Like for like Quotes on Religion Flashcards
“I have heard that things are ordered better in the north; that parsons and gentry there are not so proud as ours be here; that they have learnt better what is right, and do not follow ways that ain’t good for them and that there is more feeling for religion up the country” - Tess of the d’Urbervilles
“I have seen things in Kabul that I never thought I’d see. I’ve seen people laugh at prayers and snicker during the call to prayer. I’ve seen women marry outside their religion. I’ve seen people make a mockery of what they believe in. Does it matter what you believe?” - A Thousand Splendid Suns
In both quotes, the characters are questioning the role of religion in their lives and society. Tess is lamenting the hypocrisy of the wealthy and powerful, who claim to be religious but act in ways that contradict their faith. Mariam, the character speaking in the second quote, has witnessed the erosion of religious values in her country and wonders if belief in a higher power is even important if people can’t live up to their professed beliefs.
“He felt like an impostor, an intruder, in the house of the Lord. His parents had not raised him in any faith. He was not sure he believed in God.” - Tess of the d’Urbervilles
“When she was a child, Mariam had heard that there was a God who lived up in the sky, beyond the clouds, and that He watched over them, judged them. She had never seen Him, but she had seen the burqa that Mullah Faizullah made her wear, and she had heard enough about Hell to know that it was not a place you wanted to end up in.” - A Thousand Splendid Suns
In both quotes, the characters are struggling with their own belief in God. In Tess, Angel Clare feels like an outsider in his religious community because he wasn’t raised with any faith. Mariam, on the other hand, has been exposed to religion but doesn’t necessarily believe in it. Both characters are grappling with questions of faith and how it fits into their lives.
“The belief was a singularly pure one. He had never read any of the dogmas of his church; but dark hints of the stern master thereof, in the shape of doctrine, had reached him from Fontevrault, and he meditated over them in privacy with awe.” - Tess of the d’Urbervilles
“And he knew the law: that a woman needed a male relative to accompany her outside the home, that she could not appear before a judge without a husband or father present. And if caught without a burqa outside the home or in the company of a man who was not a relative, a woman could be beaten, even killed.” - A Thousand Splendid Suns
In these quotes, the characters are grappling with the strict rules and expectations that come with religious beliefs. In Tess, Angel is intrigued by the teachings of his church but feels a sense of awe and fear in contemplating them. In A Thousand Splendid Suns, Mariam is faced with the oppressive rules that come with her religion and culture, which limit her freedom and subject her to violence if she steps out of line.
“She was ashamed of herself for her gloom of the night, based on nothing more tangible than a sense of condemnation under an arbitrary law of society which had no foundation in Nature.” - Tess of the d’Urbervilles
“I know you’re religious,” he said at last. “But after what has happened between us, after what I’ve done, can you forgive me?” - A Thousand Splendid Suns
In these quotes, the characters are struggling with feelings of guilt and shame. Tess feels condemned by society for her actions, even though she doesn’t believe she’s done anything wrong. Similarly, in A Thousand Splendid Suns, Rasheed is seeking forgiveness from Mariam for his abusive behavior, even though he knows she’s a devout Muslim and forgiveness may not come easily.
“She was expressing her belief in the existence of such powers; her belief in her inability to discern them; her belief in the dark-cloaked ministers of doom.” - Tess of the d’Urbervilles
“The Mullah teaches that Allah is always watching. And that everything we do, every deed, is recorded in a ledger, and on the Day of Judgment we’ll be held accountable for every one.” - A Thousand Splendid Suns
In these quotes, the characters are exploring the idea of divine judgment and punishment. Tess believes in a mysterious force that’s beyond her understanding and fears the consequences of going against it. Mariam has a more concrete understanding of Allah and the consequences of one’s actions, and worries about being held accountable for everything she’s done in her life.
“A curious and really slight flush of merriment stole over his features momentarily, and went again.” - Tess of the d’Urbervilles
“The image of Mariam’s swollen face flashed in his mind. He remembered how she had looked up at him then, her eyes blazing with a hatred so bright and pure that it momentarily lifted the veil of the burqa that had hidden her face.” - A Thousand Splendid Suns
In these quotes, the characters are experiencing strong emotions related to their beliefs. In Tess, Angel has a moment of merriment, but it’s fleeting and doesn’t seem to be rooted in anything tangible. In A Thousand Splendid Suns, Rasheed remembers the intense hatred he saw in Mariam’s eyes, which was likely fueled by her own strong convictions about what’s right and wrong.
