"It is in our lives and not our words that our religion must be read"
- Thomas Jefferson
About this Quote
This quote by Thomas Jefferson stresses the importance of living a life that shows one's beliefs as well as values. He is suggesting that it is inadequate to just speak about one's faith, but rather it should be demonstrated with action. He is stating that our faith needs to be seen in our lives, not simply in our words. This indicates that our behavior needs to be consistent with our ideas and worths. We ought to make every effort to live a life that is in line with our confidence, and that our activities should be a reflection of our beliefs. This quote motivates us to be conscious of our actions as well as to ensure that it is in line with our belief. It is a pointer that our faith need to be seen in our lives, not just in our words.
"No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite"
"Art is exalted above religion and race. Not a single solitary soul these days believes in the religions of the Assyrians, the Egyptians and the Greeks... Only their art, whenever it was beautiful, stands proud and exalted, rising above all time"
"Women are oppressed in the east, in the west, in the south, in the north. Women are oppressed inside, outside home, a woman is oppressed in religion, she is oppressed outside religion"
"At the same time we are aware that our various religions and ethical traditions often offer very different bases for what is helpful and what is unhelpful for men and women, what is right and what is wrong, what is good and what is evil"