text:
Joschka Fischer

Joseph Martin "Joschka" Fischer (born April 12, 1948) is a politician of the German Green Party (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen) who was Vice Chancelor and Foreign Minister (1998–2005).

Quotes

 * "Stalin war also so ein Typ wie wir, nicht nur, daß er sich auch als Revolutionär verstanden und gelebt hat, sondern er war im wahrsten Sinne des Wortes eben auch ein Typ." … [Wir müssen] "diese psychische Kaputtheit aus uns endlich rauslassen … Es ist unser und mein dunkelstes Kapitel, ich weiß, oder ahne es besser nur, weil ich da selber wahnsinnig Angst vor bestimmten Sachen in mir habe. Bartsch und Honka sind Extremfälle, aber irgendwo hängt das als Typ in dir drin … dann wurde dann leicht auch, ja, die Lust am Schlagen draus, ein tendenziell sadistisches Vergnügen."
 * Stalin was a guy like we are, not only that he considered himself a revolutionary and lived like one, but he was a character in the truest sense of the word... We have finally to let out this psychological wreckage... it is our and my darkest chapter, I know or better to say I suspect it, because I am extremely afraid of certain things that are inside of me. Bartsch and Honka are extreme cases, but in some sense this is as personality inside of oneself... then it easily developed into, yes, the thrill of punching, tending to be a sadistic pleasure.
 * Autonomie, No. 5 (1977)

 * Mit Verlaub, Herr Präsident, Sie sind ein Arschloch.
 * With all due respect, Mr President, you are an asshole.
 * Said to German Bundestag vice president Richard Stücklen after he excluded Jürgen Reents because he described Helmut Kohl as von Flick freigekauft [bought out by Flick) (1984-10-18); from S. Krause-Burger: Joschka Fischer. Der Marsch durch die Illusionen.

 * Let’s forget the reunification, let’s just shut up and don't talk about that topic for the next 20 years.
 * Vergessen wir die Wiedervereinigung. Halten wir die nächsten 20 Jahre die Schnauze darüber (Autumm 1989)

 * Ich sehe uns schon mit Dreadlocks da sitzen und eine riesige Tüte rauchen, im Hintergrund Reggae-Music und vor uns ein dampfendes Bier. Im Ernst: Wie stellen Sie sich das vor?
 * I can already picture us sitting there with dreadlocks, smoking a huge joint, listening to reggae music and in front of us a steaming beer. Seriously: Can you imagine such a thing?
 * After the 2005 Bundestags election discussion of the so-called Jamaica coalition.

 * My name is Mr. Fischer. What’s your name?
 * When asked about his name by President Bush (2005-10-22)

 * Excuse me, I am not convinced.
 * Adressing U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld with regard to the Iraq War at the 39th Security Conference in Munich

Others of Joschka Fischer

 * /.../I would never shake the hand of a person like the German foreign minister, nor would I let him in my house. He is the prototype of a shameful politician; the one who makes a career as a protester and a friend of the peace, in order to use his official ideals to get a well paid position as a war mongering foreign minister. A political scum.
 * Jan Myrdal in a speech against the European Union in the Swedish town Falun.

title: Joschka Fischer


text: Category:Chemists

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Category:Chemists


text:
J. Philippe Rushton

John Philippe Rushton (December 3, 1943 – October 2, 2012) was a psychology professor at the University of Western Ontario, Canada best known for his controversial work on racial differences.

Quotes

 * Deconstructing the concept of race not only goes against the tendency of virtually every known culture to classify and build family histories according to some measure of common descent, it also ignores the work of biologists studying non-human species.
 * Mankind Quarterly, Winter98, Vol. 39 Issue 2, p231

 * Regardless of the extent to which the media promote "politically correct," but scientifically wrong, resolutions from professional societies such as the American Anthropological Association, facts remain facts and require appropriate scientific, not political or ideological, explanation. None of this should be construed as meaning that environmental factors play no part in individual and group differences. But with each passing year and each new study, the evidence for the genetic contribution to these differences becomes more firmly established than ever.
 * Mankind Quarterly, Winter98, Vol. 39 Issue 2, p231

title: J. Philippe Rushton


text:
Bottle Rocket

Bottle Rocket is a 1996 film about two friends who embark on a hare-brained scheme for an as-yet unspecified crime spree that somehow involves the former boss of one of the two.
 * Directed by Wes Anderson. Written by Owen Wilson and Wes Anderson.

They're not really criminals, but everybody's got to have a dream.

Dignan

 * What do you think I was doing the whole time you were out there man? I told you Dignan got fired, out on his ass. But you didn't think about that, did you. In the end it's easier to think about yourself than it is to think about Dignan.
 * You know there's nothing to steal from my mom and Craig!
 * What a lemon! One minute it's running like a top, and the next it's broken down on the side of the road. And I can't fix a car like this, because I don't have the tools! And even if I did have the tools I don't know if I could fix a car like this!
 * Okay. There, you see the star is me, right there, and I'll be in there. The X is Anthony. Bob, you're the zero out here in the car.
 * We'll get him. We'll get him. Man, don't worry about that, we'll get him. And when we do, we'll blow up his car, do something. I can guarantee you that. What makes me furious is thinking about the look on Bob's fat face, thinking he pulled one over on us. I tell you another thing. If our paths cross again, you're gonna see a side of Dignan that you haven't seen before. A sick, sadistic side, cause I'm furious at Bob.
 * Pointless act! You don't give a 500 dollar tip to the housekeeper! That's inappropriate! That's inexcusable! That, I don't forgive! What were you thinking? What were you thinking?
 * On the run from Johnny Law... ain't no trip to Cleveland.
 * You, my dear friend, are a fucking fool.
 * Here are just a few of the key ingredients: dynamite, pole vaulting, laughing gas, choppers - can you see how incredible this is going to be? - hang gliding, come on!
 * They'll never catch me... because I'm fucking innocent.
 * Isn't it funny how you used to be in the nut house and now I'm in jail?
 * How does an asshole like Bob get such a great kitchen?
 * Ca-caw! Ca-caw!
 * Son of a bitch! Anthony! Anthony! Bob's gone. He stole his car! He flew the coop while we were sleepin'!
 * Shh, wait for my instructions. When we go through the next gate, you'll have thirty seconds to take out the tower guard.  Thirty seconds.  Have the car running at the northwest checkpoint.  Bob and I are gonna scale the barricade, and then we're gonna tunnel through to no-mans-land.  And Bob, remember, shield me from the bullets, they won't shoot civilians!  Are you ready?  Let's go!  Let's go!  Now!  Now!  Now!  (smiling)  Isn't it funny how you used to be in the nut house and now I'm in jail?
 * Bob gets the Spirit Award.

Anthony

 * One morning, over at Elizabeth's beach house, she asked me if I'd rather go water-skiing or lay out. And I realized that not only did I not want to answer that question, but I never wanted to answer another water-sports question, or see any of these people again for the rest of my life.

Future Man

 * He looks like a little banana. Where are you from pal?

Dialogue

 * Bob: Wha - why is there tape on your nose?
 * Dignan: Exactly!

 * Kumar: Man, I blew it. I blew it, man!
 * Anthony: Kumar, what were you doing in the freezer?
 * Kumar: I don't know, man; I lose my touch, man!
 * Dignan: Did you even have a touch to lose, man?

 * Dignan: Bob Mapplethorpe, potential get-away driver: go!
 * Bob: Well, I think there's a real air of mystery about me.
 * Dignan: Don't complicate it. Your number one strength is you have a car you can provide. Sell yourself! Start over. Ready, go!
 * Bob: Okay, alright. I'm a risk taker! I'm growin' an entire crop of marijuana plants in my parents back yard! I think that shows...
 * Dignan: Wait, you're growing an entire crop of marijuana in your back yard?
 * Bob: Dignan, look. I'm just not very good at this selling-yourself stuff, okay? So, I'm just gonna tell you the truth. I really wanna be a part of this team. And I'm the only one with a car.
 * Dignan: That's good. That's good. 'Cause that hits me right here.

 * Anthony: So, did you enjoy your first visit to the nut house?
 * Dignan: Hey, hey, shh, shh, shh. Come on. Be sensitive to the fact that other people are not comfortable talking about emotional disturbances. Um, you know, I am, I'm fine with that, but... other people.

 * Guy in bathroom: Hey, you're in the Army, yes?
 * Dignan: No, I just have short hair.

 * Anthony: You told, you told your friend Bernice I'm some kind of jet pilot?
 * Grace: What was I supposed to say, they stuck you in an insane asylum?
 * Anthony: It wasn't an insane asylum, Grace. I explained to you back then that it was for exhaustion.
 * Grace: Exhaustion?
 * Anthony: Yes, exhaustion.
 * Grace: You haven't worked a day in your life. How could you be exhausted?

 * Anthony: She thinks I'm a failure.
 * Dignan: What? She said you were a failure? What has she ever accomplished with her life that's so great, man? Nothing.

 * Anthony: Which part of Mexico are you from?
 * Inez: Paraguay

 * Abe Henry: I don't mean to offend you, Bob. But your brother's a cocksucker. Does that offend you?
 * Bob: No, that didn't offend me.
 * Abe Henry: Good.

 * Stacy: You're really complicated, aren't you?
 * Anthony: I try not to be.

 * Dignan: What are you doing here?!
 * Workers: We work here.
 * Dignan: Your hours at lunch now!
 * Workers: Not always.
 * Dignan: Yes! Always!

 * Future Man: What the fuck are you wearing?
 * Dignan: It's a jump suit.
 * Future Man: Clay look at this guy...
 * Clay: He looks like a rodeo clown...
 * Future Man: He looks like a little banana. Where are you from anyway, man?
 * Dignan: I'm from around here.
 * Future Man: This guy used to mow our lawn.
 * Clay: No shit.
 * Future Man: Yeah he was great, clipping the hedges, sweeping up, mowing the lawn. What was the name of your little lawn mowing company?
 * Dignan: The Lawn Wranglers.
 * Future Man: (laughing) Let's go. Keep up the mowing, Kimosabe.

 * Dignan: Fact: I learned more in the two months I spent with Mr. Henry and his crew than I learned in 15 years of academic study. Fact: I can guarantee you after Mr. Henry sees us pull this job, he's going to take a personal interest in our future. Fact: Mr. Henry drives a Jaguar...
 * Anthony: Fact: The picture's not doing it for me right now, Dignan.
 * Dignan: Well, does the fact that I'm trying to do it, do it for you?

Tagline

 * They're not really criminals, but everybody's got to have a dream.

