Great Throughts Treasury

This site is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Alan William Smolowe who gave birth to the creation of this database.

Related Quotes

John Shebbeare

Were all men virtuous, the institutes of religion and laws would be unnecessary.

Men | Religion |

Dorothee Söelle

We are afraid of religion because it interprets rather than just observes. Religion does not confirm that there are hungry people in the world; it interprets the hungry to be our brethren whom we allow to starve.

People | Religion | World | Afraid |

Sa’ib of Tabriz, aka Mirza Muhammad Ali Sa'ib, Saib Isfahani or Sa'ib Of Esfahan NULL

All this talk of infidelity and religion finally leads to one place: The dream is the same dream, only the interpretations differ.

Religion | Infidelity |

Friedrich Daniel Ernst Schleiermacher

The whole of religion is nothing but the sum of all relations of man to God, apprehended in all the possible ways in which any man can be immediately conscious in his life. In this sense there is but one religion, for it would be but a poverty-stricken and halting life, if all these relations did not exist wherever religion ought to be.

God | Life | Life | Man | Nothing | Poverty | Religion | Sense |

Fulton Sheen, fully Archbishop Fulton John Sheen

We desire unity of religion but not when purchased at the cost of the unity of truth.

Cost | Desire | Religion | Truth | Unity |

R. W. Sellars, fully Roy Wood Sellars

The Humanist’s religion, is the religion of one who says yea to the life here and now, of one who is self-reliant, fearless, intelligent and creative... Its Goal is the mastery of things that they may become servants and instrumentalities to man’s spiritual comradeship.

Life | Life | Man | Religion | Self |

Leonard Swindler

Religion is an explanation (Creed) of the ultimate meaning of life, and how to live (Code and Community–structure) accordingly, which is based on the notion of the Transcendent (Cult). Because Religion is an explanation of the ultimate meaning of life it provides a code of behavior in the fullest possible sense, including all the psychological, social and cultural dimensions of human life, and is hence a “Way of Life” – for humans.

Behavior | Creed | Cult | Life | Life | Meaning | Religion | Sense |

Vivekananda, fully Sri or Swami Vivekananda, born Narendra Nath Datta NULL

The old religions said that he was an atheist who did not believe in God. The new religion says that he is the atheist who does not believe in himself.

God | Religion | Old |

John Tyndall

Superstition may be defined as constructive religion which has grown incongruous with intelligence.

Intelligence | Religion | Superstition |

Obert C. Tanner, fully Obert Clark Tanner

Humanity is in a precarious balance between the forces of violence and the forces of peace. It is by no means clear at this time which of these forces will prevail. We do not ask, however, whether religion will not become an aid to the forces of peace or cooperation.

Aid | Balance | Cooperation | Humanity | Means | Peace | Religion | Time | Will |

William Ashley “Billy” Sunday

The trouble with many men is that they have got just enough religion to make them miserable. If there is not joy in religion, you have got a leak in your religion.

Enough | Joy | Men | Religion | Trouble |

Jonathan Swift, pen names, M.B. Drapier, Lemuel Gulliver, Isaac Bickerstaff

I never saw, heard nor read, that the clergy were beloved in any nation where Christianity was the religion of the country. Nothing can render them popular, but some degree of persecution.

Nothing | Religion |

Leo Tolstoy, aka Count Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy or Tolstoi

True religion is the establishment by man of such a relation to the Infinite Life around him, as, while connecting his life with this Infinitude and directing his conduct, is also in agreement with his reason and with human knowledge.

Conduct | Knowledge | Life | Life | Man | Reason | Religion |

Vivekananda, fully Sri or Swami Vivekananda, born Narendra Nath Datta NULL

I do not believe in a religion that cannot wipe out the widow’s tears or bring a piece of bread to the orphan’s mouth.

Religion | Tears |

United Nations NULL

Article 18 - Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others, and in public or in private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.

Belief | Change | Conscience | Freedom of thought | Freedom | Practice | Public | Religion | Right | Thought | Worship |

Valmiki NULL

Truth all religion comprehends, in truth alone is justice placed, in truth the words of God are based.

God | Justice | Religion | Truth | Words | God |