Best principles & religious Quotes | Short & Famous Sayings

“Is the appointment of Chaplains to the two Houses of Congress consistent with the Constitution, and with the pure principle of religious freedom? In strictness the answer on both points must be in the negative. The Constitution of the U. S. forbids everything like an establishment of a national religion. The law appointing Chaplains establishes a religious worship for the national representatives, to be performed by Ministers of religion, elected by a majority of them, and these are to be paid out of the national taxes. Does this not involve the principle of a national establishment ... ?”

“Any political movement directed against any body of our fellow-citizens because of their religious creed is a grave offense against American principles and American institutions. It is a wicked thing either to support or oppose a man because of the creed he possesses. . . . Such a movement directly contravenes the spirit of the Constitution itself.”

Source: Fear God and Take Your Own Part

“The First Amendment isn't about free thought and free opinion and free belief. The First Amendment is about free exercise: the carrying into practice of religious principles and beliefs and convictions.”

Firsts Belief Religious Opinion Principles Practice Exercise Conviction Amendments First Amendment Free Thought Free Opinion

Author:Alan Keyes

“When the great religious and philosophical conceptions were alive, thinking people did not extol humility and brotherly love, justice and humanity because it was realistic to maintain such principles and odd and dangerous to deviate from them, or because these maxims were more in harmony with their supposedly free tastes than others. They held to such ideas because they saw in them elements of truth, because they connected them with the idea of logos, whether in the form of God or of a transcendental mind, or even of nature as an eternal principle.”

“If the men of the Middle Ages... lived in filth and discomfort, it was not for any lack of ability to change their mode of life; it was because they chose to live this way, because filth and discomfort fitted in with their principles and prejudices, political, moral, and religious.... It was in the power of medieval... craftsmen to create armchairs and sofas that might have rivaled in comfort those of today”

Ifs Men Way Might Age Today Political Religious Ability Moral Principles Middle He Man Comfort Prejudice Middle Ages Discomfort Medieval Filth Sofas Craftsman Armchairs Ability To Change

Author:Aldous Huxley

“We in the United States are pluralistic respecting ultimate beliefs. Profound values exist apart from a devotion to a god. Indeed, those who discriminate against nonbelievers flout the principle of religious tolerance that they often profess.”

States Values Belief Religious United Principles United States Atheism Ultimate Profound Positive Atheism Tolerance Devotion Religious Tolerance

Author:Norman Dorsen

“Secular humanism is avowedly non-religious. It is a eupraxsophy (good practical wisdom), which draws its basic principles and ethical values from science, ethics, and philosophy.”

Philosophy Values Religious Principles Atheism Draws Ethics Humanism Positive Atheism Practicals Ethical Secular Basic Principles Ethical Values Non Religious Secular Humanism

Author:Paul Kurtz

“In contemporary society secular humanism has been singled out by critics and proponents alike as a position sharply distinguishable from any religious formulation. Religious fundamentalists in the United States have waged a campaign against secular humanism, claiming that it is a rival "religion" and seeking to root it out from American public life. Secular humanism is avowedly non-religious. It is a eupraxsophy (good practical wisdom), which draws its basic principles and ethical values from science, ethics, and philosophy.”

“The overriding need is "to develop a new Planetary Humanism" that will seek to preserve human rights and enhance human freedom and dignity and will emphasize our commitment "to humanity as a whole." The underlying ethical principle "is the need to respect the dignity and worth of all persons in the world community." Thinkers as diverse as Peter Singer and Hans Küng also emphasize the need for a new global ethic beyond nationalistic, racial, religious, and ethnic chauvinism.”

“Because the bill in reserving a certain parcel of land in the United States for the use of said Baptist Church comprises a principle and a precedent for the appropriation of funds of the United States for the use and support of religious societies, contrary to the article of the Constitution which declares that "Congress shall make no law respecting a religious establishment."”

Source: The Writings of James Madison: 1808-1819

“I believe strongly in the Constitutional principle of separating church and state. Our founders were right in fearing that religious freedom would be threatened in the long run by a departure from governmental neutrality in spiritual matters.”

“I believe that God is the source of all the universal, timeless principles. And to Him, I give all the credit and the glory. However, to a person who is not religious, I believe they can live to the highest level of their conscience and develop spiritual intelligence that surpasses most people, including many religious people, who profess but do not practice.”