Cast

 * Owen Wilson - Dignan
 * Luke Wilson - Anthony Adams
 * Robert Musgrave - Bob Mapplethorpe
 * Lumi Cavazos - Inez
 * James Caan - Abe Henry

title: Bottle Rocket


text:
Talk:Polish proverbs

Bogu świeczkę, a diabłu ogarek.

 * English equivalent: A fair face and a foul heart. - WRONG.
 * Real meaning 'somebody wants to appease both sides of the conflict, somebody who hedges bets for two outcomes'.

Do tanga trzeba dwojga.

 * Real meaning 'it takes two to agree or be willing, for any deal or agreement to work'

"It takes two to tango." A real quote from English-language literature.

Postawić wszystsko na jedną kartę.

 * Real meaning: to go all for it, to risk everything for one outcome.
 * English equivalent: Don't put all your eggs in the same basket. - WRONG. This is the exact opposite of the idiom.
 * Meaning: "Spread your risks or investments so that if one enterprise fails you will not lose everything." - WRONG. This is the exact opposite of the idiom.

Domowe psy, choć się kąsają, wilka ujrzawszy nań się rzucają.

 * English equivalent: Don't go between the tree and the bark.
 * Meaning: Do not interfere when two parts are having an argument.

The proverb implies little quarrels (maybe in family or between flatmates? – "domowe psy"), but the second part says that they fight against alien threat – wolf. However, the English equivalent and meaning say to not interfere in arguments. Can anyone provide some source with explanation? – Tracerneo (talk) 14:20, 2 February 2015 (UTC)
 * Proverb books typically don't provide an explanation to a proverb, because the readers are imposed to infer the meaning. My explanation of the proverbs meaning is the following: "You should not interfere in a conflict when you are not sure you are aware of both sides point of view." Spannerjam (talk) 09:46, 3 February 2015 (UTC)
 * English equivalent: Don't go between the tree and the bark. WRONG
 * Meaning: Do not interfere when two parts are having an argument. WRONG
 * - The real meaning is "The home conflicts, even if they are common, stop (or rather: 'are suspended') when an external enemy appears, then everybody fight together against him ['all hands on board' applies]". The explanation of Spannerjam is wrong, that of Tracerneo is correct. (NB. I am Polish). NoychoH (talk) 16:23, 6 January 2017 (UTC)

Wyrwać się jak filip z konopii.
An explanation: And yes - correctly, in that proverb, it should be "filip", not "Filip". While "Filip" in Polish is a male name (="Philip"), a "filip" in hunters jargon means ... a hare. And hares often hid in hemp and, when scared, suddenly hopped out of their hide - that's what the proverb is literally about: "To burst/hop out like a hare from hemp". The proverb is used however in a slightly different context - to describe the action of a person who out of sudden said (or volunteered to do) something silly, without much thinking and consideration. Just like a hare suddenly bursts from its hide.
 * I am sorry but I can't seem to find where this proverb is written down. Spannerjam (talk) 09:46, 3 February 2015 (UTC)

Gdzie drwa rąbią, tam wióry lecą.

 * Word-for-word translation: Where wood is being chopped, shavings fly
 * English equivalent: Where there's smoke, there's fire

well, the original means "Where is action, there might be some victims, sacrifices or results" ; whereas the English equivalent is quite revese- "where are visible results, there must be cause". I cannot think of any better equivalent, thou.

 * Also, "Gdzie drwa rąbią, tam wióry lecą" - means Where is action, there may be dangerous for the onlookers, or even: where there is troubles, people gets hurt. (compare with collateral damage)
 * I think the English equivalent is adequate as provided. Spannerjam (talk) 09:46, 3 February 2015 (UTC)

Bez pracy nie ma kołaczy.

 * Word-for-word translation: No Work, no Dinner.

Kolacze is not dinner (nie ma kolacji) but its a sort of traditional cookies. So a better direct translation is: No work, no cookies.
 * Make the change. :) Spannerjam (talk) 09:46, 3 February 2015 (UTC)

Szlachcic na zagrodzie równy wojewodzie.

 * Meaning: A rich person (the nobleman with a farmstead) is as powerful and influential as a state official (the voivode, an approximate equivalent of a sherriff in the medieval England).

Szlachcic na zagrodzie means the poor nobility and the proverb's real meaning is that wealth doesn't matter. It used to be popular in Poland in early days of the nobles' democracy and primarly referred only to the nobility, that's why word nobleman is used here.

 * Its correct a nobleman on a village small farmstead "zagroda" was a poor nobleman, not more than many a peasant in money value. Although he had his full citizen rights yes. A decent equivalent is probably "An Englishmans home is his castle".
 * /StefanZ 21:49, 23 February 2014

 * Hi Stefanz and Welcome to Wikiquote! I encourage you to be be bold and make the changes you believe will improve this page. --Spannerjam (talk) 18:28, 24 February 2014 (UTC)

Gwiazdki z nieba się zachciewa.
Gwiazdki z nieba - star from haven - something like a dream and also a shuting star coming to earth. Stary mean old. Dogorywa mean is about go to up ,do góry. Nieboszczyk czknie do nieba nieba czeka. The old believ that after death thwy go to stars, (ze iskrami skrami with sparks on funeral pyre) So in logical reverse to be born/reborn stars had to coming down to earth. This is poverb is used freguently to a young ladies. The unspoken (modesty) meaning is - she act as want to be pregnat or act in capricious way as pregnant women. You ma not find this explanation in othr palces since the old contxt is blurring the immemorial times. Ale jeżeli rozumiesz to wspomnij na co się czeka przed rozpoczęciem wigilii z niezdjętą zastawą dla wyglądanych przybyszy co mają obyć się niczym spaść z nieba.

 * Word-for-word translation: To want a star from the sky
 * Meaning: Somebody wants something they can't possibly get themselves nor from others.
 * English equivalent: to ask/cry for the moon

= Unsourced proverbs =
 * NOTE: These must be sourced before moving them to the page.

B

 * Baba z wozu, koniom lżej
 * Word-for-word translation: When a woman has got off a wagon, horses have an easier time
 * Meaning: It's all the better when an unhelpful person gets out of the way.
 * English equivalent: Lighten your load!

 * Bez pracy nie ma kołaczy
 * Word-for-word translation: No Work, no Dinner
 * Latin equivalent: Sine labore non erit panis in ore
 * English equivalent: No pain, no gain

 * Bredzi jak Piekarski na mękach
 * Word-for-word translation: S/he talks gibberish like tortured Piekarski
 * Meaning: S/he's lying.

 * Bogatemu to i diabeł dzieci kołysze
 * Word-for-word translation: A rich man even has the devil to lull his children
 * Meaning: All circumstances always turn advantageous for a rich man, in contrast to the poor man, who is always unlucky. Money eases the way to everything.
 * English equivalent: The rich man gets his ice in the summer and the poor man gets his in the winter

 * Bez soli smutna biesiada
 * Word-for-word translation: Without salt the feast is sad
 * English equivalent: Salt is the spice of life!

C

 * Czekaj, tatka, latka
 * Word-for-word translation: Wait for years, daddy
 * Latin equivalent: Ad calendas Graecas (until Greek calendas) - i.e. until never (the Greeks did not celebrate the day of calendas)
 * English equivalent: You can wait till the cows come home

D

 * Dobrego i karczma nie zepsuje, a złego i kościół nie naprawi
 * Word-for-word translation: A good man even in a tavern won't be spoiled, a wicked one even in the church won't mend their way

 * Dobrego (nawet) karczma nie zepsuje, a złego (nawet) kościół nie uratuje
 * Same meaning but the second one rhymes unlike the previous proverb.
 * Word-for-word translation: A good man even in a tavern won't be spoiled, not even (a) church can save a bad man.

 * Dobry żart tynfa wart
 * Word-for-word translation: A good joke is worth a tynf (an old Polish penny)
 * Meaning: A compliment for a good joke.

 * Dopóty dzban wodę nosi, dopóki mu się ucho nie urwie
 * Word-for-word translation: A jug carries water until its handle breaks off
 * Meaning: Situation will inevitably change and the circumstances will no longer benefit certain person.

G

 * Gdy kota nie ma, myszy harcują
 * English equivalent: When the cat's away the mice will play

 * Gdy pies je, to nie szczeka, bo mu miska ucieka
 * Word-for-word translation: When the dog eats, he doesn't bark, because his food will run away
 * Meaning: Don't talk with your mouth full.

 * Gdzie kucharek sześć, tam nie ma co jeść
 * Word-for-word translation: Where there are six cooks, there is nothing to eat
 * German equivalent: Viele Köche verderben den Brei
 * English equivalent: Too many cooks spoil the broth

 * Gadał dziad do obrazu, a obraz do niego ani razu
 * Word-for-word translation: A beggar talked to a picture, but picture answered nothing
 * English equivalent: Like talking to the wall

 * Gdzie diabeł nie może, tam babę pośle
 * Word-for-word translation: Where the Devil can't go, he'll send a woman
 * Meaning: Women often cause trouble.

 * Gdzie drwa rąbią, tam wióry lecą
 * Word-for-word translation: Where wood is being chopped, shavings fly
 * Meaning:
 * It's better to mind your own business when others fight, or you might get hurt.
 * At times when people struggle for some greater goals, the innocents are often harmed.
 * English equivalent: Where there's smoke, there's fire

 * Gdzie dwóch się bije, tam trzeci korzysta
 * Word-for-word translation:
 * Where two people fight against each other, the third one wins
 * Where two are fighting (arguing, suing); it is another who benefits

 * Gdzie zgoda, tam i siła
 * English version: With unity there is strength

 * Gość w dom - Bóg w dom
 * Word-for-word translation: Guest coming into house - God coming into house (essence of Polish hospitality)
 * Meaning: A guest is a blessing for the household.

 * Grosz do grosza, a będzie kokosza
 * Word-for-word translation: Add up your pennies, and buy a hen
 * English equivalent:
 * Every penny adds up
 * A penny saved is a penny earned [Benjamin Franklin]
 * Look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves

I

 * I Herkules dupa, kiedy wrogów kupa
 * Word-for-word translation (vulgar): Even Hercules is a wimp, when he must fight against heaps of enemies
 * Latin version: Nec Hercules contra plures

 * Idzie luty, podkuj buty
 * Word-for-word translation: When February comes, hobnail your shoes

J

 * Jak Kuba Bogu, tak Bóg Kubie
 * Word-for-word translation: As Jake treats God, God will treat Jake
 * English equivalent: Turnaround is fair play

 * Jak sobie pościelesz, tak się wyśpisz
 * Word-for-word translation: You rest the way you have made your bed
 * English equivalent: As ye sow, so shall ye reap

K

 * Kowal zawinił, a Cygana powiesili
 * Word-for-word translation: The blacksmith was guilty, but they hanged the Gypsy
 * Meaning: The scapegoat suffers not for his faults

 * Kruk krukowi oka nie wykole
 * Word-for-word translation: The crow won't peck an eye of another crow
 * Meaning: One wrong-doer won't help fighting another.

