Home / Topics / Conscience Quotes

Conscience Quotes

Browse 3008 quotes about Conscience.

Conscience Quotes

“Religion, or the duty we owe to our Creator, and manner of discharging it, can be directed only by reason and conviction, not by force or violence; and, therefore, that all men should enjoy the fullest toleration in the exercise of religion according to the dictates of conscience, unpunished and unrestrained by the magistrate, unless under color of religion any man disturb the peace, the happiness, or safety of society, and that it is the mutual duty of all to practice Christian forbearance, love and charity toward each other.”

Source: The Writings of James Madison: 1769-1783

“Truth is felt in the heart. This is why your heart should always be your ultimate temple. Sitting inside on a blue altar, is you're where you find your conscience. This is where all conversations with God stream.”

Should Heart Felt Truth Is Conversation Conscience Sitting Ultimate Blue Streams Temples Altars Conversations With God

Author:Suzy Kassem

“A man should not play the coward to his deeds. He should not repudiate them once he has performed them. Pangs of conscience are indecent.”

Men Should Play Conscience Deeds Coward

Book:Twilight of the Idols with the Antichrist and Ecce Homo

Source: Twilight of the Idols with the Antichrist and Ecce Homo

“My idea of freedom is that we should protect the rights of people to believe what their conscience dictates, but fight equally hard to protect people from having the beliefs of others imposed upon them.”

People Should Believe Ideas Hard Fighting Belief Rights Protect Conscience

Book:Common Ground

Source: Common Ground

“The moral faculties are generally esteemed, and with justice, as of higher value than the intellectual powers. But we should always bear in mind that the activity of the mind in vividly recalling past impressions is one of the fundamental though secondary bases of conscience. This fact affords the strongest argument for educating and stimulating in all possible ways the intellectual faculties of every human being.”

Source: The Descent of Man

“Who can assure us that we will be alive tomorrow? Let us listen to the voice of our conscience, to the voice of the royal prophet: "Today, if you hear God's voice, harden not your heart." Let us not put off from one moment to another (what we should do) because the (next moment) is not yet ours.”

Ifs Should Heart Moments Today Next Voice Alive Tomorrow Conscience Prophet Royal

Author:Pio of Pietrelcina

“All of our effort should be focused on protecting the religious liberties and freedom of conscience for those Americans that profoundly disagree with the decision.”

Should Religious Decision Effort Liberty Conscience Focused Disagree Freedom And Liberty Religious Liberty

Author:Carly Fiorina

“I still oppose "Visit Myanmar Year," and I would ask tourists to stay away. Burma is not going to run away. They should come back to Burma at a time when it is a democratic society where people are secure - where there is justice, where there is rule of law. They'll have a much better time. And they can travel around Burma with a clear conscience.”

People Should Years Stills Running Law Asks Justice Clear Conscience Democratic Secure Running Away Rule Of Law Tourists Democratic Society Burma Clear Conscience

Author:Aung San Suu Kyi

“The collective psychology is something very close to being sacred - we can do it but we don't do it. We should understand that the Holocaust in the European conscience is reaching a point which is very close to what is sacred for people in the Southern countries, whether they are Muslims or not. Because of that we need to try to have intellectual empathy.”

People Needs Should Trying Country Can Do Psychology Intellectual Empathy Conscience Sacred Reaching Collectives Southern Holocaust

Author:Tariq Ramadan

“I have thought about this issue of abortion time and again. It is not an easy issue for most people. I came to believe over the years that a woman should be able to make this agonizing decision with her doctor and her family and her conscience, and that we should be very careful that we don't make that decision a crime except in the most extreme circumstances.”

People Should Years Believe Able Easy Decision Issues Crime Circumstances Conscience Doctors Careful Extremes Abortion Agonizing

Author:Dick Durbin

“As Pope Francis says in Amoris laetitia, pastors must "make room for the consciences of the faithful, who very often respond as best they can to the Gospel amid their limitations, and are capable of carrying out their own discernment in complex situations. We have been called to form consciences, not to replace them" (no. 37). As for the former statement, we should only be afraid if the church is smaller because of our failure to welcome people and preach the Gospel in a way that touches their hearts.”

People Ifs Way Should Heart Has Beens Form Church Rooms Situation Capable Conscience Complexes Statements Welcome Former Limitation Faithful Pope Pastor Discernment

Author:John I. Jenkins

“We should foster a culture in which people's private religious beliefs, including atheists and agnostics, are respected. And that's the kind of culture that I think allows all of us, then, to believe what we want. That's freedom of conscience. That's what our Constitution guarantees.”

