“Created man cannot become a son of God and god by grace through deification, unless he is first through his own free choice begotten in the Spirit by means of the self-loving and independent power dwelling naturally in him.” MenFirstsMeanSelfSpiritualSpiritChoicesGraceSonIndependentDwellingFree ChoiceSelf Loving Author:Maximus the Confessor
“One of the unfortunate consequences of the intellectualization of man's spiritual life was that the word "spirit" was lost and replaced by mind or intellect, and that the element of vitality which is present in "spirit" was separated and interpreted as an independent biological force. Man was divided into a bloodless intellect and a meaningless vitality. The middle ground between them, the spiritual soul, in which vitality and intentionality are united, was dropped.” MenMindSoulSpiritualSpiritLostForceUnitedMiddleElementsConsequenceIndependentIntellectDividedMeaninglessSpiritual LifeUnfortunateReplacedVitalityMiddle GroundIntentionalitySpiritual Soul Book:Writings on religion Source: Writings on religion
“We need others for our physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Without others we are nothing. Our sense that we are an island, an independent, self-sufficient individual, bears no relation to reality. It is closer to the truth to picture ourself as a cell in the vast body of life, distinct yet intimately bound up with all living beings. We cannot exist without others, and they in turn are affected by everything we do. The idea that it is possible to secure our own welfare while neglecting the welfare of others, or even at the expense of others, is completely unrealistic.” NeedsWellsIdeasSelfBodyRealitySpiritualTurnsIndividualEmotionalBearsRelationIndependentBoundsSecureCellsWell BeingWelfareIslandsSufficientNeglectExpensesAffectedSelf Sufficient Author:Geshe Kelsang Gyatso
“Free thought means fearless thought. It is not deterred by legal penalties, nor by spiritual consequences. Dissent from the Bible does not alarm the true investigator, who takes truth for authority not authority for truth. The thinker who is really free, is independent; he is under no dread; he yields to no menace; he is not dismayed by law, nor custom, nor pulpits, nor society-whose opinion appals so many. He who has the manly passion of free thought, has no fear of anything, save the fear of error.” MeanDoeSpiritualLawReligionPassionOpinionAtheismAuthorityConsequenceIndependentErrorsFearlessCustomsYieldThinkerDreadPenaltiesNo FearDissentAlarmsMenaceManlyPulpitHave No FearInvestigatorsFree ThoughtDismayed Book:English Secularism: A Confession of Belief Source: English Secularism: A Confession of Belief
“Education is character development, harmonious completion of human personality. But what the state accomplishes in this field is dull drill, extinction of natural feeling, narrowing of the spiritual field of vision, destruction of all the deeper elements of character in man. The state can train subjects...but it can never develop free men who take their affairs into their own hands; for independent thought is the greatest danger that it has to fear.” MenHumansStatesCharacterFeelingsHandsSpiritualNaturalVisionSubjectsDangerFieldsPersonalityDevelopmentElementsDestructionIndependentTrainAffairDeeperAccomplishDullExtinctionHarmoniousFree ManCompletionDrillsCharacter DevelopmentIndependent ThoughtHuman PersonalityNatural Feelings Author:Rudolf Rocker