Quotes about Belief

I may grow rich by an art I am compelled to follow; I may recover health by medicines I am compelled to take against my own judgment; but I cannot be saved by a worship I disbelieve and abhor.

I'm a great believer in luck and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it.

To the corruptions of christianity I am indeed opposed; but not to the genuine precepts of Jesus himself. I am a Christian in the only sense in which he wished any one to be; sincerely attached to his doctrines, in preference to all others; ascribing to himself every human excellence, and believing he never claimed any other.

No man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship, place, or ministry whatsoever, nor shall be enforced, restrained, molested, or burthened in his body or goods, nor shall otherwise suffer, on account of his religious opinions or belief; but that all men shall be free to profess, and by argument to maintain, their opinions in matters of religion, and that the same shall in no wise diminish, enlarge, or affect their civil capacities.

I firmly believe in luck. And I noticed: the more I work, the luckier I become.

It is in our lives, and not from our words, that our religion must be read.

No nation has ever yet existed or been governed without religion. Nor can be. The Christian religion is the best religion that has been given to man and I as chief Magistrate of this nation am bound to give it the sanction of my example. Good morning Sir. [Replying on his way to church one Sunday to a friend, who said to him "You going to church Mr. J. You do not believe a word in it."]

Question with boldness even the existence of God, because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason than that of blindfolded fear.

Reason is in fact the path to faith, and faith takes over when reason can say no more.

The real reason why so few men believe in God is that they have ceased to believe that even a God can love them.

it is of the very essence of Christianity to face suffering and death not because they are good, not because they have meaning, but because the resurrection of Jesus has robbed them of their meaning.

What do you want to want to be, anyway? I don't know; I guess what I want to be is a good Catholic. What you should say--he told me--what you should say is that you want to be a saint.