 * Kto daje i odbiera, ten się w piekle poniewiera
 * Translation: Who gives and then takes it back, goes to hell (is mistreated in hell).

 * Kto szybko daje, dwa razy daje
 * Meaning: A swift help is worth more.
 * Latin version: Bis dat, qui cito dat
 * English translation: He who gives quickly gives twice.

 * Każdego ciągnie do złego
 * Translation: Everyone is tempted to evil.

 * Kropla do kropli i będzie morze
 * Translation: Drop after drop, there will be a sea
 * English equivalent: In unity, there is strength

 * Kto ma sadło, temu snadno
 * Translation: Who's fat, is happy.

 * Kto ucieka, winnym się staje
 * Translation: Running away makes you guilty.

 * Kurwa kurwie łba nie urwie (vulgar)
 * Translation: A whore won't tear off another whore' head.
 * Meaning: People who are somehow similar don't hurt one another. Instead, they tend to cooperate.

 * Kto nie słucha ojca i matki, ten się posłucha psiej skóry
 * Translation: Who is not (listening to) obeying their parents, is listening to dogs skin
 * Meaning: If you don't learn from your parents, you'll learn from the school of hard knocks.

 * Kto nie słucha ojca, matki, ten posłucha psiej kołatki.
 * Rhyming version of the above proverb.

L

 * Lepiej późno niż wcale
 * English equivalent: Better late than never

 * Lepsza jedna panna niż cztery wdowy
 * Translation: One maiden is better than four widows.

 * Los szczęście rzuca, ale nie każdy je łapie
 * Translation: Fate throws fortune, but not everyone catches.

 * Ładnemu we wszystkim ładnie
 * Translation: A pretty person looks pretty in every clothing.

M

 * Między młotem a kowadłem
 * Translation: Between the hammer and the anvil
 * English: Between a rock and a hard place; between the devil and the deep blue sea.

 * Musi to na Rusi, w Polsce jak kto chce
 * Translation:
 * "Must to" is good in Russia, in Poland it's as one pleases
 * In Russia it's as you must, in Poland as you wish.

 * Myszy harcują, gdy kota nie czują
 * Translation: Mice play around, when they don't smell the cat
 * English equivalent: When the cat's away, the mice will play.

N

 * Najlepsze mienie - czyste sumienie
 * Translation: The best asset is a clean conscience

 * Na kogo kruki, na tego wrony
 * Alternative: Siła złego na jednego
 * Translation: the one attacked by ravens is also attacked by crows (i.e. used when one is unfairly attacked from all sides by a large number of enemies).
 * English equivalent: All against one.

 * Nie masz na upór lekarstwa
 * Translation: You can't heal stubbornness

 * Nie ma tego złego, co by na dobre nie wyszło
 * Translation: Bad things often turn out to be good for you

 * Nie mów o nikim, nie będą o tobie.
 * Translation: Don't talk about others, they won't talk about you

 * Nie wszystko się godzi, co wolno
 * Translation: Not everything that's allowed is agreeable
 * English equivalent: Not everything legal is ethical

 * Nie od razu Kraków zbudowano
 * Translation: Krakow wasn't built immediately
 * English equivalent: Rome wasn't built in a day

 * Nieznajomość prawa szkodzi
 * Translation: ignorance of law is harmful
 * Latin equivalent: Ignoratia iuris nocet
 * English Equivalent: Ignorance is not an excuse

O

 * O umarłych mówi się dobrze albo wcale
 * Latin: De mortuis nihil nisi bene
 * Translation: of the dead speak well or not at all.

 * O wilku mowa, a wilk tuż tuż
 * Translation: Talk of a wolf and the wolf is here
 * Similar to:
 * Speak of the Devil (and he will appear)
 * Light on a mention

P

 * Panu Bogu świeczkę, a diabłu ogarek
 * Translation: Light a candle for God and a candle-stub for the Devil
 * Meaning: Everyone has his share

 * Paluszek i główka to szkolna wymówka
 * Translation: A sore finger and a headache are standard excuses for not going to school

 * Patrzy jak cielę na malowane wrota
 * Translation: He/She is staring like a calf at the painted gate
 * Meaning: He is clueless

 * Piękna miska jeść nie daje
 * Translation: A beautifully decorated plate won't feed anyone

 * Piekło jest wybrukowane dobrymi chęciami
 * Alternatively: "Dobrymi chęciami piekło jest wybrukowane"
 * Translation: The road to hell is paved with good intentions

 * Pokorne cielę dwie matki ssie
 * Translation: A humble calf will feed from two mothers
 * English equivalent: Humility gets you everywhere.

 * Przyszła koza do woza
 * Translation: Goat came to the cart
 * Meaning: Someone who earlier refused to accept your help or advice now asks for it.

R

 * Ręka rękę myje (Rączka rączkę myje)
 * Translation (and English equivalent): One hand washes the other. You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours.
 * Latin equivalent: Manus manum lavat

S

 * Szlachcic na zagrodzie równy wojewodzie
 * Translation: A nobleman at his farmstead is equal to a voivod
 * English equivalent: A man's home is his castle

 * Szukajcie, a znajdziecie
 * English equivalent: Seek and ye shall find

T

 * Tylko trzewik wie, że pończocha dziurawa
 * Translation:
 * Only the shoe knows the stocking to be torn
 * Only the shoe knows that the stocking is torn.
 * Meaning: Those close to us know our secrets.

U

 * Ucz się ucz, bo nauka to do potęgi klucz
 * Translation: Keep learning because knowledge is the key to might

W

 * Wolnoć, Tomku, w swoim domku
 * Translation: You are free, Tom, in your own home
 * Meaning: Do as you please at your own home
 * English equivalent: A man's home is his castle

 * Wszędzie dobrze, ale w domu najlepiej
 * Translation: Everywhere's fine, but best at home
 * English equivalent: Home, sweet home

 * Wszystko dobre, co się dobrze kończy
 * English equivalent: All's well that ends well

 * Wszystkie drogi prowadzą do Rzymu
 * English equivalent: All roads lead to Rome

 * W zdrowym ciele zdrowy duch
 * Meaning: In healthy body a healthy spirit resides
 * English equivalent: In a sound body, a sound mind.

Z

 * Zobaczysz (coś), jak świnia niebo
 * Translation: You will see something as surely as a pig will see the sky. (pigs cannot look up)
 * Meaning: In a pig's eye. Or 'It will happen, when pigs fly.' It's not likely.
 * English equivalent: When pigs fly

 * Za dukata brat sprzeda brata
 * Translation: For a ducat, he would sell his own brother

title: Talk:Polish proverbs


text:
Gattaca

Gattaca is a 1997 science fiction film. Set in a future where people's life opportunities are largely determined by their genetic makeups, the film tells the story of a natural-born man who assumes the identity of a genetically engineered one to achieve his dream of becoming an astronaut.

 * Written and directed by Andrew Niccol.

There Is No Gene For The Human Spirit. (taglines)

Vincent Freeman

 * I belonged to a new underclass, no longer determined by social status or the color of your skin. No, we now have discrimination down to a science.
 * They used to say that a child conceived in love has a greater chance of happiness. They don't say that anymore.
 * For someone who was never meant for this world, I must confess I'm suddenly having a hard time leaving it. Of course, they say every atom in our bodies was once part of a star. Maybe I'm not leaving... maybe I'm going home.

Dialogue

 * [Vincent's parents are planning a second child, and are shown four candidate embryos]
 * Geneticist: You have specified hazel eyes, dark hair and fair skin. I've taken the liberty of eradicating any potentially prejudicial conditions. Premature baldness, myopia... alcoholism and addictive susceptibility... propensity for violence, obesity, etc.
 * Marie Freeman: We didn't want... Diseases, yes, but-- [looks at Antonio]
 * Antonio Freeman: We were just wondering if it's good to leave a few things to chance?
 * Geneticist: We want to give your child the best possible start. Believe me, we have enough imperfection built in already. Your child doesn't need any more additional burdens. Keep in mind, this child is still you. Simply the best of you. You could conceive naturally a thousand times and never get such a result.

 * [Vincent is looking at a picture of a 12-fingered pianist]
 * Irene: You didn't know?
 * Vincent: Oh, yes. Yeah.
 * Irene: Wonderful, wasn't it?
 * Vincent: Twelve fingers, or one, it's how you play.
 * Irene: That piece can only be played with twelve.

 * [Vincent Freeman finds his brother Anton poring over the details of his Titan mission at his classroom station]
 * Anton Freeman: Vincent. [turns around and looks at him. Stands] My God you have changed. Has it been so long, you don't recognize your own brother?
 * Vincent Freeman: Are we brothers?
 * Anton: Our parents both died thinking they'd outlived you. [Pause] I had my doubts.
 * Vincent: What are you doing here Anton?
 * Anton: I should ask you that question. I have a right to be here. You don't.
 * Vincent: You almost sound as if you believe that. I committed no murder. You must be disappointed.
 * Anton: You committed fraud. [Pause] Listen, you're in a lot of trouble Vincent. I can get you out of here-
 * Vincent: Do you have any idea what it took to get IN here?!
 * Anton: You've gone as far as you can go. You come with me now!
 * Vincent: There is still a few million miles left to go..
 * Anton: It's over..
 * Vincent: Is it the only way you can succeed is to see me fail?
 * Anton: I'm telling you.....
 * Vincent: MY GOD, EVEN YOU ARE GOING TO TELL ME WHAT I CAN AND CAN'T DO NOW!? In case you haven't noticed, I don't need any rescuing, but you did once. Well.. you've got all the answers, how do you explain that?
 * Anton: You didn't beat me that day. I beat myself.
 * Vincent: Who are you trying to convince?
 * Anton: Do you want me to prove it to you?
 * Vincent: It's not important Anton. It's forgotten.
 * Anton: I'll prove it to you. YOU WANT ME TO PROVE IT TO YOU?! I'LL PROVE IT TO YOU!
 * Vincent: I do.

 * [Vincent takes up Anton's dare on their old challenge of swimming to see who will chicken out first]
 * Anton: Vincent! How are you doing this Vincent? How have you done any of this? We have to go back.
 * Vincent: It's too late for that. We're closer to the other side.
 * Anton: What other side? You wanna drown us both?
 * Vincent: You wanna know how I did it? This is how I did it Anton: I never saved anything for the swim back.

