A Few of My Favorite Quotes
Posted: Tuesday, July 06, 2010
by Bruce Horst
WryteStuff
This is a hodge-podge collection of quotes I've gathered over the years. Some of them meant more to me at the time than they do now, some of them I have hardly begun to understand.
The first two are similar. They speak to the presumptuous human nature:
"Of all the preposterous assumptions of humanity over humanity, nothing exceeds most of the criticisms made on the habits of the poor by the well-housed, well-warmed, and well-fed."
- Herman Melville
"There are few things more foolish or more arrogant than a white man saying racism doesn't exist."
- Dataguy (username on Internet forum)
This one jumped out at me from late-night TV. I hear so many complain about their teenagers. My teenagers are people I would want to be friends with:
"You work hard to raise you kids right, then one day you wake up and find them to be the most delightful people."
- Tom Hanks on Leno
This one also came from TV. I wished I would have understood this 20 years ago!
"All adolescents profile like sociopaths."
- Thomas Gibson as profiler Aaron Hotchner on the CBS TV series Criminal Minds
I decided to post the next quote on my facebook profile page one day when I was frustrated with people around me taking the easy road and going with popular opinion instead of thinking for themselves:
"...If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it."
- Jesus Christ / Matthew 16:24
I've spent most of my entire life in pursuit of the meaning of this verse:
"Go and learn what this means, I desire mercy, and not sacrifice."
- Jesus Christ / Matthew 9:13
I received the following quote through twitter. I find it odd that most Christian groups are homogenous, yet Jesus' example was clearly not:
"If you follow Christ, expect attacks for hanging out with the wrong crowd - 'This man welcomes sinners & eats with them!'" Luke 15:2
- Pastor Rick Warren
This quote has been passed around by a lot of people. I find it fascinating because of all the non-Christians that I know, including Atheists, Agnostics, Hindus and Muslims, I don't know any who have a problem with Jesus, they only have a problem with Christians. I want to better understand what this means and it's implications.
"I would be a Christian if it wasn't for the Christians."
- Gandhi
This one is pretty famous too since Glenn Beck started saying that social-justice Christianity is a code word for Communist:
"When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why the poor have no food, they call me a communist"
- Helder Camara
I thought this one was interesting. I'm trying to be a lion, but most of the time I'm a sheep:
"A lion leading an army of sheep will be victorious over a sheep leading an army of lions, every time."
- Iraqi saying
I spent the first 30 years of my life trying to be a reasonable person, then when I was 30 I read this quote. It bothered me so much, I just couldn't believe it was true. Now I understand that it is true, and being reasonable is no longer a goal of mine:
"The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man."
- George Bernard Shaw
Everyone knows this one, because it's so true:
"If you love your job you will never work another day in your life!"
- Unknown
===
This one came after my parents visited me and my family for a few days. At the end of the visit, after watching my work schedule, my mother asked me this question. It's been a favorite ever since!
"This job of yours, do you, eh, work?"
-My Mom
I am a huge quotations fan, and I loved this one. You have inspired me to do some of my own fav quotes. Peace and thanks tex
A great article, Bruce, with some very wise sayings; and I can totally relate to one quotation because of being affiliated with many religious nuts through my lifetime: "I would be a Christian if it wasn't for the Christians." - Gandhi....Gandhi was a very wise man. Write on! Suzy
Yes, this article was and will continue to be inspiring. Articles like this tend to track me down like a mother trying to give a child a dose of medicine. ...I didn't know you had a job, Bruce.
Great quotes Bruce - gives the reader much to think about!
You've chosen some very good quotes Bruce, but I have to say I love your mom's. When it comes to our kids, we moms cut to the chase, and are honest to a fault. Very sweet.
Bruce Horst - your selected quotations have a deep meaning ---- "I would be a Christian if it were not for the Christians." - Gandhi. When give food to the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why the poor have no food, they call me a communist - Helder Camara. Thank you for sharing. I intend to meditate on the quotes to feel the truth hidden in it.
All I have to say is awesome quotes! I love it, great Job Bruce!
I loved reading all of the quotes here in this article. Really enjoyable, and quite true. The quote by Gandhi was quite intriguing.
You've got quite a few excellent ones in there! I love the one about the reasonable and the unreasonable man. Most of history's greatest geniuses were not exactly reasonable men - if not downright insane. Keep the great articles coming!
Bruce, I tried to read this fast. I find I am either not a speedthinker or I am really dumb. Very interesting article. Now I will read it slower and see if I get smarter. One thing for sure, your readers (except for maybe me) are smart. So, here I go again. Thanks for making me think, Bruce.from Sherry
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