“When one gives up Christian belief one thereby deprives oneself of the right to Christian morality. For the latter is absolutely not self-evident: one must make this point clear again and again, in spite of English shallowpates.” GivingSelfChristianBeliefClearMoralityGiving UpOneselfSpiteLatterAgain And AgainEvidentChristian Morality Author:Friedrich Nietzsche
“And then God gave me insight: this was winter. It would end, in time, but not by my own doing. My responsibility was simply to know the season, and match my actions and inactions to it. It was to learn the slow hard discipline of waiting. It was my season to believe in spite of-to believe in the absence of evidence or emotion, when there's nothing, no bud, no color, no light, no birdsong, to validate belief. It was my time to walk without sight.” KnowsBelieveEndsHardLightActionBeliefWaitingMy OwnWalksEmotionResponsibilityColorDisciplineEvidenceSeasonsSightWinterInsightAbsenceMy TimeSpiteInactionBudBirdsong Author:Mark Buchanan
“Hellenic science is a victory of rationalism, which appears greater, not smaller, when one is made to realize that it had been won in spite of the irrational beliefs of the Greek people; all in all, it was a triumph of reason in the face of unreason. Some knowledge of Greek superstitions is needed not only for a proper appreciation of that triumph but also for the justification of occasional failures, such as the many Platonic aberrations.” PeopleMadeReasonFacesBeliefRealizingGreaterNeededVictoryAppreciationTriumphGreekSpiteSuperstitionsJustificationIrrationalOccasionalRationalismPlatonicAberrationIrrational Beliefs Book:Ancient Science Through the Golden Age of Greece Source: Ancient Science Through the Golden Age of Greece
“In spite of the fact that religion looks backward to revealed truth while science looks forward to new vistas and discoveries, both activities produce a sense of awe and a curious mixture of humility and arrogance in their practitioners. All great scientists are inspired by the subtlety and beauty of the natural world that they are seeking to understand. Each new subatomic particle, every unexpected object, produces delight and wonderment. In constructing their theories, physicists are frequently guided by arcane concepts of elegance in the belief that the universe is intrinsically beautiful.” WorldLooksFactsBeautifulScienceReligionUniverseBeliefNaturalObjectsProduceHumilityTheoryActivityConceptsDiscoveryScientistInspiredDelightSeekingCuriousArroganceAweSpiteUnexpectedPhysicistEleganceMixturesParticlesNatural WorldSubtletyVistasGreat ScientistArcaneSubatomic Particles Author:Paul Davies
“The bottom line is not money but some sort of demonic compulsion that drives these people to lash out against Jesus Christ, against Christians, and against anyone who holds to a sincere belief in God, in spite of the fact that it is going to cost them tens of millions of dollars to do it. They are driven to 'make a statement' regardless of the consequences.” PeopleFactsChristianJesusBeliefChristReligiousLinesMillionsCostConsequenceJesus ChristDollarsBottomDrivenStatementsSpiteSincereBottom LineCompulsionBelief In GodLashesDemonic Author:Michael Medved
“Hope is the enduring belief in the attainability of fervent wishes, in spite of the dark urges and rages which mark the beginning of existence. Hope is the ontogenetic basis of faith, and is nourished by the adult faith which pervades patterns of care.” CareBeliefWishDarkExistenceAdultsBasesMarkEndurePatternsRageSpiteUrgesFervent Book:Insight and Responsibility Source: Insight and Responsibility