Men are not made religious by performing certain actions which are externally good, but they must first have righteous principles, and then they will not fail to perform virtuous actions.
—Martin Luther (1483–1546) German Protestant Theologian
Morality is the herd-instinct in the individual.
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) German Philosopher, Scholar, Writer
Compassion is the basis of all morality.
—Arthur Schopenhauer (1788–1860) German Philosopher
The morality of the gospel is the noblest gift ever bestowed by God on man.
—Montesquieu (1689–1755) French Political Philosopher, Jurist
Our whole life is startlingly moral. There is never an instant’s truce between virtue and vice.
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–62) American Philosopher
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
We have, in fact, two kinds of morality side by side; one which we preach but do not practice and another which we practice but seldom preach.
—Bertrand A. Russell (1872–1970) British Philosopher, Mathematician, Social Critic
Never let your sense of morals get in the way of doing what’s right.
—Isaac Asimov (1920–92) Russian-born American Writer, Scientist
Do not be too moral. You may cheat yourself out of much life. So aim above morality. Be not simply good; be good for something.
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–62) American Philosopher
To set up as a standard of public morality a notion which can neither be defined nor conceived is to open the door to every kind of tyranny.
—Simone Weil (1909–1943) French Philosopher, Political Activist
Men are more moral than they think and far more immoral than they can imagine.
—Sigmund Freud (1856–1939) Austrian Psychiatrist, Psychoanalytic
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
Don’t let us make imaginary evils, when you know we have so many real ones to encounter.
—Oliver Goldsmith (1730–74) Irish Novelist, Playwright, Poet
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
An immoral person usually heaps blame and disgrace upon himself, while one who acts in accordance with the law of morality will always receive admiration and respect.
—Buddhist Teaching
Immorality: the morality of those who are having a better time.
—H. L. Mencken (1880–1956) American Journalist, Literary Critic
The only immorality is not to do what one has to do when one has to do it.
—Jean Anouilh (1910–87) French Dramatist
In his present life a wise man who is perfectly equipped with morality is always honoured. After his death he will enter into the realm of bliss. He is thus blessed with rejoice everywhere.
—Buddhist Teaching
The hottest place in Hell is reserved for those who remain neutral in times of great moral conflict.
—Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929–68) American Civil Rights Leader, Clergyman
The purpose of morality is to teach you, not to suffer and die, but to enjoy yourself and live.
—Ayn Rand (1905–82) Russian-born American Novelist, Philosopher
In the ocean of baseness, the deeper we get, the easier the sinking.
—James Russell Lowell (1819–91) American Poet, 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
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
Morality is the custom of one’s country and the current feeling of one’s peers.
—Samuel Butler
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
Moral courage is the most valuable and usually the most absent characteristic in men.
—George S. Patton (1885–1945) American Military Leader
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
Morality is the vestibule of religion.
—Edwin Hubbell Chapin (1814–80) American Preacher, Poet
The moral virtues, then, are produced in us neither by nature nor against nature. Nature, indeed, prepares in us the ground for their reception, but their complete formation is the product of habit.
—Aristotle (384BCE–322BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Scholar
Heat water to the highest degree, you cannot make wine of it; it is water still; so, let morality be raised to the highest, it is nature still; it is old Adam put in a better dress.
—Thomas J. Watson, Sr. (1874–1956) American Business Executive
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
The Christian religion is the only one that puts morality on its proper, and the right basis, viz: the fear and love of God.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
What is moral is what you feel good after, and what is immoral is what you feel bad after.
—Ernest Hemingway (1899–1961) American Author, Journalist, Short Story Writer
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
I restrict myself within bounds in saying, that, so far as I have observed in this life, ten men have failed from defect in morals where one has failed from defect in intellect.
—Horace Mann (1796–1859) American Educator, Politician, Educationalist
A set of rules laid out by professionals to show the way they would like to act if it was profitable.
—Frank Lane (1896–1981) American Sportsperson, Businessperson
The laws of conscience, which we pretend to be derived from nature, proceed from custom.
—Michel de Montaigne (1533–92) French Essayist
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
Ethics, too, are nothing but reverence for life. That is what gives me the fundamental principle of morality, namely, that good consists in maintaining, promoting, and enhancing life, and that destroying, injuring, and limiting life are evil.
—Albert Schweitzer (1875–1965) French Theologian, Musician, Philosopher, Physician
The greater part of humanity is too much harassed and fatigued by the struggle with want, to rally itself for a new and sterner struggle with error.
—Friedrich Schiller (1759–1805) German Poet, Dramatist
A fool who is fickle in his practising morality is always blamed. He will even regret after his death. He is always doomed to misery.
—Buddhist Teaching
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
There can be no high civility without a deep morality.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Whenever you are to do a thing, though it can never be known but to yourself, ask yourself how you would act were all the world looking at you, and act accordingly.
—Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) American Head of State, Lawyer
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 simply the attitude we adopt toward people whom we personally dislike.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
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
Time is the great equalizer in the field of morals.
—H. L. Mencken (1880–1956) American Journalist, Literary Critic
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
I have never found a thorough, pervading, enduring morality but in those who feared God.
—Friedrich Heinrich Jacobi (1743–1819) German Philosopher