"Simpler, with fewer people," he agrees. "And we all have death in common, for what that's worth. I've known evil, don't get me wrong. But not everyone is like that."

In fact, he's content to pass off the evil he's seen as something minor. He doesn't really want to elaborate. The kind of cruelty people are capable of is deeply horrifying, as personal experience has taught him. But the good in most people goes beyond that. And whether good or evil, people are variable, creative, and capable of so much. It fills him with awe, and it keeps him pushing forward even when things get dark.

Maybe that's why people like churches. They're a good space for quiet contemplation.