religion

"In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule."

"Man is manifestly not the measure of all things. This universe is shot through with mystery. The very fact of its being, and of our own, is a mystery absolute, and the only miracle worthy of the name."

"If you think God’s there, He is. If you don’t, He isn’t. And if that’s what God’s like, I wouldn’t worry about it."

"There were a group of people before the Ascension known as the Astalsi. They claimed that each person was born with a certain finite amount of ill luck. And so, when an unfortunate event happened, they thought themselves blessed—thereafter, their lives could only get better."

"It is easy enough to be friendly to one's friends. But to befriend the one who regards himself as your enemy is the quintessence of true religion. The other is mere business."

"There's a big difference between kneeling down and bending over."

"The purpose of the gospel is to make bad men good and good men better, and to change human nature."

"You were made by God and for God and until you understand that, life will never make sense."

"I believe in good and evil,"said Jem. "And I believe the soul is eternal. But I don't believe in the fiery pit, the pitchforks, or endless torment. I do not believe you can threaten people into goodness."Tessa looked at will. "What about you? What do you believe?"Pulvis et umbra sumus,"said Will, not looking at her as he spoke. "I believe we are dust and shadows. What else is there?"

"It is when we notice the dirt that God is most present in us; it is the very sign of His presence."

"Forgive me for being so ordinary while claiming to know so extraordinary a God."

"What looks like politics, and imagines itself to be political, will one day unmask itself as a religious movement."

"Religion turned some folks belligerent."

"I wasn't saying whatever they're saying I was saying. I'm sorry I said it really. I never meant it to be a lousy anti-religious thing. I apologize if that will make you happy. I still don't know quite what I've done. I've tried to tell you what I did do but if you want me to apologize, if that will make you happy, then OK, I'm sorry."

"Man corrupt everything, say Shug. He on your box of grits, in your head, and all over the radio. He try to make you think he everywhere. Soon as you think he everywhere, you think he God. But he ain't. Whenever you trying to pray, and man plop himself on the other end of it, tell him to git lost, say Shug. Conjure up the flowers, wind, water, a big rock."

"A sect or party is an elegant incognito devised to save a man from the vexation of thinking."

"As for biblical or religious theory, I don’t ever want to fight about the details of the story, I want to live the reality of the message."

"In moments of prayer, people tend to pose as a critic and point out percieved flaws in God's art."

"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot,Nothing is going to get better. It's not."

"Faith is the great cop-out, the great excuse to evade the need to think and evaluate evidence. Faith is the belief in spite of, even perhaps because of, the lack of evidence."