 * [Vincent visits his and Eugene's flat one more time, with all the equipment in mothballs]
 * Jerome Eugene Morrow: You're flying today, aren't you? Look at what a mess you're in. Come on. I have your samples ready.
 * Vincent Freeman: I don't need any samples where I'm going.
 * Jerome: You might when you get back. [shows freezer with a large stockpile of his specimen samples] Everything you need to last you two lifetimes.
 * Vincent Freeman: Why have you done all this?
 * Jerome: So Jerome will always be here when you need him.
 * Vincent: Where are you going?
 * Jerome: I'm traveling too.
 * Vincent: I don't know how to thank you.
 * Jerome: I got the better end of the deal. I only lent you my body. You lent me your dream. [gives Vincent a folded piece of paper] Not until you're upstairs.

 * [Prior to launch, Vincent is confronted with an unexpected urine test without one of Jerome's samples]
 * Vincent: What's this?
 * Dr. Lamar: [gives specimen cup] New policy. What's the matter? Flight got you nervous?
 * Vincent: Well, there's a problem Lamar...
 * Dr. Lamar: I never did tell you about my son, did I? He's a big fan of yours.
 * Vincent: Just remember that I was as good as any, and better than most...
 * Dr. Lamar: He wants to apply here.
 * Vincent: I could've gone up and back and nobody would've been the wiser.
 * Dr. Lamar: Unfortunately, my son's not all that they promised. But then, who knows what he could do. Right? [test reveals Vincent as an invalid] For future reference, right-handed men don't hold it with their left. It's just one of those things. [Lamar overrides the results with Jerome's valid ID] You don't want to miss your flight, Vincent.

Coda

 * Text not used at the conclusion of the theatrical release of the film, available as an out-take on DVD

 * In a few short years, scientists will have completed the Human Genome Project, the mapping of all the genes that make up a human being. We have now evolved to the point where we can direct our own evolution.

Had we acquired this knowledge sooner, the following people may never have been born:

Abraham Lincoln — Marfan Syndrome Emily Dickinson — Manic Depression Vincent Van Gogh — Epilepsy Albert Einstein — Dyslexia John F. Kennedy — Addison's Disease Rita Hayworth — Alzheimer's Disease Ray Charles — Primary Glaucoma Stephen Hawking — Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Jackie Joyner-Kersee — Asthma

Of course, the other birth that may never have taken place is your own...

Taglines

 * The Prisoner. His Cell.
 * The Prisoner. Her Cell.
 * There Is No Gene For The Human Spirit.
 * How do you hide when you're running from yourself?
 * Only one criterion : genetic perfection
 * Only the strong succeed

Cast

 * Ethan Hawke - Vincent Freeman
 * Uma Thurman - Irene Cassini
 * Jude Law - Jerome Eugene Morrow
 * Gore Vidal - Director Josef
 * Xander Berkeley - Dr. Lamar
 * Jayne Brook - Marie Freeman
 * Elias Koteas - Antonio Freeman
 * Ernest Borgnine - Caesar
 * Alan Arkin - Det. Hugo
 * Loren Dean - Anton Freeman

title: Gattaca


text:
Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure

Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure is a 1989 film about two teenagers who utilize time travel in order to complete a history report. It stars Keanu Reeves, Alex Winter and George Carlin.

 * Directed by Stephen Herek. Written by Chris Matheson and Ed Solomon.

Bill

 * Shut up Ted.
 * Be excellent to each other.

Ted

 * Party on dudes!

Rufus

 * Hi. Welcome to the future: San Dimas, California — 2688. And I'm telling you, it's great here. The air is clean. The water is clean. Even the dirt is clean! Bowling averages are way up. Mini-golf scores are way down, and we have more excellent water slides than any other planet we communicate with. I'm telling you, this place is great, but it almost wasn't. You see, seven hundred years ago, the Two Great Ones ran into a few problems. So now I have to travel back in time to help them out. If I should fail to keep these two along the correct path, the basis of our society will be endangered. Ah, but don't worry: it'll all make sense. I'm a professional.

Dialogue

 * Bill: Ted, while I agree that, in time, our band will be most triumphant, the truth is, Wyld Stallyns will never be a super-band until we get Eddie Van Halen on guitar.
 * Ted: Yes, Bill, but... I do not believe we will get Eddie Van Halen before we have a triumphant video.
 * Bill: Ted, it's pointless to have a triumphant video before we have decent instruments.
 * Ted: Well, how can we have decent instruments if we don't really even know how to play?
 * Bill: That is why we need Eddie Van Halen!
 * Ted: And that is why we need a triumphant video!
 * Both: [think for a second] EXCELLENT! [guitar riff]

 * [In the classroom.]
 * Mr. Ryan: Who was Joan of Arc?
 * Ted: Noah's wife?

 * Ted: Your stepmom's cute.
 * Bill: Shut up, Ted.
 * Ted: Remember when she was a senior and we were freshmen?
 * Bill: Shut up, Ted!

 * Captain Logan: I spoke to your principal today, Ted. He said you're failing history.
 * Ted: Me and Bill-
 * Captain Logan: He also said that if you fail history, you flunk out of school. You know what that would mean, don't you, Ted?
 * Ted: That I would have to go to Oates Military Academy. Sir.
 * Captain Logan: I spoke to Colonel Oates this morning. He's anxious to meet you, Ted...
 * [back outside]
 * Ted: Dude, we gotta pass; otherwise, there's no more band.
 * Bill: Why?
 * Ted: My dad's sending me to military school.
 * Bill: Where?
 * Ted: Alaska...

 * Bill: OK, Ted: George Washington. One: The father of our country.
 * Ted: Two: Born on Presidents' Day!
 * Bill: Three: The dollar bill guy.
 * Ted: You ever made a mushroom out of his head?
 * Bill: Ted... Alaska.
 * Ted: Okay... Um.... Had wooden teeth, chased Moby Dick.
 * Bill: That's Captain Ahab, dude!
 * Ted: ...Oh, wait! Remember Disney World? Hall of Presidents?
 * Bill: Yeah, good, what did he say?
 * Ted: ...Welcome to the Hall of Presidents!

 * Ted: Now your dad's going for it. In your own room! [giggles]
 * Bill: Shut up, Ted.
 * Ted: Your stepmom is cute, though.
 * Bill: Shut up, Ted!
 * Ted: Remember when I asked her to the prom?
 * Bill: SHUT UP, TED!
 * Ted: [huge grin]

 * Outside the Circle K
 * Ted: OK, the lady in that car over there said that Marco Polo was in the year 1275.
 * Bill: It's not just a water sport, I knew it.
 * A woman enters convenience store
 * Ted: Excuse me? When did the Mongols rule China?
 * Woman: I don't know, I just work here.

 * Rufus: Greetings, my excellent friends.
 * Ted: ...Do you know when the Mongols ruled China?
 * Rufus: Well.... Perhaps we can ask them.

 * Bill: [reading from their history textbook] "The only true wisdom consists in knowing that you know nothing."
 * Ted: [after a pause] That's us, dude!
 * Bill: Oh, yeah!

 * Bill: How's it going, royal ugly dudes? I am the Earl of Preston!
 * Ted: And I am the Duke of Ted!
 * Henry VII: Put them in the iron maiden.
 * Ted: Iron Maiden?
 * Bill and Ted: Excellent! [air guitar]
 * Henry VII: Execute them!
 * Bill and Ted: Bogus!

 * Ted: Okay, if you guys are really us, what number are we thinking of?
 * Future Bill and Future Ted: SIXTY-NINE, DUDE!!!

 * Ted: Miss Preston, we'd like you to meet some of our...friends.
 * Bill: This is.. Dave Beeth-Oven... Maxine of Arc... Herman the Kid...
 * Ted: Bob Genghis Khan... So-crates Johnson... Dennis Freud. And uh... Abraham Lincoln...

 * Billy the Kid: Way to go, egghead.
 * Socrates: Geek!
 * Sigmund Freud: What is a geek?

 * Ted: Our first guest speaker comes from the year 400 BC, a time when most of the world looked like the cover of the Led Zeppelin album, Houses of the Holy.
 * Bill: We were there. There were many steps and columns. It was most tranquil.
 * Ted: He is sometimes known as the father of modern thought. He was the teacher of Plato, who was in turn the teacher of Aristotle, and like Ozzy Osbourne, was repeatedly accused of corruption of the young.

 * Freud: And so, Ted's father's own fear of failure has caused him to make his son the embodiment of all his deepest anxieties about himself. And hence, his aggression transference onto Ted.
 * Ted: [sits up] Whoa....
 * Freud: Okay, Ted?
 * Ted: Yes... Thank you very much, Sigmund Freud...
 * Freud: Bill? [motions toward the couch]
 * Bill: Nah. Just got a minor oedipal complex.

 * Bill: It is indeed a pleasure to introduce to you a gentleman we picked up in medieval Mongolia in the year 1269.
 * Ted: Please welcome the very excellent barbarian...
 * Bill and Ted: MR. GENGHIS KHAN!
 * [The students applaud wildly for Khan.]
 * Ted: This is a dude who, 700 years ago, totally ravaged China, and who, we were told, two hours ago totally ravaged Oshman's Sporting Goods.

 * Abraham Lincoln: Fourscore and... 7 minutes ago, we, your forefathers, were brought forth upon a most excellent adventure, conceived by our new friends: Bill and Ted. These two great gentlemen are dedicated to a proposition, which was true in my time, just as it's true today. Be excellent to each other... and... PARTY ON, DUDES!

<hr width="50%"/>
 * Bill: You know how to play, Rufus?
 * Rufus: I play a little.
 * Rufus does a solo of complex guitar riffs
 * Bill: Most outstanding, Rufus! Let's jam!
 * [the boys and princesses prepare to jam]
 * Ted: Bill, my friend?
 * Bill: Yes Ted, my friend?
 * Ted: This has been a most excellent adventure.
 * Both: 1! 2! 1-2-3-4!
 * [The band start playing, very badly]
 * Rufus [to the camera]: They do get better.

Taglines

 * History is about to be rewritten by two guys who can't spell...
 * Time flies when you're having fun.
 * Party on, dudes!
 * Brace yourself amigos for a most triumphant video! (UK VHS box)
 * The funniest comedy in the history of history.

Cast

 * Keanu Reeves - "Ted" Theodore Logan
 * Alex Winter - Bill S. Preston, Esq.
 * George Carlin - Rufus
 * Terry Camilleri - Napoleon
 * Dan Shor - Billy the Kid
 * Tony Steedman - Socrates
 * Rod Loomis - Dr. Sigmund Freud
 * Al Leong - Genghis Khan
 * Jane Wiedlin - Joan of Arc
 * Robert V. Barron - Abraham Lincoln
 * Clifford David - Ludwig van Beethoven

title: Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure


text:
Apostasy

Apostasy (pronounced /əˈpɒstəsi/; from Greek ἀποστασία (apostasia), a defection or revolt, from ἀπό, apo, "away, apart", στάσις, stasis, "stand", "standing") is the formal disaffiliation from, or abandonment or renunciation of a religion by a person.

