What Sad Words Before One's Death

Before his death, philosopher and agnostic Bertrand Russell said, "There is darkness without, and when I die there will be darkness within. There is no splendor, no vastness anywhere, only triviality for a moment, and then nothing."

I love quotes because words reveal what is in a man. Russell's words about death reveal plainly in eloquent words what his view of death is: It is darkness and nothingness.

Contrast Russell's sad words with Dietrich Bonhoeffer who is considered a martyr for his faith. When facing his untimely execution at age 39, he said, "This is the end --- for me the beginning of life."

Russell was a brilliant man. Here are a few of his quotes:

"No one gossips about other people's secret virtues."

"Three passions, simple but overwhelmingly strong, have governed my life: the longing for love, the search for knowledge, and unbearable pity for the suffering of mankind."

"I dislike Communism because it is undemocratic, and capitalism because it favors exploitation."

"The degree of one's emotion varies inversely with one's knowledge of the facts – the less you know the hotter you get."

"Democracy is the process by which people choose the man who'll get the blame."

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts."

"The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt."