Saint Augustine Quotes

A person can do other things against his will, but belief is possible only in one who is willing.

I believe I am not mistaken in saying that Christianity is a demanding and serious religion. When it is delivered as easy and amusing, it is another kind of religion altogether.

Each human being has been granted a virtue: the capacity to choose. For he who does not use this virtue, it becomes a curse - and others will always choose for him.

Believing in God is as much like falling in love as it is making a decision. Love is both something that happens to you and something you decide upon.

I'm a true believer in prayer, a big believer in prayer.

I am very comfortable with the idea that we can override biology with free will.

Jesus isn't a logo, I'm not promoting some company, some brand. I'm just professing my faith.

Belief, like love, must be voluntary.

We have to believe in free will. We’ve got no choice.

I don't think it's corny to pray at all.

Agency presupposes choice.

A part of fate is the freedom of man. Forever wells up the impulse of choosing and acting in his soul.

Fundamentally, we are a product of choice, not nature (genes) or nurture (upbringing, environment).

Honestly, I cannot understand what people mean when they talk about the freedom of the human will. I have a feeling, for instance, that I will something or other; but what relation this has with freedom I cannot understand at all. I feel that I will to light my pipe and I do it; but how can I connect this up with the idea of freedom? What is behind the act of willing to light the pipe ? Another act of willing?

There is always a choice." "You mean I could choose certain death?" "A choice nevertheless, or perhaps an alternative. You see I believe in freedom. Not many people do, although they will of course protest otherwise. And no practical definition of freedom would be complete without the freedom to take the consequences. Indeed, it is the freedom upon which all the others are based.

Faith to me it’s believe without seeing, it’s how you live your life, how you are authentic.

Doubtful prayer is no prayer at all.

Though I’ve grown old, the bell still rings for me as it does for all who truly believe.

The greatest power God gave us is the power to choose. We have the opportunity to choose whether we're going to act or procrastinate, believe or doubt, pray or curse, help or heal. We also choose whether we're going to be happy or whether we're going to be sad.

To believe is not intellectual assent: "Yes, I believe in Jesus. I will sign my name to the Nicene Creed. I believe it all" - which you could do, [but] it would have no effect on who you were or what you did. It is, rather, to give your heart.

At its root, this is what faith is. It is not believing in God. It's believing God.

If you can really make a man believe you love him, you have won him; and if I could only make people really believe that God loves them, what a rush we would see for the kingdom of God!

We are product of neither nature nor nurture; we are a product of choice, because there is always a space between stimulus and response. As we wisely exercise our power to choose based on principles, the space will become larger.

A man can surely do what he wills to do, but cannot determine what he wills.

The trouble is, you can't properly present something you don't believe in.