Quotes by Terry Pratchett

On the nature of Sin by Terry Pratchett, from the book "Carpe Jugulum"

An old woman (who happens to be a witch) and a priest are sitting by the road having a conversation.

(The conversation starts on the classic subject of "how many angels can dance on the head of a pin?")

"Sixteen!"
"You've counted sixteen?" said Oats eventually.
"No, but it is as good an answer as any you'll get. And that's what you holy men discuss is it?"
"Not usually. There is a very interesting debate raging at the moment on the nature of sin, for example."
"And what do they think? Against it, are they?"
"It is not as simple as that. It's not a black and white issue. There are so many shades of gray."
"Nope."
"Pardon?"
There's no grays, only white that's got grubby. I'm surprised you don't know that. And sin, young man, is when you treat people as things. Including yourself. That's what sin is."
"It's a lot more complicated than that--"
"No it ain't. When people say things are a lot more complicated than that, they means they're getting worried that they won't like the truth. People as things, that's where it starts."
"Oh, I'm sure there are worse crimes-"
"But they Starts with thinking about people as things…"

It was so much easier to blame it on Them. It was bleakly depressing to think that They were Us. If it was Them, then nothing was anyone's fault. If it was Us, what did that make Me? After all, I'm one of Us. I must be. I've certainly never thought of myself as one of Them. No One ever thinks of themselves as one of Them. We're always one of Us. It's Them that do the bad things.

Remember -- that which does not kill us can only make us stronger. And that which does kill us leaves us dead!

The man gave a shrug which indicated that, although the world did indeed have many problems, this was one of them that was not his.

The Gods of the Disc have never bothered much about judging the souls of the dead, and so people only go to Hell if that's where they believe, in their deepest heart, that they deserve to go. Which they won't do if they don't know about it. This explains why it is so important to shoot missionaries on site.

That statement is either so deep it would take a lifetime to fully comprehend every particle of its meaning, or it is a load of absolute tosh. Which is it, I wonder?

"What is there in this world that makes living worthwhile?"
Death thought about it.
CATS, he said eventually, CATS ARE NICE.

What do you call those things at the bottom of rivers? Frogs? Stones? Unsuccessful gangsters?

What do you call those things at the bottom of rivers? Frogs? Stones? Unsuccessful gangsters?

The previous governess had taught them a prayer which included the hope that some god or other would take their soul if they died while they were asleep and, if Susan was any judge, had the underlying message that this would be a good thing.