Clergyman Quotes

All nations want peace, but they want a peace that suits them.

My mission, I guess, has always been the kind of world where lesbian and gay people can celebrate who we are with equal freedom, dignity, and respect.

Until you know that life is interesting - and find it so - you haven't found your soul.

This country and the Commonwealth last Tuesday were not far from the Kingdom of Heaven.

The long and distressing controversy over capital punishment is very unfair to anyone meditating murder.

Some of the press who speak loudly about the freedom of the press are themselves the enemies of freedom. Countless people dare not say a thing because they know it will be picked up and made a song of by the press. That limits freedom.

Once you start, there is no end to who is to go in and who is to be left out.

My feelings are those of a schoolboy getting in sight of the holidays. Or more seriously, my feelings are perhaps those of a matador who has decided not to enter the bull ring.

In cities no one is quiet but many are lonely; in the country, people are quiet but few are lonely.

I hope that by going to visit the pope I have enabled everybody to see that the words Catholic and Protestant, as ordinarily used, are completely out of date. They are almost always used now purely for propaganda purposes. That is why so much trouble is caused by them.

I have asked myself once or twice lately what was my natural bent. I have no doubt at all: It is to look at each day for the evil of that day and have a go at it, and that is why I have never failed to have an acute interest in each morning's letters.

Who knows whether in retirement I shall be tempted to the last infirmity of mundane minds, which is to write a book.

In a civilized society, all crimes are likely to be sins, but most sins are not and ought not to be treated as crimes. Man's ultimate responsibility is to God alone.

We realize that Judaism as a faith can survive only in an atmosphere of general faith.

The road to success, and by that I mean... the possibility of giving the best one has to the cause that one loves most, is not easy.

It therefore become essential for the future of Judaism itself that its advancement should be correlated with a similar effort to advance the cause of religion generally.

In taking action we must remember that the things which are happening to the Jews today are but a part of the general disintegration anticipated by philosophers and historians of different schools for almost half a century.

I hope to devote all of my spare time, which ordinarily would go to research, my summers, and every ounce of strength I can muster to further the project.

I feel very strongly that it is vital for us to constantly keep in mind the fact that the Jewish problem is but a phase of the world problem.

From the long range point of view, I do not know of anything we can do more important than to make some contribution to the preservation of religion as a vital force in America.

For as Jews, the problem happens to be more urgent and vital than for others; because the destruction of religion on America will involve the destruction also of the religious training of freedom; and with that our civil liberties.

A rabbi should not despair if people do not do as much as they should. Every parent has that with children. God is merciful.

It is a grave matter to enter a war, without adequate military preparation; it may prove fatal to come into peace, without moral and religious preparation.

Little opportunities should be improved.

A good historian is timeless; although he is a patriot, he will never flatter his country in any respect.

If we were faultless we should not be so much annoyed by the defects of those with whom we associate.

Exactness and neatness in moderation is a virtue, but carried to extremes narrows the mind.

Children are excellent observers, and will often perceive your slightest defects. In general, those who govern children, forgive nothing in them, but everything in themselves.

Nothing is more despicable than a professional talker who uses his words as a quack uses his remedies.

Genuine good taste consists in saying much in few words, in choosing among our thoughts, in having order and arrangement in what we say, and in speaking with composure.