"When people impute special vices to the Christian Church, they seem entirely to forget that the world (which is the only other thing there is) has these vices

"When people impute special vices to the Christian Church, they seem entirely to forget that the world (which is the only other thing there is) has these vices much more. The Church has been cruel; but the world has been much more cruel. The Church has plotted; but the world has plotted much more. The Church has been superstitious; but it has never been so superstitious as the world is when left to itself." --G.K. Chesterton The only asterisk I would put on this quote is that individuals are more benign still and why I will not for the foreseeable future join the Church.