How we cite our quotes: (Part.Book.Chapter.Line)
Quote #1
"[You] do not care for the cruder aspect of truth. Christ cared. He drove the money-lenders from the temple. His scourge was a great teller of truths." (1.1.10.54)
An old revolutionary official chats with Bishop Myriel about religion and suggests that people don't like to hear unpleasant truths—like that God can be very harsh and brutal when it comes to defending the greater good. For Hugo, religion isn't just a warm blanket that you pull over yourself on Sunday morning. In fact, it's far more likely to demand that you give up that blanket to a beggar on the street.
Quote #2
"Progress must believe in God. The good cannot be served by impiety. An atheist is an evil leader of the human race." (1.1.10.77)
Bishop Myriel believes that a secular world can never achieve social progress. God is the guiding star, and he despairs at the thought that an atheist could ever be a leader of humanity. It's a pretty common belief for the nineteenth century, so Hugo isn't exactly rocking the religious boat here.
Quote #3
"Whom man kills God restores to life; whom the brothers pursue the Father redeems. Pray and believe and go onward into life." (1.1.4.11)
Ex-con? No problem. All Bishop Myriel cares about is saving Jean's soul and putting him on the path to goodness. If you're looking for a positive example of what religion can do for the world, look no further than Bishop Myriel.