Quotes about Coercion

When economic power desires to be left alone it uses the philosophy of laissez faire to discourage political restraint upon economic freedom. When it wants to make use of the police power of the state to subdue rebellions and discontent in the ranks of its helots, it justifies the use of political coercion and the resulting suppression of liberties by insisting that peace is more precious than freedom and that its only desire is social peace.

Forced worship stinks in God's nostrils

Democracy requires us to recognize others' rights even when we fundamentally disagree with them. It requires a civility in which I respect a person's ultimate worth and seek to persuade but not to coerce. For this reason modern democracy grew out of Christian soil.

The man who coerces another not to eat fish commits more violence than he who eats it.

Democracy requires us to recognize others' rights even when we fundamentally disagree with them. It requires a civility in which I respect a person's ultimate worth and seek to persuade but not to coerce.

Genuine biblical Christianity does not impose itself on unwilling people at the point of a sword. If you choose to reject Jesus, you're perfectly free to do so.

There are no foolproof methods of persuasion, and those that come closest are coercive and dangerous because they override the will rather than convince the mind.

It is as absurd to argue men, as to torture them, into believing.

God acts toward his people, as much as possible, but since he is a God of persuasion rather than coercion, God also allows his people to act on him and to thereby condition the form his self-revelation takes, as much as this is necessary to remain in solidarity with, and to continue to work through, his fallen and culturally conditioned people.

If we import compulsion in matters of religion, there is no doubt that we shall be committing suicide.

[Jesus] invoked a different kind of power: love, not coercion.

No believing Christian can be coerced beyond Holy Writ