Frases de Dietrich Bonhoeffer

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“O teste de moralidade de uma sociedade é o que ela faz com suas crianças.”

“O próprio Jesus não tentou converter os dois ladrões na cruz; Ele esperou até que um deles se virasse para ele.”

“Se você tomar o trem errado, de nada adiantará andar pelo corredor no sentido contrário.”

“Não somos Cristo, mas se quisermos ser cristãos, tal importaria que participássemos da amplitude do coração de Cristo em ação responsável, que em liberdade apanha a hora exata e enfrenta o perigo e se dispõe a um comparecer autêntico, que não é ditado pelo medo, mas brota do amor libertador e redentor de Cristo para com todos os que sofrem.”

“Creio que nem mesmo nossas faltas e erros são em vão e que para Deus não será mais difícil arranjar-se com eles do que arranjar-se com nossas supostas obras boas.”

“É a natureza, e a vantagem, das pessoas fortes levantarem as questões cruciais e formar uma opinião clara sobre elas. Os fracos sempre têm que decidir entre alternativas que não são suas.”

“Creio que Deus não é um mero fato independente de todos os tempos, mas que ele espera por oração sinceras e ações responsáveis e as responde.”

“A acção não surge do pensamento, mas de uma disposição para assumir responsabilidades.”

“Pior que fazer o mal é o ser mal.”

“A essência do otimismo é que não leva em conta o presente, sendo uma fonte da inspiração, da vitalidade e da esperança que os outros abdicaram. O otimimo permite que uma pessoa mantenha sua cabeça erguida, para reivindicar o futuro pra si mesma e não abandoná-lo.”

“We want Jesus as the visibly resurrected one, as the splendid, transfigured Jesus. We want his visible power and glory, and we no longer want to return to the cross, to believing against all appearances, to suffering in faith … it is good here... let us make dwellings. …
The disciples are not allowed to do this. God's glory comes quite near in the radiant cloud of God's presence, and the Father's voice says: "This is my beloved son; listen to him!" … There is no abiding in and enjoying his visible glory here. Whoever recognizes the transfigured Jesus, whoever recognizes Jesus as God, must also immediately recognize Him as the crucified human being, and should hear him, obey him. Luther's vision of Christ: "the crucified Lord!"”

“Sickened by vermin
that feed, in the shade of the good,
on envy, greed, and suspicion,
by the snake-like hissing
of venomous tongues
that fear hate and revile
the mystery of free thought
and upright heart
The spirit would cast aside all deceit,
open his heart to the spirit he trusts,
and unite with him freely as one.”

“The great masquerade of evil has played havoc with all our ethical concepts. For evil to appear disguised as light, charity, historical necessity or social justice is quite bewildering to anyone brought up on our traditional ethical concepts, while for the Christian who bases his life on the Bible, it merely confirms the fundamental wickedness of evil. The "reasonable" people's failure is obvious. With the best intentions and a naive lack of realism, they think that with a little reason they can bend back into position the framework that has got out of joint. In their lack of vision they want to do justice to all sides, and so the conflicting forces wear them down with nothing achieved. Disappointed by the world's unreasonableness, they see themselves condemned to ineffectiveness; they step aside in resignation or collapse before the stronger party.
Still more pathetic is the total collapse of moral fanaticism. Fanatics think that their single-minded principles qualify them to do battle with the powers of evil; but like a bull they rush at the red cloak instead of the person who is holding it; they exhaust themselves and are beaten. They get entangled in non-essentials and fall into the trap set by cleverer people.”

“The passion of Christ is the victory of divine love over the powers of evil, and therefore it is the only supportable basis for Christian obedience. Once again, Jesus calls those who follow him to share his passion. How can we convince the world by our preaching of the passion when we shrink from that passion in our own lives? On the cross Jesus fulfilled the law he himself established and thus graciously keeps his disciples in the fellowship of his suffering.”

“Jesus is no draughtsman of political blueprints, he is the one who vanquished evil through suffering. It looked as though evil had triumphed on the cross, but the real victory belonged to Jesus. And the cross is the only justification for the precept of non-violence, for it alone can kindle a faith in the victory over evil which will enable men to obey that precept. And only such obedience is blessed with the promise that we shall be partakers of Christ's victory as well as his sufferings.”

“Jesus bluntly calls the evil person evil. If I am assailed, I am not to condone or justify aggression. Patient endurance of evil does not mean a recognition of its rights. That is sheer sentimentality, and Jesus will have nothing to do with it. The shameful assault, the deed of violence and the act of exploitation are still evil. … The very fact that the evil which assaults him is unjustifiable makes it imperative that he should not resist it, but play it out and overcome it by patiently enduring the evil person. Suffering willingly endured is stronger than evil, it spells death to evil.”

“Greater caution is called for when dealing with a stupid person than with a malicious one.”

“One may protest against evil; it can be exposed and, if need be, prevented by use of force. Evil always carries within itself the germ of its own subversion in that it leaves behind in human beings at least a sense of unease. Against stupidity we are defenseless.”

“Stupidity is a more dangerous enemy of the good than malice.”

“Then there is the man with a conscience, who fights single-handedly against heavy odds in situations that call for a decision.”