The amiable Dr. Adams suggested that God was infinitely good. JOHNSON: "That he is infinitely good, as far as the perfection of his nature will allow, I certainly believe; but it is necessary for good upon the whole, that individuals should be punished. As to an individual, therefore, he is not infinitely good; and as I cannot be sure that I have fulfilled the conditions on which salvation is granted, I am afraid I may be one of those who shall be damned." (Looking dismally.) DR. ADAMS: "What do you mean by damned?" JOHNSON (passionately and loudly): "Sent to hell, Sir, and punished everlastingly!" -James Boswell, Life of Johnson "In [God's] right hand he's holding not a knife or a pair of scales -those damned instruments are meant for butchers and grocers -no, he's holding a large sponge full of water, like a rain cloud... Here comes a soul; the poor little thing's quite naked, because it's lost its cloak -its body, I mean -and it's shivering. God looks at it, laughing up his sleeve, but he plays the bogey man: 'Come here,' he roars, 'come here, you miserable wretch!' And he begins his questioning. The naked soul throws itself at God's feet. 'Mercy!' it cries. 'I have sinned.' And away it goes reciting its sins. It recites a whole rigamorole and there's no end to it. God thinks this is too much of a good thing. He yawns. 'For heaven's sake, stop!' he shouts. 'I've heard enough of all that!' Flap! Slap! a wipe of the sponge, and he washes out all the sins. 'Away with you, clear out, off to Paradise!' he says to the soul. 'Peterkin, let this poor little creature in, too!' Because God, you know, is a great lord, and that's what being a lord means: to forgive!" -Nikos Kazantzakas, Zorba the Greek