Look at yourself! You're a priest. You know damn well that…
““Look at yourself! You're a priest. You know damn well that if I were setting out to make a girl at this moment instead of young Paolo, you'd take an entirely different view. You'd disapprove, sure! You'd read me a lecture on fornication and all the rest. But you wouldn't be too unhappy. I'd be normal... according to nature! But I am not made like that. God didn't make me like that. But do I need love the less? Do I need satisfaction less? Have I less right to live in contentment because somewhere along the line the Almighty slipped a cog in creation?... What's your answer to that Meredith? What's your answer for me? Tie a knot in myself and take up badminton and wait till they make me an angel in heaven, where they don't need this sort of thing any more? I'm lonely! I need love like the next man! My sort of love!””
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 questions whether a non‑heterosexual identity makes him less deserving of love and fulfillment, confronting religious and societal judgments.
In simple terms: He wonders if being gay means he deserves less love.
Key Takeaway
Seek self‑acceptance despite external condemnation.
Themes
identity
love
religion
loneliness
Mood
conflicted
lonely
hopeful
Type
personal
existential
emotional
When to use this quote
- coming out
- seeking relationships
- spiritual counseling
- personal reflection
Key Concepts
sexual orientation
existential doubt
social stigma
Questions to Reflect On
- How does faith shape your view of love?
- Can you find love without external approval?
A Different Perspective
Religious doctrine may not address modern sexual identities.