The great rule of moral conduct is, next to God, to respect time.
—Johann Kaspar Lavater (1741–1801) Swiss Theologian, Poet
Abortion is advocated only by persons who have themselves been born.
—Ronald Reagan (1911–2004) American Head of State
The only immorality is not to do what one has to do when one has to do it.
—Jean Anouilh (1910–87) French Dramatist
The essence of morality is a questioning about morality; and the decisive move of human life is to use ceaselessly all light to look for the origin of the opposition between good and evil.
—Georges Bataille (1897–1962) French Essayist, Intellectual
However great an evil immorality may be, we must not forget that it is not without its beneficial consequences. It is only through extremes that men can arrive at the middle path of wisdom and virtue.
—Wilhelm von Humboldt (1767–1835) German Philosopher, Linguist, Statesman
Moral excellence comes about as a result of habit. We become just by doing just acts, temperate by doing temperate acts, brave by doing brave acts.
—Aristotle (384BCE–322BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Scholar
The morality of the gospel is the noblest gift ever bestowed by God on man.
—Montesquieu (1689–1755) French Political Philosopher, Jurist
The quality of moral behavior varies in inverse ratio to the number of human beings involved.
—Aldous Huxley (1894–1963) English Humanist, Pacifist, Essayist, Short Story Writer, Satirist
Nothing really immoral is ever permanently popular.—There does not exist in the literature of the world a single popular book that is immoral, two centuries after it is produced; for in the heart of nations the false does not live so long, and the true is ethical to the end of time.
—Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton (1803–73) British Novelist, Poet, Politician
No author can be as moral as his work and no preacher as pious as his sermons.
—Jean Paul (1763–1825) German Novelist, Humorist
Time is the great equalizer in the field of morals.
—H. L. Mencken (1880–1956) American Journalist, Literary Critic
If your morals make you dreary, depend upon it they are wrong. I do not say “give them up,” for they may be all you have; but conceal them like a vice, lest they should spoil the lives of better and simpler people.
—Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–94) Scottish Novelist
Boredom is a vital problem for the moralist, since half the sins of mankind are caused by the fear of it.
—Bertrand A. Russell (1872–1970) British Philosopher, Mathematician, Social Critic
I saw that all beings are fated to happiness: action is not life, but a way of wasting some force, an enervation. Morality is the weakness of the brain.
—Arthur Rimbaud (1854–91) French Poet, Adventurer
Discourses on morality and reflection on human nature, are the best means we can make use of to improve our minds, gain a true knowledge of ourselves, and recover our souls out of the vice, ignorance, and prejudice which naturally cleave to them.
—Joseph Addison (1672–1719) English Essayist, Poet, Playwright, Politician
A system of morality which is based on relative emotional values is a mere illusion, a thoroughly vulgar conception which has nothing sound in it and nothing true.
—Socrates (469BCE–399BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher
Every man has his moral backside which he refrains from showing unless he has to and keeps covered as long as possible with the trousers of decorum.
—Georg Christoph Lichtenberg (1742–99) German Philosopher, Physicist
I reject any religious doctrine that does not appeal to reason and is in conflict with morality.
—Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869–1948) Indian Hindu Political leader
He has his words, deeds and thoughts well-controlled. He never commits a sin nor talks non- sense for his own sake. Such a person is called “one who is endowed with morality”.
—Buddhist Teaching
Every man, in his own opinion, forms an exception to the ordinary rules of morality.
—William Hazlitt (1778–1830) English Essayist
Morality, when vigorously alive, sees farther than intellect, and provides unconsciously for intellectual difficulties.
—James Anthony Froude (1818–94) British Historian, Novelist, Biographer, Editor
A learned man who is firm in his morality is praised both for his morality and learning.
—Buddhist Teaching
Might was the measure of right.
—F. L. Lucas (1894–1967) English Literary Critic, Poet, Novelist, Playwright
Never will a person of good conduct be blamed as long as he observes the eight precepts and keeps on making merits which is conducive to happiness. Such a person, equipped with morality, is sure to enter into the Realm of Bliss.
—Buddhist Teaching
There is no true and abiding morality that is not founded in religion.
—Henry Ward Beecher (1813–87) American Clergyman, Writer
Morality is only moral when it is voluntary.
