The Litany of Earth Quotes

“All of man’s other religions place him at the center of creation. But man is nothing—a fraction of the life that will walk the Earth. Earth is nothing—a tiny world that will die with its sun. The sun is one of trillions where life flowers, and wants to live, and dies. And between the suns is an endless vast darkness that dwarfs them, through which life can travel only by giving up that wanting, by losing itself. Even that darkness will eventually die. In such a universe, knowledge is the stub of a candle at dusk.”
― Ruthanna Emrys, The Litany of Earth

“What our religion tells us, the part that is a religion, is that the gods created life to try and make meaning. It’s ultimately hopeless, and even gods die, but the effort is real. Will always have been real, even when everything is over and no one remembers.”
― Ruthanna Emrys, The Litany of Earth

“The power that can be found in magic is less than what you get from a gun, or a badge, or a bomb. [...] What magic is for is understanding. Knowledge. And it won't work until you know how little that gets you.”
― Ruthanna Emrys, The Litany of Earth

“All of man’s other religions place him at the center of creation. But man is nothing—a fraction of the life that will walk the Earth. Earth is nothing—a tiny world that will die with its sun. The sun is one of trillions where life flowers, and wants to live, and dies. And between the suns is an endless vast darkness that dwarfs them, through which life can travel only by giving up that wanting, by losing itself. Even that darkness will eventually die. In such a universe, knowledge is the stub of a candle at dusk.” “You make it all sound so cheerful.” “It’s honest. What our religion tells us, the part that is a religion, is that the gods created life to try and make meaning. It’s ultimately hopeless, and even gods die, but the effort is real. Will always have been real, even when everything is over and no one remembers.”
― Ruthanna Emrys, The Litany of Earth

“The power that can be found in magic is less than what you get from a gun, or a badge, or a bomb.”
― Ruthanna Emrys, The Litany of Earth