If Christ were here now there is one thing he would not be — a Christian.
Mark TwainRead
Peace - the word evokes the simplest and most cherished dream of humanity. Peace is, and has always been, the ultimate human aspiration. And yet our history overwhelmingly shows that while we speak incessantly of peace, our actions tell a very different story.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Peace is a deeply desired goal of humanity, yet history reveals a contradiction between our words and actions regarding peace.
Javier Perez De Cuellar's quote highlights the fundamental human longing for peace, suggesting that it is a universal aspiration that everyone cherishes. However, he contrasts this dream with the reality of human history, which often reflects conflict and discord, indicating that while we frequently proclaim our desire for peace, our actions frequently betray that professed commitment.
Themes
PeaceHuman AspirationHistoryContradictionAction
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in a speech advocating for conflict resolution.
Similar quotes
... you cannot make a man clean [simply] by washing his shirt.
William BoothRead
Once upon a time men were possessed by devils. Now they are not less obsessed by ideas
Carl JungRead
Every day, we at the United Nations see the human toll of an absence of regulations or lax controls on the arms trade. We see it in the suffering of civilian populations trapped by armed conflict or pervasive crime. We see it in the killing and wounding of civilians - including children, the most vulnerable of all.
Ban Ki-MoonRead
Growing up, I decided, a long time ago, I wouldn't accept any manmade differences between human beings, differences made at somebody else's insistence or someone else's whim or convenience.
Maya AngelouRead
I don't have no fear of death. My only fear is coming back reincarnated.
Tupac ShakurRead