General Discussion

- Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

(Of course, the Vogons destroyed the Earth before she could tell anyone.)

It's really amazing how institutions or traditions can twist the fundamental message. I mean, there might be a really appealing, original, central idea, but it seems that whoever is given authority to keep people pointed in that direction eventually goes power-mad.

Adams, himself, was an atheist; I've never been entirely sure whether he wrote this as an observation of the futility of trying to get people to be nice to one another, a recognition that Jesus (as related by the Bible) recommended a laudable position his followers failed to practice consistently, that he (Adams) didn't see the outcome of Jesus's ministry as necessary or likely consistent with Roman practices, or just black irony. But then, I somewhat enjoy this kind of ambiguity and generally love Adams's writing style.