Quotes

 * For a very long lime the courts in British India have held without reservation and qualification that under all circumstances apostasy automatically and immediately puts an end to the married slate without any judicial proceedings, any decree of court, or any other ceremony. That has been the position which was taken up by the Courts. Now, there are three distinct views of Hanafi jurists on the point. One view which is attributed to the Bokhara jurists... The Bokhara jurists say that marriage is dissolved by apostasy. In fact, I should be more accurate in saying—I have got authority for that—that it is, according to the Bokhara view, not dissolved but suspended. The marriage is suspended but the wife is then kept in custody or confinement till she repents and embraces Islam again, and then she is induced to marry the husband, whose marriage was only suspended and not put an end to or cancelled. The second view is that on apostasy a married Muslim woman ceases to be the wife of her husband but becomes his bond-woman. One view, which is a sort of corollary to this view, is that she is not necessarily the bond-woman of her ex-husband but she becomes the bond-woman of the entire Muslim community and anybody can employ her as a bond-woman. The third view, that of the Ulema of Samarkand and Balkh, is that the marriage lie is not affected by such apostasy and that the woman still continues to be the wife of the husband. These are the three views.
 * Syed Gulam Bikh Nairan, quoted from    B.R. Ambedkar, Pakistan or The Partition of India (1946)

 * Since first that great Apostacy took place in the Hearts and Heads of those who began even in the Apostles days, to depart from the simplicity and purity of the Gospel, as it was then delivered in its primitive Splendor and Integrity, innumerable have been the manifold Inventions and Traditions, the different and various Notions and Opinions, wherewith Man (by giving way to the vain and airy Imaginations of his own unstable mind) hath burdened the Christian Faith: so that indeed, first by adding these things, and afterwards by equalling them, if not exalting them above the Truth, they have at last come to be substitute in the stead of it; so that in process of time, Truth came to be shut out of doors, and another thing placed in the room thereof, having a shew and a Name, but wanting the substance and thing itself: Nevertheless it pleased God to raise up Witnesses for himself almost in every Age and Generation, who, according to the Discoveries they received, bore some Testimony, less or more, against the Superstition and Apostacy of the time; and in special manner through the appearing of that Light which first broke forth in Germany about One hundred and fifty years ago, and afterwards reached divers other Nations; the Beast received a deadly Wound: and a very great Number did at one time Protest against, and Rescind from the Church of Rome in divers of their most gross and sensual Doctrines and superstitious Traditions: But alas! it is for matter of lamentation, that the Successors of these Protestants are Establishing and Building up in themselves that which their Fathers were pulling down, instead of prosecuting and going on with so Good and Honourable a Work; which will easily appear.
 * Robert Barclay, Preface (1673)

 * APOSTATE, n. A leech who, having penetrated the shell of a turtle only to find that the creature has long been dead, deems it expedient to form a new attachment to a fresh turtle.
 * Ambrose Bierce, The Cynic's Dictionary (1906); republished as The Devil's Dictionary (1911).

 * The absolute morality that a religious person might profess would include what, stoning people for adultery, death for apostasy, punishment for breaking the Sabbath. These are all things which are religiously based absolute moralities. I don’t think I want an absolute morality. I think I want a morality that is thought out, reasoned, argued, discussed and based upon, I’d almost say, intelligent design [pun intended]. Can we not design our society, which has the sort of morality, the sort of society that we want to live in – if you actually look at the moralities that are accepted among modern people, among 21st century people, we don’t believe in slavery anymore. We believe in equality of women. We believe in being gentle. We believe in being kind to animals. These are all things which are entirely recent. They have very little basis in Biblical or Quranic scripture. They are things that have developed over historical time through a consensus of reasoning, of sober discussion, argument, legal theory, political and moral philosophy. These do not come from religion. To the extent that you can find the good bits in religious scriptures, you have to cherry pick. You search your way through the Bible or the Quran and you find the occasional verse that is an acceptable profession of morality and you say, ‘Look at that. That’s religion,’ and you leave out all the horrible bits and you say, ‘Oh, we don’t believe that anymore. We’ve grown out of that.’ Well, of course we’ve grown out it. We’ve grown out of it because of secular moral philosophy and rational discussion.
 * Richard Dawkins-George Pell Q&A (2012)

 * In the case of immigrants from Syria and Iraq I would like to see special preference given to apostates, people who have given up Islam, they are in particular danger.
 * Richard Dawkins in an interview to The Times — Richard Dawkins: Atheist academic calls for religion 'to be offended at every opportunity' (23 May 2016)

 * AbuMusa said: Mu'adh came to me when I was in the Yemen. A man who was Jew embraced Islam and then retreated from Islam. When Mu'adh came, he said: I will not come down from my mount until he is killed. He was then killed. One of them said: He was asked to repent before that.

 * Still in the garden shadows art Thou pleading, Staining the night dews with Thine agony; But one is there Thy woe and prayer unheeding, And to their guileless prey Thy murderers leading, Lord, is it I?
 * George Huntingdon, reported in Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert, Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), p. 14.

 * Apostasy fired her blood as love had done.
 * Tanith Lee, Death's Master (1979), Book Two, Part 4 In Simmurad, Chapter 3

 * The kiss of the apostate was the most bitter earthly ingredient in the agonies which Christ endured.
 * Elias Lyman Magoon, reported in Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert, Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), p. 14.

 * Lo! those who disbelieve after their (profession of) belief, and afterward grow violent in disbelief: their repentance will not be accepted. And such are those who are astray.
 * , Pickthall translation

 * The intellectual origins of literary theory in Europe were, I think it is accurate to say, insurrectionary. The traditional university, the hegemony of determinism and positivism, the reification of ideological bourgeois “humanism,” the rigid barriers between academic specialties: it was powerful responses to all these that linked together such influential progenitors of today’s literary theorist as Saussure, Lukács, Bataille, Lévi-Strauss, Freud, Nietzsche, and Marx. Theory proposed itself as a synthesis overriding the petty fiefdoms within the world of intellectual production, and it was manifestly to be hoped as a result that all the domains of human activity could be seen, and lived, as a unity. ...
 * Literary theory, whether of the Left or the Right, has turned its back on these things. This can be considered, I think, the triumph of the ethic of professionalism. But it is no accident that the emergence of so narrowly defined a philosophy of pure textuality and critical noninterference has coincided with the ascendancy of Reaganism.
 * Edward Said, The World, the Text, and the Critic (1983), pp. 3-4

 * If apostasy comes in the form of a crime, transgression, or high treason, it is only natural that it will be treated as a crime that must be fought, and must carry a certain punishment. But if apostasy does not constitute a danger or crime against society, I believe that society does not need to deal with this issue. We should be aware that the concepts of human rights are full of ticking time bombs. My opinion was – and I said this [in the West] – that no Muslim society could ever consider sexual liberty, homosexuality and so on to be a personal right. Muslim societies consider these things to be diseases, which must be fought and treated. […] And protection of moral values too. The problem is that the [Islamic and Western] civilizations are different. Our civilization is based on religion and moral values, whereas their civilization is based more on personal liberties and some moral values.” […] As I said, if an apostate has left Islam out of hatred toward it, and with the purpose of acting against it – this is considered high treason, because this is a Muslim society, which has had Islam for 1,400 years and other religions for over 5,000 years. One does not have the right to… In this case, apostasy is a rebellion against society. It is a rebellion both against religion and what is held sacrosanct by society.
 * , during a local television interview. (21 June 2016)

 * An exposition of the faith is to be laid before an apostate; who, if he repent not within three days is put to death.” A female slave or free woman who apostatizes is not to be killed, but she “must be daily beaten with severity until she return to the faith.
 * The Hedaya, or Guide : a Commentary on the Mussulman Laws, Charles Hamilton, II, 225-228. Quoted from Lal, K. S. (1994). Muslim slave system in medieval India. New Delhi: Aditya Prakashan. Ch. 11

 * "...Ex-Muslims are subjected to death, you are not allowed to be not to be a Muslim...locked up, abused and even worse killed...a lot of women after leaving Islamare subjected to emotional, physical and mental abuse by their family for rejecting any values...you are a Muslim or you are dead according to Sharia law...A lot of this is prevalent in Middle East and other theocratic countries but not limited to them.It's not unheard of in the west with Muslim Societies..."
 * Zara Kay in Times of India 2019 January 7

title: Apostasy


text:
Freedom of religion

 or belief is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or community, in public or private, to manifest religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship, and observance without governmental influence or intervention. It also includes the freedom to change one's religion or belief.

A

 * King Piyadasi (Ashok) dear to the Gods, honours all sects, the ascetics (hermits) or those who dwell at home, he honours them with charity and in other ways. But the King, dear to the Gods, attributes less importance to this charity and these honours than to the vow of seeing the reign of virtues, which constitutes the essential part of them.  For all these virtues there is a common source, modesty of speech.  That is to say, One must not exalt one’s creed discrediting all others, nor must one degrade these others Without legitimate reasons. One must, on the contrary, render to other creeds the honour befitting them.
 * Ashoka Inscription. Quoted in Sita Ram Goel, ed., Vindicated by Time: The Niyogi Committee Report on Christian Missionary Activities (1998), Part III, Ch. 1, pp. 267–8

B

 * The King allows such freedom that every man may come and go and live according to his own creed, without suffering any annoyance and without enquiry whether he is a Christian, ‘Jew’, Moor or Heathen. Great equity and justice is observed to all, not only by the rulers, but by the people one to another.
 * Barbosa, Duarte (1480-1521), The Book of Duarte Barbosa, 2 vols., Hakluyt Society, London, 1918-21. vol. I, p. 202. also quoted in Jain, M. (editor) (2011). The India they saw: Foreign accounts. New Delhi: Ocean Books. Volume III Chapter 12
 * About freedom of religion in the Vijayanagara empire.

 * The "establishment of religion" clause of the First Amendment means at least this: Neither a state nor the Federal Government can set up a church. Neither can pass laws which aid one religion, aid all religions or prefer one religion over another. Neither can force nor influence a person to go to or to remain away from church against his will or force him to profess a belief or disbelief in any religion. No person can be punished for entertaining or professing religious beliefs or disbeliefs, for church attendance or non-attendance. In the words of Jefferson, the clause against establishment of religion by law was intended to erect "a wall of separation between Church and State".
 * Justice Hugo Black, Everson v. Board of Education, 330 U.S. 1, 15-16, 330 U.S. 1 (1947)

C

 * When Servetus fought with reasons and writings, he should have been repulsed by reasons and writings.
 * Sebastian Castellio, Should Heretics be Persecuted?

