Do you fear the gods will destroy you?”
That disturbing smile again. "That is not a fear. That is a prayer.”
"Or...do you fear their punishment? That they would plunge your soul into some eternal torment?”
Wencel leaned forward, up on his toes. "That,” he breathed in Ingrey's ear, "would be redundant. (Lois McMaster Bujold)

Do you fear the gods will destroy you?” That disturbing smile again. "That is not a fear. That is a prayer.” "Or...do you fear their punishment? That they would plunge your soul into some eternal torment?” Wencel leaned forward, up on his toes. "That,” he breathed in Ingrey's ear, "would be redundant.

Lois McMaster Bujold

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ear fear forward prayer punishment smile soul gods

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It is man's pretence that because he has choice he is free. Freedom is pure observation without direction, without fear of punishment and reward. Freedom is without motive; freedom is not at the end of the evolution of man but lies in the first step of his existence.

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Where any work can be done conformably to the reason which is common to gods and men, there we have nothing to fear; for where we are able to get profit by means of the activity which is successful and proceeds according to our constitution, there no harm is to be suspected.

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ALL religions of a spiritual nature are inventions of man. He has created an entire system of gods with nothing more than his carnal brain. Just because he has an ego, and cannot accept it, he has to externalize it into some great spiritual device which he calls "God".

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Some suffer much from poverty and sickness, but are not humbled, and so they suffer without profit. But one who is humbled will be happy in all circumstances, because the Lord is his riches and joy, and all people will wonder at the beauty of his soul.

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