JLS (jlsjlsjls) wrote,
JLS
jlsjlsjls

*

"Later, with time, I learned that although all men are capable of good and evil, the worst among them are those who, when they commit evil, do so by shielding themselves in the authority of others, in their subordination, or in the excuse of following orders. And even worse are those who believe they are justified by their God. Because in the secret dungeons of Toledo, nearly at the cost of my life, I learned that there is nothing more despicable or more dangerous than the malevolent individual who goes to sleep every night with a clear conscience. That is true evil. Especially when paired with ignorance, superstition, stupidity, or power, all of which often travel together.

And worst of all is the person who acts as exegete of The Word -- whether it be from the Talmud, the Bible, the Koran, or any other book already written or yet to come. I am not fond of giving advice -- no one can pound opinions into another's head -- but here is a piece that costs you nothing: Never trust a man who reads only one book."

From "Purity of Blood" by Arturo Pérez-Reverte (volume two of the Alatriste series)

P.S. For those who were looking at the Alatriste movie trailer, I now know what's going on with the men fighting in water (thanks to v.2). A battle was fought between Moorish and Spanish troops in the Kerkennah Islands at the beginning of the 17th century; most of the fighting took place in the waist-deep waters of a shallow bay there.
Tags: reading
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