we’ll define it as “the social roles, behaviors, and meanings prescribed for men in any given society at any one time.”

hey will destroy the temples and raze them to the ground, flooding the earth with blood. But the foolish children will have to learn some day that, rebels though they be and riotous from nature, they are too weak to maintain the spirit of mutiny for any length of time. Suffused with idiotic tears, they will confess that He who created them rebellious undoubtedly did so but to mock them. They will pronounce these words in despair, and such blasphemous utterances will but add to their misery—for human nature cannot endure blasphemy, and takes her own revenge in the end.

Thou judgest of men too highly here, again, for though rebels they be, they are born slaves and nothing more

rather than live without, he will create for himself new wonders of his own making; and he will bow to and worship the soothsayer's miracles, the old witch's sorcery, were he a rebel, a heretic, and an atheist a hundred times over.

But Thou knewest not, it seems, that no sooner would man reject miracle than he would reject God likewise, for he seeketh less God than "a sign" from Him.

Thy hope was, that following Thy example, man would remain true to his God, without needing any miracle to keep his faith alive

There are three Powers, three unique Forces upon earth, capable of conquering for ever by charming the conscience of these weak rebels—men—for their own good; and these Forces are: Miracle, Mystery and Authority.

Without a clear perception of his reasons for living, man will never consent to live, and will rather destroy himself than tarry on earth, though he be surrounded with bread

man has no greater anxiety in life than to find some one to whom he can make over that gift of freedom with which the unfortunate creature is born.

For the chief concern of these miserable creatures is not to find and worship the idol of their own choice, but to discover that which all others will believe in, and consent to bow down to in a mass.

we will force them into obedience, and it is they who will admire us the most.

while the remaining millions, innumerable as the grains of sand in the seas, the weak and the loving, have to be used as material for the former?

Command that these stones be made bread—and mankind will run after Thee, obedient and grateful like a herd of cattle.

Thou hast rejected the only means which could make mankind happy; fortunately at Thy departure Thou hast delivered the task to us....

that same people, who to-day were kissing Thy feet, to-morrow at one bend of my finger, will rush to add fuel to Thy funeral pile