“In such cases, 'we overcome our moral feeling if necessary', freedom, peace, conscience even, all, all are brought into the market.”

“There is nothing more alluring to man than freedom of conscience, but neither is there anything more agonizing.”

“You are in the grip of a desire for martyrdom and self-sacrifice; conquer this desire as well, set aside your pages and your intention--and then you will overcome everything. You will put to shame all your pride and your demon! You will win, you will attain freedom...”

“Anyone who can appease a man's conscience can take his freedom away from him.”

“The torments of a proud decision, a deep conscience! God, in whom he did not believe, and his truth were overcoming his heart, which still did not want to submit.”

“He precisely lays it to his and his colleagues credit that they have finally overcome freedom, and have done so in order to make people happy.”

“And if it is a mystery, then we, too, had the right to preach mystery and to teach them that it is not the free choice of the heart that matters, and not love, but the mystery, which they must blindly obey, even setting aside their own conscience. And so we did. We corrected your deed and based it on miracle, mystery, and authority. And mankind rejoiced that they were once more led like sheep, and that at last such a terrible gift, which had brought them so much suffering, had been taken from their hearts.”