beliefs

The capacity for erroneous belief is very great, especially where it coincides with convenience.

The less evidence we have for what we believe is certain, the more violently we defend beliefs against those who don't agree.

I've come to believe that we, as people, only tend to remember only certain of what we hear or read just for that reason. Most of what we retain coincide with our personal beliefs and feelings and the rest, we throw away into the back of our minds where we keep it or forget it entirely.

...the world would be a better place if we all believed whatever we wished but behaved towards each other as if there was no external deity to sort out our own problems...If you happened to hold the finest theological beliefs there are and if you understand all the best and most detailed divine precepts and commandments but in your daily life you are actually an angry, shouting inhumane swine,then that's the way you will be remembered. Believing is all very well, but behaving is what you are judged by and remembered for.

If they told us what to believe, and we didn't come to it on our own, is it still true?

I wish there wasn't such a division between people who believe certain things and people who don't. It seems vastly hypocritical on both ends, these two groups of people both claiming to believe in good things and yet willing to do bad things to each other for disagreeing.

I'll always be here if you need me. I may not share your faith, but I will always help you fight for what you believe in.

In response to my father-in-law's view, I offered no opinion. He was not looking for my opinion. He had merely been spouting his belief, a conviction that would remain unchanged for all eternity.

Beliefs are the masters of the world, and all masters are tyranical

It's one of the great temptations, you see--wanting to prove the strength of your own faith by making others believe what you believe. It shows you're right. But it doesn't prove anything of the sort. All it proves is that you're condescending and arrogant and good at doing what half-decent actors can do, or advertising agents, or pop stars, or politicians, or con men, or any of the professional persuaders. They sell illusions. And that's all they do. And they feel good when they succeed. That's what their lives depend on. Which isn't true about religion. Or shouldn't be. Your belief shouldn't depend on what other people think about it. And it certainly should not depend on whether other people believe the same as you.

In my world, I believe in the great beauties, the highest of which, is love.

We are not victims of our genes, but masters of our fates, able to create lives overflowing with peace, happiness, and love.

Whatever you believe is true, is.

If it feels as though life is screwing with you - it isn't. The world isn't 'against you'.It's simply showing you what you believe and giving you a chance to observe it and change it.

Have a humble heart & an open-mind and you'll soon be given glimpses beyond the veil of your beliefs and understandings... growing wiser, and believing deeper.

Extreme right-wingers are known for giving God a bad name; extreme left-wingers are known for giving God a weak name. He's not as simple as conservative versus liberal, old versus new. His wings are balanced. God is both and neither.

On the other hand, when we disown our beliefs, we lose touch with ourselves. We no longer know who we are or what we believe and neither does anyone else.

Many Christians never let the Bible get in the way of their believing, but depend on their logic, tradition, or experience to formulate beliefs.