People Giving Believe Persons Spiritual I Believe Religious Levels Principles Practice Source Highest Glory Conscience Universal Including Credit Timeless Spiritual Intelligence

Author:Stephen Covey

“When people run a business and open their door to the public, they must serve the public. That doesn't mean they can't say whatever they want to say. It doesn't mean they can't believe whatever they want to believe. Those are protected also. But businesses must serve the public. And that's a principle that we fought for in this country over many, many decades, when some were invoking religious freedom as an excuse to deny people on the basis of their race, on the basis of their religion, on the basis of sex and on the basis now of sexual orientation. Let's not confuse one thing with the other.”

People Want Believe Mean Country Running Sex Religious Race Principles Doors One Thing Bases Excuse Deny Decades Protected Orientation Religious Freedom

Author:Chris Christie

“Holiness is religious principle put into motion. It is the love of God sent forth into circulation, on the feet, and with the hands of love to men. It is faith gone to work. It is charity coined into actions, and devotion breathing benedictions on human suffering, while it goes up in intercession to the Father of all piety.”

Source: Sermons for the People

“From the very beginning the president [of USA] had two very important principles that had to be reconciled. One principle is that every woman should have the right to all forms of preventive health care, including contraception. The other is that we need to respect the religious liberties which are the cornerstone of American life.”

Needs Should Two Important Care Form President Religious Liberty Principles Should Have Including Health Care Usa American Life Cornerstones Religious Liberty Contraception

Author:Jacob Lew

“To that movement, consecrated by religious principle, sustained by an awful sense of justice, and cheered by the brightest hopes of future good, all our powers, talents, and attainments are devoted.”

Religious Justice Principles Talent Movement Awful Devoted Attainment

Author:George Ripley

“There is a religious principle: Love thy neighbour as thyself. But it's also an economic asset. If you've got a neighbour, you've got help, and this implies another limit. If you want to have neighbours, you can't have a limitless growth economy. You have to prefer to have a neighbour rather than to own your neighbour farm.”

Ifs Want Helping Growth Religious Principles Economy Economic Limits Assets Farms Limitless Thyself Neighbour

Author:Wendell Berry

“There is a schizophrenic nature in modern politics. A leader is expected to have a religious faith but he is not supposed to let it influence him in his duties. Somehow, the truths that determine everything else about his existence are not allowed to influence how he conducts himself in public life. Not only that, his principles are usually considered so personal that the public is not even allowed to know for certain what they are. This passes for noble statecraft in our time. It was once thought cowardice.”

Knows Certain Religious Existence Leader Principles Influence Modern Duty Determine Noble Expected Our Time Cowardice Religious Faith Public Life Schizophrenic Modern Politics

Author:Stephen Mansfield

“I believe the American people are more concerned with a man's views and abilities than with the church to which he belongs. I believe the founding fathers meant it when they provided in Article VI of the Constitution that there should be no religious test for public office. And I believe that the American people mean to adhere to those principles today.”

“[Middleton] contended that the religious leaders of the fourth century had admitted, eulogised, and habitually acted upon principles that were diametrically opposed, not simply to the aspirations of a transcendent sanctity, but to the dictates of the most common honesty. He showed that they had applauded falsehood, that they had practised the most wholesale forgery, that they had habitually and grossly falsified history, that they had adopted to the fullest extent the system of pious frauds, and that they continually employed them to stimulate the devotion of the people.”

Source: History of the rise and influence of the spirit of rationalism in Europe

“Men are not made religious by performing certain actions which are externally good, but they must first have righteous principles, and then they will not fail to perform virtuous actions.”

Men Firsts Made Action Certain Religion Evil Religious Principles Virtue Failing Failure Performing Righteous Virtuous

Author:Martin Luther

“It is evident from their writings that the Founding Fathers would never have tolerated the separation that we have embraced today. They knew that religious principles provided morality and self-control - the lifeblood for the survival of any self-governing community.”

Writing Self Today Christian Father Community Religious Principles Morality Survival Separation Self Control Evident Founding Governing

Author:David Barton

“"Who are we to say what is right and what is wrong?" is the common refrain under the doctrine of pure pluralism. Clearly, society cannot long survive if this principle is pushed to its logical conclusion and everyone is free to write his own laws.”

Ifs Writing Long Christian Law Religious Common Principles Pure Doctrine Conclusion Logical Refrain Pluralism

Book:Faith & Freedom: The Christian Roots of American Liberty

Source: Faith & Freedom: The Christian Roots of American Liberty

“A society based on Christian principles provides for pluralism, but with enough restrictions to prevent civilization from degenerating into chaos.”

Enough Christian Religious Principles Civilization Chaos Restriction Pluralism

Book:Faith & Freedom: The Christian Roots of American Liberty

Source: Faith & Freedom: The Christian Roots of American Liberty

“The Christian principles on which the country was primarily founded are rarely consulted other than for formalities of state, derision, or for the purpose of contrasts in the making of new laws.”

