And what constitutes evil, real evil, is the taking of a single human life. Whether a man would die tomorrow or the day after or eventually... it doesn't matter. Because if God does not exist, then life... every second of it... Is all we have.
Interpretation
The quote emphasizes the moral weight of taking a human life, positing that life’s value is paramount, especially in a godless universe.
In this quote, Anne Rice expresses a profound viewpoint on the sanctity of human life. She suggests that if there is no divine authority, then the fleeting nature of human existence makes each moment precious. The essence of evil, in her view, lies in the act of taking someone else's life, which diminishes the value of all human experiences and the possibility for future joy and discovery. The weight of existence and the fragility of life are central to understanding the morality surrounding actions that impact others.
In practice
In a public discussion about moral philosophy, you might reference this quote to illustrate the value of life.
From my stone pillow I have dreamed dreams of the mortal world above. I have heard its voices, its new music, as lullabies as I lie in my grave. I have envisioned its fantastical discoveries. I have known its courage in the timeless sanctum of my thoughts. And though it shuts me out with its dazzling forms, I long for one with the strength to roam it fearlessly, to ride the Devil's Road through its heart.
We all suffer under a curse, the curse that we know more than we can endure, and there is nothing, absolutely nothing we can do about the force and the lure of this knowledge.
And so this young one, this young one whom I had so loved, I had to forsake, no matter how broken my heart, no matter how lonely my soul, no matter how bruised my intellect and spirit.
Dear God, help me. Do not forget me on this tiny cinder lost in a galaxy that is lost–a heart no bigger than a speck of dust beating, beating against death, against meaninglessness, against guilt, against sorrow.
The vampires have always been metaphors for me. They've always been vehicles through which I can express things I have felt very, very deeply.
In the very depths of Hell, do not demons love one another?
But knowledge does not protect one. Life is contemptuous of knowledge; it forces it to sit in the anterooms, to wait outside. Passion, energy, lies: these are what life admires. Still, anything can be endured if all humanity is watching. The martyrs prove it. We live in the attention of others. We turn to it as flowers to the sun.
Alcohol doesn't console, it doesn't fill up anyone's psychological gaps, all it replaces is the lack of God. It doesn't comfort man. On the contrary, it encourages him in his folly, it transports him to the supreme regions where he is master of his own destiny.
The toddler must say no in order to find out who she is. The adolescent says no to assert who she is not.
And I'm not sure why I'm infatuated with death,_x000D_ _x000D_ My imagination is surely an aggravation of threats..._x000D_ _x000D_ Maybe cause I'm a dreamer, and sleep is the cousin of death,_x000D_ _x000D_ Really stuck in the scheme of wondering when I'mma rest.
When we reach the outer limit of what Scripture says, it is time to stop arguing and start worshipping.
To see the dull indifference, the negligent and thoughtless air that sits upon the faces of a whole assembly, while the psalm is upon their lips, might even tempt a charitable observer to suspect the fervency of their inward religion.
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