—Lincoln Steffens (1846–1936) American Journalist, Academic, Political Philosopher
One who practises morality, having his words and deeds well-controlled, will be befriended by many, while one who does not behave himself in accordance with morality, who is given to immoral conduct, will be shut off from his friend.
—Buddhist Teaching
Corruption is like a ball of snow, once it’s set a rolling it must increase.
—Charles Caleb Colton (c.1780–1832) English Clergyman, Aphorist
Modern morality and manners suppress all natural instincts, keep people ignorant of the facts of nature and make them fighting drunk on bogey tales.
—Aleister Crowley (1875–1947) English Occultist, Mystic, Magician
For morality life is a war, and the service of the highest is a sort of cosmic patriotism which also calls for volunteers.
—William James (1842–1910) American Philosopher, Psychologist, Physician
Don’t say you don’t have enough time.
You have exactly the same number of hours per day
that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur,
Michaelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci,
Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein.
—H. Jackson Brown, Jr. (b.1940) American Self-Help Author
Morality is the basis of things and truth is the substance of all morality.
—Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869–1948) Indian Hindu Political leader
Morality cannot be legislated, but behavior can be regulated. Judicial decrees may not change the heart, but they can restrain the heartless.
—Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929–68) American Civil Rights Leader, Clergyman
Let but the public mind once become thoroughly corrupt, and all attempts to secure property, liberty, or life, by mere force of laws written on parchment, will be as vain as to put up printed notices in an orchard to keep off canker-worms.
—Horace Mann (1796–1859) American Educator, Politician, Educationalist
Moralizing and morals are two entirely different things and are always found in entirely different people
—Don Herold (1889–1966) American Humorist, Writer, Illustrator, Cartoonist
Our morality seems to be only a check on the ultimate domination of force, just as our politeness is a check on the impulse of every pig to put his feet in the trough.
—Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. (1841–1935) American Jurist, Author
Every young man would do well to remember that all successful business stands on the foundation of morality.
—Henry Ward Beecher (1813–87) American Clergyman, Writer
I’m as pure as the driven slush.
—Tallulah Bankhead (1902–68) American Actress
Truth alone will endure, all the rest will be swept away before the tide of time. I must continue to bear testimony to truth even if I am forsaken by all. Mine may today be a voice in the wilderness, but it will be heard when all other voices are silenced, if it is the voice of Truth.
—Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869–1948) Indian Hindu Political leader
It is far easier for a woman to lead a blameless life than it is for a man; all she has to do is to avoid sexual intercourse like the plague.
—Angela Carter (1940–92) English Novelist
Why should moral distinction be made between death by the spirochete and death by the streptococcus?
—Martin H. Fischer
All sects are different, because they come from men; morality is everywhere the same, because it comes from God.
—Voltaire (1694–1778) French Philosopher, Author
It is safe to say that no other superstition is so detrimental to growth, so enervating and paralyzing to the minds and hearts of the people, as the superstition of Morality.
—Emma Goldman (1869–1940) Lithuanian-American Anarchist, Feminist
Force always attracts men of low morality, and I believe it to be an invariable rule that tyrants of genius are succeeded by scoundrels.
—Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born Physicist
Morality is simply the attitude we adopt toward people whom we personally dislike.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
What we call “morals” is simply blind obedience to words of command.
—Havelock Ellis (1859–1939) British Sexologist, Physician, Social Reformer
Neither can the Vedas be of real help in the hereafter, nor can his birth nor relatives. Only his flawless morality can bring about the happiness in the hereafter.
—Buddhist Teaching
There are few things more disturbing than to find, in somebody we detest, a moral quality which seems to us demonstrably superior to anything we ourselves possess. It augurs not merely an unfairness on the part of creation, but a lack of artistic judgment. Sainthood is acceptable only in saints.
—Pamela Hansford Johnson (1912–81) English Novelist, Playwright, Poet, Literary Critic, Social Critic
The Seven Deadly Sins are a litany of victimless crimes, compiled to distract attention from the bloody felonies of the righteous.
—Robert Brault
When virtue is lost, benevolence appears, when benevolence is lost right conduct appears, when right conduct is lost, expedience appears. Expediency is the mere shadow of right and truth; it is the beginning of disorder.
—Laozi (fl.6th Century BCE) Chinese Philosopher, Sage