Country States Christian Law Purpose Religious Principles Contrast Formality Derision

Author:H. Wayne House

“No one expects this nation to become a theocracy, where Christianity is the only value, but we do indeed say that the essential values and founding principles of the nation should not be ignored.”

Should Christian Values Nations Religious Christianity Principles Essentials Ignored Founding Theocracy

Author:D. James Kennedy

“The one thing the media abhors almost without exception is anyone who takes a firm stand on any issue out of religious principle, unless their stand happens to coincide with their expressed views.”

Happens Christian Religious Views Principles Issues One Thing Media Firm Exception

Author:Francis Schaeffer

“As long as we accept the principle that religious faith must be respected simply because it is religious faith, it is hard to withhold respect from the faith of Osama bin Laden and the suicide bombers”

Long Hard Religious Accepting Principles Suicide Religious Faith Bin Laden Osama Bin Laden Bombers Suicide Bombers

Book:The God Delusion

Source: The God Delusion

“I am convinced that the majority of the religious hierarchy today deplores the hardship inflicted on our people. I am referring not only to the martyrs but of the families who have been dispersed and terrified, who have no resources, and to the four million unemployed who are suffering from the economic chaos of a country which only a year earlier was giving employment to a million foreigners. Those who have chosen to serve God must feel profoundly sad at seeing ridicule poured on the most sacred principles of our religion.”

Source: The Shah's story

“My principles in respect of religious interest are two,--one is, that the Church shall not meddle with politics, and the government shall not meddle with religion.”

Two Government Religion Interest Church Religious Principles

Author:Lajos Kossuth

“The Bible is really not a religious book but a divine manual written by the manufacturer of humanity by which the product man is supposed to live. If we learn those principles and obey them, then we find that the process of failure to success becomes more inevitability than experiment.”

Ifs Men Book Humanity Process Religious Principles Written Divine He Man Products Experiments Manuals Inevitability Success Failure Religious Books

Author:Myles Munroe

“It is difficult for me to regard anyone who obeys no moral principle in his conduct to be a religious man.”

Men Difficult Religious Moral Principles Morality Regard Moral Principles

Book:Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi

Source: Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi

“Our world is guided by two principles and sources: God and the devil. All that is better in the world of men has its source in God, and all that is bad has the devil as its principle and source. In the final account, all good comes from God, and all evil from the devil.”

Men World Inspirational Two Christian Evil Religious Principles Source Devil Accounts Finals Orthodox Our World

Author:Justin Popovic

“But what do we mean by the American Revolution? Do we mean the American war? The Revolution was effected before the war commenced. The Revolution was in the minds and hearts of the people; a change in their religious sentiments, of their duties and obligations ... This radical change in the principles, opinions, sentiments, and affections of the people was the real American Revolution.”

“The general principles on which the fathers achieved independence were the general principles of Christianity. I will avow that I then believed, and now believe, that those general principles of Christianity are as eternal and immutable as the existence and attributes of God.”

Source: The Works of John Adams Vol. 10: Letters and State Papers 1811 - 1825

“Lastly, our ancestors established their system of government on morality and religious sentiment. Moral habits, they believed, cannot safely be trusted on any other foundation than religious principle, nor any government be secure which is not supported by moral habits.... Whatever makes men good Christians, makes them good citizens.”

Source: The Great Orations and Senatorial Speech of Daniel Webster

“Finally, let us not forget the religious character of our origin. Our fathers were brought hither by their high veneration for the Christian religion. They journeyed by its light, and labored in its hope. They sought to incorporate its principles with the elements of their society, and to diffuse its influence through all their institutions, civil, political, or literary. Let us cherish these sentiments, and extend this influence still more widely; in full conviction that that is the happiest society which partakes in the highest degree of the mild and peaceful spirit of Christianity.”

Source: Speeches and Forensic Arguments

“America is destined to be peopled by one nation, speaking one language, professing one general system of religious and political principles, and accustomed to one general tenor of social usages and customs.”

America Political Language Nations Social Religious Principles Customs Destined Accustomed Usage Tenors

Book:Writings of John Quincy Adams Volume 4

Source: Writings of John Quincy Adams Volume 4

“You are to think of yourself as only existing in this world to do God's will. To think that you are your own is as absurd as to think you are self-created. It is an obvious first principle that you belong completely to God.”

