If a misplaced admiration shows imbecility, an affected criticism shows vice of character. Expose thyself rather to appear a beast than false.

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.

We did not determine our fate into the world. What we know is we are here in the world.

In your usual state of consciousness, there is a separate quale experience of everything you observe. But when you transcend into the domain of absolute divinity, all your qualia get mixed up.

Guilt is just as powerful, but its influence is positive, while shame's is destructive. Shame erodes our courage and fuels disengagement.

What we need is not a history of selected races or nations, but the history of the world void of national bias, race hate, and religious prejudice.

In fact, in Europe, I'm more kind of this bloke what writes lots of stuff.

They can only set free men free... And there is no need of that: Free men set themselves free.

As children we hoard and gloat over words. Words give ownership: we name our world and we claim it...Children trust the power of words.

Every time we open our hearts, we create the space for a global alternative.

Consciousness is, among other things, a spontaneous exercise in creativity.

If people are innately saddled with certain sins and flaws, like selfishness, prejudice, sort-sightedness, and self-deception, then political reform would seem to be a waste of time.