We have Christians against Muslims against Jews. They're making incompatible claims on real estate in the Middle East as though God were some kind of omniscient real estate broker parsing out parcels of land to his chosen flock. People are literally dying over ancient literature.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Religious groups fight over land as if God allocates it, causing death over old texts.
- In plain terms
- Groups fight over land for religion like God assigns it, and people die for books.
- What can you take from it?
- Religious conflicts over land cause unnecessary death.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Why do people fight over holy land?
- How does text fuel conflict?
Another view
Geopolitics involves many factors beyond religious texts.
More from Sam Harris
How do we know that our holy books are free from error? Because the books themselves say so. Epistemological black holes of this sort are fast draining the lig…
Permalink to quote #28 Not only do we still eat the offal of the ancient world; we are positively smug about it.[2]
Permalink to quote #27 A close study of these books, and of history, demonstrates that there is no act of cruelty so appalling that it cannot be justified, or even mandated, by recou…
Permalink to quote #31
Related quotes
Cannon, n. An instrument employed in the rectification of national boundaries.
Ambrose BierceAmbrose Bierce quote #20 Politics is a substitute for violence.
Dick GephardtDick Gephardt quote #1 Now if the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms comes to disarm you and they are bearing arms, resist them with arms. Go for a head shot; they're going to b…
G. Gordon LiddyG. Gordon Liddy quote #2