A man is never so truly and intensely himself as when he is most possessed by God. It is impossible to say where, in the spiritual life, the human will leaves off and divine grace begins.
William Ralph IngeRead
The enemies of freedom do not argue; they shout and they shoot.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Freedom is threatened by those who resort to violence and noise instead of reasoned debate.
This quote highlights the danger posed by individuals or groups who oppose freedom and resort to aggressive tactics, such as shouting and violence, rather than engaging in constructive dialogue. It suggests that true threats to liberty come not from rational disagreement, but from an unwillingness to reason and from the use of force as a means of silencing opposition.
Themes
FreedomViolenceDialogueReasonLiberty
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a speech about the importance of civil discourse in political debates.
More from William Ralph Inge
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Worry is interest paid on trouble before it comes due.
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Deliberate cruelty to our defenceless and beautiful little cousins is surely one of the meanest and most detestable vices of which a human being can be guilty.
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Bereavement is the deepest initiation into the mysteries of human life, an initiation more searching and profound than even happy love.
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The happiest people seem to be those who have no particular cause for being happy except that they are so.
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