One hundred religious persons knit into a unity by careful organizations do not constitute a church any more than eleven dead men make a football team. The first requisite is life, always.
—A. W. Tozer (1897–1963) American Christian Pastor, Preacher, Author, Editor
Here, the churches seemed to shrink away into eroding corners. They seem to have ceased to be essential parts of American life. They no longer give life. It is the huge buildings of commerce and trade which now align the people to attention. These in their massive manner of steel and stone say, Come unto me all ye who labor, and we will give you work.
—Sean O’Casey (1880–1964) Irish Dramatist, Memoirist
Many come to bring their clothes to church rather than themselves.
—Thomas Fuller (1608–61) English Cleric, Historian
Church attendance is as vital to a disciple as a transfusion of rich, healthy blood to a sick man.
—Dwight L. Moody (1837–99) Christian Religious Leader, Publisher
The Pope is an idol whose hands are tied and whose feet are kissed.
—Voltaire (1694–1778) French Philosopher, Author
I don’t go to church. Kneeling bags my nylons.
—Billy Wilder (1906–2002) American Filmmaker
It would be far better to be of no church than to be bitter of any.
—William Penn (1644–1718) American Entrepreneur, Political leader, Philosopher
I never weary of great churches. It is my favorite kind of mountain scenery. Mankind was never so happily inspired as when it made a cathedral.
—Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–94) Scottish Novelist
There is no heresy or no philosophy which is so abhorrent to the church as a human being.
—James Joyce (1882–1941) Irish Novelist, Poet
Be neither intimate nor distant with the clergy.
—Irish Proverb
The Church has always been willing to swap off treasures in heaven for cash down.
—Robert G. Ingersoll (1833–99) American Lawyer, Orator, Agnostic
The act of bell ringing is symbolic of all proselytizing religions. It implies the pointless interference with the quiet of other people.
—Ezra Pound (1885-1972) American Poet, Translator, Critic
Though the church has many critics, it has no rivals.
—Unknown
What is wrong with priests and popes is that instead of being apostles and saints, they are nothing but empirics who say “I know” instead of “I am learning,” and pray for credulity and inertia as wise men pray for skepticism and activity.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
The parson knows enough who knows a Duke.
—William Cowper (1731–1800) English Anglican Poet, Hymn writer
There is not in the universe a more ridiculous, nor a more contemptible animal, than a proud clergyman.
—Henry Fielding (1707–54) English Novelist, Dramatist
We sing in a church, why can we not dance there?
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
I do not believe in the creed professed by the Jewish Church, by the Roman Church, by the Greek Church, by the Turkish Church, by the Protestant Church, nor by any church that I know of. My own mind is my own church.
—Thomas Paine (1737–1809) American Nationalist, Author, Pamphleteer, Radical, Inventor
The old cathedrals are good, but the great blue dome that hangs over everything is better.
—Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881) Scottish Historian, Essayist
A group touring Westminster Abbey in London heard the guide list the famous people buried within its walls. During a momentary silence a little old lady’s voice blurted out loud and clear, “Anybody been saved here lately?”
—Unknown
The Bible knows nothing of solitary religion.
—John Wesley (1703–91) British Methodist Religious Leader, Preacher, Theologian
He who is near the Church is often far from God.
—French Proverb
In the Church, considered as a social organism, the mysteries inevitably degenerate into beliefs.
—Simone Weil (1909–1943) French Philosopher, Political Activist
Archbishop—A Christian ecclesiastic of a rank superior to that attained by Christ.
—H. L. Mencken (1880–1956) American Journalist, Literary Critic
It is indolence… Indolence and love of ease; a want of all laudable ambition, of taste for good company, or of inclination to take the trouble of being agreeable, which make men clergymen. A clergyman has nothing to do but be slovenly and selfish; read the newspaper, watch the weather, and quarrel with his wife. His curate does all the work and the business of his own life is to dine.
—Jane Austen (1775–1817) English Novelist
Churchgoers are like coals in a fire. When they cling together, they keep the flame aglow; when they separate, they die out.
—Billy Graham (1918–91) American Baptist Religious Leader
He was of the faith chiefly in the sense that the church he currently did not attend was Catholic.
—Kingsley Amis (1922–95) English Novelist, Poet
We praise Him, we bless Him, we adore Him, we glorify Him, and we wonder who is that baritone across the aisle and that pretty woman on our right who smells of apple blossoms. Our bowels stir and our cod itches and we amend our prayers for the spiritual life with the hope that it will not be too spiritual.
—John Cheever (1912–82) American Novelist, Short-story Writer
Church is the only place where someone speaks to me and I do not have to answer back.
—Charles de Gaulle (1890–1970) French General, Statesman
A church is a place in which gentlemen who have never been to heaven brag about it to persons who will never get there.
—H. L. Mencken (1880–1956) American Journalist, Literary Critic
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