She was afraid of John Faa, and what she was most afraid of was his kindness. - Philip Pullman

When you look at organised religion of whatever sort — whether it's Christianity in all its variants, or whether it's Islam or some forms of extreme Hinduism — wherever you see organised religion and priesthoods and power, you see cruelty and tyranny and repression. It's almost a universal law.

"And then what?" said her daemon sleepily. "Build what?"

"The Republic of Heaven," said Lyra.

Poetry is not a fancy way of giving you information; it’s an incantation. It is actually a magic spell. It changes things; it changes you.” An interview with Philip Pullman.