“William James used to preach the "will-to-believe." For my part, I should wish to preach the "will-to-doubt." None of our beliefs are quite true; all at least have a penumbra of vagueness and error. What is wanted is not the will to believe, but the will to find out, which is the exact opposite.” ShouldBelieveWantedUsedBeliefWishDoubtOppositesErrorsVagueness Author:Bertrand Russell
“Is it not tragic, for example, that while in the last World War almost everyone believed it was the war to end all wars and wanted to make it so, now in this Second World War almost no writer that I have read dares even suggest that this is the war to end all wars, or act on that belief? We have lost the courage to hope.” WorldWarEndsWantedLastsBeliefLostExampleDareWar Of The WorldsTragicSecond World War Book:Between Tears and Laughter Source: Between Tears and Laughter
“Even though their arguments did not invoke religion, I think we all know what's behind these arguments. They're trying to protect religious beliefs from contradiction by science. They used to do it by prohibiting teachers from teaching evolution at all; then they wanted to teach intelligent design as an alternative theory; now they want the supposed "weaknesses" in evolution pointed out. But it's all the same program - it's all an attempt to let religious ideas determine what is taught in science courses.” ThinkingKnowsWantTryingIdeasWantedUsedCoursesBeliefReligiousBehindsTeachTeacherAtheismTeachingDesignTaughtTheoryEvolutionProtectWeaknessProgramArgumentIntelligentDeterminePositive AtheismAlternativesContradictionReligious BeliefInvokeIntelligent Design Author:Steven Weinberg
“[On Werner Erhard, founder of est:] If I wanted a new belief system, I'd choose to believe in God - He's been in business longer than Werner, and He has better music.” IfsBelieveWantedBeliefMusic IsBelieve In GodFoundersBelief Systems Author:Barbara Grizzuti Harrison
“From this haunting feeling of being not wanted, which remained a recurrent haunt through life, I found two ways of escape, both of which in changing form also persisted. One was the invention of gods, the other was personal efficiency in work.” WayTwoFeelingsWantedFormFoundBeliefInventionEfficiencyHauntingTwo Ways Author:Anna Louise Strong
“Visiting any shop for the first time is exciting. There's always that buzz as you push open the door; that hope; that belief - that this is going to be the shop of all shops, which will bring you everything you ever wanted, at magically low prices.” FirstsWantedBeliefDoorsLowsFirst TimeExcitingShopsVisitingBuzz Book:Shopaholic Abroad: (Shopaholic Book 2) Source: Shopaholic Abroad: (Shopaholic Book 2)
“True. There is a beautiful Jesus. He is frozen to his bones like a chunk of beef. How desperately he wanted to pull his arms in! How desperately I touch his vertical and horizontal axes! But I can't. Need is not quite belief.” NeedsI CanGodWantedBeautifulReligionJesusBeliefChristArmsJesus ChristBonesFrozenBeefChunksAxesVerticalHorizontal Book:Selected Poems of Anne Sexton Source: Selected Poems of Anne Sexton
“The whole point of a sacrifice is that you give up something you never really wanted in the first place. People are doing it around you all the time. They give up their careers, say -- or their beliefs -- or sex.” PeopleGivingFirstsWholeWantedBeliefSexCareersSacrificeGiving Up Author:John Osborne
“I think that I've always been on a search. I have my own kind of belief in love is the being, but I think that I've always been searching for truth and I think there's lots of truths and I think we should respect that in each other, and that's really what I wanted to bring across.” ThinkingShouldKindWantedBeliefMy OwnLove Is Author:Olivia Newton-John
“Despite my belief that somehow my work would get me where I wanted to be, there was still some kind of fathomless yearning. Yes, my career aspirations were always goading me. But partially, I think I tried to let those dreams replace or become the other yearning, to have that other form of value.” ThinkingKindStillsDreamWantedFormValuesBeliefCareersDespiteAspirationYearning Author:Cris Mazza
“There were certainly some people who wanted me to do a feel-good story that affirmed a lot of very commonly held beliefs.” PeopleFeelsStoriesWantedBeliefFeel GoodGood Story Author:Adrian Tomine