--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In the aftermath of the recent wave…" description: "\"In the aftermath of the recent wave action in the Indian Ocean, even the archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williamson [sic], proved himself a latter-..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb3/christopher-hitchens-117_action_in-the-aftermath-of-the-recent-wave-acti_2727358.jpg" --- # In the aftermath of the recent wave action in the Indian… ![“In the aftermath of the recent wave action in the Indian Ocean, even the archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williamson [sic], proved himself a latter-day Voltairean by whimpering that he could see how this might shake belief in a friendly creator. Williamson is of course a notorious fool, who…” quote by Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb3/christopher-hitchens-117_action_in-the-aftermath-of-the-recent-wave-acti_2727358.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb3/christopher-hitchens-117_action_in-the-aftermath-of-the-recent-wave-acti_2727358.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb3/christopher-hitchens-117_action_in-the-aftermath-of-the-recent-wave-acti_2727358.jpg) > “In the aftermath of the recent wave action in the Indian Ocean, even the archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williamson \[sic\], proved himself a latter-day Voltairean by whimpering that he could see how this might shake belief in a friendly creator. Williamson is of course a notorious fool, who does an almost perfect imitation of a bleating and frightened sheep, but even so, one is forced to rub one's eyes in astonishment. Is it possible that a grown man could live so long and still have his personal composure, not to mention his lifetime job description, upset by a large ripple of seawater?” [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A prominent figure’s weak reaction to disaster reveals how easily belief can be shaken. **In simple terms:** Even leaders can be rattled by big events. Key Takeaway Question assumptions when faced with crisis. Themes faith skepticism authority disaster belief Mood skeptical critical Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - natural disasters - public statements - religious debates - media coverage Key Concepts theology psychology social influence Questions to Reflect On - Does crisis always erode faith? - How should leaders respond to tragedy? A Different Perspective The anecdote may be biased, limiting its generalizability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Aftermath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aftermath/) [Almost perfect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/almost-perfect/) [Archbishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/archbishop/) [Archbishop Canterbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/archbishop-canterbury-818814/) [Astonishment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/astonishment/) [Atheist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheist/) [Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) [Composure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/composure/) [Creator](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creator/) [Description](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/description/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Drs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drs/) [Eye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eye/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Fool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fool/) [Friendly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendly/) [Frightened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frightened/) [Grown man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grown-man/) [Imitation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imitation/) [Job description](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/job-description/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Latter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/latter/) [Latter days](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/latter-days/) [Lifetime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lifetime/) [Live Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-long/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Might](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/might/) [Notorious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/notorious/) [Ocean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ocean/) [Ocean Archbishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ocean-archbishop-2928659/) [Perfect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfect/) [Ripple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ripple/) [Shakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shakes/) [Sheep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sheep/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Upset](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/upset/) [Voltairean Whimpering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voltairean-whimpering-2928660/) [Wave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wave/) ## Related quotes > [“On December 29 four heavily armed men smashed through a side door to Canterbury Cathedral with an ax. The archbishop of Canterbury was waiting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-jones/on-december-29-four-heavily-armed-men-smashed-through-a-side-door-to/) [Dan Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-jones/) > [I have, alas, only one illusion left, and that is the Archbishop of Canterbury.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-smith/i-have-alas-only-one-illusion-left-and-that-is-the-archbishop-of/) [Sydney Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-smith/) > [In my time as Archbishop of Canterbury I've seen a growing sense of unity and mission.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carey/in-my-time-as-archbishop-of-canterbury-i-ve-seen-a-growing-sense-of/) [George Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carey/) > [Is there a bigger hypocrite than Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury and the CEO of 'Lords Bank?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-edmonds/is-there-a-bigger-hypocrite-than-justin-welby-the-archbishop-of/) [Noel Edmonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-edmonds/) > [“Thankfulness,” the Archbishop of Canterbury, Michael Ramsey, said, “is a soil in which pride does not easily grow.”9”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/thankfulness-the-archbishop-of-canterbury-michael-ramsey-said-is-a/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [“The endless fights among the faithful had prompted Rowan Williams, the archbishop of Canterbury, to write that “unity is a gospel imperative when we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-miles/the-endless-fights-among-the-faithful-had-prompted-rowan-williams-the/) [Sara Miles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-miles/) > [This is to be observed of the Bishop of London, that, though apparently of a spirit somewhat austere, there is in his idiosyncrasy a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/this-is-to-be-observed-of-the-bishop-of-london-that-though-apparently/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [Well