 * It is true that Calvin and his fellow pastors in Geneva were involved in the death of Servetus. However, it would be difficult to find any church leader in the 16th century who advocated a more gentle approach. Luther called for attacks on German peasants and wrote an angry tract against the Jews, called ‘On the Jews and their Lies'. Zwingli, the Reformer of Zurich, supported the execution by drowning of the Anabaptist leader, Felix Manz. Sir Thomas More, England's Catholic Lord Chancellor, presided over the execution of those he viewed as “heretics” in England during the reign of Henry the VIII. Each country of Europe in the sixteenth century felt that defending its religious views involved taking strong measures against those who disagreed. Toleration and acceptance of doctrinal differences were simply not sixteenth century concepts.
 * “The Servetus Controversy", Calvin University, p. 1.

 * I for one would never be a party, unless the law were clear, to saying to any man who put forward his views on those most sacred things, that he should be branded as apparently criminal because he differed from the majority of mankind in his religious views or convictions on the subject of religion. If that were so, we should get into ages and times which, thank God, we do not live in, when people were put to death for opinions and beliefs which now almost all of us believe to be true.
 * John Coleridge, 1st Baron Coleridge Reg. v. Bradlaugh and others (1883), 15 Cox, C.C. 230

 * When we, Constantine and Licinius, emperors, had an interview at Milan, and conferred together with respect to the good and security of the commonweal, it seemed to us that, amongst those things that are profitable to mankind in general, the reverence paid to the Divinity merited our first and chief attention, and that it was proper that the Christians and all others should have liberty to follow that mode of religion which to each of them appeared best; so that that God, who is seated in heaven, might be benign and propitious to us, and to every one under our government. And therefore we judged it a salutary measure, and one highly consonant to right reason, that no man should be denied leave of attaching himself to the rites of the Christians, or to whatever other religion his mind directed him, that thus the supreme Divinity, to whose worship we freely devote ourselves, might continue to vouchsafe His favour and beneficence to us. And accordingly we give you to know that, without regard to any provisos in our former orders to you concerning the Christians, all who choose that religion are to be permitted, freely and absolutely, to remain in it, and not to be disturbed any ways, or molested. And we thought fit to be thus special in the things committed to your charge, that you might understand that the indulgence which we have granted in matters of religion to the Christians is ample and unconditional; and perceive at the same time that the open and free exercise of their respective religions is granted to all others, as well as to the Christians. For it befits the well-ordered state and the tranquillity of our times that each individual be allowed, according to his own choice, to worship the Divinity; and we mean not to derogate aught from the honour due to any religion or its votaries.
 * Constantine the Great, Edict of Milan proclaimed religious tolerance in the Roman Empire, issued by Constantine and Licinius - Online English translation - Latin text, As translated in The Ante-Nicene Fathers (1886) edited by Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson, Vol. 7, p. 320
 * Variant translation: When I, Constantine Augustus, as well as I Licinius Augustus fortunately met near Mediolanum [Milan], and were considering everything that pertained to the public welfare and security, we thought —, among other things which we saw would be for the good of many, those regulations pertaining to the reverence of the Divinity ought certainly to be made first, so that we might grant to the Christians and others full authority to observe that religion which each preferred; whence any Divinity whatsoever in the seat of the heavens may be propitious and kindly disposed to us and all who are placed under our rule. And thus by this wholesome counsel and most upright provision we thought to arrange that no one whatsoever should be denied the opportunity to give his heart to the observance of the Christian religion, or of that religion which he should think best for himself, so that the Supreme Deity, to whose worship we freely yield our hearts, may show in all things His usual favor and benevolence. Therefore, your Worship should know that it has pleased us to remove all conditions whatsoever, which were in the rescripts formerly given to you officially, concerning the Christians and now any one of these who wishes to observe Christian religion may do so freely and openly, without molestation. We thought it fit to commend these things most fully to your care that you may know that we have given to those Christians free and unrestricted opportunity of religious worship. When you see that this has been granted to them by us, your Worship will know that we have also conceded to other religions the right of open and free observance of their worship for the sake of the peace of our times, that each one may have the free opportunity to worship as he pleases; this regulation is made we that we may not seem to detract from any dignity or any religion.
 * Constantine the Great, Edict of Milan proclaimed religious tolerance in the Roman Empire, issued by Constantine and Licinius - Online English translation - Latin text, as translated in The Early Christian Persecutions (1897) by Dana Carleton Munro

 * They [the Pilgrims] believed in freedom of thought for themselves and for all other people who believed exactly as they did.
 * Will Cuppy, The Decline and Fall of Practically Everybody (1950)

D

 * Usbek can be as brilliant and satirical on occasion as his younger companion, but his aim is to probe to the heart of things, and he knows that truth will only reveal itself to a reverent search. To him all religions are worthy of respect, and their ministers also, for “God has chosen for Himself, in every corner of the earth, souls purer than the rest, whom He has separated from the impious world that their mortification and their fervent prayers may suspend His wrath.” He thinks that the surest way to please God is to obey the laws of society, and to do our duty towards men. Every religion assumes that God loves men, since He establishes a religion for their happiness; and since He loves men we are certain of pleasing Him in loving them, too. Usbek’s prayer in Letter XLVI. Is not yet out of date. “Lord, I do not understand any of those discussions that are carried on without end regarding Thee: I would serve Thee according to Thy will; but each man whom I consult would have me serve Thee according to his.” He insists that religion is intended for man’s happiness; and that, in order to love it and fulfil its behests, it is not necessary to hate and persecute those who are opposed to our beliefs – not necessary even to attempt to convert them. Indeed, he holds that variety of belief is beneficial to the state. A new sect is always the surest means of correcting the abuses of an old faith; and those who profess tolerated creeds usually prove more useful to their country than those who profess the established religion, because, being excluded from all honours, their endeavour to distinguish themselves by becoming wealthy improves trade and commerce.
 * John Davidson, in his Introduction to the in 1721 published Persian Letters by Montesquieu

 * Among Madison’s 15 points was his declaration that “the Religion then of every man must be left to the conviction and conscience of every...man to exercise it as these may dictate. This right is in its nature an inalienable right.” Madison also made a point that any believer of any religion should understand: that the government sanction of a religion was, in essence, a threat to religion. “Who does not see,” he wrote, “that the same authority which can establish Christianity, in exclusion of all other Religions, may establish with the same ease any particular sect of Christians, in exclusion of all other Sects?” Madison was writing from his memory of Baptist ministers being arrested in his native Virginia. As a Christian, Madison also noted that Christianity had spread in the face of persecution from worldly powers, not with their help. Christianity, he contended, “disavows a dependence on the powers of this world...for it is known that this Religion both existed and flourished, not only without the support of human laws, but in spite of every opposition from them.”
 * Kenneth C. Davis, “America’s True History of Religious Tolerance“, Smithsonian Magazine, (October 2010).

 * The much-ballyhooed arrival of the Pilgrims and Puritans in New England in the early 1600s was indeed a response to persecution that these religious dissenters had experienced in England. But the Puritan fathers of the Massachusetts Bay Colony did not countenance tolerance of opposing religious views. Their “city upon a hill” was a theocracy that brooked no dissent, religious or political. The most famous dissidents within the Puritan community, Roger Williams and Anne Hutchinson, were banished following disagreements over theology and policy. From Puritan Boston’s earliest days, Catholics (“Papists”) were anathema and were banned from the colonies, along with other non-Puritans. Four Quakers were hanged in Boston between 1659 and 1661 for persistently returning to the city to stand up for their beliefs.
 * Kenneth C. Davis, “America’s True History of Religious Tolerance“, Smithsonian Magazine, (October 2010). “America’s True History of Religious Tolerance“, Smithsonian Magazine, (October 2010).

F

 * Superman: Remember this as long as you live: Whenever you meet up with anyone who is trying to cause trouble between people-anyone who tries to tell you that a man can’t be a good citizen because of his religious beliefs-you can be sure that the troublemaker is a rotten citizen himself and a rotten human being. Don’t ever forget that!
 * Superman as interpreted by Bud Collyer in “The Hate Mongers Organization”, part 25, The Adventures of Superman, (May 20, 1946), written by B. P. Freeman and Jack Johnstone

G

 * The need of the moment is not one religion, but mutual respect and tolerance of the devotees of the different religions. We want to reach not the dead level, but unity in diversity. Any attempt to root out traditions, effects of heredity, climate and other surroundings is not only bound to fail but is a sacrilege.  The soul of religions is one, but it is encased in a multitude of forms.  The latter will persist to the end of time.
 * Mahatma Gandhi, as quoted in Madhya Pradesh (India), Goel, S. R., Niyogi, M. B. (1998). Vindicated by time: The Niyogi Committee report on Christian missionary activities. ISBN 9789385485121 (citing Religious Liberty, pp. 267-268: Bates.) PART III CHAPTER I. – RELIGIOUS LIBERTY IN OTHER COUNTRIES

I

 * [The Putin regime] is serving notice to the world that not only the practice of religious liberty, but even the possibility of discussing about freedom of religion or belief have been abrogated in the [Russian Federation].
 * Massimo Introvigne, "Liquidating the SOVA Center: The Official End of Religious Freedom in Russia", Bitter Winter (May 04, 2023)

 * China, Russia, North Korea, Iran… When we consider the worst situations of systematic violation of religious liberty we tend to forget one country, Cuba. The crimes of the Cuban [Communist] regime are somewhat overshadowed by the more bloody deeds of other governments, some of them sharing with Cuba a Communist and Marxist ideological background. Yet, Cuba should not be forgotten.
 * Massimo Introvigne, "Religious Freedom Violations: Do Not Forget Cuba", Bitter Winter (December 27, 2022)

 * We do not believe that anti-FoRB and pro-FoRB positions should be considered as equally respectable in a report about religious liberty. Frankly, we would have preferred a coverage of the Japanese situation consistent with the traditional American position that regards stigmatization of certain groups as “cults” as bigotry, a position reiterated on the sections on Russia and China of the same 2023 report.
 * Massimo Introvigne, "The U.S. Department of State 2023 Religious Freedom Report: Excellent on Enemies, Soft on Allies", Bitter Winter (May 20, 2023)

 * Why did a reaction hostile to religious liberty manifest itself almost at the same time in France, Japan, Taiwan, and other democratic countries (but not all) in the late 1980s and 1990s? Obviously, there is not a single answer, but a look at the context may help.
 * Massimo Introvigne, "Taiwan, France, Japan: Roots and Consequences of an Anti-Cult Ideology", Bitter Winter (May 2024)

