Ishmael and Religion – Quotations from Moby Dick

I’ll try a pagan friend, thought I, since Christian kindness has proved by hollow country.

I cherish the greatest respect towards everybody’s religious obligations, never mind how comical.

…Heaven have mercy on us all — Presbyterians and Pagans alike — for we are all somehow dreadfully cracked about the head, and sadly needing mending.

I have no objection to any person’s religion, be it what it may, so long as that person does not kill or insult any other person, because that person don’t believe it also.  But when a man’s religion becomes really frantic; when it is a positive torment to him; and, in fine, makes this earth of ours an uncomfortable inn to lodge in; then I think it high time to …argue the point

Finding myself thus hard pushed (question if Queequeg belongs to a church) I replied, “I mean, sir, the same ancient Catholic Church to which you and I…and all of us, and every mother’s son and soul of us belong; the great and everlasting First Congregation of this whole worshipping world; we all belong to that; only some of us cherish some queer crotchets noways touching the grand belief; in that we all join hands.”

Author: abookwomansholiday

The perfect holiday for a lifelong reader is one with a stack of books and few distractions. Retiring after three decades as a bookseller, I look forward to reading my way through the stacks and shelves and lists of books waiting for me. This blog will be something of a grab bag or commonplace book of reviews, quotations, notes on the history of books, the contemporary book trade, and anything connected with books and language. Reading is a great pleasure. Thinking and talking about books multiplies and intensifies that pleasure. View all posts by abookwomansholiday