quarrels

[marycatelli]

What is the good of words if they aren't important enough to quarrel over? Why do we choose one word more than another if there isn't any difference between them? If you called a woman a chimpanzee instead of an angel, wouldn't there be a quarrel about a word? If you're not going to argue about words, what are you going to argue about? Are you going to convey your meaning to me by moving your ears? The Church and the heresies always used to fight about words, because they are the only thing worth fighting about.

― G.K. Chesterton

Comments

[jbellinger]

It is, we of heaven agree, a thing indifferent;
but any indifference may become sometimes a test.
Will God dispute over words?  no; but man
must, if words mean anything, stand by words,
since stand he must; and on earth protest to death
against what at the same time is a jest in heaven.

Charles Williams: The House of the Octopus

[marycatelli]

how well said