Only the person who has faith in himself is able to be faithful to others.
—Erich Fromm (1900–80) German-American Psychoanalyst, Social Philosopher
As soon as you begin to believe in something, then you can no longer see anything else. The truth you believe in and cling to makes you unavailable to hear anything new.
—Pema Chodron (b.1936) American Buddhist Nun
There seems to be a great misunderstanding on the part of a great many people to the effect that when you cease to believe you may cease to behave.
—Louis Kronenberger (1904–80) American Drama, Literary Critic
Everything is possible for him who believes.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
You have to believe in gods to see them.
—American Indian Proverb
No iron chain, or outward force of any kind, could ever compel the soul of man to believe or disbelieve.
—Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881) Scottish Historian, Essayist
Oh how sweet it is to hear one’s own convictions from another’s lips.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
Confronted with the impossibility of remaining faithful to one’s beliefs, and the equal impossibility of becoming free of them, one can be driven to the most inhuman excesses.
—James Baldwin (1924–87) American Novelist, Social Critic
For the believer, there is no question; for the non-believer, there is no answer.
—Unknown
Any fact facing us is not as important as our attitude toward it, for that determines our success or failure. The way you think about a fact may defeat you before you ever do anything about it. You are overcome by the fact because you think you are.
—Norman Vincent Peale (1898–1993) American Clergyman, Self-Help Author
To my customer: I may not have the answer, but I’ll find it. I may not have the time, but I’ll make it. I may not be the biggest, but I’ll be the most committed to your success.
—Unknown
Faith is the art of holding on to things your reason once accepted, despite your changing moods.
—C. S. Lewis (1898-1963) Irish-born British Academic, Author, Literary Scholar
I believe in using words, not fists… I believe in my outrage knowing people are living in boxes on the street. I believe in honesty. I believe in a good time. I believe in good food. I believe in sex.
—Susan Sarandon (b.1946) American Actress, Activist
Drugs are not always necessary, but belief in recovery always is.
—Norman Cousins (1912–1990) American Political Journalist
The only faith that wears well and holds its color in all weathers is that which is woven of conviction and set with the sharp mordant of experience.
—James Russell Lowell (1819–91) American Poet, Critic
We must have infinite faith in each other. If we have not, we must never let it leak out that we have not.
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–62) American Philosopher
Man often becomes what he believes himself to be. If I keep on saying to myself that I cannot do a certain thing, it is possible that I may end by really becoming incapable of doing it. On the contrary, if I shall have the belief that I can do it, I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it, even if I may not have it at the beginning.
—Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869–1948) Indian Hindu Political leader
Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
Believe and act as if it were impossible to fail.
—Charles F. Kettering (1876–1958) American Inventor, Entrepreneur, Businessperson
Credulity is belief on slight evidence, with no evidence, or against evidence. In this sense it is the infidel, not the believer, who is credulous. “The simple,” says Solomon, “believeth every word.”
—Tryon Edwards (1809–94) American Theologian, Author
Faith is the function of the heart.
—Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869–1948) Indian Hindu Political leader
I believe that imagination is stronger than knowledge—that myth is more potent than history. I believe that dreams are more powerful than facts—That hope always triumphs over experience—That laughter is the only cure for grief. And I believe that love is stronger than death.
—Robert Fulghum (b.1937) American Unitarian Universalist Author, Essayist, Clergyman
The eloquent man is he who is no beautiful speaker, but who is inwardly and desperately drunk with a certain belief.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Vain are the thousand creeds that move men’s hearts, unutterably vain; Worthless as withered weeds, or idlest froth amid the boundless main.
—Emily Bronte (1818–48) English Novelist, Poet
Faith is primarily a process of identification; the process by which the individual ceases to be himself and becomes part of something eternal.
—Eric Hoffer (1902–83) American Philosopher, Author
Belief like any other moving body follows the path of least resistance.
—Samuel Butler
People may doubt what you say, but they will believe what you do.
—Unknown
The very act of believing creates strength of its own.
—Indian Proverb
If you believe in an unseen Christ, you will believe in the unseen Christlike potential of others.
—Unknown
It’s easy to act as if you are a weathervane, always changing your beliefs and words, trying to please everyone around you. But we were born to be lighthouses, not weathervanes. Imagine a vertical axis running through the center of your heart, from your deepest roots to your highest aspirations. That’s your lighthouse. It anchors you in the world and frees you from having to change directions every time the weather shifts. Inside this lighthouse there is a lens and a light. The light represents who you are when nobody else is looking. That light was meant to keep shining, no matter how dark or stormy it gets outside…when you find that light inside you, you will know it. Don’t let anyone else dim it…and one more thing: remember to look for the light inside others. If at first you can’t see it, look deeper. It’s there.
—Robert Cooper (b.1947) British Diplomat
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