WIST Quotations

Maher, Bill -- Interview, The O’Reilly Factor (26 Sep 2006)

Dave — Wed, 09 Mar 2016 19:57:59 +0000

Jesus, as a philosopher is wonderful. There’s no greater role model, in my view, than Jesus Christ. It’s just a shame that most of the people who follow him and call themselves Christians act nothing like him.

William "Bill" Maher (b. 1956) American comedian, political commentator, critic, television host.
Interview, The O’Reilly Factor (26 Sep 2006)
(Source)

Carlyle, Thomas -- Remark (1850-01-12)

Dave — Thu, 21 Jan 2016 21:43:34 +0000

If Jesus Christ were to come today, people would not even crucify Him. They would ask Him to dinner, and hear what He had to say, and make fun of it.

Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881) Scottish essayist and historian
Remark (1850-01-12)
(Source)

Remark quoted by Joseph Neuberg in a letter to his sister. The letter was published in an essay (1884-08), "Carlyle and Neuberg," MacMillan's Magazine, Vol. 50. The author is not noted, but was a friend of Neuberg and his sister.

The same letter is cited in David A. Wilson, Life of Carlyle, Vol. 4 "Carlyle at His Zenith (1848-1853), ch. 10 (1927).

Pasternak, Boris -- Doctor Zhivago [До́ктор Жива́го], Part 1, ch. 2 “A Girl from a Different World” [Nikolai] (1955) [tr. Hayward & Harari (1958), US ed.]

Dave — Thu, 06 Mar 2014 14:12:46 +0000

I think that if the beast who sleeps in man could be held down by threats — any kind of threat, whether of jail or of retribution after death — then the highest emblem of humanity would be the lion tamer in the circus with his whip, not the prophet who sacrificed himself. But don’t you see, this is just the point — what has for centuries raised man above the beast is not the cudgel but an inward music: the irresistible power of unarmed truth, the powerful attraction of its example.

Boris Pasternak (1890-1960) Russian poet, novelist, and literary translator
Doctor Zhivago [До́ктор Жива́го], Part 1, ch. 2 “A Girl from a Different World” [Nikolai] (1955) [tr. Hayward & Harari (1958), US ed.]
(Source)

Alternate translations:

I think that if the beast who sleeps in man could be held down by threats -- any kind of threat, whether of jail or of retribution after death -- then the highest emblem of humanity would be the lion tamer in the circus with his whip, not the self-sacrificing preacher. But don’t you see, this is just the point -- what has for centuries raised man above the beast is not the cudgel but an inward music: the irresistible power of unarmed truth, the attraction of its example.
[tr. Hayward & Harari (1958), UK ed.]

I think that if the beast who sleeps in man could be held down by threats -- any kind of threat, whether of jail or of retribution after death -- then the highest emblem of humanity would be the lion tamer in the circus with his whip, not the prophet who sacrificed himself. But this is just the point -- what has for centuries raised man above the beast is not the cudgel, but an inward music -- the irresistible power of unarmed truth.
[tr. Hayward & Harrai (1958); edited version quoted by Ronald Reagan, Moscow State University (1988-05-31)]

I think that if the beast dormant in man could be stopped by the threat of, whatever, the lockup or requital beyond the grave, the highest emblem of mankind would be a lion tamer with his whip, and not the preacher who sacrifices himself. But the point is precisely this, that for centuries man has been raised above the animals and borne aloft not by the rod, but by music: the irresistibility of the unarmed truth, the attraction of its example.
[tr. Pevear & Volokhonsky (2010), "A Girl from a Different Circle"]

Rickover, Hyman -- (Attributed)

Dave — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 10:45:05 +0000

Nature is not as forgiving as Christ.

Hyman Rickover (1900-1986) Polish-American naval engineer, admiral [b. Chaim Gdala Rykower]
(Attributed)

Quoted in Theodore Rockwell, The Rickover Effect, Part 4 "Upgrading Industry Quality (1955-1960)," "The Seawolf" (epigraph) (1992). Rockwell provides no citation, and I can find no other written source; it is likely a verbal catch phrase of Rickover's.