Every people is only a people so long as it has its own god and excludes all other gods on earth irreconcilably
 Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Demons (1872). copy citation

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Author Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Source Demons
Topic gods earth
Date 1872
Language English
Reference
Note Translated by Constance Garnett in 1916
Weblink http://www.gutenberg.org/files/8117/8117-h/8117-h.htm

Context

“He suddenly began watching Shatov with intense and peculiar attention, not so much his words as himself. “I reduce God to the attribute of nationality?” cried Shatov. “On the contrary, I raise the people to God. And has it ever been otherwise? The people is the body of God. Every people is only a people so long as it has its own god and excludes all other gods on earth irreconcilably; so long as it believes that by its god it will conquer and drive out of the world all other gods. Such, from the beginning of time, has been the belief of all great nations, all, anyway, who have been specially remarkable, all who have been leaders of humanity.” source