I don't trust Catholics," I said, "because they take advantage of you." "And Protestants?" he asked with a laugh. "I loathe the way they fumble around with their consciences." "And atheists?" He was still laughing. "They bore me because all they ever talk about is God.

Heinrich Böll

Categorized in : Laughing Atheist Catholic

Behind every word a whole world is hidden that must be imagined. Actually, every word has a great burden of memories, not only just of one person but of all mankind. Take a word such as bread, or war; take a word such as chair, or bed or Heaven. Behind every word is a whole world. I'm afraid that most people use words as something to throw away without sensing the burden that lies in a word.

memories war lying

One ought to go too far, in order to know how far one can go. by Heinrich Böll

One ought to go too far, in order to know how far one can go.

ought know-how order

Behind every word a whole world is hidden that must be imagined. by Heinrich Böll

Behind every word a whole world is hidden that must be imagined.

behinds whole world

If the dead could speak there would be no more war. by Heinrich Böll

If the dead could speak there would be no more war.

speak would-be war

Humor is really one of the hardest things to define, very hard. And it's very ambiguous. You have it or you don't. You can't attain it. There are terrible forms of professional humor, the humorists' humor. That can be awful. It depresses me because it is artificial. You can't always be humorous, but a professional humorist must. That is a sad phenomenon.

depressing awful humorous

I am a clown...and I collect moments. by Heinrich Böll

I am a clown...and I collect moments.

clown moments

Strangely enough I like the kind to which I belong: people. by Heinrich Böll

Strangely enough I like the kind to which I belong: people.

kind enough people

An artist is like a woman who can do nothing but love, and who su... by Heinrich Böll

An artist is like a woman who can do nothing but love, and who succumbs to every stray male jackass.

jackasses males artist

A child... never takes time off as a child; time off does not begin until the principles of order have been accepted.

principles order children

If you want to do something... get up and actually do it! by Heinrich Böll

If you want to do something... get up and actually do it!

get-up determination want

Oh, that ludicrous virile earnestness! by Heinrich Böll

Oh, that ludicrous virile earnestness!

earnestness seriousness

I need very little reality. by Heinrich Böll

I need very little reality.

littles reality needs