortunately, this can seldom be realized in real life; for the very existence of the evil usually argues a moral weakness in the very place where extraordinary moral strength is called for.”

Ideas Real Certain Evil Nations Existence Moral Weakness Extraordinary Arguing Real Life Crush Rising Being Real Glamour Rising Up Moral Strength

Book:Suppression of the African Slave-Trade to the United States of America: 1638-1870

Source: Suppression of the African Slave-Trade to the United States of America: 1638-1870

“The war of good and evil present in all religions does not always end, in every faith, with the victory of good, but in every one it establishes a clear order of existence. The sacred as well as the profane rests on that universal order.”

Wells Doe War Ends Order Evil Existence Clear Victory Universal Sacred Good And Evil Profane

Book:One Human Minute

Source: One Human Minute

“Evil I had never found satisfactorily placeable as an integral element of the universal, or total, content of existence. Indeed, evil is evil just because there is no logical place for it, no room in reality for it. It is unreal, and yet real as something unreal.”

Real Reality Evil Found Rooms Existence Elements Universal Logical Unreal

Author:Laura Riding

“I think the first reason that we should love our enemies, and I think this was at the very center of Jesus' thinking, is this: that hate for hate only intensifies the existence of hate and evil in the universe.”

Thinking Should Firsts Reason Hate Universe Evil Jesus Existence Enemy Peace And Justice

Book:A Time to Break Silence: The Essential Works of Martin Luther King, Jr., for Students

Source: A Time to Break Silence: The Essential Works of Martin Luther King, Jr., for Students

“The radical tension between good and evil, as man sees it and feels it, does not have the last word about the meaning of life and the nature of existence. There is a spirit in man and in the world working always against the thing that destroys and lays waste.”

Men World Feels Doe Lasts Spirit Evil Existence Waste Lays Radical Tension Meaning Of Life Good And Evil Last Words

Book:A Strange Freedom: The Best of Howard Thurman on Religious Experience and Public Life

Source: A Strange Freedom: The Best of Howard Thurman on Religious Experience and Public Life

“The church in all ages and among all peoples has been the consistent enemy of the human race. Everywhere and at all times, it has opposed the liberty of thought and expression. It has been the sworn enemy of investigation and intellectual development. It has denied the existence of facts, the tendency of which was to undermine its power. It has always been carrying fagots to the feet of Philosophy. It has erected the gallows for Genius. It has built the dungeon for Thinkers.”

Source: The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll

“One talks much more about the evil than about the good. That is a paradox. We should only talk about the good to lighten up our existence. Chase anxiousness/fear away for a moment before it sneaks back in again to our life.”

Should Moments Evil Existence Our Lives Paradox Sneak

Author:Odd Nerdrum

“I believe in the supreme excellence of righteousness; I believe that the law of righteousness will triumph in the universe over all evil; I believe that in the attempt to fulfil the law of righteousness, however imperfect it must remain, are to be found the inspiration, the consolation, and the sanctification of human existence. We live in order to finish an, as yet, unfinished universe, unfinished so far as the human, that is, the highest part of it, is concerned. We live in order to develop the superior qualities of man which are, as yet, for the most part latent.”

“The ultimate evil is the weakness, cowardice, that is one of the constituents of so much human nature. When, rarely, unalloyed nobility does occur, its chances of prevailing are slim. Yet it exists, and its mere existence is reason enough for not wiping the name of mankind off the slate.”

Humans Doe Reason Enough Evil Names Chance Existence Mankind Human Nature Weakness Ultimate Mere Human Condition Cowardice Nobility Prevailing Constituents Slate Slim

Author:John Simon

“The love of money is the root of all evil. That is the fundamental truth that I have verified through 3 decades of empirical, investigative, legal, academic research trying to answer some fundamental questions about human existence and why we behave the way we do, why we think the way we do, why we act the way we do...It is the love of money that has the potential to exterminate- to render extinct- the entire human race.”

