The most influential of all educational factors is the conversation in a child's home.
William TempleRead
We shall say without hesitation that the atheist who is moved by love is moved by the Spirit of God; an atheist who lives by love is saved by his faith in the God whose existence (under that name) he denies.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote suggests that love can connect individuals to the divine, even if they do not acknowledge God in traditional terms.
William Temple's quote explores the complex relationship between love and belief in God, suggesting that an atheist's capacity for love aligns them with a divine spirit regardless of their denial of God. This perspective emphasizes that genuine love and compassion can transcend religious boundaries and affirm a sense of faith that does not rely on conventional belief systems.
Themes
LoveFaithAtheismSpiritBelief
In practice
Example use cases
During a discussion about different beliefs, someone might use this quote to highlight the universal nature of love.
More from William Temple
All quotes βThere cannot live a more unhappy creature than an ill-natured old man, who is neither capable of receiving pleasures, nor sensible of conferring them on others.
William TempleRead
Who ever converses among old books will be hard to please among the new.
William TempleRead
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