To be wise, you must follow your intellect, even though such a way of life is often attacked.
The heavens do not approve when we sin, and the earth does not approve when we are virtuous.
—The TALMUD
Do not be interested in the quantity of people who respect and admire you, but in their quality. If bad people dislike you, so much the better.
—LUCIUS ANNAEUS SENECA
Human intellect is a divine lamp, and its light penetrates to the depth of things.
—EASTERN WISDOM
You should not be upset by the sight of wisdom being criticized. Wisdom would not be real wisdom if it did not reveal the stupidity of a bad life, and people would not be people if they endured this revelation without criticism.
August 14
People have become too accustomed to the use of force. Life without violence seems impossible for them to imagine.
Two ways exist to guide human activity. One is to force a person to act against his wishes; the other is to guide a person’s wishes, to persuade him with reasoning. One is the way of violence: it is used by ignorant people, and it leads to complete disappointment. The other is supported by experience, and is always successful.
—ABRAHAM COMB
Without faith in God, you can force people to act, but you cannot convince them. You can become a tyrant, but not a teacher.
—GIUSEPPE MAZZINI
People are wise beings; they possess the ability to live according to the dictates of their intellect, and sooner or later, they will evolve from a state of violence to a state of complete harmony and understanding. And every act of violence makes this time more distant from today.
August 15
All other arguments against meat eating, no matter how strong they are, are meaningless in relation to the fact that animals have the same life spirit that exists in us.
We should feel that by taking an animal life we commit something close to suicide. No other argument against meat eating is necessary for those who have this inner feeling.
Eating a lot of meat can make your body stronger, but it weakens your mind.
—PLUTARCH
It is very important not to kill children’s natural taste by forcing them to become meat eaters, not only for their health, but for the sake of their character. We do not know the reason, but we know that people who eat a lot of meat are usually cruel.
—JEAN JACQUES ROUSSEAU
We cannot close our eyes to those people who eat meat for the satisfaction of their pampered tastes.
The logical arguments against meat eating are not strong enough. Logic is good, but in some cases it falls short. But know this: the more compassion a person shows other living creatures, the kinder and better he is. To kill animals, whether for sport or for fuel, is very cruel.
August 16
We are spiritually connected on all sides, not only with people but with all living creatures.
Someone told me once that every person has an element of good and an element of bad within him, and that either the good or the bad can be manifested according to the person’s mood. We possess within us two different ways of understanding this world. One is the feeling of being divided, distanced, and alienated from each other; in this state, all things seem gloomy to us. We feel nothing except jealousy, indifference, and hatred. I would like to call the opposite way of understanding the understanding of universal unification. In this state, all people seem very close to us, and all are equal among themselves. This state, therefore, arouses compassion and love in us.
—ARTHUR SCHOPENHAUER
All people have the same origin, are bound by the same law, and were created for the same purpose.
Therefore, we should have one faith, one purpose to our actions, one banner under which we live and fight.
—GIUSEPPE MAZZINI
We should always try to find those things which do not separate us from other people but which unite us. To work against each other, to be angry and turn your back on each other, is to work against nature.
—MARCUS AURELIUS
Try to understand the unity of all living things. Try to serve and suffer with all living beings.
August 17
Kindness is a necessary addition to everything.
All the best qualities of mankind are meaningless and worthless without kindness, and even the worst vices can be easily forgiven with kindness.
There is a natural kindness which comes from our external attributes, from our inheritance, audience, good or bad indigestion, success, etc. This kind of kindness is very pleasant, both for the person who experiences it and for the people around him. And there is another type of kindness which comes from inner, spiritual work. This kindness is less attractive, but although the first kindness can easily change or be transformed into hatred, the second kind of kindness will never disappear and will constantly grow.
The goodness which you do gives you pleasure, but not satisfaction. No matter how much goodness you do, you should wish to do more and more.
—CONFUCIUS
Kindness is the major quality of the soul. If a person is not kind, it is because he was subjected to some lie, passion, or temptation which violated his natural state.
August 18
Christianity is true because it can answer the most distant, abstract questions, and at the same time, it can solve all practical issues of life as well. It established the kingdom of God in the spiritual life of every individual, and in the spiritual life of humanity in general.
Christ was sent to this world to bring good news. This was his major work. But do they teach this thing in his name? He wanted to change slavery into freedom. Is this taught in his name? Were they fulfilled, the things which he wanted to fulfill? Did poor people hear the good news? Have the broken hearts been cured? Can the blind people see? Have all the shackles been taken from the prisoners? Are the inmates set free? No. Christ is still on his cross, waiting for his apostles. They should come as soon as possible, because the suffering is terrible, and his eyes are tired of looking to the east and waiting for the sunrise of the time of the lord.
—F. ROBERT DE LAMENNAIS
Religion is true not because it was taught by the saints, but the saints taught it because it is true.
—GOTTHOLD EPHRAIM LESSING
Only religion destroys egoism and selfishness, so that one starts to live life not only for himself. Only religion destroys the fear of death, only religion gives us the meaning of life, only religion creates equality among people, only religion sets a person free from outer pressures. We must believe those spiritual doctrines which provide a very simple and practical guide for every one of us.
August 19
Life is constant movement, and therefore goodness in life is not a certain state, but the direction of movement. This direction is not in serving yourself, but God.
Some people seek goodness in power, others find it in science, others in dissipation. Those people who are really close to goodness understand that real goodness for one is when all people have this goodness and share it among themselves.
—BLAISE PASCAL
Happiness is a thing which a person wishes only for himself; goodness is a thing which a person wishes for himself and for others. Happiness can be achieved by struggle; goodness, on the contrary, by being humble.
Real goodness is to serve God.
You should do goodness without choosing to whom. Good things, once done, will never disappear, even if you forget about them. There is only one way to be happy, and this is a sure way: to do goodness and to share this goodness with others.
August 20