 * Prosecutors, judges, and tax bureaucrats [and other secular authorities] cannot evaluate the truth or quality of spiritual doctrines. In a democratic society, citizens should be free to join the spiritual movements they like, and if they contribute money to them, these should be considered as tax-exempt gifts. Affirming these principles is essential to protect freedom of religion or belief. California courts understood this more than ninety years ago. Taiwan authorities should do the same in the Tai Ji Men case.
 * Massimo Introvigne, "The California Blackburn Case of 1931 and the Tai Ji Men Case", Bitter Winter (October 2023)

 * When a national or local government calls a religious group “antisocial” [or “cultic” or “dangerous” or the like], it jeopardizes [that religious group's] right to honor and reputation, incites [unreasonable] discrimination, and interferes with the citizens’ right of deciding which religion they want to join free from governmental pressures—who would want to bear the stigma connected with joining a religion officially declared “antisocial”?
 * Massimo Introvigne, "Public Bodies Slandering Religious Minorities: A Wrong Decision by the Osaka District Court", Bitter Winter (March 12, 2024)

 * Certainly, religions have called each other “false” and “heretic” for centuries. We live in an era of interreligious dialogue and civility, but conservative groups remain outside of it. …one religious leader’s religious liberty in criticizing other religions is another’s hate speech. The border is not well defined by the law, and difficult to grasp. These cases can only be decided on a case-by-case basis and taking context into account. Perhaps a Catholic priest in 2016 was treated in a kindlier way by [the] Brazilian courts than an Evangelical minister in 2023. But it is also possible that [the] Brazilian judges are taking into account the widespread violence and [undue] discrimination against Afro-Brazilian religions, fueled by hate speech, prevailing in Brazil in the last few years.
 * Massimo Introvigne, "Can Christian Pastors Call Other Religions “Satanic”—Without Going to Jail?", Bitter Winter (November 9, 2023)

 * As Europeans with experience in the field of promoting freedom of religion or belief, we cannot tell Africans what is needed in their beautiful and special context. They will find solutions and practices based on their own culture and traditions. But we can express our appreciation for [the African Forum for Religious and Spirituality Liberty (AFRSL)] and for its young and energetic African Coordinator and his team, and our warning that the same forms of intolerance and discrimination we combat in Europe may raise their ugly head in Africa too. Now, however, they will find AFRSL to oppose and resist them.
 * Massimo Introvigne, "A New Religious Liberty Organization Is Launched in Africa", Bitter Winter (December 23, 2023)

J

 * The effect of the religious freedom Amendment to our Constitution was to take every form of propagation of religion out of the realm of things which could directly or indirectly be made public business, and thereby be supported in whole or in part at taxpayers' expense. That is a difference which the Constitution sets up between religion and almost every other subject matter of legislation, a difference which goes to the very root of religious freedom … This freedom was first in the Bill of Rights because it was first in the forefathers' minds; it was set forth in absolute terms, and its strength is its rigidity. It was intended not only to keep the states' hands out of religion, but to keep religion's hands off the state, and, above all, to keep bitter religious controversy out of public life by denying to every denomination any advantage from getting control of public policy or the public purse.
 * Robert H. Jackson, Everson v. Board of Education of Ewing Township, 330 U.S. 1 (1947) (dissenting).

 * The day that this country ceases to be free for irreligion it will cease to be free for religion — except for the sect that can win political power.
 * Robert H. Jackson, Zorach v. Clauson, 343 U.S. 306, 325 (1952) (dissenting).

 * Almighty God hath created the mind free. All attempts to influence it by temporal punishments or burthens … are a departure from the plan of the holy author of our religion … No man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship or ministry or shall otherwise suffer on account of his religious opinions or belief, but all men shall be free to profess and by argument to maintain, their opinions in matters of religion. I know but one code of morality for men whether acting singly or collectively.
 * Thomas Jefferson, as quoted in an inscription on the northwest quadrant of the Jefferson Memorial, Washington, D.C., selected by the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Commission. The first portion is from "A Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom" (1779), as published in The Papers of Thomas Jefferson (1950), edited by Julian P. Boyd, Vol. 2, p. 545–6; the inscription contains the ellipses above, but it omits other words without ellipses. The last line is from a letter to James Madison (28 August 1789), published in The Papers of Thomas Jefferson (1958), edited by Julian P. Boyd, Vol. 15, p. 367

 * That to compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves and abhors, is sinful and tyrannical.
 * Thomas Jefferson, in "A Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom" (1779), as published in The Papers of Thomas Jefferson (1950) edited by Julian P. Boyd, Vol. 2, p. 545

 * I am for freedom of religion, & against all maneuvres to bring about a legal ascendancy of one sect over another, for freedom of the press, and against all violations of the Constitution to silence by force and not by reason the complaints or criticisms, just or unjust, of our citizens against the conduct of their agents.
 * Thomas Jefferson, in a letter to Elbridge Gerry (26 January 1799); in The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Memorial Edition (ME) (Lipscomb and Bergh, editors), 20 Vols., Washington, D.C., 1903-04, Vol. 10, p. 78

 * Constantine fostered an atmosphere of religious liberty … Since it favored all religions equally, the edict expressed a policy of religious liberty, not toleration...All should try to share the benefits of their religious understanding with others, but no one should force his or her truth upon another. … (for according to Constantine)..."it is one thing acting with free will to enter into contest for immortality, another to compel others to do so by force through the fear of punishment. No one should greatly trouble another, rather, everyone should follow what his soul prefers...This edict is a paradigmatic statement of concord. … Since Constantine hopes that common fellowship and the persuasion "of those who believe" will lead everyone freely to choose (what he called) the straight path, he indicates his wish that religious unity will ultimately evolve.
 * Elizabeth DePalma Digeser, in The making of a Christian Empire: Lactantius & Rome

K

 * In both countries, Taiwan and Poland, the newly established democratic systems resulted in the development of associations and other civic initiatives, but also in the emergence of new religious and spiritual groups. In both countries religious liberty was officially proclaimed in late 1980s. Yet, in Poland, the initial thaw and ease of registering new religious communities significantly slowed down over the years, and currently—for various reasons—registering a new group is more challenging than three decades ago. Previously, the political climate made similar activities difficult, various groups operated unregistered, and everything was monitored by the secret security services.
 * Karolina Maria Kotkowska, "Poland and Taiwan: Bumpy Roads to Freedom of Religion or Belief", Bitter Winter (2024)

L

 * Sikandar Lodi’s “empire” was much smaller than that of Firuz Shah Tughlaq. But he enforced the “law” of Islam with no less zeal. A typical case of his reign is recorded by Abdulla in his Tarikhi-i-Daudi: “It is related in the Akbar Shahi that there came a Brahman by name Bodhan who had asserted one day in the presence of Musulmans that Islam was true, as was also his own religion. This speech of his was aired abroad, and came to the ears of the ulema… Azam Humayun, the governor of that district, sent the Brahman into the king’s presence at Sambal. Sultan Sikander …summoned all the wise men of note from every quarter… After investigating the matter, the ulema determined that he should be imprisoned and converted to Islam, or suffer death, and since the Brahman refused to apostatize he was accordingly put to death by the decree of the ulema. The Sultan after rewarding the learned casuists, gave them permission to depart.”
 * Abdulla in his Tarikhi-i-Daudi.  Quoted from Goel, Sita Ram (2001). The story of Islamic imperialism in India. ISBN 9788185990231

M

 * He summoned to the palace the bishops of the Christians, who were of conflicting opinions, and the people, who are also at variance, and politely advised them to lay aside their differences, and each fearlessly and without opposition to observe his own beliefs. On this he took a firm stand, to the end that, as this freedom increased their dissension, he might afterwards have no fear of a united populace, knowing as he did from experience that no wild beasts are such enemies to mankind as are most of the Christians in their deadly hatred of one another.
 * Ammianus Marcellinus, Res gestae, XXII, v, 3, 4, on the religious policy of Julian the Apostate

 * The great writers to whom the world owes what religious liberty it possesses, have mostly asserted freedom of conscience as an indefeasible right, and denied absolutely that a human being is accountable to others for his religious belief. Yet so natural to mankind is intolerance in whatever they really care about, that religious freedom has hardly anywhere been practically realised, except where religious indifference, which dislikes to have its peace disturbed by theological quarrels, has added its weight to the scale.
 * John Stuart Mill, On Liberty (1859)

 * Christians are beginning to lose the spirit of intolerance which animated them: experience has shown the error of the expulsion of the Jews from Spain, and of the persecution of those Christians in France whose belief differed a little from that of the king. They have realized that zeal for the advancement of religion is different from a due attachment to it; and that in order to love it and fulfil its behests, it is not necessary to hate and persecute those who are opposed to it.
 * Letter No. 60 of the in 1721 published Persian Letters by Montesquieu

N

 * [The] unique ability to deal with the spiritual, needs to be cherished, not destroyed by technocracy, or suppressed by ridicule or totalitarian governments.
 * Hans Noot, "Fostering Spirituality: Four Levels of Freedom of Religion or Belief", Bitter Winter (April 2024)

O

 * People in every country should be free to choose and live their faith based upon the persuasion of the mind, and the heart, and the soul. This tolerance is essential for religion to thrive, but it is being challenged in many different ways. … Freedom of religion is central to the ability of peoples to live together.
 * Barack Obama, A New Beginning at Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt (4 June 2009)

 * Our nations are strongest when we see that we are all God’s children — all equal in His eyes and worthy of His love. Across our two great countries we have Hindus and Muslims, Christians and Sikhs, and Jews and Buddhists and Jains and so many faiths. And we remember the wisdom of Gandhiji, who said, “for me, the different religions are beautiful flowers from the same garden, or they are branches of the same majestic tree.” Branches of the same majestic tree. Our freedom of religion is written into our founding documents. It’s part of America’s very first amendment. Your Article 25 says that all people are “equally entitled to freedom of conscience and the right freely to profess, practice and propagate religion.” In both our countries — in all countries — upholding this fundamental freedom is the responsibility of government, but it's also the responsibility of every person.
 * Barack Obama, Remarks by Barack Obama in Address to the People of India (27 January 2015)

 * No society is immune from the darkest impulses of man. And too often religion has been used to tap into those darker impulses as opposed to the light of God. Three years ago in our state of Wisconsin, back in the United States, a man went to a Sikh temple and, in a terrible act of violence, killed six innocent people — Americans and Indians. And in that moment of shared grief, our two countries reaffirmed a basic truth, as we must again today — that every person has the right to practice their faith how they choose, or to practice no faith at all, and to do so free of persecution and fear and discrimination.
 * Barack Obama, Remarks by Barack Obama in Address to the People of India (27 January 2015)

