"The history of the Church of Rome is a constant leakage of members into such breakaway cults, which go on splitting"
- Mary Douglas
About this Quote
This quote by Mary Douglas talks to the history of the Roman Catholic Church and its propensity to experience splintering and fragmentation. Douglas suggests that the Church of Rome has a long history of members leaving to join breakaway cults, which in turn causes more divisions. This might be interpreted as a commentary on the Church's inability to maintain unity and cohesion, along with its tendency to be divided by doctrinal differences. It might likewise be viewed as a criticism of the Church's absence of flexibility and its propensity to be resistant to alter. Ultimately, Douglas' quote speaks to the Church's long history of fragmentation and department, and its inability to maintain unity and cohesion.
"A lawyer without history or literature is a mechanic, a mere working mason; if he possesses some knowledge of these, he may venture to call himself an architect"
"We have our own history, our own language, our own culture. But our destiny is also tied up with the destinies of other people - history has made us all South Africans"
"It is humiliating to remain with our hands folded while others write history. It matters little who wins. To make a people great it is necessary to send them to battle even if you have to kick them in the pants. That is what I shall do"
