I regard Abraham as my ancestor. Some of the greatest inspiration I have got has come from what we call the Old Testament prophets and what Jews would say "our prophets." Desmond Tutu More Quotes by Desmond Tutu More Quotes From Desmond Tutu I am passionately opposed to the death penalty for anyone . . . I think, myself, that it is an obscenity . . . Desmond Tutu obscenity death-penalty thinking Do your little bit of good where you are. Desmond Tutu good-people kindness littles My vote is my secret. Desmond Tutu vote voting secret There is room for everyone; there is room for every culture, race, language and point of view. Desmond Tutu race views rooms To be impartial... is indeed to have taken sides already... with the status quo. Desmond Tutu status-quo taken sides I think that because this is a moral universe, then right will prevail, goodness will prevail, compassion will prevail, laughter will prevail, love, caring, sharing will prevail. Because we are made for goodness. We are made for love. Desmond Tutu laughter caring thinking Are you able to restore to those people the time when their freedom was denied them? If you have evidence for goodness sake produce it in a court of law. People with power have an incredible capacity for wanting to be able to retain that power and don't like scrutiny. Desmond Tutu able law people Fundamental rights belong to the human being just because you are a human being. Desmond Tutu humans rights fundamentals When I care about black liberation, it is because I care about white liberation. Desmond Tutu diversity white justice I often accompanied my father. I really liked riding with him on his bicycle on Saturdays. He was very fond of fishing. I don’t think I liked fishing. I mean, you had to sit quietly and still, but I enjoyed the ride. And it was fun, it was fun. I mean, as I say, you didn’t go around lugging a deep sense of resentment. We knew, yes, we were deprived. It wasn’t the same thing for white kids, but it was as full a life as you could make it. I mean, we made toys for ourselves with wires, making cars, and you really were exploding with joy! Desmond Tutu fun mean father Beware when you take on the Church of God. Others have tried and have bitten the dust. Desmond Tutu scary dust atheist The future of our fragile, beautiful planet home is in our hands. As God's family, we are stewards of God's creation. We can be wantonly irresponsible, or we can be caring and compassionate. God says, "I have set before you life and death... Choose life." Desmond Tutu caring home beautiful I believe history teaches us a categorical lesson: that once a people are determined to become free, then nothing in the world can stop them reaching their goal. Desmond Tutu goal believe people Peace comes when you talk to the guy you most hate. And that's where the courage of a leader comes, because when you sit down with your enemy, you as a leader must already have very considerable confidence from your own constituency. Desmond Tutu guy hate leader A life of wholeness does not depend on what we experience. Wholeness depends on how we experience our lives. Desmond Tutu cacophony our-lives doe I am human because I belong, I participate, I share. Desmond Tutu humans share Theology reminded me that, however diabolical the act, it did not turn the perpetrator into a demon. We had to distinguish between the deed and the perpetrator, between the sinner and the sin, to hate and condemn the sin while being filled with compassion for the sinner. Desmond Tutu hate deeds compassion To forgive is indeed the best form of self-interest since anger, resentment, and revenge are corrosive of that summum bonum, the greatest good. Desmond Tutu forgiving revenge self As human beings we have the most extraordinary capacity for evil. We can perpetrate some of the most horrendous atrocities. Desmond Tutu atrocities capacity evil God has such a deep reverence for our freedom that he'd rather let us freely go to Hell than be compelled to go to Heaven. Desmond Tutu reverence hell heaven
