Quote

The truth is, our civilization is not Christian it is a tragic compound of great ideal and fearful practice, of loving charity and fearful clutching of possessions.

Alan Paton

Change background

T
T
T

Change font

TAGS & TOPICS

Alan Paton
Age: 85 †
Born: 1903
Born: January 11
Died: 1988
Died: April 12
Author
Autobiographer
Politician
Screenwriter
Writer
Alan Patton
Alan Stewart Paton
Alen Peṭon
Country
Possession
Great
Charity
Clutching
Ideals
Compound
Loving
Compounds
Civilization
Possessions
Practice
Fearful
Christian
Tragic
Truth
Ideal

More quotes by Alan Paton

Image
There is a lovely road that runs from Ixopo into the hills. These hills are grass-covered and rolling, and they are lovely beyond any singing of it.
Alan Paton
Image
It is my belief that the only power which can resist the power of fear is the power of love.
Alan Paton
Image
All roads lead to Johannesburg.
Alan Paton
Image
I envision someday a great, peaceful South Africa in which the world will take pride, a nation in which each of many different groups will be making its own creative contribution.
Alan Paton
Image
Happy the eyes that can close
Alan Paton
Image
The only way in which one can make endurable man's inhumanity to man, and man's destruction of his own environment, is to exemplify in your own lives man's humanity to man and man's reverence for the place in which he lives.
Alan Paton
Image
Life has not taught me to expect nothing, but she has taught me not to expect success to be the inevitable result of my endeavors. She taught me to seek sustenance from the endeavor itself, but to leave the result to God.
Alan Paton
Image
When I go up there, which is my intention, the Big Judge will say to me, Where are your wounds? and if I say I haven’t any, he will say, Was there nothing to fight for? I couldn’t face that question. (Ah, But Your Land Is Beautiful)
Alan Paton
Image
The tragedy is not that things are broken. The tragedy is that things are not mended again.
Alan Paton
Image
One thing is about to be finished, but here is something that is only begun. And while I live it will continue
Alan Paton
Image
The ground is holy, being even as it came from the Creator. Keep it, guard it, care for it, for it keeps men, guards men, cares for men. Destroy it and man is destroyed.
Alan Paton
Image
To give up the task of reforming society is to give up one's responsibility as a free man.
Alan Paton
Image
St. Francis of Assisi taught me that there is a wound in the Creation and that the greatest use we could make of our lives was to ask to be made a healer of it.
Alan Paton
Image
The Judge does not make the law. It is people that make the law. Therefore if a law is unjust, and if the Judge judges according to the law, that is justice, even if it is not just.
Alan Paton
Image
What broke in a man when he could bring himself to kill another? What broke when he could bring himself to thrust down the knife into the warm flesh, to bring down the axe on the living head, to cleave down between the seeing eyes, to shoot the gun that would drive death into the beating heart?
Alan Paton
Image
The Afrikaner has nowhere to go, and thats why he would rather destroy himself than capitulate.
Alan Paton
Image
Something deep is touched here, something that is good and deep.
Alan Paton
Image
What broke in a man when he could bring himself to kill another?
Alan Paton
Image
When a deep injury is done us, we never recover until we forgive.
Alan Paton
Image
It is not permissible for us to go on destroying the family life when we know that we are destroying it.
Alan Paton