First of all move me, surprise me, rend my heart; make me tremble, weep, shudder; outrage me; delight my eyes afterwards if you can.

Man will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest.

We swallow greedily any lie that flatters us, but we sip only little by little at a truth we find bitter.

All things must be examined, debated, investigated without exception and without regard for anyone's feelings.

Those who fear the facts will forever try to discredit the fact-finders.

Disturbances in society are never more fearful than when those who are stirring up the trouble can use the pretext of religion to mask their true designs.

Only passions, great passions, can elevate the soul to great things.

Skepticism is the first step on the road to philosophy.

Oh! how near are genius and madness! Men imprison them and chain them, or raise statues to them.

In general, children, like men, and men, like children, prefer entertainment to education.

Although a man may wear fine clothing, if he lives peacefully; and is good, self-possessed, has faith and is pure; and if he does not hurt any living being, he is a holy man.

...much theological discussion is wasted, not because the words used have no possible meaning, but because the people who use them don't mean anything by them.

We are a way for the cosmos to know itself

We are often unaware of how much we love the people around us. This is true for everyone. We may think that we love certain people, but we don't know how profoundly we love them.

Iran is actively pursuing the development of weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles.

The imagination is unleashed by constraints. You break out of the box by stepping into shackles.

If we include hedonistic philosophy in hospitals, the lives of patients suffering from cancer would be much, much better.

there were moments in life when violence was necessary to save lives

The trick is to realize that one is not important, except insofar as one’s example can serve to elucidate a more widespread human trait and make readers feel a little less lonely and freakish.

Obama shows no sign of easing up on negativity.

Love has come to rule and transform; Stay awake, my heart, stay awake.