“Above all, creators remain drawn to the age-old paradoxes that philosophy grapples with [and]...that art occasionally resolves...the problem of the one and the many; unity and variety; determinism and freedom; mechanism and vitalism; good and evil; time and eternity; the plenum and the void; moral absolutism and relativism... These are the basic problems of human existence, and as far as we possibly can we arrange things to forget them.”

“Death, that final evil, is one of the paths to eternity. Endless life in the conditions of our existence would be a nightmare.”

Would Be Evil Existence Path Conditions Eternity Finals Endless Nightmare Endless Life

Author:Nikolai Berdyaev

“The Frenchman Jean-PaulSartre ... had a dialectical mind good as a machine for cybernetics, immense in its way, he could peel a nuance like an onion, but he had no sense of evil, the anguish of God, and the possible existence of Satan.”

Way Mind Evil Existence Machines Satan Immense Anguish Nuance Onions Frenchmen Cybernetics

Author:Norman Mailer

“In fact, the libertarian would reason that the fact that human nature is a mixture of both good and evil provides its own particular argument in his favor. For if man is such a mixture, then the best societal framework is surely one in which evil is discouraged and the good encouraged. The libertarian maintains that the existence of the State apparatus provides a ready, swift channel for the exercise of evil, since the rulers of the State are thereby legitimated and can wield compulsion in ways that no one else is permitted to do.”

Ifs Men Way Humans States Reason Facts Evil Existence Human Nature Particular Ready Exercise Argument Libertarian Favors Good And Evil Rulers Mixtures Discouraged Framework Compulsion

Author:Murray Rothbard

“The denial of an objective moral law, based on the compulsion to deny the existence of God, results ultimately in the denial of evil iteself.”

Law Evil Results Existence Moral Deny Objectives Denial Compulsion Existence Of God Moral Law

Book:Beyond Opinion: Living the Faith We Defend

Source: Beyond Opinion: Living the Faith We Defend

“The use of violence in our struggle would be both impractical and immoral. To meet hate with retaliatory hate would do nothing but intensify the existence of evil in the universe. Hate begets hate; violence begets violence; toughness begets a greater toughness. We must meet the forces of hate with the power of love; we must meet physical force with soul force. Our aim must never be to defeat or humiliate the white man, but to win his friendship and understanding.”

Source: A Martin Luther King Treasury

“The existence of poverty in the US should not be accepted as a necessary evil or insoluble problem, but should be considered a crisis requiring emergency measures. It is a matter of will and priorities, not a matter of resources.”

Should Matter Problem Evil Existence Poverty Resources Crisis Accepted Priorities Emergencies Necessary Evil

Author:Martin Luther King, Jr.

“We can never lose what is really ours. Who can lose his being? Who can lose his very existence? If I am good, it is the existence first, and then that becomes colored with the quality of goodness. If I am evil, it is the existence first, and that becomes colored with the quality of badness. That existence is first, last, and always; it is never lost but ever present.”

Ifs Firsts Lasts Evil Lost Loses Existence Quality Goodness Good Badness

Book:Living at the Source: Yoga Teachings of Vivekananda

Source: Living at the Source: Yoga Teachings of Vivekananda

“This siren, this goat-footed bard, this half human visitor to our age the hag-ridden and enchanted woods of Celtic antiquity. One catches in his company that flavour of final purposelessness, inner responsibility, existence outside or away from our Saxon good and evil, mixed with cunning, remorselessness, love of power.”

Humans Age Evil Existence Half Responsibility Company Finals Woods Good And Evil Cunning Goats Visitors Antiquity Enchanted Celtic Sirens Flavour Bards Purposelessness

Author:John Maynard Keynes

“I must say that when I first learned of the existence of the Australian Greenhouse Office, I assumed it was responsible for supplying tomatoes to the Parliament House kitchen. But, no, as I soon learnt as industry minister, it was in fact a government funded redoubt of veritable soldiers in a war against carbon dioxide. The zealotry and obsessive passion of these warriors in the battle against the apparent evils of carbon dioxide remains a curiosity to me. After fighting these people for three years as industry minister, I really did wish they would just go away and grow tomatoes.”

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Existence Quotes