the wedding in the words of the Archbishop of Canterbury was a fairy tale and there was a huge public impress, investment of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-holden/well-the-wedding-in-the-words-of-the-archbishop-of-canterbury-was-a/) [Anthony Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-holden/) > [My grandmother was utterly convinced I'd wind up as the Archbishop of Canterbury. And, to be honest, I've never entirely ruled it out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-grant/my-grandmother-was-utterly-convinced-i-d-wind-up-as-the-archbishop-of/) [Hugh Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-grant/) > [It is a really good question. The other day I was praying over something as I was running, and I ended up saying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-welby/it-is-a-really-good-question-the-other-day-i-was-praying-over/) [Justin Welby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-welby/) > [To suggest that God specifically created a worm to torture small African children is blasphemy as far as I can see. The Archbishop of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-attenborough/to-suggest-that-god-specifically-created-a-worm-to-torture-small/) [David Attenborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-attenborough/) > [One person I do feel a little sorry for, though, is the Archbishop of Canterbury, the most important clergyman in Britain and he's only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-condell/one-person-i-do-feel-a-little-sorry-for-though-is-the-archbishop-of/) [Pat Condell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-condell/) > [The Jackdaw sat in the Cardinal's chair! Bishop and Abbot and Prior were there, Many a monk and many a friar, Many a knight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-harris-barham/the-jackdaw-sat-in-the-cardinal-s-chair-bishop-and-abbot-and-prior/) [Richard Harris Barham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-harris-barham/) > [I had a full exorcism performed on me from an archbishop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zak-bagans/i-had-a-full-exorcism-performed-on-me-from-an-archbishop/) [Zak Bagans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zak-bagans/) > [“The only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/) [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/) ## More by Christopher Hitchens > [“The spirit of our accurate and exact philosophy is outraged by conclusions that contradict each other so glaringly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/the-spirit-of-our-accurate-and-exact-philosophy-is-outraged-by/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“Many governments employ torture but this was the first time that the element of Saturnalia and pornography in the process had been made so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/many-governments-employ-torture-but-this-was-the-first-time-that-the/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [ It's \[Los Angeles\] mostly full of nonsense and delusion and egomania. They think they'll be young and beautiful forever, even though most of them… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-s-los-angeles-mostly-full-of-nonsense-and-delusion-and-egomania/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [To be against rationalization is not the same as to be opposed to reasoning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/to-be-against-rationalization-is-not-the-same-as-to-be-opposed-to/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [ \[Religion\] attacks us in our deepest integrity - the core of our self-respect. Religion says that we would not know right from wrong, we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/religion-attacks-us-in-our-deepest-integrity-the-core-of-our-self/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“In the very recent past, we have seen the Church of Rome befouled by its complicity with the unpardonable sin of child rape, or,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/in-the-very-recent-past-we-have-seen-the-church-of-rome-befouled-by/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [It's surprising to me how many of my friends send Christmas cards, or holiday cards, including my atheist and secular friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-s-surprising-to-me-how-many-of-my-friends-send-christmas-cards-or/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [Suppose there were groups of secularists at hospitals who went round the terminally ill and urged them to adopt atheism: 'Don't be a mug…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/suppose-there-were-groups-of-secularists-at-hospitals-who-went-round/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [There are, after all, atheists who say they wish the fable were true but are unable to suspend the requisite disbelief, or who have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/there-are-after-all-atheists-who-say-they-wish-the-fable-were-true/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“It isn’t so long since a test of Anglican orthodoxy was applied to anyone seeking to study or teach at Oxford and Cambridge universities.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-isn-t-so-long-since-a-test-of-anglican-orthodoxy-was-applied-to/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [Gullibility and credulity are considered undesireable qualities in every department of human life - except religion ... Why are we praised by godly men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/gullibility-and-credulity-are-considered-undesireable-qualities-in/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [It's much worse to see a woman drunk than a man: I don't know quite why this is true but it just is. Don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-s-much-worse-to-see-a-woman-drunk-than-a-man-i-don-t-know-quite/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [It's true that obscenity is a matter of taste and in the eye of the beholder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-s-true-that-obscenity-is-a-matter-of-taste-and-in-the-eye-of-the/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [I worked out early on to give up things I couldn't do well at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/i-worked-out-early-on-to-give-up-things-i-couldn-t-do-well-at-all/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [Writing is what's important to me, and anything that helps me do that - or enhances and prolongs and deepens and sometimes intensifies argument…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/writing-is-what-s-important-to-me-and-anything-that-helps-me-do-that/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) [Explore all 1,241 Christopher Hitchens quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) ## More Action quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. 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Smile :) Now hold onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leticia-rae/action-is-a-powerful-thing-when-you-smile-through-your-sadness-it-can/) [Leticia Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leticia-rae/) > [I reject criticism because the last thing I wanted was to sit there and look at people talking. 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