{I}f you live today you breathe in nihilism. In or out of the Church it's the gas you breathe. If I hadn't had the Church to fight it with or to tell me the necessity of fighting it, I would be the stinkingest logical positivist you ever saw right now
In the quote, the author reflects on how pervasive nihilism is in contemporary life, suggesting that it surrounds everyone, regardless of their religious affiliations. He emphasizes that this mindset is like a toxic air people inhale daily, impacting their thoughts and beliefs. The author recognizes the Church as a vital counterforce, providing guidance on the importance of resisting such nihilism.
Without the Church's influence, he fears he would have succumbed to a purely logical and devoid-of-meaning existence, akin to extreme forms of positivism. This statement underscores his belief in the necessity of faith and struggle against nihilistic views in order to find meaning in life. The Church serves as both a refuge and a battleground in the fight for existential significance.
