Time and trouble will tame an advanced young woman, but an advanced old woman is uncontrollable by any earthly force.
The Christian faith is the most exciting drama that ever staggered the imagination of man - and the dogma is the drama.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The Christian faith presents a compelling and imaginative narrative that captivates human thought, with its teachings forming the core of this narrative.
Dorothy L. Sayers suggests that the Christian faith is not just a set of beliefs or doctrines; instead, it is a grand and thrilling story that captures the human imagination. The 'drama' emphasizes the dramatic nature of the Christian narrative, and the 'dogma' refers to the essential truths that structure this narrative. In essence, she sees faith as a profoundly engaging and creative journey that influences how individuals understand life's biggest questions.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a sermon to highlight the importance of faith in Christianity.
More from Dorothy L. Sayers
All quotes →But suppose one doesn't quite know which one wants to put first. Suppose," said Harriet, falling back on words which were not her own, "suppose one is cursed with both a heart and a brain?" "You can usually tell," said Miss de Vine, "by seeing what kind of mistakes you make. I'm quite sure that one never makes fundamental mistakes about the thing one really wants to do. Fundamental mistakes arise out of lack of genuine interest. In my opinion, that is.
. . . the fellow's got a bee in his bonnet. Thinks God's a secretion of the liver--all right once in a way, but there's no need to keep on about it. There's nothing you can't prove if your outlook is only sufficiently limited.
You're thinking that people don't keep up old jealousies for twenty years or so. Perhaps not. Not just primitive, brute jealousy. That means a word and a blow. But the thing that rankles is hurt vanity. That sticks. Humiliation. And we've all got a sore spot we don't like to have touched.
None of us feels the true love of God till we realize how wicked we are. But you can't teach people that - they have to learn by experience.
What is repugnant to every human being is to be reckoned always as a member of a class and not as an individual person.
Similar quotes
The man who said 'I'd rather be lucky than good' saw deeply into life. People are afraid to face how great a part of life is dependent on luck. It's scary to think so much is out of one's control. There are moments in a match when the ball hits the top of the net and for a split second it can either go forward or fall back. With a little luck it goes forward and you win. Or maybe it doesn't and you lose.
I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past.
Nothing, however, can be more arrogant, though nothing is commoner than to assume that of Gods there is only one, and of religions none but the speaker’s.
I don’t know whether this world has a meaning that transcends it. But I know that I cannot know that meaning and that it is impossible for me just now to know it.
It is seldom, that liberty of any kind is lost all at once. Slavery has so frightful an aspect to men accustomed to freedom, that it must steal upon them by degrees, and must disguise itself in a thousand shapes, in order to be received.
The straight line, a respectable optical illusion which ruins many a man.