Vonnegut, Kurt, Jr. -- Hocus Pocus, ch. 24 (1990)

Dave — Wed, 01 Nov 2023 22:09:53 +0000

Speaking of atheism, I remember one time when Jack Patton and I went to a sermon in Vietnam delivered by the highest-ranking Chaplain in the Army. He was a General.
The sermon was based on what he claimed was a well-known fact, that there were no Atheists in foxholes.
I asked Jack what he thought of the sermon afterwards, and he said, “There’s a Chaplain who never visited the front.”

Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. (1922-2007) American novelist, journalist
Hocus Pocus, ch. 24 (1990)
(Source)

Morrow, James -- Towing Jehovah, Part 2, “Famine” (1994)

Dave — Tue, 09 Sep 2014 13:05:27 +0000

“There are no atheists in foxholes” isn’t an argument against atheism, it’s an argument against foxholes.

James Morrow (b. 1947) American author, humanist
Towing Jehovah, Part 2, “Famine” (1994)
(Source)

Paraphrase of this passage:

"There are no atheists in foxholes, people say, and it's so true, it's so fucking true." Cassie swallowed, savoring the aftertaste of the Cheerios. "No ... no, I'm being too hard on myself. That maxim, it's not an argument against atheism -- it's an argument against foxholes."

WIST Quotations

Vonnegut, Kurt, Jr. -- Hocus Pocus, ch. 24 (1990)

Morrow, James -- Towing Jehovah, Part 2, “Famine” (1994)