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It is an ancient and venerated custom of people in my…

“It is an ancient and venerated custom of people in my country to start a story by praying to a Higher Power. "I guess, Your Excellency, that I too should start off by kissing some god's arse. "Which god's arse, though? There are so many choices. "See, the Muslims have one god. "The Christians have…” quote by Aravind Adiga
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““It is an ancient and venerated custom of people in my country to start a story by praying to a Higher Power. "I guess, Your Excellency, that I too should start off by kissing some god's arse. "Which god's arse, though? There are so many choices. "See, the Muslims have one god. "The Christians have three gods. "And we Hindus have 36,000,004 divine arses to choose from.””

Aravind Adiga

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The speaker satirically critiques religious pluralism, highlighting how people invoke divine authority to legitimize narratives, while exposing the absurdity of competing deities.

In simple terms: Religion is used to start stories, but the speaker mocks its contradictions.

Key Takeaway

Question assumptions about divine authority.

Themes

satire religion identity

Mood

ironic critical humorous

Type

satirical commentary observational

When to use this quote

  • political commentary
  • social critique
  • personal reflection

Key Concepts

pluralism authority absurdity

Questions to Reflect On

  • What does invoking a higher power achieve in storytelling?
  • How does satire affect perceptions of religion?
A Different Perspective

The humor may downplay genuine faith experiences.

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