Origin (Robert Langdon, #5)

by Dan Brown

Historically, the most dangerous men on earth were men of God … especially when their gods became threatened.

Any man can stay sober in a desert, he mused, but only the loyal can sit in an oasis and refuse to part his lips.

Nothing is invented, for it’s written in nature first. Originality consists of returning to the origin. —ANTONI GAUDÍ

“Fittingly so,” Winston added. “Those who live by the sword will die by the sword.”

He is correct, Ávila thought, having witnessed firsthand in the military that being “soft” on misconduct was the best way to guarantee increasing misconduct.

The most efficient tools survive and replicate themselves, improving constantly, becoming more and more complex and efficient.

“Worshipping God is like mining for fossil fuels,” someone argued. “Plenty of smart people know it is shortsighted, and yet they have too much invested to stop!”

“‘Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it,’” Julián said, reciting the timeless aphorism from grade school.

“Oh, please!” Beña said, laughing. “I don’t believe that the same God who endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect—” “—intended us to forgo their use?”

I only hope science accepts your help.