People Thinking Want Should Believe Kind Culture Belief Religious Conscience Constitution Including Atheist Guarantees Religious Belief

Author:Barack Obama

“I think that the only ultimate guide we have is our conscience, and if the law of the land goes against our conscience I think we should disobey the law.”

Ifs Thinking Should Law Land Conscience Ultimate Guides

Author:Pierre Trudeau

“My understanding of the Electoral College is that they have the right to vote for who they want. So they should vote their conscience, and if their conscience leads them that way, they should follow their conscience.”

Ifs Way Want Should Understanding College Conscience Vote Right To Vote Electoral College

Author:Barbara Boxer

“Ideally, anything one writes should have a social conscience: if you can write a story that thrills, and with a good message, that's the perfect type of a story.”

Ifs Should Writing Stories Social Perfect Type Messages Conscience Should Have

Author:Stan Lee

“Christians living in a democracy should always vote if they can. If they cannot in conscience bring themselves to vote for any of the candidates on offer (in the UK quite often there are several candidates for a parliamentary seat) they might consider deliberately spoiling the ballot paper as a sad protest which still says 'but I believe in being involved'.”

Ifs Should Believe Stills Might Christian I Believe Democracy Involved Offers Paper Conscience Vote I Believe In Candidates Seats Protest Ballots Parliamentary

Author:N. T. Wright

“Perhaps the dumbest of these story lines is that [Pope] Francis has re-opened conversation and debate in a Church that had been closed and claustrophobic for 35 years under John Paul II and Benedict XVI. I defy anyone who, over the last 35 years, has spent time on the campuses of Notre Dame or Georgetown, or who has read the National Catholic Reporter, or who has gone to a meeting of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, to make that claim without experiencing a twinge of conscience that says, "I should wash my mouth out with soap."”

“The individual cannot exist on his/her own and the collectivism should respect freedom of conscience. My struggle is about the freedom of thought.”

Should Individual Struggle Conscience Freedom Of Thought Collectivism My Struggle

Author:Asghar Ali Engineer

“You should not believe your conscience and your feelings more than the word which the Lord who receives sinners preaches to you.”

Should Believe Feelings Lord Conscience Sinner

Author:Martin Luther

“What I would say to the young men and women who are beset by hopelessness and doubt is that they should go and see what is being done on the ground to fight poverty, not like going to the zoo but to take action, to open their hearts and their consciences.”

Men Should Heart Done Action Young Fighting Poverty Doubt Conscience Men And Women Young Man Hopeless Hopelessness Zoos Being Done

Author:Abbe Pierre

“I think the currency of leadership is transparency. You've got to be truthful. I don't think you should be vulnerable every day, but there are moments where you've got to share your soul and conscience with people and show them who you are, and not be afraid of it.”

“If a dog will not come to you after having looked you in the face, you should go home and examine your conscience.”

“What does your conscience say? — 'You should become the person you are'.”

Should Persons Doe Conscience

Author:Friedrich Nietzsche

“There is always the temptation in life to diddle around making itsy-bitsy friends and meals and journeys for years on end. It is all so self conscience, so apparently moral...But I won't have it. The world is wilder than that in all directions, more dangerous...more extravagant and bright. We are...raising tomatoes when we should be raising Cain, or Lazarus.”

World Should Years Ends Self Moral Journey Dangerous Conscience Temptation Meals Tomatoes Extravagant Cain Wilder Lazarus

Author:Annie Dillard

“Character is doing what you don't want to do but know you should do.”

Knows Want Should Character Conscience

Author:Joyce Meyer

“I should love to satisfy all, if I possibly can; but in trying to satisfy all, I may be able to satisfy none. I have, therefore, arrived at the conclusion that the best course is to satisfy one’s own conscience and leave the world to form its own judgment, favorable or otherwise.”

Ifs World Should Trying May Able Spiritual Form Courses Judgment Conscience Conclusion

Author:Mahatma Gandhi

“We, as human beings, should wish to be loved and embraced for our character, respected and relied on for our courage, and trusted for our conscience.”

