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Doubt Quotes

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Doubt Quotes

“It has long been observed, that an atheist has no just reason for endeavouring conversions; and yet none harass those minds which they can influence, with more importunity of solicitation to adopt their opinions. In proportion as they doubt the truth of their own doctrines, they are desirous to gain the attestation of another understanding: and industriously labour to win a proselyte, and eagerly catch at the slightest pretense to dignify their sect with a distinguished name.”

Source: The Beauties of Samuel Johnson: Consisting of Maxims and Observations, Moral, Critical, and Miscellaneous

“Ideas, like men, can become dictators. We Americans have so far escaped regimentation by our rulers, but have we escaped regimentation by our own ideas? I doubt if there exists today a more complete regimentation of the human mind than that accomplished by our self-imposed doctrine of ruthless utilitarianism.”

Ifs Men Mind Humans Ideas Self Today Doubt Doctrine Accomplished Human Mind Rulers Dictator Ruthless Utilitarianism Regimentation

Book:Aldo Leopold: A Sand County Almanac & Other Writings on Conservation and Ecology: (Library of America #238)

Source: Aldo Leopold: A Sand County Almanac & Other Writings on Conservation and Ecology: (Library of America #238)

“And last of all we have the secondary forms of crystals bursting in upon us, and sparkling in the rigidity of mathematical necessity and telling us, neither of harmony of design, usefulness or moral significance, nothing but spherical trigonometry and Napier's analogies. It is because we have blindly excluded the lessons of these angular bodies from the domain of human knowledge that we are still in doubt about the great doctrine that the only laws of matter are those which our minds must fabricate, and the only laws of mind are fabricated for it by matter.”

Source: The Scientific Letters and Papers of James Clerk Maxwell: 1846-1862

“The doctrine of population has been conspicuously absent, not because I doubt in the least its truth and vast importance, but because it forms no part of the direct problem of economics.”

Has Beens Problem Form Doubt Economics Direct Importance Population Doctrine Absent

Author:Thomas Malthus

“But since the Modernists (as they are commonly and rightly called) employ a very clever artifice, namely, to present their doctrines without order and systematic arrangement into one whole, scattered and disjointed one from another, so as to appear to be in doubt and uncertainty, while they are in reality firm and steadfast, it will be of advantage, Venerable Brethren, to bring their teachings together here into one group, and to point out the connexion between them, and thus to pass to an examination of the sources of the errors, and to prescribe remedies for averting the evil.”

“Don't turn your back upon your doctrinal doubts and difficulties. Go up to them and examine them. Perhaps the ghastly object which looks to you in the twilight like a sheeted ghost may prove to be no more than a table-cloth hanging upon a hedge.”

Looks May Turns Fear Doubt Objects Prove Difficulty Tables Ghost Doctrine Twilight Ghastly

Book:The Recreations of a Country Parson

Source: The Recreations of a Country Parson

“It was not my intention to doubt that, the Doctrines of the Illuminati, and principles of Jacobinism had not spread in the United States. On the contrary, no one is more truly satisfied of this fact than I am.”

States Facts United Principles United States Doubt Intention Spread Contrary Satisfied Doctrine

Author:George Washington

“A sound American is simply one who has put out of his mind all doubts and questionings, and who accepts instantly, and as incontrovertible gospel, the whole body of official doctrine of his day, whatever it may be and no matter how often it may change. The instant he challenges it, no matter how timorously and academically, he ceases by that much to be a loyal and creditable citizen of the republic.”

Mind May Matter Whole Body America Time Sound Change Challenges Ability Accepting Doubt Acceptance Citizens Loyalty Cease Doctrine Instant Officials Republic Loyal Questioning

Book:Mencken Chrestomathy

Source: Mencken Chrestomathy

“Every Man being conscious to himself, That he thinks, and that which his Mind is employ'd about whilst thinking, being the Ideas, that are there, 'tis past doubt, that Men have in their Minds several Ideas, such as are those expressed by the words, Whiteness, Hardness, Sweetness, Thinking, Motion, Man, Elephant, Army, Drunkenness, and others: It is in the first place then to be inquired, How he comes by them? I know it is a received Doctrine, That Men have native Ideas, and original Characters stamped upon their Minds, in their very first Being.”

Thinking Knows Men Mind Firsts Ideas Character Past Science Consciousness Doubt Conscious Army Originals Every Man Doctrine Native Elephants Sweetness Drunkenness Whiteness Hardness

Author:John Locke

“Prayer must emanate from the heart, where God resides, and not from the head where doctrines and doubts clash.”

Heart Prayer Doubt Doctrine Clash Emanate

Author:Sathya Sai Baba

“The population becomes the internal enemy. Any sign of life, of protest, or even mere doubt, is a dangerous challenge from the standpoint of military doctrine and national security. So complicated mechanisms of prevention adn punishment have been developed ... To operate effectively, the repression must appear arbitrary. Apart from breathing, any human activity can constitute a crime ... State terrorism aims to paralyze the population with fear.”

“I will not attack your doctrines nor your creeds if they accord liberty to me. If they hold thought to be dangerous - if they aver that doubt is a crime, then I attack them one and all, because they enslave the minds of men.”

Ifs Men Mind Liberty Doubt Dangerous Crime Doctrine Thrive Creeds Accord

Book:The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll

Source: The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll

“I am sure that if every leader who goes into battle will promise himself that he will come out either a conqueror or a corpse, he is sure to win. There is no doubt of that. Defeat is not due to losses but to the destruction of the Soul of the leaders-the 'live to fight another day' doctrine.”

Ifs Soul Fighting Winning Loss Leader Doubt Promise Battle Destruction Defeat Dues Doctrine No Doubt Corpses Conqueror Another Day

Author:George S. Patton

“I am a real Christian, that is to say, a cisciple of the doctrines of Jesus. I have little doubt that our whole country will soon be rallied to the unity of our Creator.”

Littles Real Country Whole Christian Jesus Doubt Unity Creator Doctrine

Author:Thomas Jefferson