Week of February 20, 2005 to February 26, 2005

In the beginning there was nothing and God said, “Let there be light,

"Religion is excellent stuff for keeping common people quiet."

"This would be the best of all possible worlds, if there were no religions in it."

"Our Heavenly Father is more liberal in His views, and boundless in His mercies and blessings, than we are ready to believe or receive. … God does not look on sin with {the least degree of} allowance, but … the nearer we get to our heavenly Father, the more we are disposed to look with compassion on perishing souls; we feel that we want to take them upon our shoulders, and cast their sins behind our backs."

"In science it often happens that scientists say, 'You know that's a really
good argument; my position is mistaken,' and then they actually change
their minds and you never hear that old view from them again. They really
do it. It doesn't happen as often as it should, because scientists are
human and change is sometimes painful. But it happens every day. I cannot
recall the last time something like that happened in politics or religion."

"A novelist may lose his readers for a few pages; a playwright never dares lose his audience for a minute."

"Comedy is a tragedy plus time."