Huston Smith Quotes

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Huston Smith

Profession : Theologian

Birth : May 31, 1919

In order to live man must believe in that for which he lives.

Huston Smith

When the scientific method came into being, it gave us a new window on the truth; namely, a method by laboratory-controlled experiments to winnow true hypotheses from false ones.

Huston Smith

I had assumed that Bush's seemingly inflexible policy to support Sharon was for political reasons of his getting elected. But as to whether he really believes his actions are going to hasten the day of the final conflict, I do not know.

Huston Smith

First of all, my persuasion is what really breeds violence is political differences. But because religion serves as the soul of community, it gets drawn into the fracas and turns up the heat.

Huston Smith

The crisis that the world finds itself in as it swings on the hinge of a new millennium is located in something deeper than particular ways of organizing political systems and economies.

Huston Smith

It's often difficult for us to act compassionately, but sacred art eases the difficulty by ennobling us.

Huston Smith

Human intelligence is a reflection of the intelligence that produces everything. In knowing, we are simply extending the intelligence that comes to and constitutes us. We mimic the mind of God, so to speak. Or better, we continue and extend it.

Huston Smith

The modern period adds social ethics to religions agenda, for we now realize that social structures are not like laws of nature. They are human creations, so we are responsible for them.

Huston Smith

So always, if we look back, concern for face-to-face morality, and its modern emphasis on justice as well, have historically evolved as religious issues.

Huston Smith

In nature, the emphasis is in what is rather than what ought to be.

Huston Smith

The faith I was born into formed me.

Huston Smith

Religion is the call to confront reality; to master the self.

Huston Smith

I've spent the last 50 years or so steeping myself in the world's religions, and I've done my homework. I've gone to each of the world's eight great religions and sought out the most profound scholars I could find, and I've apprenticed myself to them and actually practiced each faith.

Huston Smith

Walnuts have a shell, and they have a kernel. Religions are the same. They have an essence, but then they have a protective coating. This is not the only way to put it. But it's my way. So the kernels are the same. However, the shells are different.

Huston Smith

It is commonly said and known that each civilization has its own religion. Now my claim is that if we look deeper, the different civilizations were brought into being by the different revelations.

Huston Smith

I am very orthodox in thinking that Jesus acted in his life the way God would have acted if God had assumed human form.

Huston Smith

The faith I was born into formed me. I come from a missionary family - I grew up in China - and in my case, my religious upbringing was positive. Of course, not everyone has this experience. I know many of my students are what I have come to think of as wounded Christians or wounded Jews.

Huston Smith

I don't have any fear of death. I do, however, have an inordinate fear of becoming dependent on other people. To me, that's the severest test, not death.

Huston Smith

You subtract Christianity from Huston Smith, and there is no Huston Smith left.

Huston Smith

Pure science - this vision of the universe as 15 billion light years across - I am bedazzled and awed by it.

Huston Smith