Accused Quote by W. D. Snodgrass
“I've been accused of humanizing the Nazis, to which I can only say, you can't blame me for that. God did that. Go talk to him. It's a strange thing for an atheist to say.”
About This Quote
The speaker deflects criticism for portraying Nazis sympathetically, attributing the act to divine influence rather than personal intent, highlighting a paradoxical moral stance.
In simple terms: Deflection of blame onto a higher power.
Key Takeaway
Moral responsibility can be externalized.
Themes
moral ambiguity
irony
theology
human nature
paradox
Mood
ironic
defiant
thought‑provoking
Type
aphoristic
controversial
When to use this quote
- defending controversial art
- debating historical representation
- discussing atheism vs. belief
Key Concepts
blame
sympathy
atheism
divine agency
Practical Applications
- critical analysis of historical narratives
- ethical discussions on representation
Questions to Reflect On
- Is it ethical to shift responsibility to a higher power?
- How does this affect the credibility of the speaker?
A Different Perspective
Attributing moral choices to a deity may evade personal accountability.
![“[ Said during a debate when his opponent asserted that atheism and belief in evolution lead to Nazism :] Atheism by itself is, of course, not a moral position or a political one of any kind; it simply is the refusal to believe in a supernatural dimension. For you to say of Nazism that it was the…” quote by Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/bbe/christopher-hitchens-117_adolf-hitler_said-during-a-debate-when-his-opponent-a_991808.jpg)
![“...[T]hese people... are my dangerous accusers; because those who hear them suppose that anyone who inquires into such matters... theories about the heavens... and everything below the earth... must be an atheist.” quote by Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/522/socrates-405_inquiry_t-hese-people-are-my-dangerous-accusers_1521273.jpg)
