Do you become spiritual by performing ceremonies and rituals…? Ceremonies and rituals sometimes give a certain sensation, so-called uplift. But they are repetitious, and every sensation that is repeated soon wearies of itself.
You look at it, but it is not to be seen; Its name is Formless. You listen to it, but it is not to be heard; Its name is Soundless. You grasp it, but it is not to be held; Its name is Bodiless. These three elude all scrutiny. And hence they blend and become one.
The whole purpose of religion is to facilitate love and compassion, patience, tolerance, humility, and forgiveness.
-Dalai Lama Xiv
The biggest trick that we, the religious gurus have played is; the ones who came
to destroy us, we placed them only as gods before you. Now say, how could our
shutters ever be pulled down?
-Deep Trivedi
How can living life to the fullest with much passion, fun and happiness or moving
towards success, ever be irreligious? Irreligiousness itself begins with renouncing
the things out of fear.
-Deep Trivedi
Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful.
The modern habit of doing ceremonial things unceremoniously is no proof of humility; rather it proves the offender’s inability to forget himself in the rite, and his readiness to spoil for everyone else the proper pleasure of ritual.
I have a problem with people who take the Constitution loosely and the Bible literally.
-Bill Maher
I like the silent church before the service begins, better than any preaching.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
"Self-Reliance and Other Essays"
Perhaps not one religion contains all of the truth of the world. Perhaps every religion contains fragments of the truth, and it is our responsibility to identify those fragments and piece them together.
-Christopher Paolini
"Brisingr"
