In a deep sense, every thought and writing and utterance and form must be revolutionary. It must attempt to give expression to the everlasting discontent with everything that is—a discontent that distinguishes the human being from the beast—it must attempt to change human life, the personal and the social. It must be a bit prophetic, it must condemn and demand, it must give hope. If it does not do that, it is a beautiful sport, but without seriousness. It is a dream but not truth; and what is worse than its being sport and dream is that it creates a diversion from the truth. The unveiling of the truth is not pleasant to those who have power and misuse this power at the expense of others.
Against the Third Reich
eds. and trans. by
(Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1998), pp. 58–59