R

 * Religious freedom does not mean that all religions are the same: it means that truth matters, and this is what religion and the sense of the sacred are all about. Every man and woman has the right to know the truth, but only full freedom allows them to progress in that direction.
 * Marco Respinti, "Media: Friends or Foes of Religious Freedom?", Bitter Winter (2023)

 * The same truth we trust to finally prevail is the same truth [Freedom of Religion or Belief] is made of. Religions and spiritual ways are not all the same. What is the same is the honest spirit that animates all believers in different religions. What is really true of all religions, including religions that a believer in another religion may regard as false, is the afflatus for truth that motivates them. No matter how different beliefs and believers may be, no matter how many conflicts they may have between each other, that single element, a thirst and hunger for truth, makes them similar, make their devotees sisters and brothers, make them human and unique.
 * Marco Respinti, "How Tai Ji Men Works for the End of All Religious Persecutions", Bitter Winter (2023)

 * Religious liberty is concerned not with beliefs and doctrines, but with human beings and persons. It comes before any deed human beings may do, even in the name of their own right to truth gone astray. A person’s fundamental right to the truth of facts and to ultimate truth does not cease to exist because some people misunderstand or misuse it. This is why laws and judicial procedures of societies that aim at being civilized struggle to grant fair trials, proportionate sentences, and humane treatment even to inmates in prison cells—and differ from rogue states and regimes.
 * Marco Respinti, "Tai Ji Men’s Right to Truth vs. Dehumanization", Bitter Winter (2024)

 * Is there a risk that reducing the debate on religious liberty to different forms of state recognition, including the Italian “,” may implicitly or inadvertently confer to the state the power to grant to religious groups the right to exist? In practice, states do have such power in different countries. The question is whether giving such an authority to the state is morally and philosophically correct. Perhaps, a state should just watch over the compliance of its citizens with the laws (assuming the laws are just), regardless of their religious persuasion, and leave religious groups alone to live and self-regulate their lives. The state is not the source of religious liberty, although it should acknowledge and protect it.
 * Marco Respinti, "Should States Control Religious Liberty? A Conference in Rome", Bitter Winter (June 7, 2024)

 * The constitutional inhibition of legislation on the subject of religion has a double aspect. On the one hand, it forestalls compulsion by law of the acceptance of any creed or the practice of any form of worship. Freedom of conscience and freedom to adhere to such religious organization or form of worship as the individual may choose cannot be restricted by law. On the other hand, it safeguards the free exercise of the chosen form of religion. Thus the Amendment embraces two concepts,-freedom to believe and freedom to act. The first is absolute but, in the nature of things, the second cannot be. Conduct remains subject to regulation for the protection of society.'''
 * , Cantwell v. Connecticut, 310 U.S. 296 (1940)

 * Yes, even our right of worship would be threatened. The Nazi world does not recognize any God except Hitler; for the Nazis are as ruthless as the Communists in the denial of God. What place has religion which preaches the dignity of the human being, the majesty of the human soul, in a world where moral standards are measured by treachery and bribery and fifth columnists? Will our children, too, wander off, goose-stepping in search of new gods?
 * Franklin D. Roosevelt, Radio Address Announcing an Unlimited National Emergency, 27 May 1941

 * The demand for a statement of a candidate’s religious belief can have no meaning except that there may be discrimination for or against him because of that belief. Discrimination against the holder of one faith means retaliatory discrimination against men of other faiths. The inevitable result of entering upon such a practice would be an abandonment of our real freedom of conscience and a reversion to the dreadful conditions of religious dissension which in so many lands have proved fatal to true liberty, to true religion, and to all advance in civilization.
 * Theodore Roosevelt's Letter to Mr. J.C. Martin concerning religion and politics (6 November 1908)

 * To discriminate against a thoroughly upright citizen because he belongs to some particular church, or because, like Abraham Lincoln, he has not avowed his allegiance to any church, is an outrage against that liberty of conscience which is one of the foundations of American life. You are entitled to know whether a man seeking your suffrages is a man of clean and upright life, honorable in all of his dealings with his fellows, and fit by qualification and purpose to do well in the great office for which he is a candidate; but you are not entitled to know matters which lie purely between himself and his Maker.
 * Theodore Roosevelt's Letter to Mr. J.C. Martin concerning religion and politics (6 November 1908)

 * One of the most important things to secure for him is the right to hold and to express the religious views that best meet his own soul needs. Any political movement directed against anybody of our fellow- citizens because of their religious creed is a grave offense against American principles and American institutions. It is a wicked thing either to support or to oppose a man because of the creed he professes. This applies to Jew and Gentile, to Catholic and Protestant, and to the man who would be regarded as unorthodox by all of them alike. Political movements directed against men because of their religious belief, and intended to prevent men of that creed from holding office, have never accomplished anything but harm.
 * Theodore Roosevelt, Address to the Knights of Columbus, Carnegie Hall, New York (12 October 1915)

 * There should never be any union of Church and State; and such union is partially accomplished wherever a given creed is aided by the State or when any public servant is elected or defeated because of his creed. The Constitution explicitly forbids the requiring of any religious test as a qualification for holding office. To impose such a test by popular vote is as bad as to impose it by law. To vote either for or against a man because of his creed is to impose upon him a religious test and is a clear violation of the spirit of the Constitution.
 * Theodore Roosevelt, Address to the Knights of Columbus, Carnegie Hall, New York (12 October 1915)

 * Moreover, it is well to remember that these movements never achieve the end they nominally have in view. They do nothing whatsoever except to increase among the men of the various churches the spirit of sectarian intolerance which is base and unlovely in any civilization, but which is utterly revolting among a free people that profess the principles we profess. No such movement can ever permanently succeed here. All that it does is for a decade or so to greatly increase the spirit of theological animosity, both among the people to whom it appeals and among the people whom it assails. Furthermore, it has in the past invariably resulted, in so far as it was successful at all, in putting unworthy men into office; for there is nothing that a man of loose principles and of evil practices in public life so desires as the chance to distract attention from his own shortcomings and misdeeds by exciting and inflaming theological and sectarian prejudice.
 * Theodore Roosevelt, Address to the Knights of Columbus, Carnegie Hall, New York (12 October 1915)

 * I hold that in this country there must be complete severance of Church and State; that public moneys shall not be used for the purpose of advancing any particular creed; and therefore that the public schools shall be non-sectarian. As a necessary corollary to this, not only the pupils but the members of the teaching force and the school officials of all kinds must be treated exactly on a par, no matter what their creed; and there must be no more discrimination against Jew or Catholic or Protestant than discrimination in favor of Jew, Catholic or Protestant. Whoever makes such discrimination is an enemy of the public schools.
 * Theodore Roosevelt, Address to the Knights of Columbus, Carnegie Hall, New York (12 October 1915)

 * We must recognize that it is a cardinal sin against democracy to support a man for public office because he belongs to a given creed or to oppose him because he belongs to a given creed. It is just as evil as to draw the line between class and class, between occupation and occupation in political life.
 * Theodore Roosevelt, Address to the Knights of Columbus, Carnegie Hall, New York (12 October 1915)

 * The line of cleavage drawn on principle and conduct in public affairs is never in any healthy community identical with the line of cleavage between creed and creed or between class and class. On the contrary, where the community life is healthy, these lines of cleavage almost always run nearly at right angles to one another. It is eminently necessary to all of us that we should have able and honest public officials in the nation, in the city, in the state. If we make a serious and resolute effort to get such officials of the right kind, men who shall not only be honest but shall be able and shall take the right view of public questions, we will find as a matter of fact that he men we thus choose will be drawn from the professors of every creed and from among men who do not adhere to any creed.
 * Theodore Roosevelt, Address to the Knights of Columbus, Carnegie Hall, New York (12 October 1915)

 * The antagonist in the major struggle of mankind for religious freedom has been Christianity, which accentuated the elements of intolerance included in its Hebraic heritage and supplemented them by the introduction of two new and potent incentives-the idea of a universal mission, a rigid dogma, the conception of the Church as an indispensable mediator between God and man.
 * Professor Guido de Ruggiero in his article on “Religious Liberty”, published in the “Encyclopedia of Social Sciences”, (Religious Liberty: Bates, p. 132.) Religious Liberty: an Inquiry by M. Searle Bates, 1947. Quoted from Madhya Pradesh (India), Goel, S. R., Niyogi, M. B. (1998). Vindicated by time: The Niyogi Committee report on Christian missionary activities. ISBN 9789385485121  PART III CHAPTER I. – RELIGIOUS LIBERTY IN OTHER COUNTRIES

S

 * The proposition that the several States have no greater power to restrain the individual freedoms protected by the First Amendment than does Congress is firmly embedded in constitutional jurisprudence. The First Amendment was adopted to curtail Congress' power to interfere with the individual's freedom to believe, to worship, and to express himself in accordance with the dictates of his own conscience, and the Fourteenth Amendment imposed the same substantive limitations on the States' power to legislate. The individual's freedom to choose his own creed is the counterpart of his right to refrain from accepting the creed established by the majority. Moreover, the individual freedom of conscience protected by the First Amendment embraces the right to select any religious faith or none at all.
 * Justice John Paul Stevens, Wallace v. Jaffree, 472 U.S. 38 (1985)

T

 * Nec religionis est cogere religionem.
 * It is certainly no part of religion to compel religion.
 * Tertullian, Ad Scapulam, 2.2

W

 * For happily the government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance, requires only that they who live under its protection should demean themselves as good citizens, in giving it on all occasions their effectual support…. May the children of the Stock of Abraham, who dwell in this land, continue to merit and enjoy the good will of the other inhabitants, while every one shall sit in safety under his own vine and fig-tree, and there shall be none to make him afraid.
 * George Washington, letter to the Hebrew congregation of Newport, Rhode Island (17 August 1790); reported in The Writings of George Washington (1939) edited by John C. Fitzpatrick, Vol. 31, p. 93

 * A genuinely democratic society requires a secular ethos: one that does not equate morality with religion, stigmatize atheists, defer to religious interests and aims over others or make religious belief an informal qualification for public office. Of course, secularism in the latter sense is not mandated by the First Amendment. It's a matter of sensibility, not law.
 * Ellen Willis, "Freedom from Religion", The Nation (19 February 2001)

 * If believers feel that their faith is trivialized and their true selves compromised by a society that will not give religious imperatives special weight, their problem is not that secularists are antidemocratic but that democracy is antiabsolutist.
 * Ellen Willis, "Freedom from Religion," The Nation (19 February 2001)

 * For democrats, it's as crucial to defend secular culture as to preserve secular law. And in fact the two projects are inseparable: When religion defines morality, the wall between church and state comes to be seen as immoral.
 * Ellen Willis, "Freedom from Religion," The Nation (19 February 2001)

Other external links

 * Declaration on Fundamentals of the Common Religion

title: Freedom of religion