Quotes about Power

The God of freedom, the true God, is... not recognized by his power and glory in the history of the world, but through his helplessness and his death on the scandal of the cross of Jesus

In the raising and exaltation of Christ, God has chosen the one whom the moral and political powers of this world rejected — the poor, humiliated, suffering and forsaken Christ. God identified himself with him and made him Lord of the new world ….. The God who creates justice for those who suffer violence, the God who exalts the humiliated and executed Christ — that is the God of hope for the new world of righteousness and justice and peace.

A dead man cannot forgive sins. The gospel, as the present forgiveness of sins, assumes the new, divine, eschatological life of the crucified Christ, and is itself the `Spirit' and the present `power of the resurrection'. Thus according to Paul's understanding, in the 'word of the cross' the crucified Christ himself speaks.

What is today a matter of academic speculation begins tomorrow to move armies and pull down empires.

If I were pressed to give my brand of political thought a label, I would call it pessimistic anarchistic quietism, or anarchistic quietistic pessimism or pessimistic quietistic anarchism: anarchism because experience tells me that what is wrong with politics is power itself; quietism because I have my doubts about the will to set about changing the world, a will infected with the drive to power; and pessimism because I am sceptical that, in a fundamental way, things can be changed.

I tell myself I talk to Friday to educate him out of darkness and silence. But is that the truth? There are times when benevolence deserts me and I use the words only as the shortest way to subject him to my will. At such times I understand why Cruso preferred not to disturb his muteness. I understand, that is to say, why a man will choose to be a slaveowner. Do you think less of me for this confession?

Way far back in the beginning of the world was the whirlwind warning that we could all be blown away like chips and cry- Men with tired eyes realize it now, and wait to deform and decay- with maybe they have the power of love yet in their hearts just the same, I just don't know what that word means anymore- All I want is an ice cream cone

Oh what was the racket that backeted and smashed in raging might, to make this oil-puddle world?--

Beauty is a short-lived tyranny.

More harm was done in the 20th century by faceless bureaucrats than tyrant dictators.

Kings will be tyrants from policy, when subjects are rebels from principle.

It is no coincidence that the growth of modern tyrants has in every case been heralded by the growth of prejudice.