Better job Quote by Terry Pratchett
““People said there had to be a Supreme Being because otherwise how could the universe exist, eh? And of course there clearly had to be, said Koomi, a Supreme Being. But since the universe was a bit of a mess, it was obvious that the Supreme Being hadn't in fact made it. If he had made it he would, being Supreme, have made a better job of it, with far better thought given, taking an example at random, to things like the design of the common nostril. Or, to put it another way, the existence of a badly put-together watch proved the existence of a blind watchmaker. You only had to look around to see that there was room for improvement practically everywhere. This suggested that the Universe had probably been put together in a bit of a rush by an underling while the Supreme Being wasn't looking, in the same way that Boy Scouts' Association minutes are done on office photocopiers all over the country. So, reasoned Koomi, it was not a good idea to address any prayers to a Supreme Being. It would only attract his attention and might cause trouble.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Discworld – Small Gods, 1992
The quote sat that a hastily made universe with many flaws suggests a creator who is either absent, inattentive, or incompetent, making prayer pointless.
In simple terms: Flawed universe implies a careless creator, so praying may be futile.
Question the purpose of prayer in an imperfect world.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- Debates on religion
- science discussions
- personal reflection
- creative writing
- ethical decision making
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- Does imperfection invalidate belief?
- Can prayer serve purposes beyond influencing a deity?
It may overlook the possibility of a benevolent but limited deity or symbolic meaning in rituals.