It is impossible to strive for the heroic life. The title of hero is bestowed by the survivors upon the fallen, who themselves know nothing of heroism.
Johan HuizingaRead
I know there is a God because in Rwanda I shook hands with the devil. I have seen him, I have smelled him and I have touched him. I know the devil exists and therefore I know there is a God.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote suggests that experiences of evil confirm the existence of good or a higher power.
In this profound statement by Romo Dallaire, he reflects on his harrowing experiences during the Rwandan genocide, asserting that encountering the darkest aspects of humanity—the devil—provides him with a tangible understanding of God's existence. Dallaire's statement symbolizes the belief that the presence of evil in the world is a counterpart to the presence of good, and one's recognition of suffering and malevolence reinforces faith in something transcendent and divine.
Themes
GodDevilEvilGoodFaithRwandaGenocideExperience
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about resilience and faith amid hardship, one might quote Dallaire to illustrate how encountering evil can reaffirm our beliefs in goodness.
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