#religion

Whether you call it Buddhism or another religion, self-discipline, that's important. Self-discipline with awareness of consequences. ↗

— Dalai Lama

#awareness #buddhism #call #consequences #important

Conversion is not my intention. Changing religion is not easy. You may develop some kind of confusion or difficulties. ↗

— Dalai Lama

#confusion #conversion #develop #difficulties #easy

In my childhood, America was like a religion. Then, real-life Americans abruptly entered my life - in jeeps - and upset all my dreams. ↗

— Sergio Leone

#america #childhood #dreams #entered #life

The role of the federal government should be neutral toward culture just as it is toward religion. ↗

— Preston Manning

#federal #federal government #government #just #neutral

But is it not the fact that religion emanates from the nature, from the moral state of the individual? Is it not therefore true that unless the nature be completely exercised, the moral state harmonized, the religion cannot be healthy? ↗

— Harriet Martineau

#completely #exercised #fact #healthy #individual

Religion is no more possible without prayer than poetry without language, or music without atmosphere. ↗

— James Martineau

#language #more #music #poetry #possible

Religion is the belief in an ever-living God, that is, in a Divine Mind and Will ruling the Universe and holding moral relations with mankind. ↗

— James Martineau

#divine #god #holding #mankind #mind

In every society in human history, including the United States, those in power seek to imbue themselves with the attributes of religion and patriotism as a way of getting greater support for their policy and insulating themselves from any criticism. ↗

— George J. Mitchell

#attributes #criticism #every #getting #greater

Man is timid and apologetic; he is no longer upright; he dares not say "I think," "I am," but quotes some saint or sage. He is ashamed before the blade of grass or the blowing rose. These roses under my window make no reference to former roses or to better ones; they are for what they are; they exist with God to-day. There is no time to them. There is simply the rose; it is perfect in every moment of its existence. Before a leaf-bud has burst, its whole life acts; in the full-blown flower there is no more; in the leafless root there is no less. Its nature is satisfied, and it satisfies nature, in all moments alike. But man postpones or remembers; he does not live in the present, but with reverted eye laments the past, or, heedless of the riches that surround him, stands on tiptoe to foresee the future. He cannot be happy and strong until he too lives with nature in the present, above time. ↗

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

#religion #life

If desire causes suffering, it may be because we do not desire wisely, or that we are inexpert at obtaining what we desire. Instead of hiding our heads in a prayer cloth and building walls against temptation, why not get better at fulfilling desire? Salvation is for the feeble, that's what I think. I don't want salvation, I want life, all of life, the miserable as well as the superb. If the gods would tax ecstasy, then I shall pay; however, I shall protest their taxes at each opportunity, and if Woden or Shiva or Buddha or that Christian fellow--what's his name?--cannot respect that, then I'll accept their wrath. At least I will have tasted the banquet that they have spread before me on this rich, round planet, rather than recoiling from it like a toothless bunny. I cannot believe that the most delicious things were placed here merely to test us, to tempt us, to make it the more difficult for us to capture the grand prize: the safety of the void. To fashion of life such a petty game is unworthy of both men and gods. ↗

— Tom Robbins

#desire #prayer #religion #repression #salvation