Should Humans Character Wish Human Beings Conscience Trusted

Book:How Could You Do That?!: Abdication of Character, Courage, Consci

Source: How Could You Do That?!: Abdication of Character, Courage, Consci

“Storytelling awakens us to that which is real. Honest. . . . it transcends the individual. . . . Those things that are most personal are most general, and are, in turn, most trusted. Stories bind. . . . They are basic to who we are. A story composite personality which grows out of its community. It maintains a stability within that community, providing common knowledge as to how things are, how things should be -- knowledge based on experience. These stories become the conscience of the group. They belong to everyone.”

Should Real Stories Turns Individual Grows Community Common Groups Honest Personality Conscience Storytelling Who We Are Stability Trusted Providing Composites Common Knowledge

Author:Terry Tempest Williams

“Immigration policy should be generous; it should be fair; it should be flexible. With such a policy we can turn to the world, and to our own past, with clean hands and a clear conscience.”

World Should Hands Past Turns Clear Policy Conscience Fairs Clean Immigration Generous Flexible Clear Conscience Immigration Policy Clean Hands

Book:A Nation Of Immigrants

Source: A Nation Of Immigrants

“And above all, you must be asking which door is the true one; not which pleases you best by its paint and panelling…the question should never be: ‘Do I like that kind of service?’ but ‘Are these doctrines true: Is holiness there? Does my conscience move me towards this? Is my reluctance to move to this door due to my pride, or my mere taste, or my personal dislike for this particular door-keeper?”

Should Kind Doe Moving Doors Particular Pride Please Taste Conscience Asking Mere Paint Dues Doctrine Holiness Dislike Keepers Reluctance True Ones

Book:Mere Christianity

Source: Mere Christianity

“This is what I know. Don't settle for 40, 50, or even 80 percent. A relationship-it shouldn't be too small or too tight or even a little scratchy. It shouldn't take up space in your closet out of guilty conscience or convenience or a moment of desire. Do you hear me? It shold be perfect for you. It should be lasting. Wait. wait for 100 percent.”

Knows Should Littles Moments Desire Waiting Space Perfect Percent Conscience Guilty Settling Lasting Closets Convenience Guilty Conscience

Book:The Secret Life of Prince Charming

Source: The Secret Life of Prince Charming

“You should always aim to be your own mouse, Lieam. In fact...you already are. You are not so quick to jump into danger as Saxon and not as pensive of mind as Kenzie. They rely on each other too much. Saxon knows he can afford to be reckless since Kenzie acts as his conscience. And Kenzie can linger in his thoughts and plans, because he knows Saxon can defend him. I tested Kenzie earlier. I wanted to see if he would be swayed by my advice. It took Saxon's coaxing to make up the greyfur's mind. Be compleete with in yourself young redfur...you will never disappoint. Even in solitude.”

Ifs Knows Should Mind Facts Would Be Wanted Young Too Much Plans Advice Danger Solitude Conscience Aim Rely Mice Tested Reckless Disappoint Pensive

Author:David Petersen

“A company should limit its growth based on its ability to attract enough of the right people.”

People Should Enough Growth Leadership Ability Company Limits Conscience Good To Great

Author:James C. Collins

“Killing a man should be harder than waving a length of pipe in their direction. It should take long enough for one's conscience to get in the way.”

Men Way Should Long Enough Conscience Harder Killing Length Pipe Killing A Man

Author:Hugh Howey

“Every subject's duty is the King's; but every subject's soul is his own. Therefore, should every soldier in the wars do as every sick man in his bed, wash every mote out of his conscience; and dying so, death is to him advantage; or not dying, the time was blessedly lost wherein such preparation was gained; and in him that escapes, it were no sin to think that, making God so free an offer, He let him outlive the day to see His greatness and to teach others how they should prepare.”

Thinking Men Should War Soul Lost Sin Teach Subjects Dying Greatness Duty Kings Offers Bed Conscience Advantage Sick Soldier Preparation Sick Man

Book:The Complete Works of William Shakespeare

Source: The Complete Works of William Shakespeare

“He’d only ever seen a gun once, a smaller one on the hip of that old deputy, a gun he’d always figured was more for show. He stuffed a fistful of deadly rounds in his pocket, thinking how each one could end an individual life, and understanding why such things were forbidden. Killing a man should be harder than waving a length of pipe in their direction. It should take long enough for one’s conscience to get in the way.”

“It isn't the absence of conscience or values that prevents us from being all we should be, it is simply the lack of moral courage.”