Thinking World Firsts Self Christian Religious Principles This World Obvious Gods Will Absurd Think Of You

Author:William Law

“Even in this secular country, the threat posed by religious fundamentalists is never very far away. Every major religious text exhorts the same principles - that of unyielding obedience to a supernatural being, and renunciation of the intellect and personal aspirations.”

Country Religious Principles Atheism Majors Threat Intellect Positive Atheism Obedience Aspiration Far Away Secular Renunciation Unyielding Supernatural Beings Religious Texts

Author:Andrew Bernstein

“I say that creeds, dogmas, and theologies are inventions of the mind. It is the nature of the mind to make sense out of experience, to reduce the conglomerates of experience to units of comprehension which we call principles, or ideologies, or concepts. Religious experience is dynamic, fluid, effervescent, yeasty. But the mind can't handle these so it has to imprison religious experience in some way, get it bottled up. Then, when the experience quiets down, the mind draws a bead on it and extracts concepts, notions, dogmas, so that religious experience can make sense to the mind.”

Way Mind Religious Principles Draws Concepts Notion Handle Invention Theology Ideology Make Sense Creeds Dogma Units Fluid Comprehension Beads Religious Experience

Author:Howard Thurman

“By helping to raise man above the level of bestial vegetation, faith contributes in reality to the securing and safeguarding of his existence. Take away from present-day mankind its education-based, religious-dogmatic principles- or, practically speaking, ethical-moral principles- by abolishing this religious education, but without replacing it by an equivalent, and the result will be a grave shock to the foundations of their existence.”

Source: Mein Kampf

“There came a time in my life when I doubted the divinity of the Scriptures, and I resolved as a lawyer and a judge I would try the Book as I would try anything in the courtroom, taking evidence for and against. It was a long, serious and profound study and using the same principles of evidence in this religious matter as I always do in secular matters, I have come to the decision that the Bible is a supernatural Book, that it has come from God, and that the only safety for the human race is to follow its teachings.”

Trying Humans Long Book Matter Religious Decision Race Principles Study Teaching Serious Judging Evidence Safety Profound Lawyer Scripture Human Race Divinity Secular Doubted Courtroom

Author:Salmon P. Chase

“Religion is not an end in itself. One's union with God is the ultimate goal. There are so many religions because immature people tend to emphasize trivial differences instead of important likenesses. Differences between faiths lie in creeds and rituals rather than in religious principles.”

People Important Ends Lying Goal Differences Religious Principles Ultimate Unions Ritual Creeds Immature Ultimate Goal Immature People

Book:Peace Pilgrim: Her Life and Work in Her Own Words

Source: Peace Pilgrim: Her Life and Work in Her Own Words

“The separation of church and state is necessary partly because if religion is good then the state shouldn't interfere with the religious vision or with the religious prophet. There must be a realm of truth beyond political competence, that's why there must be a separation of churches, but if religion is bad and a bad religion is one that gives an ultimate sanctity to some particular cause. Then religion mustn't interfere with the state - so one of the basic Democratic principles as we know it in America is the separation of church and state.”

“As a writer I try to operate within a framework of Christian principles, and the words that are important to me are religious words: witness, pilgrimage, intention.”

Trying Important Christian Religious Principles Intention Witness Framework Pilgrimage

Author:William Zinsser

“In this modern world of ours many people seem to think that science has somehow made such religious ideas as immortality untimely or old fashioned. I think science has a real surprise for the skeptics. Science, for instance, tells us that nothing in nature, not even the tiniest particle, can disappear without a trace. Nature does not know extinction. All it knows is transformation. If God applies this fundamental principle to the most minute and insignificant parts of His universe, doesn't it make sense to assume that He applies it to the masterpiece of His creation, the human soul?”

“I have faith that the Constitution will be saved as prophesied by Joseph Smith. It will be saved by the righteous citizens of this nation who love and cherish freedom. It will be saved by enlightened members of this Church-among others-men and women who understand and abide the principles of the Constitution....I testify that the God of heaven sent some of His choicest spirits to lay the foundation of this government, and He has now sent other choice spirits to help preserve it.”

“I will tell you whom to vote for: We will vote for the principles of civil and religious liberty, the man who knows the most and who has the best heart and brain for a statesman; and we do not care a farthing whether he is a Whig, a Democrat, a Barnburner, a Republican, or a New Light or anything else.”

Knows Men Heart Light Care Religious Brain Liberty Principles He Man Republican Vote Democrat Statesmen Religious Liberty Heart And Brain

Author:Brigham Young

“Let it simply be asked where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation deserts the oaths, which are the instruments of investigation in the Courts of Justice? And let us with caution indulge the opposition, that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that National morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.”

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Principles Quotes