For sin is just this, what man cannot by its very nature do with his whole being; it is possible to silence the conflict in the soul, but it is not possible to uproot it
Interpretation
Sin is a natural conflict within us that cannot be completely eliminated, only silenced.
This quote from Martin Buber expresses the idea that sin represents a fundamental conflict within human nature that is inherent to our existence. While one might suppress or silence this internal struggle, the essential nature of the conflict cannot be entirely eradicated, highlighting the complexity of moral decision-making and the human experience.
In practice
In a discussion on morality and ethics, one might quote this to illustrate the internal struggles humans face.
When I confront a human being as my Thou and speak the basic word I-Thou to him, then he is no thing among things nor does he consist of things. He is no longer He or She, a dot in the world grid of space and time, nor a condition to be experienced and described, a loose bundle of named qualities. Neighborless and seamless, he is Thou and fills the firmament. Not as if there were nothing but he; but everything else lives in his light.
Play is the exultation of the possible.
There is no room for God in him who is full of himself.
Every person born in this world represents something new, something that never existed before, something original and unique.
It is usual to think of good and evil as two poles, two opposite directions, the antithesis of one another...We must begin by doing away with this convention.
God dwells wherever man lets Him in.
I could not have gone through the awful wretched mess of life without having left a stain upon the silence.
The best philosophy is to do one's duties, take the world as it comes, submit respectfully to one's lot; bless the goodness that has given us so much happiness with it.
Before I die many will die with me and they'll deserve it. See you in Hell.
Over the years, there have been a series of concepts developed to justify the use of force in international affairs for a long period. It was possible to justify it on the pretext, which usually turned out to have very little substance, that the U.S. was defending itself against the communist menace. By the 1980s, that was wearing pretty thin.
It was at that moment he realized that his spirit was truly human once more. For he no longer remembered how to be alone without being lonely.
Pride and curiosity are the two scourges of our souls. The latter prompts us to poke our noses into everything, and the former forbids us to leave anything unresolved and undecided.
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