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These temple-destroyers, devotees of ravaging commercialism, seem to have a perfect contempt for Nature, and instead of lifting their eyes to the God of the mountains, lift them to the Almighty Dollar. Dam Hetch Hetchy! As well dam for water-tanks the people's cathedrals and churches, for no holier temple has ever been consecrated by the heart of man.

— John Muir The Yosemite (1912)

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More quotes by John Muir

There is that in the glance of a flower which may at times control the greatest of creation's braggart lords.

The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness.

The forests of America, however slighted by man, must have been a great delight to God; for they were the best he ever planted.

Our National Parks (1901)

The world, we are told, was made especially for man — a presumption not supported by all the facts.

No portion of the world is so barren as not to yield a rich and precious harvest of divine truth.

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Attribution

Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: John Muir (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.