Samuel Butler

The voice of the Lord is the voice of common sense, which is shared by all that is.

He that complies against his will is of his own opinion still.

For most men, and most circumstances, pleasure –tangible material prosperity in this world -is the safest test of virtue. Progress has ever been through the pleasures rather than through the extreme sharp virtues, and the most virtuous have leaned to excess rather than to asceticism.

Half the vices which the world condemns most loudly have seeds of good in them and require moderate use rather than total abstinence.

Oaths are but words, and words are but wind.

A man’s friendships are, like his will, invalidated by marriage – but they are also no less invalidated by the marriage of his friends.

You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.

Did we believe a final Reckoning and Judgment; or did we think enough of what we do believe, we would allow more Love in Religion than we do; since Religion it self is nothing else but Love to God and Man. He that lives in Love lives in God, says the Beloved Disciple: And to be sure a Man can live no where better. It is most reasonable Men should value that Benefit, which is most durable. Now Tongues shall cease, and Prophecy fail, and Faith shall be consummated in Sight, and Hope in Enjoyment; but Love remains.

Nothing ever exists entirely alone. Everything is in relation to everything else.

I’m the fifth generation of Seventh Day Adventists and the youngest of four brothers. When I was still very small, we formed a gospel quartet.

Our God is a forgiving God.

I was kosher until I had my Bar Mitzvah, and I parlayed officially becoming a man into telling my father I wanted to eat cheeseburgers.

Zazen is an activity that is an extension of the universe. Zazen is not the life of an individual, it’s the universe that’s breathing.

The opposite of the religious fanatic is not the fanatical atheist but the gentle cynic who cares not whether there is a god or not.

The voice of the Lord is the voice of common sense, which is shared by all that is.

If something is easy for you, work on it a little. If it’s hard for you, work on it a lot.

For those who believe in God, most of the big questions are answered. But for those of us who can’t readily accept the God formula, the big answers don’t remain stone-written. We adjust to new conditions and discoveries. We are pliable. Love need not be a command or faith a dictum. I am my own God. We are here to unlearn the teachings of the church, state, and our educational system. We are here to drink beer. We are here to kill war. We are here to laugh at the odds and live our lives so well that Death will tremble to take us.

Believe in something larger than yourself…get involved in the big ideas of your time.

You’ve got to have something to eat and a little love in your life before you can hold still for any damn body’s sermon on how to behave.

The Christian’s Bible is a drug store. Its contents remain the same, but the medical practice changes.

It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.