WIST Quotations

Card, Orson Scott -- Speaker for the Dead (1986)

Dave — Tue, 25 Aug 2020 15:21:40 +0000

This is how humans are: We question all our beliefs, except for the ones we really believe, and those we never think to question.

Orson Scott Card (b. 1951) American author
Speaker for the Dead (1986)

Lehrer, Tom -- Interview (June 1996)

Dave — Thu, 04 Feb 2016 14:45:23 +0000

No one is more dangerous than someone who thinks he has “The Truth”. To be an atheist is almost as arrogant as to be a fundamentalist. But then again, I can get pretty arrogant.

Tom Lehrer (b. 1928) American mathematician, satirist, songwriter
Interview (June 1996)

When asked if he considered himself atheist or an agnostic.

Ivins, Molly -- Essay (2000-06-27), Creators Syndicate column

Dave — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 14:07:59 +0000

The problem with those who choose received Authority over fact and logic is how they choose which part of Authority to obey. The Bible famously contradicts itself at many points (I have never understood why any Christian would choose the Old Testament over the New), and the Koran can be read as a wonderfully compassionate and humanistic document. Which suggests that the problem of fundamentalism lies not with authority, but with ourselves.

Molly Ivins (1944–2007) American writer, political columnist [Mary Tyler Ivins]
Essay (2000-06-27), Creators Syndicate column

Robertson, Pat -- The 700 Club broadcast (1991-01-14)

Dave — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 12:11:21 +0000

You say you’re supposed to be nice to the Episcopalians and the Presbyterians and the Methodists and this, that, and the other thing. Nonsense, I don’t have to be nice to the spirit of the Antichrist.

Pat Robertson (1930–2023) American politician and televangelist
The 700 Club broadcast (1991-01-14)

The earliest documentation of this quote I can find is in David Cantor, The Religious Right: The Assault on Tolerance & Pluralism in America, Sec. 1, ch. 1 (1994).

~Other -- Alan D. Swan

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000

Par-runts of rugmonkeys everywhere are worrying that their children will want to become Force-wielding breath masked Sithlords? Sweet Cream-of-Jesus on TOAST POINTS, people!! So now we have to fear that every crib-lizard that loves Anakin Skywalker will become Evil Incarnate. It’s been a lovely planet, but I think I need to go, now.

(Other Authors and Sources)
Alan D. Swan

Robertson, Pat -- Fund-raising letter to Christian Coalition members in Iowa (1992-07)

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000

The feminist agenda is not about equal rights for women. It is about a socialist, anti-family political movement that encourages women to leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism and become lesbians.

Pat Robertson (1930–2023) American politician and televangelist
Fund-raising letter to Christian Coalition members in Iowa (1992-07)

The letter urged supporters to vote down Iowa's state Equal Rights Amendment (the referendum failed that November).

More discussion of this quotation:

Frequently misattributed to his speech at the 1992 GOP Presidential Convention.