Superstitions Quotes - Page 3

• They that are against Superstition oftentimes run into it of the wrong side. If I will wear all colours but black, then am I superstitious in not wearing black.

  John Selden

  Running, Wearing Black, Color

  "Table Talk, Being the Discourses of John Selden".

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• Men become superstitious, not because they have too much imagination, but because they are not aware that they have any.

  George Santayana

  Men, Imagination, Too Much

  George Santayana (1934). “Little essays drawn from the writings of George Santayana”, p.54, Рипол Классик

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• Superstitions and belief in magic are perennial in just the same way as religion, and something near to being universal among mankind; and why this is so may be interesting, but in most cases the beliefs themselves are devoid of interesting content, at least to me.

  Bryan Magee

  Interesting, Magic, May

  "Confessions of a Philosopher: A Personal Journey Through Western Philosophy from Plato to Popper". Book by Bryan Magee, 1997.

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• Religion is not removed by removing superstition.

  Marcus Tullius Cicero

  "De Divinatione", II. 72, as quoted in Hoyt's New Cyclopedia Of Practical Quotations (1922), p. 770-71,

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• Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.

  Helen Keller

  Inspirational, Life, Strength

  Helen Keller (1957). “The Open Door”, Garden City, N.Y. : Doubleday

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• For my own part I would as soon be descended from that heroic little monkey, who braved his dreaded enemy in order to save the life of his keeper; or from that old baboon, who, descending from the mountains, carried away in triumph his young comrade from a crowd of astonished dogs-as from a savage who delights to torture his enemies, offers up bloody sacrifices, practices infanticide without remorse, treats his wives like slaves, knows no decency, and is haunted by the grossest superstitions.

  Charles Darwin

  Dog, Sacrifice, Order

  The Descent of Man ch. 21 (1871)

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• As for omens, there is no such thing as an omen. Destiny does not send us heralds. She is too wise or too cruel for that.

  Oscar Wilde

  Wise, Destiny, Doe

  Oscar Wilde, General Press (2016). “The Complete Works of Oscar Wilde: Novel, Short Stories, Poetry, Essays and Plays”, p.154, GENERAL PRESS

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• Millions of innocent men, women and children, since the introduction of Christianity, have been burnt, tortured, fined and imprisoned; yet we have not advanced one inch towards uniformity. What has been the effect of coercion? To make one half the world fools, and the other half hypocrites. To support roguery and error all over the earth.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Religious, Children, Hypocrite

  Thomas Jefferson (2010). “The Works of Thomas Jefferson: Notes on Virginia II, Correspondence 1782-1786”, p.80, Cosimo, Inc.

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• Superstition is only the fear of belief, while religion is the confidence.

  Marguerite Gardiner, Countess of Blessington

  Belief

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• Superstition is an unreasoning fear of God.

  Marcus Tullius Cicero

  God

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• Superstitions are habits rather than beliefs.

  Marlene Dietrich

  Atheism, Belief, Habit

  Marlene Dietrich (2012). “Marlene Dietrich's ABC: Wit, Wisdom, & Recipes”, p.114, Open Road Media

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• Man's mind is like a store of idolatry and superstition; so much so that if a man believes his own mind it is certain that he will forsake God and forge some idol in his own brain.

  John Calvin

  Believe, Men, Idols

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• Superstition is the only religion of which base souls are capable of.

  Joseph Joubert

  Soul, Religion, Superstitious

  Joseph Joubert (1896). “Pensées of Joubert”

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• The worst superstition is to consider our own tolerable.

  Doris Lessing

  Worst, Tolerable

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• Superstition is the poesy of practical life; hence, a poet is none the worse for being superstitious.

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  Poet, Practicals, Practical Life

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1853). “Goethe's Opinions on the World, Mankind, Literature, Science, and Art”, p.111

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• There is in superstition a senseless fear of God; religion consists in the pious worship of Him.

  Marcus Tullius Cicero

  Worship, Pious

  "Hoyt's New Cyclopedia Of Practical Quotations" by Jehiel Keeler Hoyt, De Natura Deorum, I. 42, p. 770-71, 1922.

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• Religious bondage shackles and debilitates the mind and unfits it for every noble enterprise.... During almost fifteen centuries has the legal establishment of Christianity been on trial. What have been its fruits? More or less, in all places, pride and indolence in the clergy; ignorance and servility in laity; in both, superstition, bigotry, and persecution.

  James Madison

  Religious, Atheist, Ignorance

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• The mere man of pleasure is miserable in old age, and the mere drudge in business is but little better, whereas, natural philosophy, mathematical and mechanical science, are a continual source of tranquil pleasure, and in spite of the gloomy dogmas of priests and of superstition, the study of these things is the true theology; it teaches man to know and admire the Creator, for the principles of science are in the creation, and are unchangeable and of divine origin.

  Thomas Paine

  Philosophy, Knowledge, Science

  Thomas Paine (2003). “The Age of Reason”, p.118, Book Tree

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• Be strong, get beyond all superstitions, and be free.

  Swami Vivekananda

  Inspirational, Motivational, Strong

  Swami Vivekananda, Vivekananda Kendra (2009). “Swami Vivekananda's Rousing Call to Hindu Nation”, p.156, Vivekananda Kendra

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• Superstition is a quality that seems indigenous to the ocean.

  James F. Cooper

  Ocean, Quality, Indigenous

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• My only feeling about superstition is that it's unlucky to be behind at the end of the game.

  Duffy Daugherty

  Sports, Games, Feelings

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• When even the brightest mind in our world has been trained up from childhood in a superstition of any kind, it will never be possible for that mind, in its maturity, to examine sincerely, dispassionately, and conscientiously any evidence or any circumstance which shall seem to cast a doubt upon the validity of that superstition. I doubt if I could do it myself.

  Mark Twain

  Science, Maturity, Our World

  Mark Twain (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Mark Twain (Illustrated)”, p.4096, Delphi Classics

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• Superstition is to religion what astrology is to astronomy the mad daughter of a wise mother. These daughters have too long dominated the earth.

  Voltaire

  Wise, Daughter, Mother

  Voltaire (1989). “Voltaire: selections”, MacMillan Publishing Company

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• Human spirit is the ability to face the uncertainty of the future with curiosity and optimism.

  Bernard Beckett

  Optimism, Curiosity, Faces

  "Genesis". Book by Bernard Beckett, www.npr.org. 2006.

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• To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom.

  Bertrand Russell

  Inspirational, Success, Wisdom

  Unpopular Essays (1950) "Outline of Intellectual Rubbish"

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