Should Values Moral Courage Conscience Absence Moral Courage

Author:Michael Josephson

“When my conscience under the Holy Spirit makes me aware of a specific sin I should at once call that sin sin and bring it consciously under the blood of Christ.”

Should God Spirit Spirituality Christ Sin Blood Holy Conscience Holy Spirit

Book:True Spirituality

Source: True Spirituality

“When my conscience under the Holy Spirit makes me aware of a specific sin I should at once call that sin sin and bring it consciously under the blood of Christ. Now it is covered and it is not honoring to the finished work of Jesus Christ to worry about it, as far as my relationship to God is concerned. Indeed, to worry about it is to do spite to the infinite value of the death of the Son of God. My fellowship with God is restored.”

“Of the liberty of conscience in matters of religious faith, of speech and of the press; of the trial by jury of the vicinage in civil and criminal cases; of the benefit of the writ of habeas corpus; of the right to keep and bear arms.... If these rights are well defined, and secured against encroachment, it is impossible that government should ever degenerate into tyranny.”

“Out of our first century of national life we evolved the ethical principle that it was not right or just that an honest and industrious man should live and die in misery. He was entitled to some degree of sympathy and security. Our conscience declared against the honest workman's becoming a pauper, but our eyes told us that he very often did.”

Men Should Firsts Eye Dies Justice Principles Century Honest Security Becoming Degrees Conscience Misery Ethical Entitled Industrious Workmen Ethical Principles

Book:People at work

Source: People at work

“While we are contending for our own liberty, we should be very cautious not to violate the conscience of others, ever considering that God alone is the judge of the hearts of men, and to Him only in this case are they answerable.”

Men Should Heart Religious Freedom Liberty Cases Judging Conscience Considering Cautious Contending

Book:Maxims of Washington: Political, Social, Moral, and Religious

Source: Maxims of Washington: Political, Social, Moral, and Religious

“This revelation of the secrets of nature, long mercifully withheld from man, should arouse the most solemn reflections in the mind and conscience of every human being capable of comprehension. We must indeed pray that these awful agencies will be made to conduce to peace among the nations, and that instead of wreaking measureless havoc upon the entire globe, may become a perennial fountain of world prosperity.”

Source: War Speeches: From September 11, 1943 to August 16, 1945

“We are warned by the Word both of our duty, our danger, and our remedy. On the sea of life there would be many more wrecks if it were not for the divine storm-signals which give to the watchful a timely warning. The Bible should be our Mentor, our Monitor, our Memento Mori, our Remembrancer, and the Keeper of our Conscience.”

Source: The Treasury of David: Containing an Original Exposition of the Book of Psalms, a Collection of Illustrative Extracts from the Whole Range of Literature, a Series of Homiletical Hints Upon Almost Every Verse, and Lists of Writers Upon Each Psalm. Ps. 1-26. I

“I, for one, respect those who believe with all their hearts and conscience that there are no circumstances under which any abortion should ever be available.”

Should Believe Heart Circumstances Conscience Available Abortion

Author:Hillary Clinton

“How far should one accept the rules of the society in which one lives? To put it another way: at what point does conformity become corruption? Only by answering such questions does the conscience truly define itself.”

Way Should Doe Accepting Integrity Conscience Corruption Conformity Another Way

Author:Kenneth Tynan

“Should we not press it home upon our consciences that the sole object of our conversion was not the salvation of our own souls, but that we might become co-workers with our Lord and Master in the conversion of the world?”

Source: Send the Light: Lottie Moon's Letters and Other Writings

“There is a way by which persons can keep their consciences clear before God and man, and that is to preserve within them the spirit of God, which is the spirit of revelation to every man and woman. It will reveal to them, even in the simplest of matters, what they shall do, by making suggestions to them. We should try to learn the nature of this spirit, that we may understand its suggestions, and then we will always be able to do right. This is the grand privilege of every Latter-day Saint.”

Source: The Teachings of Lorenzo Snow: Fifth President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

“We should not give up and say that the situation is hopeless. There is still our conscience, there is still the memory of the victims of this war, there is still our duty to try and prevent further bloodshed. We have to prosecute all the perpetrators of war crimes and crimes against humanity.”

“It is sad that it was necessary that Santa Barbara should be the example that had to bring it to the attention of the American people. What is involved is the use of our resources of the sea and of the land in a more effective way and with more concern for preserving the beauty and the natural resources that are so important to any kind of society that we want for the future. The Santa Barbara incident has frankly touched the conscience of the American people.”